Madison: Wisconsin Public Education Network, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, and WISDOM, joined by the largest union in Wisconsin, WEAC, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Education Needed (W.E.C.A.N) collectively representing tens of thousands of people across the state, came together during this budget cycle to urge Governor Evers to demand and deliver a budget that truly works for Wisconsin, and veto any budget that that fails to meet minimum standards for investments in education, health care, child care, and effective criminal justice reform. Public testimony at all of the public hearings on the state budget affirms that investments in these four categories are the top-valued priorities for Wisconsinites statewide.
The budget put forward by the Joint Finance Committee fails to meet these needs.
These organizations strongly urge State Senators and State Representatives to vote NO on the budget deal that was announced on July 1 because it falls far short of meeting the true needs of Wisconsin. They further urge Gov. Evers to veto this budget for failing to break the cycle of inadequate support for Wisconsin communities, especially in the Year of the Kid.
The coalition continues to demand a budget that meets the following standards:
Expand BadgerCare. This will close a dangerous coverage gap for moderate income Wisconsinites without good health insurance at work. The infusion of federal Medicaid dollars will provide health care to 90,000 additional people and free up over $1 billion in state revenue to backfill the massive federal cuts that just passed the U.S. Senate..
Provide at least a 60% Sum Sufficient Special Education Reimbursement Rate. After decades of underfunding, the proposed increase is a critical step forward. Failure to fund special education harms students and pushes more costs onto local taxpayers.
Protect Predictable Revenue Limit Increases and Increase Spendable Aid for Public Schools. Our schools cannot meet rising needs without real, flexible funding. After 16 consecutive years of state budgets that have not even kept pace with inflation for our public schools, we cannot afford another budget that leaves districts dependent on referenda to survive. A budget that provides $0 in new state general aid is a cut our kids cannot sustain and local property taxpayers cannot afford.
Reject Voucher Schemes such as Decoupling Voucher Funding from School Aid Formulas. Decoupling hides the financial drain of private voucher programs on public schools and lays the groundwork for reckless expansion. Transparency matters, and public dollars belong in public schools.
Honor the Promise to Close Green Bay Correctional Institution. Public funds should invest in futures, not prisons. It’s time to close GBCI and to insist on full funding for TAD, Earned Release, and Alternatives to Revocation, which can make that possible.
Restore funds for Child Care. In order to improve access to high quality affordable child care fairly across the state, protect a direct state investment to child care programs of at least $480 million.
