Madison, Wis. – Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly debated the 2023-2025 biennial budget. State Representative Deb Andraca (D – Whitefish Bay) issued the following statement:
“From budget listening sessions in my district, hearings with the Joint Finance Committee, and conversations with my constituents, I’ve learned how important this budget is in peoples’ everyday lives. From sustainable funding for education to BadgerCare expansion and clean water, Wisconsinites are looking for solutions to important issues that impact their daily lives.
“As a state, we need to retain our graduates and attract working families with public school funding that keeps up with inflation, a healthcare system that prioritizes postpartum care and paid family leave, well-staffed, affordable child care centers, and environmental policies that restore water quality and promote renewable energy.
“I voted no because this budget falls short and does not align with the needs and priorities of my constituents. The Republican budget failed to include adequate resources to appropriately staff the Office of School Safety, which has a proven record of keeping students safe, and removed policies intended to reduce gun violence. Special education services received an anemic raise, doing little to support school districts that work to meet the needs of each student, every day. The failure to fund a much-needed UW engineering building coupled with a cut to the UW System’s budget will have a direct, negative impact on the health of our universities and Wisconsin’s skilled workforce. With a $7 billion surplus, this budget cycle offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make lasting change for the people of Wisconsin.
“While the final budget before us today misses the mark on a number of opportunities, it includes funding for some programs and services that will help Wisconsinites continue to succeed. Included among them are funding for Children’s Wisconsin and expansion of their Dental Clinic, grants to develop more workforce housing, and funding to increase the salaries of hard-working district attorneys and public defenders who are vital to our criminal justice system.”
“Now that the budget is headed to Governor Evers’s desk, I hope the Governor can make some improvements and I will continue working for solutions that will keep Wisconsin safer, smarter and healthier.”
