The state Legislature could be looking at cuts in an anticipated special session, according to the Assembly speaker, although schools likely won’t be targeted.

During his visit to the Holmen School Board Feb. 11, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, warned board members of a budget shortfall that would require a special budget session after the regular session expires next month.

However, he said cuts in kindergarten through 12th-grade aid was unlikely.

“What we are going to see, based on sales and income tax revenues for December, January and projected for February, we’ll be 2 percent short of our budget,” Huebsch said. “That will trigger a special session piece of legislation referred to as a budget adjustment bill.”

But, he said, education is not one of the areas he sees as being cut to meet the shortfall.

“My belief is that any reduction we have will not be in the school aid formula; it’s unlikely to occur,” Huebsch said.

Huebsch said the Legislature would have to look at all the areas of spending to see what can be cut. New programs introduced in the recently passed budget would be targets for cutting or postponement to meet the revenue shortfall.

School board member Tim Medinger asked Huebsch, what, in his position as leader of the Assembly, he would do to reduce or eliminate the issues that created the budget impasse in 2007.

“What held up this budget is the different philosophies between what we thought we could tax and what we could spend,” Huebsch said. “If we have the same dynamics, it could be another long process.”

Board Vice President Dardy Berge asked if the school levy tax credit was going to be used again and Huebsch said, “My hope is to go back to the traditional funding using equalized value.

“Sitting in the Legislature, we change state law whenever we want,” Huebsch replied. “We use the constitutional protection of the ‘notwithstanding clause.’”

He explained that despite what existing law says, a special exception can be made on a one-time basis to most anything.

Board President Cheryl Hancock looked to Huebsch to take a leadership position in getting reform on the school funding formula.

“As speaker, you serve as a leader for some initiative. Is there another way or movement in the Legislature to look at funding in the future …?”

Huebsch said his short answer was that “It’s much like (what someone) defined democracy as: It’s the worst form of government, it’s just better than anything we’ve come up with. School funding is the same way.”

His long answer was “It’s easy to sit and say we need reform; I just don’t know what it is. That’s not good enough. As soon as we get brighter minds that get together, maybe we’ll have some changes. I don’t see changes on the horizon, politically or policy-wise.”

After the meeting, Hancock said she was disappointed Huebsch wouldn’t take a leadership role.

“I’m disappointed,” she said. “That’s what he’s in that position for, to take the lead on new initiatives and he’s not willing to take it on. He’s looking for someone else to do it.”

Before he left the meeting, Huebsch congratulated Superintendent Fred Frick on his retirement.

“I wish you the best,” Huebsch told Frick. “You’ve helped make Holmen the most vibrant district in the area.”