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Evers capital budget proposes nearly $2.4 billion for building projects

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Governor Tony Evers’ proposed capital budget targets nearly $2.4 billion towards building projects around Wisconsin.

The Democratic governor wants to borrow about $2 billion for 2021-2023 projects, and spend more a billion dollars for projects on UW System campuses.

Evers also proposes funding a new state office building in Milwaukee, and planning for a new office building in downtown Madison.

There’s also money for new facilities to treat juvenile offenders, to replace the Lincoln Hills-Cooper Lake juvenile prison. The Republican controlled legislature will have final say on the projects.

Evers defends proposed budget as Republicans voice disapproval on his spending targets

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Governor Tony Evers

Governor Tony Evers defends his proposed $91 billion state budget. On WKOW‘s “Capitol City Sunday,” Evers characterized his two year spending plan as a responsible reasonable response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I understand the numbers might be jarring, but the fact of the matter is we have an obligation as a state to really help our economy move forward and especially small businesses,” the governor said.

Also on “Capitol City Sunday,” Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said Republicans won’t spend anywhere near what Evers wants.

Senator Devin LeMahieu

“Eight billion dollars in spending increases – that’s just unacceptable in the environment we’re in,” LeMahieu said. “We’ll make sure we make investments in core priorities just as medical care and infrastructure.”

Republicans also quickly rejected policy changes Evers put in the budget, including language to legalize marijuana.

Senator Johnson blames Dem policies for increased security at US Capitol, damage to Texas power grid

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Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson says Democrats are trying to paint Republicans in a bad light following the January 6th riot in Washington DC. On Fox News Sunday Morning Futures, Johnson continued his objections to the increased security measures at the US Capitol. 

“As I’ve been saying that this is, the seven or eight foot fence with concertina wire is really meant to create a narrative that the 74 million Americans who supported and voted for President Trump are suspected domestic terrorists or possible armed insurrectionists that the capital needs to be protected against. I don’t think anything could be further from the truth.”

Johnson originally backed a protest against the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral votes, but lifted it following the assault on the Capitol Building by Trump supporters. 

Johnson also says that this week’s power failures in Texas due to extreme cold are the fault of renewable energy sources.

“What we saw in Texas certainly shows what folly the Green New Deal would be, how unreliable wind and solar power generation really is and how he needs fossil fuel backup. We’ve also learned how vulnerable our grid is to, again, the unreliable green energy, but also potentially to geomagnetic disturbance from the Sun, solar winds, and also EMP attacks.”

Texas is on its own power grid, and most of its power comes from coal or gas plants, many of which were not protected from the cold and either shut down or were turned off to prevent damage.

‘A liberal’s dream’ – JFC co-chairs critique Evers’ budget proposal

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Rep. Mark Born

The Republican co-chairs of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee are not enthusiastic about Governor Tony Evers’ proposed budget.

The finance committee will rewrite the $91 billion dollar, two year spending plan from the Democratic governor. During a WisPolitics virtual event on Thursday, the co-chairs were not loving what they’re seeing.

“We are in a similar spot to where we were last time, or I would say even worse,” said Representative Mark Born (R – Beaver Dam). “Even higher spending, more taxes and more divisive policy.”

Born said he and Senate co-chair Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) had earlier sent Evers a letter in which they specifically requested that he not include certain things in his proposal. “Don’t include a bunch of divisive policy that doesn’t belong. Don’t include huge tax increases. Don’t go on a massive spending spree like you did last time.’ And then he did all three of those things.”

Sen. Howard Marklein

Markein was even more blunt in assessing the governor’s plan. “I guess I would characterize his budget as a liberal’s dream.”

The JFC co-chairs indicated that pieces like legalized marijuana, a minimum wage increase and a juvenile justice overhaul are unlikely to survive the budgeting process.

Senate Democrats angered as some Republicans chose not to wear masks

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The Wisconsin state Senate was on the floor Thursday, with members present in person and some Republicans not wearing masks.

Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) was not happy with them. “You didn’t care about other people in this body that you serve with, and that’s very frustrating,” said Carpenter, who wore a Milwaukee Brewers mask over a second mask. “Never before have I seen a public health epidemic that’s been made political.”

Senator Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) said she didn’t appreciate Carpenter’s comments. “I don’t think that I would automatically assume that he’s a mean, hateful, spiteful person. I’m trying not to anyway. One of the things I’m tired of is mask shaming.”

Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on Wednesday announced Senators will no longer be able to attend floor sessions or committee meetings via ZOOM.

“You can demand that we come to this chamber in person and that’s fine, we’re all here,” said Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison). “But now that we’re here, please wear a mask out of respect, out of human decency, for the others that are here that you don’t know our history. For our families.”))

The comments about masks came as the Senate voted 27-3 to pass a Republican plan to overhaul Wisconsin’s outdated unemployment insurance computer system. The Assembly will take up the measure on Tuesday, and Evers has indicated he’ll sign it. “It’s not enough, but it’s at least a step in the right direction,” the governor said.

Vos asks Evers to order flags at half-staff for Rush Limbaugh

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Wisconsin Capitol flags WRN image

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wants flags in Wisconsin lowered to half-staff, to honor the late Rush Limbaugh.

The conservative radio host, who died of lung cancer on Wednesday, was a Missouri native and Florida resident with no connection to Wisconsin.

But in a letter to Governor Tony Evers requesting that Wisconsin and U.S. flags be flown at half staff Vos said “there is no question that he made a lasting impact on political discourse and conservativism in our nation.”

Some people quickly pointed out that no such request was made to similarly honor Hank Aaron when the legendary Major Leaguer, who had close ties to Wisconsin, died last month.

