Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — A bill that would ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements is heading to Gov. Scott Walker after a 64-35 party-line vote in
UW System President Ray Cross said today Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal for UW is the best “we’ve had in over a decade,” though he’s looking for some changes in the coming weeks. Cross spoke at today’s Board of Regents
Gov. Scott Walker today announced an executive order aimed at easing access to government records while declaring next week as Sunshine Week. Walker’s order requires state agencies to figure out which kinds of records the public asks for the most
Gov. Scott Walker’s budget item calling for the relocation of the DNR’s chief forester tosses out a previously ordered study that sought cost estimates for moving the office’s HQ to a new facility. The 2015-17 budget required the DNR conduct
Dem members of the Joint Finance Committee accused their GOP counterparts of improperly receiving a briefing on the guv’s self-insurance plan for state employees. But Co-chairs Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and John Nygren, R-Marinette, said they did nothing wrong by
Rep. Michael Schraa, who authored the amendment to eliminate the office of state treasurer, says there’s a “high probability” that either he or another lawmaker will introduce an amendment this session to scrap the office of secretary of state. Schraa
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — 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
The state Building Commission today signed off on Walker’s 2017-19 capital budget proposal. Walker’s proposal recommended $803 million in building projects, including $75 million for a Southeast Wisconsin Law Enforcement Facility and more than $85 million in renovations at UW-Milwaukee.
Gov. Scott Walker said today he would soon announce a number of steps to address bomb threats made against a Jewish community center in Milwaukee. Walker, following a tour of the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, didn’t
Wisconsinites would save $44 a year, on average, under Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to reduce rates for the lowest two tax brackets and expand how much income they cover, according to an LFB analysis. Today’s memo shows more than 70
Former state Rep. Mandela Barnes, who decided against a run for state Dem chair, tells WisPolitics.com he has decided to seek the party’s No. 3 position. Current 2nd Vice-chair Jeff Christensen announced on his Facebook page today that he won’t
Two GOP legislators want the Department of Transportation to be overseen by an inspector general after a critical audit of the agency released six weeks ago. The legislation, from Sen. David Craig and Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, would require the state
The state Supreme Court today ruled 5-2 passengers on Madison buses can carry concealed weapons. The court sided with gun advocates and Wisconsin Carry, which initially filed the lawsuit against the city. Justice Daniel Kelly, appointed by Gov. Scott Walker,
Gov. Scott Walker said today he’s glad House Republicans are looking to repeal the Affordable Care Act since “Obamacare is collapsing.” But he did not fully back the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill, released
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The guv’s budget would cut off the domestic partners of deceased public employees from purchasing health insurance through the state’s plan, according to an LFB analysis. But a spokesman for Gov. Scott
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Elections Commission member Don Millis has resigned from the board because he is poised to begin lobbying the Legislature again. Millis sent Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who appointed him to the
Voters in public school districts last year approved $1.35 billion in borrowing for building, the highest in at least 20 years, according to a Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report released today. The heightened borrowing for new construction projects, which previously peaked
The Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe says it’s planning to withhold a nearly $1 million payment to the state, claiming state officials are violating tribal compacts by letting the Ho-Chunk continue to expand a gaming facility near Wausau. It’s the latest development in
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Dems on the state’s congressional delegation are slamming Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not disclosing his prior communications with a Russian official, though Sessions said today he’d recuse himself from any investigations
A group of Dems today unveiled a tax package that would dramatically boost tax exemptions for the middle class while phasing out the manufacturing and agriculture credit. Speaker Robin Vos shot back the plan is one more reason to call
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — A bill that would ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements is heading to Gov. Scott Walker after a 64-35 party-line vote in the Assembly. Dems slammed the bill, saying it would hurt
UW System President Ray Cross said today Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal for UW is the best “we’ve had in over a decade,” though he’s looking for some changes in the coming weeks. Cross spoke at today’s Board of Regents meeting in Madison, telling regents that Walker clearly listened to
