CONSIDINE CONNECTS

Capitol Updates from State Rep. Dave Considine

 

May 12, 2017

Dear friend,

 

Welcome to my monthly e-newsletter. I hope you find the information below helpful in keeping up-to-date on what's happening in the 81st District and our state government. 

 

As you will see, there is quite a bit happening throughout the legislature, including movement on the 2017-2019 biennial state budget. I have held a number of listening sessions to hear from you about the Governor's budget proposal as well as other state issues but I hope that you will continue to call and email me with your thoughts.

 

It is a pleasure to serve as your Representative in Madison.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Rep. Dave Considine

81st Assembly District

 

 


 

 

High Capacity Well Bill Passes Assembly

 

On Tuesday night, the majority party in the State Assembly voted to limit oversight of high capacity wells in Wisconsin. SB 76/AB 105 passed the Assembly on a near-party line vote. The bill will allow high capacity well owners to continue pumping large amounts of our groundwater indefinitely without any input or control from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

While I support our agricultural economy, we also have to be mindful of our environment, and SB 76 does not protect our natural resources. This is not the right way to handle legislation that has serious consequences on our environmental resources. We heard from a room full of citizens during the public hearing who warned us that this would be detrimental, and clearly my Republican colleagues in the majority didn’t listen to them.


Biennial Budget Updates

The Joint Finance Committee of the legislature has started voting on portions of the 2017-19 biennial budget. They started with the Judicial Commission, Employment Relations Commission, and the Environmental Improvement Fund. Generally, smaller and more non-controversial agencies and budget provisions are voted on first. Budget requests from larger departments like Health Services, Education, and Corrections will be taken up either later this month or in June.

After the Joint Finance Committee passes their version of the budget it will go to the full legislature for a vote. Following passage in the legislature it will return to the Governor for any line item vetoes he chooses.

 


Grassland Dairy

Following a decision by Grassland Dairy to end their contracts with 60 dairy farms in southeastern Wisconsin, state and federal officials worked to find buyers for the milk. Most dairy farmers have found a new home for their product but the question remains whether or not these temporary fixes will be long-term solutions.

 

Considine Bill Receives Hearing

 

Assembly Bill 253, co-authored by Reps. Considine and Ballweg received a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Local Government earlier this week. AB 253 would expand the process for confirming a foreclosure sale and recording the sheriff's deed for the purchased property to a statewide practice. This is currently only required in Milwaukee County.
 

The bill also requires that a notice of foreclosure sale include the street address of the property to be sold at the sale as well as the sum of the judgment.
 

 


Speaking Out Against Punitive Truancy Bill

 

The Assembly was in session earlier this week debating a bill that would punish parents for a habitually truant child. Parents would be at risk of losing financial support if their children missed too many days of school. 

 

This bill is punitive and punishes parents for the actions of their children. Often times children not attending school is no fault of the parent(s). My floor speech to the bill's author outlines this and other reasons why I voted against this legislation. 

 

 


Assembly Republicans Float Transportation Plan

Republicans in the state assembly have floated a transportation plan that would lessen the amount of borrowing for transportation projects in the 17-19 biennial budget. The problem is that the plan would not raise any additional revenue, meaning that delayed road projects would remain as such and our infrastructure will continue to deteriorate.

Simultaneously, the plan would implement a flat income tax which has nothing to do with the transportation fund or transportation spending. As my colleague Sen. Jon Erpenbach stated, "The Republicans are taking the road crisis that we have to justify a policy of a flat tax". Republicans at the federal level used their 'health care bill' as a way to cut taxes for the wealthy and our colleagues on the state level have learned from this tactic and applied it to transportation.


In the District

Baraboo Fair on the Square: Saturday, May 13th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

BBQ Festival in Sauk City: Friday, May 19 & Saturday, May 20


Check out my legislative website and Facebook page for more !

To unsubscribe, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.