MADISON, Wis. – Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) issued the following statement after voting for the bipartisan budget deal:
“Thanks to the enactment of the fair maps last year, we were finally able to have a truly bipartisan budget process after more than a decade of Republican control.
“Two things I have heard from my constituents is that they want their Representatives to work together and they want us to do something about rising costs. This budget does both things. Governor Evers and Senate Democrats were at the negotiating table and today we passed a compromise budget.
“The Legislature and the Governor were able to provide a middle-class tax cut to provide relief to the working families of Wisconsin. State income tax burdens will be cut by over a billion dollars over the biennium with 82% of the cuts targeted for middle and working-class families. Retirees will also see their taxes lowered by an average of about $1,000 per filer.
“This agreement also increases the hospital assessment, which will result in over $1.1 billion in additional investment in Wisconsin hospitals. In the Chippewa Valley, we know how difficult it can be when a hospital closes. This provision is key to ensure Wisconsin won’t see more health system closures throughout the state.
“This budget deal does fall short in some areas, however. The most glaring of which is continued underfunding of our K-12 school systems. By failing to make the necessary investments in our public schools, districts may be forced to continue the cycle of going to referendums and forcing people to choose between their schools and their property taxes going up.
“This budget is far from perfect, but in the spirit of bipartisan compromise I voted for this budget – living up to the expectations from folks across the Chippewa Valley – I am glad the Legislature and the Governor could come together to make progress for the good of Wisconsin. Now, we must build on this and continue doing the right thing to move Wisconsin forward.”
