Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839 MADISON – Governor Scott Walker today announced WEDC is providing Gold Standard Baking Inc. with up to $575,000 in tax credits to support the Illinois company’s expansion in Kenosha County – a project expected to create about 100 jobs.   “We congratulate Gold Standard Baking on its expansion and commend the company for choosing Wisconsin for the next stage of its growth,” said Governor Scott Walker. “This is another example of the immense interest we’re seeing from out-of-state companies seeking to establish or expand operations in Wisconsin because of our pro-business climate and outstanding workforce.” Chicago-based

Contact: Kelli Simpkins, mickeykelli@gmail.com, 609-532-5532 Madison, WI – It’s déjà vu all over again for families of students with disabilities who have been doing their best for years to raise their voices in opposition to special needs vouchers.  In May 2015, a post-midnight vote introduced a special needs voucher program into the state budget with no opportunity for public feedback. Now, on September 6 of 2017, the Joint Finance Committee introduced and passed a major expansion to the program, once again without opportunity for families to see the proposal and offer their testimony. The families of Stop Special Needs Vouchers have repeatedly stressed their concerns

Contact: Sen. Janet Bewley (D –Ashland) (608)266-3510 MADISON, WI – Senator Janet Bewley (D-Ashland) offered the weekly Democratic radio address today. The audio file of this week’s address can be found here: http://media2.legis.wisconsin.gov/multimedia/Sen16/bewleyradio090717.mp3   A written transcript of the address is below: “Hello, this is State Senator Janet Bewley. “All across Wisconsin children are heading back to the classroom.  One of the best ways school helps prepare our sons and daughters for the real world is teaching them to show up every day, do their homework and hand it in on time. “Unfortunately, here in Madison my Republican colleagues seem to

Contact: Olivia Hwang, 608.266.5504 Madison – Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D – Kenosha) released the following statement on the Republican budget passed in the state’s budget committee this evening: “Republicans should be ashamed of this budget. They spent more than two months bickering about whose idea was best while ignoring the needs of Wisconsin families. They held up money for public schools. They delayed funding for crumbling roads – which simply increases the costs of repairing critical infrastructure for taxpayers in budgets to come. They prioritized handouts for the wealthy over policies that would help folks in the working

Contact: Rep. John Nygren (888) 534-0089 Madison- State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) released the following statement regarding a motion in the state budget to provide additional funds to support a half-time Special Prosecutor to assist the Marinette County District Attorney’s office for two years: “I am proud to provide increased funding in the state budget for a part-time Special Prosecutor for Marinette County to help support newly appointed District Attorney Deshea Morrow. The funding would effectively make the current part-time position, full-time for two years. Last June, Marinette County DA Alan Brey quit, arguing that he had too little resources

Contact: Matt Sande, (262) 352-0890, Matt.S@ProLifeWI.org Madison – The Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) adopted a budget motion yesterday that would require the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health Services (DHS) to conduct a comprehensive audit of all Medicaid family planning payments to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and other Wisconsin family planning providers from Jan. 1, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2016. The motion directs proceeds from overpayments or incorrect payments resulting from the audit to be expended on various state budget items in the 2019-2021 biennium, including DHS fraud and error investigation and reduction efforts,

Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839 MADISON – Governor Scott Walker joined Department of Health Services Secretary Linda Seemeyer and leaders in the field of long-term care today to accept the inaugural Pacesetter Prize awarded by The SCAN Foundation. The award, which recognizes continued progress in improving the lives of older adults and younger people with disabilities, was formally presented at a ceremony which kicked off the annual Aging and Disability Network Conference in Middleton today. “We are honored to receive this national recognition for our advancements in long-term care services for older adults and people with disabilities,” said Governor Walker.

Contact: Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) 1-608-266-5830 Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) 1-608-266-2343 Madison: On Wednesday, the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) approved the 2017-2019 State Budget. JFC Co-chairs State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) and State Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) released the following statement regarding passage of the budget: “We are proud that this budget will continue to move Wisconsin in the right direction. From day one, it was important to us to take the Governor’s proposed budget and improve on it. Together, we have crafted a budget that puts Wisconsin working families first. “Our top priority is to provide

Contact: Jessica Ward, (414) 422-5712 Leah promises to bring the Wisconsin way to the Senate Brookfield, Wis. – Conservative Republican and State Sen. Leah Vukmir announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate by releasing a new video Thursday. You can watch the video here. “I first got into politics because of my kids,” Leah said. “I challenged the school system so my children could have the education they deserved, and that’s why I’m running today. If you want to change things, you need to stand up and lead. “As a nurse, it is in my nature to take action when

Contact: press@wisdems.org, 608-260-2409 MADISON — Today, a Tea Party, billionaire-backed, Koch brothers disciple announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate. State Senator Leah Vukmir has a long history in Madison of putting her extreme, Tea Party agenda ahead of the needs of Wisconsin families. Leah joins former College Democrats of America Chair Kevin Nicholson in the Republican primary. Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning commented, “For over a decade, Leah Vukmir has been in Madison putting her extreme agenda ahead of the needs of Wisconsin families. Billionaires back her because she’s served as a national leader of a billionaires special