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Lawmakers peppered WEDC Secretary and CEO Mark Hogan with concerns about funding for a tax credit used to boost retail and develop opportunities in downtown areas, barely touching on clawback provisions that had previously come under scrutiny. Gov. Scott Walker’s
Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler on Wednesday challenged the contention the manufacturing and ag credit has become a giveaway to the wealthy, saying the top claimants employ thousands in Wisconsin and pay millions more in taxes than the break they’re getting.
Department of Children and Families Secretary Eloise Anderson said today there aren’t any quick fixes to poverty and that lawmakers need to trust evidence-based programs will work over time. “You guys have to be patient,” Anderson told the Joint Finance
Department of Health Services Secretary Linda Seemeyer said today the Trump administration will give states more flexibility on Medicaid “even though health care reform wasn’t passed.” “I don’t think there’s any reason to think we won’t get added flexibility,” Seemeyer
Veterans Affairs Secretary Dan Zimmerman today disputed claims that staff morale is low at the King Veterans Home, saying staff feels they’re portrayed as if “they’re not working hard.” Zimmerman, who started on the job this year, told the Joint
AG Brad Schimel today disputed his agency has a backlog of untested rape kits, even though earlier this year there were some 6,000 stored at Wisconsin hospitals and police departments that had not been submitted for testing. Schimel told the
Joint Finance has wrapped up for the day after hearing from DSPS Secretary Laura Gutierrez, who said the agency wants to eliminate unnecessary licensing requirements and “remove barriers” to entering the workforce. JFC Dems said they were alarmed with Gov.
JFC Dems today hammered at the Department of Corrections, though they credited Secretary Jon Litscher for making significant progress on several issues. Litscher highlighted some of those improvements, particularly in improving staff training, verbal de-escalation of incidents and boosting psychological
Chief Justice Pat Roggensack made a pitch today to the Joint Finance Committee to increase judicial pay, but nix the plan Gov. Scott Walker laid out to give judges a raise. She also urged lawmakers to reject his call to
Lawmakers on both sides said they have deep reservations on Walker’s self-insurance proposal, questioning Department of Employee Trust Funds officials on whether the agency’s savings estimates will pan out. Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, noted a consultant had estimated that the
DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today defended the guv’s call to move state employees to a self-insurance model as Joint Finance Committee members raise concerns the projected savings will not materialize. Neitzel, who was first to testify before the committee as
The Joint Finance Committee signed off eliminating the requirement that minors aged 16 or 17 obtain a child work permit over Dem objections it would remove protections to make sure minors aren’t exploited. Under the bill, which passed 12-4, those
The Joint Finance Committee unanimously backed a series of bills today designed to combat opioid addiction after shooting down several Dem amendments. That included one from Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, that would have directed the state to accept the Medicaid
The Joint Finance Committee today 12-4 rejected using $346,100 from the Stewardship Fund to help buy 102.5 acres in Dane County after GOP members raised objections to the price. The Stewardship money would be used along with local funds for
In response to Kwik Trip, Gov. Scott Walker added a provision to his budget that would save the company from having to collect the sales tax on the frozen pizzas it produces and then ships to convenience stores across the
The Joint Finance Committee has locked in its schedule for public hearings on the budget, kicking things off April 3 at UW-Platteville and making several changes to tentative plans previously sent to committee members. After the Platteville hearing, the committee
The Joint Finance Committee plans to get in all of its agency briefings over three days, starting March 28 with DOA. The plan released by the co-chairs is: March 28, 9 a.m. • Department of Administration (budget overview and agency
Joint Finance tentatively plans to kick off its public hearings on the budget April 3 in Platteville with the first executive session possible May 2, according to a tentative overview sent to members and shared with WisPolitics.com. The offices of
Gov. Scott Walker is proposing $803 million in building projects as part of his 2017-19 capital budget. The proposal includes nearly $449.9 million in new bonding and $128 million for UW System projects. See the proposal: https://t.co/iKxawQ59JR See more in
Gov. Scott Walker today downplayed concerns from lawmakers who’ve been skeptical of his proposal to self-insure state employees, calling the expected savings an “incredible amount” that would be re-invested in public schools. Walker’s office says the proposal would save $60
Lawmakers peppered WEDC Secretary and CEO Mark Hogan with concerns about funding for a tax credit used to boost retail and develop opportunities in downtown areas, barely touching on clawback provisions that had previously come under scrutiny. Gov. Scott Walker’s budget calls for limiting annual awards under the historic rehabilitation
Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler on Wednesday challenged the contention the manufacturing and ag credit has become a giveaway to the wealthy, saying the top claimants employ thousands in Wisconsin and pay millions more in taxes than the break they’re getting. The value of the credit, which Republicans approved in 2011
