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Budget & JFC Updates
The
Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC/committee) has been meeting
since late April to review individual sections of the budget. The committee considers motions
submitted by members of the legislature, state agencies and others as well
as alternatives provided by the Legislative
Fiscal Bureau. The
following is a summary of some of the major topic areas that have been
covered. There are additional topics
to be considered over the course of the next several days. After the JFC completes their work, the
Fiscal Bureau will incorporate all of the changes into a new document which
the Assembly will likely vote on the second or third week of June. Please feel free to contact my office if
you have any questions on the topics below or any other areas of the
proposed state budget.
Medical Assistance-Services
The JFC voted to keep Senior
Care “as is”, with no changes to the program and full funding to support
it. JFC approved the Family Care
enrollment cap to allow DHS to get a better handle on the true costs of the
program. It will still receive $1.4 billion in each of the next two
years to fully fund the 30,000 people currently enrolled in the program in
counties that have implemented the program.
Rock County would be required to provide
a plan showing Family Care is more cost effective than other options before
proceeding with implementation of this program.
Health Services-SSI and
Public Health
The JFC reinstated funding for
public health clinics to provide essential health services for women.
The Women's Health Block Grants specify that these funds will go toward but
are not limited to pregnancy testing, perinatal
care coordination and follow-up, cervical cancer screening, sexually
transmitted infection prevention, testing, treatment, and follow-up and
general health screening. The appropriation level would provide $1.7
million annually to these services, which would be in addition to federal
and Medicaid funding. The committee
also established new dental grants that would go to non-profit dental
clinics that provide services to needy individuals who may or may not receive
medial assistance, individuals over 65 years of age or under 18 years
old.
Justice
JFC
members showed bi-partisan support for DOJ's crime-fighting efforts ranging
from the narcotics enforcement funding to new positions for the Internet
Crimes against Children Task Force. In the next two years, the department
will get 11 new positions to fight crime on the internet against children
and six more DNA analysts.
Corrections
The JFC
passed a motion that repeals early release of felons and approved the
closure of two Juvenile Corrections Centers, which would save the state $23
million a year. The motion also provides some potential cost savings
to increase the time counties can house a juvenile in its own facilities
from 30 days to 180 days. This would decrease transportation costs
and keep offenders closer to their homes.
Working
Lands Initiative -- Conversion Fee and PACE Program Funding
The farmland preservation
program called PACE will be preserved, but the Joint Finance Committee has
asked the department to look for a less-costly alternative. The
approved motion will provide stewardship bonding for the 16 projects that
was approved for the PACE program last year, which amounts to roughly $5
million. However, no new applications will be accepted and the $12
million in bonding authority was repealed.
DATCP must provide an evaluation on the PACE program to the
legislature by June, 30, 2012.
Public Instruction – General School Aids
and Revenue Limits
The finance committee voted to restore $116 million in education
funding over what Governor Walker had proposed. Additionally, the committee voted to
allow all school districts to levy up to an additional $50 on the property
tax levy with an equal amount matched by the state in the second year of
the biennium, amounting to an additional $100 for every child in the school
district. This funding would be a one time categorical aid meaning it would
not go into the state equalization aid formula, thus allowing every school
district in the state to qualify.
Transportation
The JFC provided additional funds to municipalities for road
improvement programs and approved additional dollars for the segregated
transportation to help replace the $300 million used as general purpose
revenue in past budgets. The JFC
also approved the Governor’s recommended enumeration of the Interstate
39/90 expansion from the Illinois/Wisconsin stateline
to connect with the existing three lanes in each direction in Dane County.
Bill to Pay the Bills
With a unanimous vote (16-0) the Joint Finance Committee
passed the “Bill to Pay the Bills” - Assembly Bill 148. AB 148 responsibly utilizes the
re-estimated general fund balance to pay bills and capture $23 million in
additional federal Medicaid funds. The bill would also pay back $235
million the Supreme Court ruled
was illegally taken from the
Patient’s Compensation Fund in the 2007 state budget. The Assembly is scheduled to vote on AB
148 on Wednesday June 8th.
I have signed on as a cosponsor of this legislation and remain
focused on reducing the structural deficit and holding the
line on tax increases.
Constituents
My office is here to help you with all information, questions and
concerns regarding legislation or simple inquiries. Feel free to contact me
or my Legislative Assistant, Lonna Morouney. We are always ready to assist
you in your needs. As your representative I want to hear from you, and I
encourage you to contact me with your concerns. The constituents of the
45th Assembly District obtain the highest priority in my office and in the
District.
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