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GOP legislators want $250 million income tax cut

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At the Capitol, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature want to use a projected increase in state tax revenue to provide nearly $250 million in reductions to the personal income tax. “This is going to put money in the pockets of low-and-middle-income tax flilers,” said state Representative Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan). It’s going to be direct mony to those folks.

The tax cuts would start in the 2020 tax year. The average income filer would see an additional $105 in tax reduction,” Ballweg said.

The GOP plan includes a nearly $45 million cut to personal property taxes paid by manufacturers, and another $100 million towards paying down state debt. It’s expected to be ready for an Assembly vote next week, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald is supportive.

Democratic Governor Tony Evers wants some of those revenues to go to K-12 education. In a statement, his office said Assembly Republicans made it clear today that they would rather break their promise to the people of our state than work together on funding our schools and reducing property taxes in Wisconsin.”

Assembly passes GOP rape test kit bill

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The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a controversial Republican bill, aimed at preventing another backlog of rape test kits. It adds language on immigration and private school vouchers to legislation that’s already passed the state State Senate. Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Ohskosh) lambasted the bill – and Republican leaders – on Tuesday.

“When you do the kinds of things that you’re doing, your goal is to muddy the waters, and to try to play political games in the final two weeks,” Hintz said. “How sick do you have to be to play political games when we’re talking about the testing of rape kits?”

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) argued that the additions improve the measure. “Let’s remember that Representative Hintz, his job is to be a bomb thrower, and to exagerate and create division where none should really exist,” Vos said. “We’re choosing to take the things that we put in, which I think are better.”

Vos added that Democrats are “objecting to the bill because of their own personal ideology.” The Assembly bill, just like the earlier Senate legislation, provides for procedures to test the kits. It now requires Senate approval. Hintz said he’d surprised, if the Senate takes it up.

Assembly GOP moving ahead with package to assist Wisconsin farmers

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At the Capitol, Assembly Republicans are moving forward with plans to assist the state’s farmers. It’s something Democratic Governor Tony Evers called for, during his recent State of the State Address.

“We really appreciate that the governor is finally paying attention to rural Wisconsin and those issues, after being in office for over a year, focusing seemingly only on the Madison and Milwaukee areas,” said Assembly Speaker Pro-Tem Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva).

During a Monday press conference, Republicans provided details on the bills they’ll take up. They plan to expand of some of what Evers requested in a special session, as well as introducing measures of their own. A bill from Representative Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) would provide an income tax credit for the property taxes paid on agricultural buildings.

“The reality is when you farm, even though income is down 15 percent from 2013, the bills just keep coming in,” Tranel said. He said the $7500 credit would get farmers some immediate short-term help. “Their number one issue is cash flow.”

Another proposed tax break would allow farmers and other “sole proprietors” to deduct the cost of health insurance from their income taxes. Representative Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) said that would carry a cost of some $9 million. She wasn’t able to say how many farmers would qualify for the tax break.

Anything that passes the Assembly would also need Senate approval in the final weeks of the current legislative session. Senators were expected to caucus on measures on Tuesday.

New law regulates PFAS firefighing foams in Wisconsin

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PFAS advisory (WRN image)

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed a bill regulating firefighting foams which contain PFAS. The chemicals are found in many products, but the foam is a major source of contamination. Once in the water supply, the chemical compounds don’t break down. That can result in the human health issues, and damage to the ecosystems they contaminate.

Representative John Nygren of Marinette (R-Marinette) authored the bill and noted PFAS contamination of groundwater is a serious issue in northeastern Wisconsin and elsewhere.

The new regulations generally prohibit using and training with firefighting foams containing intentionally-added PFAS. First responders may still use the foam in emergency firefighting or fire prevention. The foam could also be used in certain testing activities, but only with appropriate containment, treatment, disposal and storage methods, as determined by rule by the DNR.

The  Department of Natural Resources is asking Wisconsin fire departments to report use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam. A statewide survey on the use and storage of PFAS-containing firefighting foams at fire departments is being conducted by the UW-Madison Survey Center on behalf of the Wisconsin DNR. Results are expected in early April.

