Law Enforcement Bills Pass

I am pleased to share with all of you that the Wisconsin State Assembly passed numerous bills this week that support our law enforcement agencies and personnel.

The legislative package allocates approximately $25 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to recruit, retain, train and equip law enforcement officers.

Some of the bills in the package include:

• AB 777: relating to grants to political subdivisions for additional policing and strategic planning to combat crime and grants for beat patrol and specialized officers
• AB 831: relating to a law enforcement marketing campaign
• AB 832: relating to increasing the law enforcement training reimbursement
• AB 833: relating to grants to support part-time law enforcement officers
• AB 836: relating to technical college police academy programs
• AB 837: relating to grants for law enforcement officer recruiting and bonuses for law enforcement officers

We believe these bills are necessary because our law enforcement departments are having a difficult time with hiring and retaining staff.

According to the latest available statistics, there are currently 13,576 law enforcement officers working in Wisconsin. That is the lowest amount in at least a decade. 

Law enforcement graduation rates are also showing the same trend. A total of 766 people entered the profession in Wisconsin last year, which is the fewest recorded in the past 10 years.

Keeping our neighborhoods and law enforcement communities safe is one of our top priorities and we face a greater risk of crime if we do not do something right now. We are confident that passing these bills will help us move the needle in the right direction.

Additional Tax Revenue

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau announced this week that the state is expected to have a surplus of $3.8 billion at the end of the 2021-23 biennium, which is $2.9 billion more than last year's estimates.

A portion of this surplus can be attributed to the Legislature's sound budgeting practices and tax cuts over the past 12 years. The bulk of our additional revenue comes from an anticipated $2.5 billion increase in tax collections.

However, the influx of federal COVID relief funding is also playing a large factor.

Some think we should spend that money right now, but the majority of legislators want to see how our finances will look in the next budget before making any decisions. It is important to remember that the federal funding is likely a one-time deal and we can't count on that money to continue years down the road.

Knowing that, the upcoming budget will be a great challenge to put together. Because schools got billions in COVID relief funding, it is reasonable to assume that they are heading toward a fiscal cliff, and we will need some of the surplus to cushion that fall.

Instead of spending the additional revenue in the near future, I believe it is prudent for us to wait until we have a better idea of the challenges we will face in the next budget before we commit to anything.

If you would like to read the LFB's report, please click here.

IDs for Voting

The Department of Motor Vehicles is offering free services to ensure all eligible voters in Wisconsin can follow our state's voter ID laws and cast their ballots in upcoming elections.

If you would like to receive an identification card that is needed for voting, please click on this link. If you do not have the required documents to obtain an ID, the DMV's Voter ID Petition Process can help you out.

The Voter ID Petition Process can be used to quickly secure a valid receipt to take to the polls for voting while any remaining documents are being procured. Those who knowingly submit false information can face penalties of perjury. 

The DMV is encouraging residents who need an ID to submit their paperwork as soon as possible so they can vote in the spring primary on Feb. 15.

I believe we should be doing all that we can to make it easier to vote but harder to commit fraud.