Yes, the taxes we all pay funds the public school system, which includes the cost of transportation to get children to school. Not to provide private school children transportation does, in effect, deny them a service they have already paid for.

kellim, people with NO children pay taxes for schools. People who don't go to college pay taxes for Blackhawk Tech. People who never have a fire pay for the fire department.

the biggest problem with this argument is what about those who choose not to have kids. should they get something back.
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I agree with most of the comments, while districts are cut, cut, cutting this shouldn't be something they are paying for.
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Just talked to a co-worker who went to a private school and she state that she paid a transporation fee.
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Wonder how many private schools are double-dipping this way.
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I say, audit all of them.
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Private school, your choice YOUR $ BILL.

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that a 'free' PUBLIC education was guaranteed to students in grades K-12 under Federal Law. It comes as a bit of a shock to me that taxpayers are footing the bill to bus private school students.
Not trying to sound bigoted here on this issue as private schools offer wonderful learning experiences.
But shouldn't parents that send their kids to private schools be required to pay for or provide transportation to and from those private schools on their own dime?
Yeah, I know the argument that if they are paying taxes, that their children should be able to ride for 'free' also.

This is an easy cut. There are some treasures sitting at the Vatican they could put on ebay and raise the money.

School taxes paid should go towards public schools only. The 3.5 million dollars paid to transport students to private schools would be better spent on programs and teachers jobs that are being cut in the public schools!!!!!

Something not mentioned in the article is that private school children's parents pay the same taxes as those going to public school. Bussing to a private school is available only if the family lives within certain boundaries to the school, the same as it is for public school. The article mentions Catholic schools only because the Wisconsin Catholic Conference focused light on part of the state budget that impacts all private schools, not just Catholic ones.

As a "recovering" Catholic, I have to say this is an unconscionable waste and abuse of public funds...far, however, from the most shameful things historically perpetrated by this once all-powerful but still overly influential papist bureaucracy!

This is a significant subsidy with little justification.

Exactly. Why should the public pay anything towards Catholic schools?

Don't give in. Private school is a choice, not a right. If people want to go above the "free" schooling, let them incur the costs themselves.