[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Culminating weeks of fiery debate, the state Legislature approved a set of controversial companion bills last week aimed at raising the cap on Milwaukee's school-choice program.

As opponents argued the measure would harm Milwaukee's public-school students and taxpayers, the Senate and Assembly pushed the bills through in a pair of largely partisan votes late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

"I am pleased the Legislature agreed to lift the choice program's cap by 7,500 students," gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Green said in a statement, according to Green's press secretary Rob Vernon. "I am hopeful Gov. [Jim] Doyle will honor his promise and sign this legislation as soon as possible."

Legislators are confident that Doyle — whose contentious agreement last month with Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, spurred the cap-increase proposal — will approve the measure.

Though identical initiatives, the companion bills — Senate Bill 618 and Assembly Bill 1057 — must each be approved by the opposite house before being forwarded to the governor's desk for review.

While cap-increase supporters laud the measure's passage as a significant step toward helping low-income children receive quality education, opponents view an increase as an undue blow to the Milwaukee Public School system.

According to Kris Collett, communications specialist for the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, the measure's passage puts public school students in serious jeopardy.

"We think it's really bad news for the children in MPS and the families that choose MPS," Collett said. "The expansion in the voucher program is going to mean that the Milwaukee Public School district takes a hit, and it's going to mean further budget cuts."

While the bills' backers counter thousands of low-income students cannot afford to wait until the MPS system improves its standards, opponents argue an increased cap only makes it more difficult for public schools to develop.

Cap-increase opponents have additionally raised concerns about the measure's negative financial impact, citing estimates that each choice student admitted will cost Milwaukee taxpayers about $1,000.

"It substantially increases the property tax for people in Milwaukee," Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, said.

Risser added the measure does not enforce the proper oversight standards for private schools, which do not face the same degree of testing and accountability criteria as their public counterparts.

"I think the governor bent to the pressure of a group of people insisting that the caps be raised," he said. "This is the case where the governor worked out a deal with the Republicans, and most of the Democrats in the Legislature didn't buy it."

Risser was one of 13 senators to vote against SB 618, which was approved by all but two members of the Assembly. The Assembly approved AB 1057 in a 60 to 37 vote.

In separate legislative action, the Senate approved a measure Thursday aiming to provide $6 million in home heating assistance to low-income families.

The measure, SB 598, came in response to persistent calls by the governor.

SB 598 will now be sent to the Assembly for consideration.