CONTACT: Senator Howard Marklein, 608-266-0703, Sen.Marklein@legis.wi.gov
Madison, WI – Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) released a statement following the announcement by incoming Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) appointing him to serve as Co-Chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC):
“I am extremely honored, humbled and excited to be appointed to serve as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance. Having served as a member of this committee for three sessions, I recognize the extraordinary opportunity before me and appreciate Majority Leader LeMahieu’s trust in me to lead this committee on behalf of the State Senate.
I also appreciate the trust and confidence of my fellow Senators and Representatives with whom we will be crafting the next state budget and stewarding taxpayer funds. I do not take this responsibility lightly.
I am grateful for the experience I gained over the last three budgets. I am also very glad that we made several good financial decisions and built a Rainy Day Fund worth $750 million. Wisconsin was in a positive financial position at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to work hard to recover quickly.
I am also grateful for the mentorship of Senator Alberta Darling over the last three sessions. I have learned a lot from her leadership and will surely tap into her expertise moving forward.
I look toward this new appointment with optimism and enthusiasm. I welcome the challenge and opportunity to contribute my skills and talents in this new way.”
The JFC is responsible for all state appropriations and revenues, including the biennial state budget. The committee is comprised of 16 members, eight from the State Senate and eight from the State Assembly. Members of the committee are appointed by each house.
Marklein represents the 17th Senate District in southwest Wisconsin. He was elected to the Assembly in 2010 and 2012. He was elected to the Senate in 2014 and 2018 and has served as a member of the JFC since 2014.
