April 16, 2015

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Joint Committee on Finance began voting on the 2015-2017 Biennial Budget this week. I will make sure to keep you up to date on this process through letters, emails and social media. This e-update highlights recent budget priorities, Equal Pay Day, Wisconsin DNR updates, and a new business of the week!

I hope you find this information helpful, and don't forget to get out and enjoy all of the fun upcoming events in western Wisconsin!

Sincerely, 

Jennifer K. Shilling
State Senator | 32nd District

Sen. Shilling column: Budgets are about priorities

At listening sessions across Wisconsin this past month, thousands of residents testified in support of local schools, cost-saving health care programs and responsible environmental stewardship.

These are the investments that make Wisconsin the state we all love and value. So why are Republicans proposing cuts to all of these areas? Why, at a time of national economic growth and prosperity, is Wisconsin facing a $2.2 billion deficit?

After four years of special interest giveaways and tax breaks for the wealthy, Wisconsin has fallen further behind our neighboring states and the rest of the country.

While other states are investing in families, strengthening communities and growing their economies, Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans have created a massive $2.2 billion budget deficit and are moving our state backwards. Wisconsin has dropped nine spots to 40th in the nation for job growth and we are experiencing the worst middle-class decline in the country.

We need to turn our state around. Something needs to change.

If we want our next generation to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy, we need to invest in our children’s future. Republicans have made the largest cuts to public schools in Wisconsin’s history to provide massive giveaways to special interests. Rather than diverting even more money to subsidize an unaccountable private school voucher program, we should strengthen and improve the public school system we already have.

In fact, nearly $375 million could be used for school funding and property tax relief if Republicans would simply accept federal dollars to strengthen BadgerCare. This move would free up millions that could be used to invest in our schools, improve health care access and create thousands of good paying jobs in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin taxpayers have been forced to pay more and get less as a result of the misguided budget decisions made over the past four years. With a self-inflicted $2.2 billion budget deficit, stagnant family wages and a lagging economy, it’s time we get back to our core values and priorities.

What does it say about our state’s priorities when we have a Republican budget that spends more state taxpayer dollars on prison incarceration than UW education? What does it say about our priorities when Republicans reject federal BadgerCare funding and then propose health care fee increases for seniors? What does it say about our priorities when Republicans limit environmental conservation and then open the door to allow corporate naming of state parks?

These certainly aren’t the priorities or values that Wisconsin families have expressed over the past several months.

If legislative Republicans can afford to subsidize Gov. Walker’s international campaign trips with taxpayer funding, then surely we can find a way to protect our schools, working families and local communities from another round of devastating cuts.

After all, budgets are about priorities.
 

Wisconsin hidden communities

Western Wisconsin is home to many great local towns and it was nice seeing two local communities in the 32nd Senate District featured on the 30 Wisconsin communities you thought you knew list of unique Wisconsin areas. Anyone who has spent time in the Driftless Area knows that each community has something special to offer. You can visit Driftless Wisconsin for more information on the region and fun local activities.

News Coverage of Republican Budget Proposal

Cap Times: Wisconsin lawmakers make bipartisan call for non-fiscal items to be stripped from Scott Walker budget
Wisconsin Democrats and Republicans alike — well, at least one Republican — are calling for all non-fiscal policy items to be stripped from Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal before it's taken up by the state Legislature. -Read Full Article

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Top mining company official was in line for DNR post, records confirm
Gov. Scott Walker's administration considered giving a top natural resources position this year to a lobbyist for a company proposing a massive iron mine, but backed off because of a federal law barring conflicts of interest. -Read Full Article

UW-La Crosse: State budget cuts to impact UW-L student experience
As Wisconsin legislators continue to meet and discuss a draft of the state budget, UW-La Crosse is holding budget meetings of its own. University leaders, faculty, staff and students are carefully evaluating how to handle a proposed, dramatic $7.6 million cut to the university’s budget while having the least impact on students’ academic experience. -Read Full Article

WPR: Wisconsin Has Seen Largest Middle-Class Decline Of Any State, Study Finds
The study found that the percentage of households in the middle class dropped in all 50 states, with Wisconsin’s drop from 54.6 percent to 48.9 percent being the most significant. Moreover, Wisconsin saw a 14 percent decline in median household income. -Read Full Article

Green Bay Press Gazette: State Democrats push for budget changes
Democrats in the State Legislature urged their Republican colleagues to address detrimental changes to education, health care and environmental programs included in the 2015-17 state budget. -Read Full Article

Cap Times: Wisconsin Democrats deliver petitions, ask GOP not to touch SeniorCare
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday delivered petitions with more than 13,500 signatures urging Republican leaders not to touch Wisconsin's SeniorCare program in the state budget. -Read Full Article

The Chippewa Herald: State spends more than it gets
Put in simple terms, the state of Wisconsin isn’t broke. But it sure could use more money.“The last two years, we’ve spent a lot more than what we are bringing in,” said Todd Berry, president of the Madison-based Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. -Read Full Article

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram: School funding, rural decline thirst for answers
Many are still hearing that “more with less” phrase. While the stock market has rebounded well, many family incomes have not. Health care costs continue to go up faster than most people’s paychecks. The price of meat and some other food items also have jumped of late. It’s not easy for many people to keep up. -Read Full Article

La Crosse Tribune: Opposition mounts to Walker plan to revamp Family Care
Opposition is mounting to derail Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal to overhaul and/or dismantle programs that are national models in providing long-term care to 55,000 older and disabled individuals in the state. -Read Full Article

 

Equal Pay Day

Democratic legislators led by Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Rep. Chris Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) announced the introduction of the Equal Pay Enforcement Act today. The bill would reinstate commonsense legal protections for victims of workplace discrimination and help deter pay discrimination.

