This week, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) worked on transportation funding proposals to include in the budget. Our local and state roads play a major role in our communities and economy, so we have to make sure we are thinking of the big picture and how these funds will impact our communities. Governor Evers' transportation proposal had no long-term plan, and unfortunately it would have put our Transportation Fund in worse condition instead of improving it. His budget was balanced by reducing funds dedicated to the State Highway Rehabilitation Program by $283 million and replacing those funds with borrowing. In total, Governor Evers' budget recommendations this session included $555.8 million in total borrowing.
As we're all aware, it's better to reduce borrowing in our daily budgets as much as possible, and that same rule rings true for the state budget as well. We need to make sure we are working within our means as a state and not just continuing to borrow more and more funds to support new projects. Instead, we need to focus on long-term solutions to reduce borrowing. To that end, Republicans are enacting a long-term revenue increase for transportation. We are providing a one-time 1% general fund transfer in year one and an ongoing .5% general fund transfer. This will give roughly $300 million in general purpose revenue to the Transportation Fund, an additional $100 million above current funding.
A few highlights from the JFC's votes this week include:
$100 million in local transportation supplement grant program, $25 million higher than the Governor's proposal
$700,000 to purchase body cameras and storage data for state patrol
Increased general transportation by $19 million
Approved over $300 million less in new bonding than the Governor's proposal
Reduced mass transit operating assistance for Milwaukee and Madison by $40 million
$19.2 million over the biennium from the police and fire protection fund to be used to develop Next Generation 911 emergency Services Network and GIS database
$500,000 for Urban Search and Rescue Task Force and a continuing appropriation for training and equipment
Provided $109,300 on a one-time basis to UW-Green Bay for educational summer camp programs developed in partnership w/ the Oneida Nation
Upcoming Assembly Floor Session on Police Reform
On top of budget work, the Assembly is scheduled to be on the floor for a vote next week on June 16th to vote on a number of mostly police reform bills. Many of these bills were a product of the work done by Wisconsin's Task Force on Racial Justice. The task force included both Republican and Democrat lawmakers, members of county and state law enforcement agencies, leaders from Native American tribes and faith, education, health, business and community leaders and activists.
The full calendar for the upcoming session, when published, can be found here, but some of the bills up for a vote include:
AB 108 - law enforcement agency policies on the use of force
AB 109 - reporting of law enforcement use of force incidents
AB 110 - public access to policies regarding use of force by law enforcement
AB 134 - prohibiting use of choke holds by law enforcement officers in use of force policies
AB 158 - community-oriented policing-house grant program
AB 329 - reporting the use of no-knock entry in the execution of a search warrant
AB 331 - requiring prospective law enforcement officers to complete a psychological examination prior to their employment
AB 332 - crisis training for law enforcement officers
AB 334 - drug testing of law enforcement officers involved in certain critical incidents while on duty
AB 299 - prohibiting proof of vaccination for COVID-19 as a condition of receiving business and government services
AB 195 - designating UW and technical college sports team participation based on the sex of the participants
AB 196 - designating public or private school sports team participation based on the sex of the participants
Question of the Week: Direct Sale of Electric Vehicles
Online retail has been increasing regularly over the last decade, and growing interest in online shopping isn't limited to basic retail goods anymore. One study estimates that up to 33% of new car purchases, either browsing or buying, will be conducted online by 2035.
However, Wisconsin's laws currently prohibit vehicle manufacturers from owning or controlling a dealership or selling directly to consumers. Because some electric vehicle companies don't have dealerships, if a Wisconsinite wanted to purchase a vehicle from these companies they would have to make the purchase in a different state. While this was initially meant to protect car dealerships from losses after they invest in inventory, some say this law limits consumer options and has rapidly become obsolete in the internet era.
To address that, one legislator has introduced a bill that would allow electric vehicle manufacturers to sell directly to consumers in Wisconsin without requiring them to go through a dealership. There are currently many electric vehicle manufacturers that would be allowed to sell directly to consumers in Wisconsin: Fisker, Rivian, Lordstown, Lucid and Tesla. The bill would say that consumers would have the option of buying an electric vehicle directly from the manufacturer, whether online or at a manufacturer-owned dealership, as well as at a traditional car dealership.
Supporters believe this bill will cut out the middle-man and provide more competitive pricing options for consumers, while also removing limits to consumer options. Opponents are concerned that it would give manufacturers a way to cut out dealerships and financially harm these local businesses around the state.
With the increasing interest in electric vehicles and the trend towards internet shopping, I would like to hear your thoughts on this proposed bill. Please take a moment to answer my question of the week:
I heard from many folks around the 36th Assembly District in response to last week's question. The chart below represents the responses from constituents to the question as of Thursday afternoon.
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant Program Announced
Earlier this month, the US Department of Commerce announced the availability of nearly $1 billion in grants to expand broadband access and adoption on tribal land around the nation through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. This new program was created in 2021, and grants will be available to eligible tribal entities for broadband deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth and distance learning. Project proposals are prioritized if they involve deploying infrastructure to unserved households.
More information on the program, grant applications and requirements can be found on the Notice of Funding Opportunity. They have also created a fact sheet on the announcement to give folks a helpful overview. A series of webinars are also scheduled to inform the public about the program. The next will be held on June 16 and 17. This grant and others from the federal level can be found on grants.gov.
Budget Survey Available Online
As I mentioned in my last e-update, the paper version of my budget survey is heading to mailboxes soon. I've heard from a number of folks already, and if you would like to fill out the survey early you can find it online on my webpage:
With the high number of unemployment claims being filed in Wisconsin and nationwide in recent months, delays in determinations and payments have been a too common occurrence. As a legislator, I'm able to reach out to DWD and make an inquiry on your behalf if you are experiencing issues or delays with your unemployment claim.
In order to stay up to date on any legislation, proposals, or your legislator, a free notification service is available through the Wisconsin State Legislature's website. You can sign up for nightly personalized email notifications based on our state's legislative activity. This is a wonderful way to stay informed about state politics and proposals that you are interested in.
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Representative Jeff Mursau State Capitol, Room 113 West PO Box 8953 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0036 or (608) 266-3780 Rep.Mursau@legis.wi.gov| |
