He called the increase a "slam" on taxpayers and also says the School Board is irresponsible for not working with him to change the state's funding formula.

"Not only has President Blewett not acted to change the School Choice funding flaws, but he has also done nothing to change the state law that penalizes the Board for not raising spending to the maximum limit, as it did last year. ... Milwaukee taxpayers deserve better," the mayor said.

It would seem a dubious claim that Blewett has not been to Madison on behalf of MPS issues. At a legislative committee earlier this year he testified on a proposed expansion of the school voucher plan.

MPS says with declining state and federal aid it simply can't keep up with the costs.

Meanwhile in budget land, another municipal operator quietly raised the tax bill for locals as well, but without as much fanfare. Deciphering exactly how much the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Commission raised taxes for the average homeowner is an interesting task.

The district statement says the costs for a $400,000 home will go up $18.90 next year and notes that the tax levy for capital projects will go up 2%. Other numbers from the district state that user charges for a $200,000 home will be $113.65 and the capital charge would be $261.23. The district also notes that it will face an 11.8% increase in its operating and maintenance budget since a new contract with a private operator has the district covering energy costs.

UW-Tosa Taking Shape: It appears Downtown forces have lost their bid to get UW-Milwaukee to put its new engineering school Downtown. A County Board committee this week gave its blessing to selling some 65 acres of the County Grounds east of Highway 45 in Wauwatosa.

The idea has been derisively called "UW-Tosa" by Downtown backers.

"It appears that Milwaukee County is more interested in getting the proceeds from a land sale at the County Grounds than they are with putting UWM where it belongs to strengthen Milwaukee's future," states the mantra of the Web site www.UWMDowntown.org.

Downtown was seen by backers -- including Mayor Tom Barrett -- as a better site mainly due to logistics and proximity to the university. Transit and housing issues are certain to emerge, they warn. UWM says it can work better with the Medical College of Wisconsin if they were neighbors, which they would be in Tosa.

The County Board is expected to approve the sale, which doesn't yet have a price. UWM says the land is worth $10.3 million while the county says it's worth anywhere from $13.4 million to $21.5 million.

Philanthropist Michael Cudahy has said he would pay for the land.