The introduction of the bill coincides with the National Equal Pay Day on April 14th. This date symbolizes how far into 2015 women must work to earn the same amount as men earned in 2014. It is estimated that Wisconsin families lose over $8 billion each year due to the pay discrimination wage gap.

All workers should be paid a fair wage for an honest day's work. I’m proud to be a co-author of this legislation to restore Wisconsin's Equal Pay Enforcement protections and create a more level playing field for women, veterans and minorities in our state. Rather than watching as family wages continue to decline, we need to end pay discrimination and ensure that everyone is paid a fair wage for their work.

Statistics from the national census show that women earn 78 cents, on average, for every dollar men earn for similar full-time work. The majority of women in Wisconsin bring home at least a quarter of their family’s income and there are over 230,000 Wisconsin households where women are the primary source of income.
 

Around the District

Left photo: I joined Mayor Tim Kabat and Gundersen Health System CEO Dr. Jeff Thompson to kick off National Community Development week by commemorating the demolition of the existing facilities at Poage Park ahead of the park's significant renovation.
This event is part of a week-long celebration to showcase the contributions of the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) over its forty year history. Right Photo: I was invited to observe the Life In Harmony Music Therapy, LLC therapy session. It was great to see how beneficial this program is for people of all ages within our community. Thank you Abby and Andrea for inviting me!
 

Enlightened Legislator of the Year Award

The Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association presented me with the Enlightened Legislator of the Year Award on April 8th. I am very honored to receive this award and look forward to continue working with members from Vernon Electric Cooperative, Dairyland Power Cooperative, Riverland Energy Cooperative and Jackson Electric Cooperative.

JFC Democrats call on GOP leaders to fix broken budget

The four Democratic members of the state's budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) are urging Republican leaders to take recent public comments to heart as the debate over the 2015-17 state budget begins. While thousands of local residents testified at public budget hearings over the past month, Republican legislators have failed to identify concrete solutions to solve their self-inflicted $2.2 billion deficit.

In a letter sent to Gov. Walker and state legislators, Sen. Lena Taylor, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, Rep. Chris Taylor and Rep. Gordon Hintz noted that public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed to the Republican budget proposal and the deep cuts to local schools, health care services, and environmental stewardship. They called on Republican leaders to commit to making the following budget fixes:

• Protect senior citizens from changes and fee increases in the SeniorCare program and remove the restructuring of the long-term care programs and Aging and Disability Resource Centers.
• Preserve Stewardship, invest in our State Park System, retain science and education positions, continue recycling, recreation, and research grants, and protect public oversight and decision making authority through the DNR board.
• Prevent the $150 per pupil cut to local public schools, raise the per pupil revenue cap, eliminate the expansion of taxpayer subsidies to private voucher schools and restore the $300 million cut to the UW System.

“There are items that we heard virtually no public support for and are in direct conflict with the core principles and values of Wisconsin citizens,” noted the JFC Democrats. “Budgets are about priorities and values and we hope that Republicans listen to the voices of Wisconsin residents harmed by this extreme budget. Democrats stand ready to put Wisconsin families first and move our state forward"

 

UpFront with Mike Gousha

I recently joined Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) on UpFront with Mike Gousha to discuss the state budget.

You can watch the full interview here.

Local Business of the Week!

I always enjoy visiting locally owned businesses throughout the 32nd Senate District and will be highlighting a different local business in each e-update. This week's featured business is Cowboy David's Cookies and Cakes!

Owners of the Kickapoo Valley Ranch Gust Cabins Joe Rogan and David Nordstrom would have their famous chocolate chip cookies waiting for cabin guests upon their arrival. As years went by, cabins guests wanted to be able to purchase more cookies before they left. Joe and David have developed a variety of gourmet cookies, cakes and other baked goods and like to push the envelope by using unusual ingredients and over-the-top garnishes.

Make sure you check out Cowboy David's Cookies and Cakes in La Farge!

Wisconsin DNR Updates

DNR officials respond to several wildfires in recent days, urge alternatives to burning
With fire danger currently elevated in Wisconsin, it's even more important that people consider recycling and composting instead of burning waste and yard debris, which Department of Natural Resource officials caution may cause wildfires and add pollutants to the air.  -Read Full Article    

Keep Wildlife Wild and observe from afar
Wisconsin's Keep Wildlife Wild campaign urges people to enjoy the ongoing wild animal birthing season from afar as most young, including those seen alone, likely are under the care of a mother safely out of sight. -Read Full Article

Learn to Hunt bear nearing its final month - register soon!
People interested in learning to hunt Wisconsin black bear have until May 27 to apply to participate in a Learn to Hunt Bear program featuring classroom and field instruction capped with a real hunt with skilled mentors. -Read Full Article

Entries Sought for Wisconsin wild turkey, pheasant, and waterfowl stamp design contests
Wisconsin artists will have until July 24 to submit artwork for the 2016 wild turkey, pheasant and waterfowl stamp design contests. Funds derived from the sale of these stamps will contribute to the restoration and management of thousands of acres of important wildlife habitat.        -Read Full Article

Wisconsin Badgers Historic Run

Congratulations to Bronson Koenig and the Wisconsin Men's Basketball team on a truly remarkable and historic basketball season!
 

Recently Introduced Legislation

If you are interested in legislation that is being introduced, the Wisconsin Legislative website posts bills as they are being introduced in the Senate and Assembly. Check it out and stay informed!  
                        
 

Calendar of Events

I apologize if any upcoming events in the area were left off. If you would like me to include an event in future e-updates, please email me the date, location and a website with details.

Senator Jennifer Shilling
P.O. Box 7882 - Madison, WI 53707

phone: 608.266.5490   

email: sen.shilling@legis.wi.gov

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