Furloughs, and Pay Freezes and Cut Strategies...Oh My!

Newsflash: 2011-12 Budget Climate Potentially Looks Worse

Got a boo boo? Boo hoo! Today's Wisconsin State Journal includes an article about Madison's budgetary woes resulting in no money available even for bandages for the school nurse:

" ...[School Board President] Cole also said the board didn't want to "tax to the max" even though the drop in state aid gave them authority to add well over $300 to property taxes on the average Madison home.
But with an equally hard budget situation predicted for 2011-2012, next year's negotiations on the teachers' two year contract may be tense, with furloughs or other pay freeze or cut strategies likely to be on the table. "

Hmmm...furloughs for teachers (gasp!), pay freezes (shocking!) and cut strategies are looming for Madison as thoughts turn towards their 2011-13 teacher's contract negotiations.

Just empty sabre rattling? Or is next year the year that the belly of the beast gets targeted?