Capitol Chats: WEAC’s Wirtz-Olsen says more school referendums ahead without funding formula changes

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Wisconsin Education Association Council President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen says the $1.4 billion in combined school budget referendum requests across Wisconsin is a sign public schools need more funding and the funding formula is broken. A WisPolitics review found this year to be the third-highest ask from schools since 2000. Wirtz-Olsen also talks about a new AAPI curriculum bill and the Senate’s rejection of Gov. Tony Evers’ nomination of John Miller to the UW Board of Regents.

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Capitol Chats: Neubauer announces reelection bid, talks priorities and new maps

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, announces her bid for reelection after talking about what her caucus wants to work on for the remainder of the year. She also says she’s not too worried the Dem Assembly members leaving this year will impact her caucus’ ability to make significant gains with the new legislative maps.

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Capitol Chats: Assembly Corrections Committee Chair Schraa on high vacancy rates, aging prisons

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Corrections Committee Chair Michael Schraa, R-Oshkosh, talks about some of the most pressing issues facing the Wisconsin’s prisons. He talks about what it will take to continue driving security staff vacancy rates down and how likely it is a longterm push to replace maximum security prisons from the 19th century in Waupun and Green Bay with one newer facility. He also briefly touches on what’s to come from his committee.

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Rock County Clerk Tollefson talks about latest election bills’ impact on clerks, 2024 elections

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, Rock County Clerk Lisa Tollefson, co-chair of the Wisconsin County Clerks Association’s Legislative Committee, says a bill to allow absentee ballot processing before election night will absolutely help clerks do their jobs. But she says she’s not sure if clerk protections the Assembly recently passed will do enough to deter harassment that has driven many election workers away since the 2020 election.

Read More »

Capitol Chats: WEAC’s Wirtz-Olsen says more school referendums ahead without funding formula changes

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Wisconsin Education Association Council President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen says the $1.4 billion in combined school budget referendum requests across Wisconsin is a sign public schools need more funding and the funding formula is broken. A WisPolitics review found this year to be the third-highest ask from schools since 2000. Wirtz-Olsen also talks about a new AAPI curriculum bill and the Senate’s rejection of Gov. Tony Evers’ nomination of John Miller to the UW Board of Regents.

Read More »

Capitol Chats: Neubauer announces reelection bid, talks priorities and new maps

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, announces her bid for reelection after talking about what her caucus wants to work on for the remainder of the year. She also says she’s not too worried the Dem Assembly members leaving this year will impact her caucus’ ability to make significant gains with the new legislative maps.

Read More »

Capitol Chats: Assembly Corrections Committee Chair Schraa on high vacancy rates, aging prisons

In this week’s Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Corrections Committee Chair Michael Schraa, R-Oshkosh, talks about some of the most pressing issues facing the Wisconsin’s prisons. He talks about what it will take to continue driving security staff vacancy rates down and how likely it is a longterm push to replace maximum security prisons from the 19th century in Waupun and Green Bay with one newer facility. He also briefly touches on what’s to come from his committee.

Read More »

Rock County Clerk Tollefson talks about latest election bills’ impact on clerks, 2024 elections

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, Rock County Clerk Lisa Tollefson, co-chair of the Wisconsin County Clerks Association’s Legislative Committee, says a bill to allow absentee ballot processing before election night will absolutely help clerks do their jobs. But she says she’s not sure if clerk protections the Assembly recently passed will do enough to deter harassment that has driven many election workers away since the 2020 election.

Read More »