“because increases in appropriations haven’t outpaced the spending habits of some education agencies and institutions”

Don Gaetz::

Just when the moaning choir of critics and political organ grinders strike up their dirges about Florida’s bad old government, the overland stage brings us news from the world north of Florida.
 
 On July 1, Illinois started closing schools and shuttering state offices. They taxed themselves silly until businesses that create jobs, which create revenues, started leaving. The state comptroller, a Democrat, says the state that boasts Barrack Obama and Rahm Emanuel as models of leadership will be the first to have its bonds rated, literally, as junk. Oh, yeah, and more people were shot in Chicago last year than America lost on 9/11. New state motto: Come to Illinois and Take Your Chances.
 
 On July 1, New Jersey went on life support. The governor, a Republican, wants to drain state reserves to fund drug treatment. The problem is that reserves are a non-recurring source of money and drug treatment is a recurring cost. Put simply, you can’t pay your rent from your savings account or pretty soon you’ll be both evicted and broke.

Madison plans to spend nearly $20k per student during the 2017-2018 school year.