The survey coincides with Governor Tony Evers’ signing into law this week the legislation that addresses PFAS use in firefighting.

 

 

Evers wants special session on K-12 education funding

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Governor Tony Evers

As the legislative session enters its final weeks, Governor Tony Evers seems to think calling the Republican led Senate and Assembly into special session can be an effective policy tool. He wants to do it again, this time to allocate money from a projected revenue surplus for K-12 education.

“The proposal I’m announcing today will invest $250 million, which includes increased funding for school based mental health services, and special education aid,” Evers said during a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday. He said that new funding would restore the state’s previous “two-thirds commitment” funding formula for public schools, which fell by the wayside more than ten years ago due to state budget constraints.

He also wants to invest $10 million towards sparsity aid for rural districts. Eves said all this is a needed reinvestment. “That reinvestment will help districts get out from under of going to referendum every two years,” Evers said. The governor did not take questions following his remarks.

Senator Scott Fitzgerald

Republican legislative leaders were quick to indicate their lack of support for Evers’ proposals. “Every time the state has surplus revenue, Republicans look for ways to return that money to taxpayers. Democrats keep looking for ways to spend your money,” tweeted Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.

“It shouldn’t come as a surprise that when there’s a surplus, Republicans look to return those dollars to the hardworking taxpayers of the state” tweeted Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. “Democrats are fixated on growing the size of government, which they know we won’t do.”

Speaker Robin Vos

State government is expected to see $452 million more in the general fund to end the biennium than previously projected, according to figures released last month by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Evers’ Executive Order directs the legislature to meet in special session next Tuesday, February 11. Lawmakers are not obligated to meet on that date.

Baldwin votes to convict, Johnson to acquit as Senate acquits President Trump on impeachment charges

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On the floor of the U.S. Senate Wednesday afternoon, Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin spoke on her vote to convict President Trump on an impeachment charges.

“My vote on the president’s abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, is a vote to uphold my oath of office, and to support and defend the Constitution. My vote is a vote to uphold the rule of law, and our uniquely American principle that no one, not event the president,is above the law.”

Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson said earlier this week that he wound not speak on the floor during the vote, but he did release a lengthy statement.

“I am glad that this unfortunate chapter in American history is over. The strength of our republic lies in the fact that, more often than not, we settle our political differences at the ballot box, not on the streets or battlefield — and not through impeachment. 

“Just last year, Speaker Pelosi said that any impeachment ‘would have to be so clearly bipartisan in terms of acceptance of it.’ And in 1998, Rep. Nadler, currently a House impeachment manager, said, ‘There must never be … an impeachment substantially supported by one of our major political parties and largely opposed by the other. … Such an impeachment would lack legitimacy, would produce divisiveness and bitterness in our politics for years to come.’ 

“And yet that’s exactly what House Democrats passed. I truly wish Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Nadler, and their House colleagues would have followed their own advice.  

“Impeachment should be reserved for the most serious of offenses where the risk to our democracy simply cannot wait for the voters’ next decision. That was not the case here.  

“Instead, the greater damage to our democracy would be to ratify a highly partisan House impeachment process that lacked due process and sought to impose a duty on the Senate to repair the House’s flawed product. Caving to House managers’ demands would have set a dangerous precedent and dramatically altered the constitutional order, further weaponizing impeachment and encouraging more of them. 

“Now that the trial is over, I sincerely hope everyone involved has renewed appreciation for the genius of our founding fathers and for the separation of powers they incorporated into the U.S. Constitution. I also hope all the players in this national travesty go forward with a greater sense of humility and recognition of the limits the Constitution places on their respective offices.  

“I am concerned about the divisiveness and bitterness that Chairman Nadler warned us about. We are a divided nation, and it often seems the lines are only hardening and growing farther apart. But hope lies in finding what binds us together — our love of freedom, our faith, our families.  

