Back to Basics

Yesterday, my colleagues and I on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) took our first votes on the 2021-2023 biennial budget with a goal of creating a reasonable, responsible, and realistic budget proposal.   

While Wisconsin has seen record surpluses over the last decade – in part because of responsible budgeting – we were able to lower the tax burden for the people of our state. However, Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposal raises taxes by $1 billion, a 10% increase from previous budgets and the largest spending increase in nearly 20 years.

This is why we voted yesterday to remove 280 policy items (the most ever) that should have gone through the normal legislative process. This is a tried-and-true process that gives policy items a proper vetting, offers more transparency as the public is allowed to testify on them, and helps legislators fully understand the ins and outs of what they’re voting on.

In addition, we removed policy items that Governor Evers knew would never be approved, which included the overturning of Right-to-Work and Act 10. These proposals do not benefit the state at large, but are intended to appease the most vocal members of his base.     

Also taken up was a proposal by the Department of Corrections (DOC) to expand the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC) in Madison. This $67 million project was approved in the last budget and is now set to move forward. We voted unanimously to approve the final step of this project, an important step in advancing juvenile justice reform – making it the only facility in the state that has a specific program for juvenile girls with mental health issues.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you have school-aged children, remember it’s never too late to thank their teachers for their hard work and dedication to your child’s future!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Wishing all of our mothers a Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday!