MADISON – In reaction to Assembly Republicans’ passage this evening of Assembly Bill (AB) 245, the Shared Revenue bill, Rep. Samba Baldeh (D-Madison) released the following statement:
“This evening, I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues have yet again chosen to ram a fundamentally flawed Shared Revenue bill through the legislative process.
“Today alone, we were left waiting for hours for a Republican amendment that came in at the eleventh hour. We were then expected to vote for it with barely enough time to read it, let alone confer with local leaders about its impacts. This, after an unbelievably rushed committee process which shut many voices out of the process and limited opportunities for real debate and negotiation.
“To add insult to injury, when Democrats suggested that we send AB 245 back to committee so that we can continue to work on this legislation together, our Republican colleagues refused that genuine offer.
“We have heard time and again that this bill presents a generational opportunity to meaningfully fund and improve our local communities. If that is the case, after decades of disinvestment, then we cannot afford to get this anything but right. As it stands, AB 245 does not get us anywhere close to right.
“Our communities deserve better. And until they get it, I will not give up. I am committed to continuing the fight for what is right and what is deserved.”
