MADISON, Wis. — This week, Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul announced a $45 million investment in making our communities safer in Wisconsin. Under the plan, Gov. Evers is investing $25 million into violence prevention efforts and $20 million to support victim services.
This investment is made possible thanks to President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, passed by Democrats in Congress without support from Republicans. Gov. Evers has quickly distributed federal relief funds to Wisconsinites, investing in innovative programs that support small businesses, farmers, the state’s vital tourism industry, broadband expansion, and more.
Read more about Gov. Evers and AG Kaul’s investment below.
WISN: Gov. Tony Evers commits $45M in COVID-19 funds to fight crime
“As leaders look for ways to stem the rise of violent crime, especially in Milwaukee, Gov. Tony Evers is pouring millions of dollars toward attacking the problem.
Evers announced plans to put $45 million of Wisconsin’s federal American Rescue Plan Act, or COVID-19 recovery funds, toward violence prevention programs and crime victim services.
The rise in violence, he said, is a crisis magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in many ways, similar.
‘Much like the pandemic, this is another public health crisis that deserves our attention and our action,’ Evers said Wednesday in Milwaukee.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: $45 million in federal aid to be spent on violence prevention, crime victim services, Gov. Evers announces
“State Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, said at the press conference that providing crime victim services would help create safer communities.
‘We can help empower those victims to escape from the cycle of crime or violence, to help escape from whatever led them to be in difficult situations and help empower them to testify against people who committed crimes against them,’ he said.
Reggie Moore, director of violence prevention policy and engagement for the Medical College of Wisconsin Comprehensive Injury Center, said the funding was a step toward living up to the priorities set by community members in the city’s Blueprint for Peace.”
CBS 58: Gov. Evers announces $45 million investment in violence prevention efforts
“Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, as well as violence prevention advocates and community leaders, announced a $45 million investment for safer communities through violence prevention and support for crime victims on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Under the plan that was announced during a press conference at Milwaukee’s COA Goldin Center, Gov. Evers is investing $25 million into violence prevention efforts and $20 million to support victim services in Wisconsin.
The funds will help bolster both statewide research initiatives and community-based solutions, and the funding for victim services will support providers in meeting the recent increase in demand for these services.”
NBC 26: Wisconsin using $45 million in ARPA money to invest in violence prevention
“Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday a $45 million investment in violence prevention programming statewide.
The governor made this announcement along with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and several anti-violence stakeholders at the COA Goldin Center in Milwaukee.
The money will come from the American Rescue Plan Act. Gov. Evers says $25 million will go directly to violence prevention programming—including $8 million for the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention and $6.6 million for the Medical College of Wisconsin’s violence prevention program, which will help cities in the state launch their initiatives.”
“Reggie Moore, Director of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement with the Medical College of Wisconsin, said the $20 million dollar investment into victim services will be helpful for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. But he said it would help even more people than that.
‘Also, gun violence survivors who have trouble sometimes accessing the crime victim compensation fund, or knowing where to receive mental health support, especially for the children who are also directly impacted or may have witnessed a shooting or being present for a domestic violence incident,’ said Moore.
Milwaukee activist Vaun Mayes, of ComForce MKE, said money invested in violence prevention that doesn’t involve the police is a step in the right direction.
‘I think it is a hell of a move for the state to make a move on this, and it kind of puts our local government in a spot to follow suit,’ said Mayes.”
