yougotschooled2016

Badgers Bucked By Bogus Budget

Scott Walker has proposed forking over $250 million in taxpayer money to help construct a new arena for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, a team owned by billionaire hedge fund managers Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens. While supporting the home team usually sounds like a great idea, Walker’s extremely controversial (even with Republicans) allocation to the team doesn’t look so good when the state is facing a $283 million dollar deficit.

So, where will Walker get the money to throw at a new stadium for the Bucks, who haven’t won a league title since 1971? He’ll just cut it from higher education—no brainer. The University of Wisconsin system, one of the best research institutions in the world, is also funded by tax-payer dollars. But thanks to Walker’s stellar math, instead of funding the additional $95 million the university asked from the state legislature, which is absolutely critical for maintaining the system at a bare minimum, he has decided to go with a $250 million cut. #Facts

And, this isn’t the first time. In his first term, Walker cut a total of $400 million from the UW and state technical colleges, reduced financial aid for eligible students, and imposed a double-digit tuition hike that cost students over $200 million over four years. #Facts

 But surely a new stadium is a good long-term investment, right? Economists disagree. A host of academic reports over the years have found that using public financing for professional sports venues is a bad investment that rarely lives up to the lofty numbers brandished by the projects’ boosters and often incurs sizable cost overruns. You know what is a good long-term investment and key to state prosperity? An educated workforce.

Also, the Badgers are way better at basketball.