(MADISON) – The Wisconsin State Assembly met on the floor yesterday to address the ongoing debate over AB 245 relating to shared revenue. Following yesterday’s session, Representative Melissa Ratcliff (D – Cottage Grove) released the following statement.
“Let me be clear: Yesterday’s legislative session showed, once again, that Assembly Republicans want to undermine town, village, county and city governments, this time by attaching outrageous conditions to funding which local communities desperately need.
It is unfortunate that Assembly Republicans were not willing to compromise to reach a bipartisan solution to increased funding for our municipalities. There is bipartisan agreement that shared revenue must be increased. Unfortunately, Republicans have used this as an opportunity to take aim at policies they do not like, but which are important to the majority of Wisconsinites, including public health, public safety, land conservation and having their voices heard through referenda. Harmful provisions targeting the City and County of Milwaukee are further examples of how Republicans want to handcuff local communities’ ability to govern themselves.
Let’s stop with the games and focus on the opportunity we have: to do right by the people we serve and, after more than 20 years, to increase shared revenue – without conditions – and support local services including police, fire and emergency services.
