Taxpayer unhappiness with increasing property taxes have prompted changes to Wisconsin's school finance system. In the midst of providing property-tax relief, the new tax base structure remains intact and allows school districts to exceed their revenue limits with a majority vote in districtwide elections. Debate is ongoing. (MLH)

This paper is primarily concerned with identifying and explicating the environmental forces and political factors responsible for legislative enactment of major school finance changes in Wisconsin in 1973. Easton's political systems theory serves as a conceptual framework for the study. In addition, Lindblom's leadership model, Truman's interest…

This paper traces the development of school finance reform pressures in Wisconsin from pressure in 1967 for property tax reform to 1973 legislative reform proposals. The 1973 proposal is designed to provide further equalization of educational opportunity to all Wisconsin students and to guarantee adequate financial resources to provide these…