“We serve those who elect us. It is appropriate and necessary to engage in discussion and debate to sway public opinion, but in the end, it is essential that we rely upon, respect, and accept the public’s electoral decisions.”

Baldwin also added a comment on her Twitter feed, following the votes on Wednesday.

Utah’s Mitt Romney was the lone Republican to vote in favor of conviction on the first of the two charges, abuse of power.

Assembly GOP proposes bills to assist Wisconsin farmers

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Speaker Robin Vos

Bigger and bolder. That’s how Speaker Robin Vos describes Republican plans to assist Wisconsin, compared to what Governor Tony Evers proposed in his recent State of the State address.

“We would probably like to do something that’s bigger and bolder, than what he first proposed,” Vos said Tuesday at the Capitol. “It would probably cost more money that the $8.5 million because while that is something that is definitely helpful to farmers, it is probably too small of an effort to make
a substantial difference.

GOP proposals include allowing farmers – and other “sole proprietors” – to deduct health insurance costs from their taxes. That alone would cost about 9 million dollars. Assembly Republicans are also looking at a property tax cut that would benefit just farmers. Vos hopes to have various bills ready to vote on later this month.

The governor was supportive. “It seems to to me that we’ve always worried about whether we’ve proposed something that they’re going to complain about how much money we’re spending,” Evers said. “Have at it, I’m with them.”

‘There’s a bit of voter suppression going on’ – Evers questions Iowa Caucus process

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Governor Tony Evers (WRN image)

App snafus plagued the Iowa Caucuses Monday night, delaying the release of results from Democrats. But Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers questions the whole premise of the process there.

“Why don’t we just go in the booth and vote? To me that makes sense,” Evers said Tuesday in Madison. “I’ve always viewed what happens in Iowa, and I think last night proves it, there’s a bit of voter suppression going on.”

The governor used families with young kids as an example of voters who can’t take part in the hours long caucuses. He also questions Iowa’s “first in the nation” status in selecting presidential nominees. “We should look at something different,” he said.

Johnson says impeachment should never have happened

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Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Senator Ron Johnson says the president should never have been impeached. As the Senate trial of President Donald Trump neared its conclusion Tuesday morning, the Wisconsin Republican went on WGN Chicago’s John Williams Show.

“I’m glad this unfortunate chapter in American history is over,” Johnson said.

Johnson said there was no need to call witnesses requested by Democrats, including former National Security Adviser John Bolton, because the charges should never have been brought against the president

“I understand how the American public, some of them, might want a spectacle, but let’s face it, we’re a pretty evenly divided country when it comes to peoples’ opinions about President Trump.”

Johnson said the impeachment was “rushed and completely partisan,” and that the president’s future should be left to the voters in November. The president delivers his State of the Union Address Tuesday night.

Lawmakers address water issues in Wisconsin

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At the Capitol, a proposal would create a state Office of Water Quality. It would be attached to the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey of the Division of Extension of UW-Madison. Why not DATCP or DNR?

“One of the things that I’ve found when we were doing hearings (on water quality issues) is credibility of the different agencies,” said Representative Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) during a hearing before the Senate’s environment committee on Thursday. “Let’s be honest. The DNR, DATCP, these are all political appointees.”

“I would think that we would be much better served if the Office of Water Quality, which I think is an important function, was located in place where it could be most effective,” said state Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona).

The bill (SB 709) requires the governor to appoint as director of the office, someone with experience in managing water resources. “The goals of this are commendable, certainly these issues . .  are ones that are very important to work on and that we have been working on,” said Todd Ames with the Wisconsin DNR. “We just wanted to not that the location is probably not as good as others that have been suggested.”

Also on Thursday, a bipartisan proposal was from state Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Senator Dave Hansen (Green Bay) would be aimed at dealing with PFAS, including a provision that would give the DNR up to three years to put in place emergency rules as it addresses the toxic chemical. WisPolitics reports that Governor Tony Evers immediately indicated he’d sign the bill if it reached his desk.