Civitas is based on the principle that
people of good will and ability are more likely to become
involved in their communities if they have information and
an understanding of how local government operates, where
the money comes from, how it is spent and how decisions are
made. To date, approximately 140 Dane County citizens have
been taken behind the scenes of local government by our outstanding
faculty of 50 of the most experienced administrators and
former elected officials in Dane County.
If you would like to nominate someone or
yourself for Civitas, please click on the
Apply button in the toolbar above.
Click
here to see a video of the presentation by Todd Berry,
president of Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, to the Feb. 8,
2006, Civitas forum (42 minutes). Videos of all presentations
are available to Civitas participants.
Democracy depends on citizens who are informed and involved
in the civic life of their communities. Civitas is an
exciting educational and informational approach to stimulating
greater civic understanding and involvement in Dane County.
Where Our Education Dollars Go
(Tuesday, Jul 22)
Forum at 12:00pm Registration at 11:30am
At this forum, participants will learn where educational dollars are spent. It will include an overview of labor costs and policies, what goes into administrative costs, the capital and maintenance budgets, state and federal mandates, and a description of how program decisions are made.
Our Keynote Speaker
BrianPahnke, Assistant State Superintendent for Finance and Management
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Pahnke, Assistant State Superintendent for Finance and Management
