MADISON— Today, the final Joint Finance Committee meeting concluded with another disappointing display of misplaced priorities from Republicans on the committee. Despite a historic surplus and months of opportunity, Republicans today refused to deliver full funding for childcare, rejected postpartum Medicaid expansion, and came up short on critical transportation investments.
Fortunately, Governor Evers and Senate Democrats were able to secure meaningful investments in the budget agreement, including the largest special education investment in state history and $330 million for childcare. These positive steps were achieved despite Republican objections and after weeks of delay.
The four Democratic members of the Joint Committee on Finance released the following statement:
“This budget could have been a historic turning point for Wisconsin families and the workforce. Instead, Republicans said no to providing care for new mothers. They said no to fully funding our public schools and keeping property taxes down. These are popular measures that would positively impact millions of Wisconsinites and their absence will be felt across the state.”
“We appreciate that important investments were made possible through months of advocacy and pressure. These concessions were not offered freely. They were pried from the stubborn hands of Republicans after endless rounds of negotiation, led by the Governor and brought home by Democratic legislatures. Still, as the budget process moves forward, we cannot escape the feeling that Republicans have left many critical needs unmet.