 

JFC approves plan to upgrade UI computer system

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A Republican plan to overhaul Wisconsin’s outdated unemployment insurance computer system will be taken up by the state Senate on Thursday, after clearing the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Wednesday

JFC co-chair, Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) made a point of tagging Governor Tony Evers for thousands of people not receiving their benefits during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The citizens of Wisconsin needed the governor to show up and lead during a time of crisis,” Born said during Wednesday’s public hearing. “Unfortunately the failures with the unemployment system, and getting people the benefits they so desperately needed is one of many and probably most significant examples we’ve seen of a lack of leadership and management from this administration.”

“This is simply not acceptable, and the system must be fixed,” JFC co-chair Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) said. “I’m not here to cast blame or point fingers, I’m here to ask you to help me fix the problem. We have a responsibility to do better, and get the system fixed.”

Department of Workforce Development interim Secretary Amy Pechacek told the budget panel that the agency is ready to begin work on an upgrade. “We’ve continued our research, so whatever step we need to get that funding to get that funding dedicated to this project, and the support to continue the funding moving forward, we are committed to do what it takes to get this going.”

The plan was approved on a 15-0 vote as members from both parties agreed the issues must be fixed.

The Evers administration would have to get permission from the Legislature’s budget committee to obtain funding for the project, which could cost $80 million or more. It also includes language to protect businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits. An Evers spokesperson would not say whether the governor supported the proposal.

Underly and Kerr advance in state superintendent primary

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Pecatonica Area School District superintendent Jill Underly and retired Brown Deer superintendent Deborah Kerr are the two finalists for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Underly and Kerr won the most votes in Tuesday’s primary which included a total of seven candidates.

Underly, who had the backing of the state’s largest teachers union, led the field with 27% of the vote. Kerr – backed by Republicans but calling herself a Democrat – received 26% of primary votes.

Current State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor is not seeking another term.  Underly and Kerr will meet in the April 6th election.

Biden calls for unity and increased COVID-19 spending at Milwaukee town hall

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A socially distanced crowd got to ask questions of President Joe Biden last night at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee as part of a CNN town hall meeting.

The appearance was President Biden’s first major political trip of his term, and President spent about an hour fielding questions about policy from a crowd of Wisconsinites. President Biden says that there has to be work done to heal the political divide that was exposed during the Trump administration, but that it’s not as severe as some people think.

“The nation is not divided you go out there and take a look and talk to people you have fringes on both ends but it’s not nearly as divided as we make it out to be.”

When asked how he would raise support for a 15 dollar an hour minimum wage in the Midwest, Biden said that raising wages will mean more money in the economy for everyone, which would be going right back to businesses. 

“I do support a $15 minimum wage. I think there is equally as much if not more evidence to dictate that it would grow the economy in the long-run and medium run, benefit small business as well as large businesses.”

Kerri Engebrecht from Oak Creek told the president that she’s been having trouble getting her son with a lung condition vaccinated, and what he’d do to help prioritize who gets the vaccine. President Biden said that determination was still up to the state. 

“I can’t tell the state you must move such and such a group of people up but here’s what I’d like to do. If you’re willing I’ll stay around after this is over and maybe we can talk a few minutes and see if I can get you some help.”

Biden says that he’s pushing for a robust recovery package to continue dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and that people need to continue doing their part to help slow the spread of the virus while everyone gets vaccinated.

Evers’ proposed budget includes major investments in K-12 schools and UW System

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ proposed two-year state budget includes a major focus on K-12 education funding.

“So for the second budget in a row, our Badger Bounceback agenda proposes that the state delivers on its commitment to two-thirds funding for our schools.” The Democratic governor says that idea has bipartisan support. “Let’s stop talking about it, and just get it done.”

Evers proposed a $91 billion two-year spending plan includes a $1.6 billion increase in funding for K-12 schools.

Evers’ proposed budget also keeps a UW System tuition freeze in place, while dramatically increasing funding.

“We’re also going to fund that freeze and invest $190 million into the UW System over the next two years. So at the end of this biennium, when all is said and done, the state will again be investing more GPR dollars annually in the UW System than the Department of Corrections.”

Republicans who control the legislature supported the tuition freeze, but they’re likely to balk at that large an investment in the UW System.

Evers ended his state budget address Tuesday night with a challenge to legislators. “Our opportunity to bounce back from this crisis calls for you to summon the will to get this done. There’s no time for false promises of hope and prosperity, with empty words that you know full well won’t match your actions. You can disagree with me if you want, but don’t punish the people we serve so you can settle a score no one but you is keeping.”

All told, the Democratic governor’s proposal increases state spending by 10 percent over the next two years. State government would have an overall operating budget of $45.4 billion in the first year of the budget and $45.6 billion in the second.

Evers has included budget language creating a state-based exchange through the Affordable Care Act, part of a proposal to expand the state’s acceptance of federal Medicaid funding. Evers’ office estimates that would benefit around 90,000 people. The governor has also proposed legalizing recreational and medical marijuana.

“It’s disappointing to see that once again, the governor is taking an approach to our state’s budget that increases the tax burden on Wisconsinites and invests in the wrong priorities,” said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke. “By building his budget on non-negotiables like legalizing recreational marijuana and expanding government-run healthcare, the governor is once again taking an all-or-nothing approach to governing.”

“While there are items in the budget we can agree and build on – things like funding our schools and expanding the Child Psychiatry Consultation Program – I along with my Assembly Republican colleagues will be focused on bringing to the table a budget that reflects Wisconsin priorities, not another liberal wishlist.”

Evers’ proposal now goes to the legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee.