Madison – The Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC), State Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and State Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), released the following statement after the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) released general fund revenue and expenditure projections. “Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and government-mandated shut downs, the State of Wisconsin is currently in a strong fiscal position. We generated more revenue than projected at this time last year, even during a pandemic. Thanks to nearly a decade of Republican reforms and a responsible budget passed by Legislative Republicans, we’re in a much better spot than anticipated a

CONTACT: Alyssa Mauk, ACLU of Wisconsin communications director, amauk@aclu-wi.org WAUKESHA COUNTY – The ACLU of Wisconsin today criticized the hiring of Joseph Mensah as a Waukesha County sheriff’s deputy. Mensah resigned from the Wauwatosa Police Department after he fatally shot three people while on duty in the span of five years.  Chris Ott, executive director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, said:  “The decision by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department to hire Joseph Mensah is shocking, irresponsible, and disrespectful to the community. Securing some measure of accountability for Officer Mensah took months of sustained action from community members. Officer Mensah reportedly

MADISON, Wis. — All Wisconsinites deserve to be safe in their place of work, or when they run errands in their community. Republicans in the State Senate are voting today to threaten that safety with a Joint Resolution to end the Governor’s public health emergency order, which would eliminate the statewide mask mandate. At a time when the United States faces 4,000 deaths per day and a more contagious new variant begins to take hold, Republicans in the state legislature are more interested in undermining the Democratic Governor than in containing the deadly virus that ravages our communities. Although these

Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) announced that the WEDC board of directors has approved an $8 million incentive package with Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) in Chippewa Falls. “This is an important first step toward establishing Chippewa Falls as HPE’s Global Center of Excellence and it reaffirms the great relationship our state has had with HPE and Cray over the many years they’ve been in Chippewa Falls,” said Gov. Evers. “It sets us on a course toward even greater growth, bringing more family supporting jobs, expanding opportunities, and bolstering economic activity not

Fall Burns Control Invasive Species, Boost Native Plants Contact: Joe Henry, Joseph.Henry@wisconsin.gov, 920-362-1908 MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) completed a record number of prescribed burns within state natural areas in the fall to maintain and care for some of Wisconsin’s rarest ecosystems and a site containing significant effigy mounds. These carefully-planned prescribed burns stimulate native plants and control invasive species. Prescribed burns are the most efficient way for the DNR to maintain state natural areas (SNAs) harboring remnant prairies, savannas and barrens. “The fall of 2020 represented one of the best fall burn seasons that crew members

Contact: Ben Voelkel  WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), said this regarding his vote to confirm Antony Blinken as Secretary of State: “Elections have consequences, and I believe any president should be able to staff their administration with people that agree and are compatible with them.  Even though I may not agree with President Biden and his pick for Secretary of State on some past, present and future foreign policy issues, I voted to confirm Mr. Blinken because he is knowledgeable and capable, and President Biden deserves and will be responsible for his selection.”

Contact: Nada Elmikashfi, 608-266-5342 MADISON — Today the Department of Health Services announced the future groups that will be eligible for the Covid – 19 vaccine beginning March 1, 2021. The groups in priority order include education and child care, individuals enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs, some public-facing essential workers, non-frontline health care essential personnel, and facility staff and residents in congregate living settings. A more detailed list of eligible persons is available at:Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Priority Group 1b (COVID-19 Vaccine) “As Covid -19 increasingly impacts our communities, I am happy to see that the vaccine schedule