Department of Children and Families Secretary Eloise Anderson said today there aren’t any quick fixes to poverty and that lawmakers need to trust evidence-based programs will work over time. “You guys have to be patient,” Anderson told the Joint Finance Committee. “You can’t expect something to happen and change things
Department of Health Services Secretary Linda Seemeyer said today the Trump administration will give states more flexibility on Medicaid “even though health care reform wasn’t passed.” “I don’t think there’s any reason to think we won’t get added flexibility,” Seemeyer told the Joint Finance Committee. In fact, she agreed with
Veterans Affairs Secretary Dan Zimmerman today disputed claims that staff morale is low at the King Veterans Home, saying staff feels they’re portrayed as if “they’re not working hard.” Zimmerman, who started on the job this year, told the Joint Finance Committee he’s got an office at King now and
AG Brad Schimel today disputed his agency has a backlog of untested rape kits, even though earlier this year there were some 6,000 stored at Wisconsin hospitals and police departments that had not been submitted for testing. Schimel told the Joint Finance Committee the Department of Justice is keeping pace
Joint Finance has wrapped up for the day after hearing from DSPS Secretary Laura Gutierrez, who said the agency wants to eliminate unnecessary licensing requirements and “remove barriers” to entering the workforce. JFC Dems said they were alarmed with Gov. Scott Walker’s proposals to exempt those who complete some apprenticeship programs from
JFC Dems today hammered at the Department of Corrections, though they credited Secretary Jon Litscher for making significant progress on several issues. Litscher highlighted some of those improvements, particularly in improving staff training, verbal de-escalation of incidents and boosting psychological offerings at its two main youth facilities: Lincoln Hills and
Chief Justice Pat Roggensack made a pitch today to the Joint Finance Committee to increase judicial pay, but nix the plan Gov. Scott Walker laid out to give judges a raise. She also urged lawmakers to reject his call to move the Judicial Commission under the Supreme Court’s purview and
Lawmakers on both sides said they have deep reservations on Walker’s self-insurance proposal, questioning Department of Employee Trust Funds officials on whether the agency’s savings estimates will pan out. Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, noted a consultant had estimated that the state could lose $100 million in switching to self-insurance. Walker’s
DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today defended the guv’s call to move state employees to a self-insurance model as Joint Finance Committee members raise concerns the projected savings will not materialize. Neitzel, who was first to testify before the committee as three days of agency briefings kick off, acknowledged some state
The Joint Finance Committee signed off eliminating the requirement that minors aged 16 or 17 obtain a child work permit over Dem objections it would remove protections to make sure minors aren’t exploited. Under the bill, which passed 12-4, those under 16 would still need to obtain a work permit.
The Joint Finance Committee unanimously backed a series of bills today designed to combat opioid addiction after shooting down several Dem amendments. That included one from Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, that would have directed the state to accept the Medicaid expansion offered under the Affordable Care Act. Gov. Scott Walker
The Joint Finance Committee today 12-4 rejected using $346,100 from the Stewardship Fund to help buy 102.5 acres in Dane County after GOP members raised objections to the price. The Stewardship money would be used along with local funds for the purchase. The state obtained two appraisals for the land,
In response to Kwik Trip, Gov. Scott Walker added a provision to his budget that would save the company from having to collect the sales tax on the frozen pizzas it produces and then ships to convenience stores across the state. Steve Loehr, the company’s vice president of operations support,
The Joint Finance Committee has locked in its schedule for public hearings on the budget, kicking things off April 3 at UW-Platteville and making several changes to tentative plans previously sent to committee members. After the Platteville hearing, the committee will hit: State Fair Park in West Allis, April 5;
The Joint Finance Committee plans to get in all of its agency briefings over three days, starting March 28 with DOA. The plan released by the co-chairs is: March 28, 9 a.m. • Department of Administration (budget overview and agency provisions, including Building Commission, Budget Management and Compensation Reserves) • Department
Joint Finance tentatively plans to kick off its public hearings on the budget April 3 in Platteville with the first executive session possible May 2, according to a tentative overview sent to members and shared with WisPolitics.com. The offices of Co-chairs Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and John Nygren, R-Marinette, emphasized
Gov. Scott Walker is proposing $803 million in building projects as part of his 2017-19 capital budget. The proposal includes nearly $449.9 million in new bonding and $128 million for UW System projects. See the proposal: https://t.co/iKxawQ59JR See more in today’s PM Update. … Please log in to access subscriber
Gov. Scott Walker today downplayed concerns from lawmakers who’ve been skeptical of his proposal to self-insure state employees, calling the expected savings an “incredible amount” that would be re-invested in public schools. Walker’s office says the proposal would save $60 million over the next biennium, half of which would go