MADISON – Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly met in regular session to take up legislation related to state shared revenue. Rep. Conley issued the following statement in response:
“For the last 10 years, the City of Janesville has been asking the legislature to fix the inequities that exist in the current shared revenue formula. The formula works as devised for some communities where low property values are offset by high shared revenue payments and for others where the reverse is true – low shared revenue is offset by high property values. However, other communities like Janesville are stuck in the inequity of low property values and low shared revenue payments.
“We had the opportunity today to reanalyze the entirety of our shared revenue system and take corrective action for those communities that have been short-changed for two decades. Our communities need both an increase in resources and an equitable form of distribution to achieve lasting sustainability. Unfortunately, we voted on a bill that continues to use the same inequitable formula. In addition, the bill comes attached with damaging policy strings Republicans are echoing across the country, stripping communities of local control and the ability to include diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that are important to many Wisconsin communities.
“The amendment Democrats put forth lifts up communities like Janesville that have been stuck at the bottom-no strings attached. Unfortunately, this amendment was not passed. Now is the time to move our state Forward and empower all of our communities.
“As this bill moves to the Senate, I urge our colleagues there to spend more time listening and thinking about ways to re-imagine the method of sharing state revenue with all Wisconsinites without creating or maintaining losers.”