Northwood School officials in Minong say they no longer think it’s a good idea to host a public hearing on Governor Scott Walker’s biennium budget proposal. Joint Finance Committee Co-Chair Robin Vos says administrators are concerned for the safety and the security of the students and visitors. “Some of the things they were worried about were already beginning because on websites it’s being discussed as a rally, not as a public hearing.” He says the meetings are intended for the purpose of hearing from citizens, “not to rally on one side or the other.”
Vos says officials are also concerned about ambulance access and the cost of potential damage from large-scale protests. “I’m sorry that that had to happen. It’s unfortunate that people don’t feel that they can have a hearing in their own school because of the chaos that happened in the Capitol.”
Vos says officials have asked him “in the nicest way” whether lawmakers can have the hearing elsewhere. That hearing is now scheduled to be held at UW Superior. Other budget hearings will be in Milwaukee, Arcadia and Stevens Point.
Meanwhile, Democrats are planning their own hearings around the state, saying the four meetings scheduled by the Joint Finance Committee is not enough. Public testimony will be heard in Oshkosh, Eau Claire, Baraboo, Wausau, Janesville and La Crosse.