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Joint Finance Committee scuttles plans for full Lincoln Hills replacement

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The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance has pulled the plug, on plans to fully replace the state’s troubled Lincoln Hills youth corrections facility in northern Wisconsin.

During committee deliberations on Wednesday, Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) said that the plan to create smaller, regional youth jails will be a stopgap. “Lincoln Hills and our current juvenile justice system wasn’t created overnight,” Born said. “We have money in the budget to move forward with it (smaller facilities) if the governor chooses to bring that before the building commission.”

Representative Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) was incensed by the cancellation. “I’ve been working on this issue for years. So I’m not going to apologize for being emotional, for being loud, for being angry.”

Goyke said that time is of the essence to replace Lincoln Hills. “The next budget, the time we would be able to appropriate dollars to build type 1 facilities to bring the closure of Lincoln Hills, is like the day before that facility is to close under the law.”

Under current state law, officials have to close Lincoln Hills by the middle of 2021. Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr said it is very unlikely the youth prison will close on time according to the law. Republicans said local governments in both locations where the full jails were planned, in Milwaukee and Hortonia, objected to the construction of prisons in their communities.

On big day for school choice in Wisconsin, Democrats seek to roll back the program

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Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump administration made a stop in Madison on Tuesday in celebration of the anniversary of the school choice voucher program. Pence says it was a transformational moment for education in the country.

“Thirty years ago, Governor Tommy Thompson made history when he created the first school choice program in America. Governor Scott Walker built on that progress when he expanded the program statewide,” Pence said.

The event in the Capitol rotunda was attended by hundreds of students who are able to attend private schools with taxpayer subsidized vouchers. It was the highlight of National School Choice Week in Wisconsin.

Pence credited Republican leadership in the 1990s, which lead to the start of school choice in Wisconsin. He said the state’s voucher program is a guideline for a nationwide roll out of similar initiatives.

“As we speak, the President and I are now working with the Secretary of Education and many of the great champions here to create a new a new program to provide more than five billion dollars in school choice programs across America.”

With the visit from Pence, Tuesday was a big day for school choice at the Capitol, but not everyone is a fan. “This the exact same administration, that’s Mike Pence’s administration, that sees children as political pawns, as ways to make money.” said Representative Jonathon Brostoff (D-Milwaukee).

Brostoff proposes legislation to eliminate the vouchers for students at private schools, mainly in Milwaukee. He also wants to reinstate the SAGE program, which set an 18/1 student teacher ratio in Wisconsin schools. Democrats claim the voucher program siphons resources away from public schools that need them.

“They claim they are the saviors of these black and brown children, saving them from these poorly performing public schools,” said Marva Herndon, who serves on the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.

Jim Bender is President of School Choice Wisconsin.  “In our history as a country, there have long been Caucasians, standing in the way of educational opportunity for people of color. So this isn’t new. But it’s certainly all that this bill represents,” Bender said. “You have a white representative, trying to close those schools and shutting off opportunity for those children of color. We shouldn’t be dumb enough to fall into such a political stunt.”

The Democratic bill is unlikely to even receive a public hearing in the Republican-controlled legislature.

WRN’s Bob Hague contributed to this report

Evers signs executive order to form ‘nonpartisan’ redistricting commission

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Governor Tony Evers WRN image

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is moving forward with his plan to redraw electoral maps, by creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission. The Democratic governor on Monday signed an executive order to create the commission ahead of the 2020 census.

Evers said that gerrymandering has rendered elections somewhat useless for a large section of Wisconsin. “When elected officials can rely on the safety of their seat rather than the quality of their work, again, something’s wrong there.”

Evers announced his intent to form the commission during last week’s State of the State address. He claimed on Monday that much of the state is already on board with an end to gerrymandering.

“The people of Wisconsin agree. Over 50 counties, representing 78 percent of Wisconsinites have passed resolutions around supporting non partisan redistricting.”

Legislative Republicans have already said they intend to draw maps without the Governor’s input. The Legislature will, however, need the Governor to sign off on the resulting maps if they don’t want to go to court over the redistricting.

Vos says Assembly won’t be on floor next week

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Governor Tony Evers WRN image

Governor Tony Evers appeared confident on Thursday, that state legislators would answer his summons for a special session on rural issues next week. The governor announced during his State of the State address on Wednesday. He wants the legislature to act on a package of proposals that would assist rural Wisconsin, at an estimated cost of $8.5 million over two years.

“They (legislators) have all the information, and from what I’ve heard through the grapevine . . . the folks in the Senate seem very interested in this topic, and I believe that there will be a special session next week Tuesday,” Evers said during a conference call with reporters.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos released a statement, naming it clear that chamber won’t taking any immediate action.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos WRN image

“The Assembly will not be on the floor next week. The bills will be referred to committee and hearings will be held. We’re currently reviewing the legislation and gathering input from farmers, including farmers from our own caucus.”

Evers said “lots of people on both sides of the aisle” reached out to his office following his State of the State. “Let’s get them on board. Let’s get something done for the farmers.”

Wisconsin Assembly passes ‘Protect Life Day’ resolution

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The Republican lead Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution designating Wednesday, the anniversary of Roe Vs Wade, as Protect Life Day in Wisconsin.

The resolution calls legalized abortion “a human rights abuse unprecedented in American history” and says that the Supreme Court usurped power from the states.

Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) stated her frank beliefs at the start of discussion on the Assembly floor.

“You want my full opinion, this is garbage and it should be withdrawn,” Subeck said. “And I don’t say that about many bills and I don’t say that about many resolutions. This resolution is about nothing but pure politics.”

The resolution’s author, Representative Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls) said she just wanted to start a discussion about how great children are.

The resolution passed on a party line vote.

DOJ partners with gas stations to spot human trafficking

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The Wisconsin Department of Justice is partnering with the Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, in an effort to help spot human traffickers. Attorney General Josh Kaul says employees working in places like gas stations and hotels can often be the first to spot trafficking.

“They can also allow law enforcement to make contact with a survivor of human trafficking and help that person get the services that are needed to help that person escape from trafficking,” Kaul said.

The initiative is not the only effort to address human trafficking in the state. How to spot trafficking is now part of the training truck drivers receive at the state’s technical colleges.

Trump touts low unemployment at Milwaukee rally

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It was a contentious night in Milwaukee, for President Donald Trump’s Keep America Great rally. The president claimed that Milwaukee County is not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“The sanctuary county of Milwaukee released an illegal alien criminal, with multiple charges of sexual assault of a child. Think of that, of children? He’s now at large, they’re searching all over.”

Trump took some time to tout low unemployment rates in Wisconsin, and gave some of that credit to a former political rival.

“So now the people of Wisconsin, are gonna say, let’s see, the state’s set a record, most successful it’s ever been. And by the way, that’s because we got a lot of help from a guy named Scott Walker.”

Former Governor Walker was not among a collection of Republicans who took the stage Tuesday night at UW Milwaukee’s Panther Arena.

Trump thanked former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy for his support, but also took a dig at CNN, who recently hired Duffy.

“I think he’s okay, he gets his check, they refuse to put him on. He says good things about Trump, ‘We don’t want you on!’, that’s CNN.”

Early on in the rally, President Trump was interrupted twice by protesters. Both times the protesters were escorted out by security. Another protester holding a Bernie Sanders sign was also escorted out.

Evers asks Joint Finance Committee to sign off on homelessness funding

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Democrats are again asking the legislative Joint Finance Committee for money to fight homelessness. Governor Tony Evers is seeking $3.5 million to fund programs that were called for through his statewide action plan on homelessness.

That includes money for housing grants, homeless shelters and caseworkers to help those without houses get help they need. That request was sent in November, and Evers said he would have liked a chance to get a hearing before the winter set in.

Evers on Monday sent a letter to the two co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, Representative John Nygren, (R-Marinette) and Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), requesting that the budget panel meet Thursday to bypass the Legislature and release funds set aside in the state budget for homelessness initiatives.

Democratic members of JFC also sent a letter to the co-chairs, requesting the same action. “There’s absolutely no reason in the world why they should be putting partisan politics ahead of the issue of homelessness,” said Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point.)

Marquette Poll shows little change in impeachment opinions

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The latest Marquette Law School Poll shows that Wisconsinites haven’t changed their minds much about the Presidential election or impeachment. Respondents to the poll have been holding steady when it comes to head to head matchups between President Trump and all of the main Democrat candidates.

Joe Biden holds a small lead against Trump but that’s within the margin of error. Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg round out the top 4 Democrats for Wisconsin voters.

Forty percent of respondents to the pool say President Trump should be impeached, while 52 percent are opposed. That’s virtually unchanged from last month. 42 percent of respondents said that Trump had done something wrong in regards to the Ukraine scandal, 29 percent say he didn’t. On the election front, The only Democrat to hold a lead over President Trump is Joe Biden, with a 1 percent lead, but that’s within the margin of error. The two have been trading small leads in the pool for the last several months.

Candidates set for 7th CD primary

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The special election for the 7th Congressional District will have a primary on both sides.  Two Democrats and two Republicans have both qualified to run in the election coming next year. Republican state senator Tom Tiffany will face Jason Church, a veteran and aide to U.S. Senator Ron Johnson.

On the Democrats side, Wausau School Board President Tricia Zunker will face businessman Lawrence Dale. Dale was living in Michigan when he announced his run, but now lists a PO box in Eagle River as his address. The primary is set for February 18.

Republican Sean Duffy resigned from the seat earlier this year.