Gov. Scott Walker today announced an executive order aimed at easing access to government records while declaring next week as Sunshine Week. Walker’s order requires state agencies to figure out which kinds of records the public asks for the most and then determine ways to make them available without a
Gov. Scott Walker’s budget item calling for the relocation of the DNR’s chief forester tosses out a previously ordered study that sought cost estimates for moving the office’s HQ to a new facility. The 2015-17 budget required the DNR conduct a study on moving the chief forestry headquarters out of
Dem members of the Joint Finance Committee accused their GOP counterparts of improperly receiving a briefing on the guv’s self-insurance plan for state employees. But Co-chairs Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and John Nygren, R-Marinette, said they did nothing wrong by meeting yesterday with the Department of Employee Trust Funds and
Rep. Michael Schraa, who authored the amendment to eliminate the office of state treasurer, says there’s a “high probability” that either he or another lawmaker will introduce an amendment this session to scrap the office of secretary of state. Schraa said he has not yet began drafting the language for
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — 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
The state Building Commission today signed off on Walker’s 2017-19 capital budget proposal. Walker’s proposal recommended $803 million in building projects, including $75 million for a Southeast Wisconsin Law Enforcement Facility and more than $85 million in renovations at UW-Milwaukee. The commission today unanimously approved most of Walker’s recommendations. The
Gov. Scott Walker said today he would soon announce a number of steps to address bomb threats made against a Jewish community center in Milwaukee. Walker, following a tour of the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, didn’t provide specifics, but he said the measures will relate to
Wisconsinites would save $44 a year, on average, under Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to reduce rates for the lowest two tax brackets and expand how much income they cover, according to an LFB analysis. Today’s memo shows more than 70 percent of all filers would see a decrease, and the
Former state Rep. Mandela Barnes, who decided against a run for state Dem chair, tells WisPolitics.com he has decided to seek the party’s No. 3 position. Current 2nd Vice-chair Jeff Christensen announced on his Facebook page today that he won’t seek re-election to the post he’s held since 2013, writing
Two GOP legislators want the Department of Transportation to be overseen by an inspector general after a critical audit of the agency released six weeks ago. The legislation, from Sen. David Craig and Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, would require the state auditor to appoint a Legislative Audit Bureau inspector general who
The state Supreme Court today ruled 5-2 passengers on Madison buses can carry concealed weapons. The court sided with gun advocates and Wisconsin Carry, which initially filed the lawsuit against the city. Justice Daniel Kelly, appointed by Gov. Scott Walker, ruled that because cities, city commissions and sub-divisions all derive
Gov. Scott Walker said today he’s glad House Republicans are looking to repeal the Affordable Care Act since “Obamacare is collapsing.” But he did not fully back the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill, released yesterday, has come under fire from some conservative groups for
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The guv’s budget would cut off the domestic partners of deceased public employees from purchasing health insurance through the state’s plan, according to an LFB analysis. But a spokesman for Gov. Scott Walker said that was not the intent of a provision
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Elections Commission member Don Millis has resigned from the board because he is poised to begin lobbying the Legislature again. Millis sent Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who appointed him to the commission, a letter on Friday announcing his decision to resign.
Voters in public school districts last year approved $1.35 billion in borrowing for building, the highest in at least 20 years, according to a Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report released today. The heightened borrowing for new construction projects, which previously peaked at $1.04 billion in 1996, also coincides with the greater
The Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe says it’s planning to withhold a nearly $1 million payment to the state, claiming state officials are violating tribal compacts by letting the Ho-Chunk continue to expand a gaming facility near Wausau. It’s the latest development in the disagreement on the expansion of Ho-Chunk’s facility in Wittenberg,
Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Dems on the state’s congressional delegation are slamming Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not disclosing his prior communications with a Russian official, though Sessions said today he’d recuse himself from any investigations on the 2016 elections. House Speaker Paul Ryan defended Sessions,
A group of Dems today unveiled a tax package that would dramatically boost tax exemptions for the middle class while phasing out the manufacturing and agriculture credit. Speaker Robin Vos shot back the plan is one more reason to call Dems tax-and-spend liberals. Meanwhile, Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, called the