May 7, 2024

Ahead of JFC Hearing, Wisconsin Democrats Continue No More Games Campaign 

MADISON, Wis. — Today in Madison, Democratic leaders gathered to denounce the ongoing obstruction of key priorities by Republicans on the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee. For months, Republican politicians have been playing games with Wisconsinites’ health, safety, and futures, withholding funding for priorities like clean water and rural health care—which again went unaddressed in today’s meeting of the Joint Finance Committee.

The press conference speakers included Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein, Joint Finance Committee Member Rep. Tip McGuire, state Senate candidate Sarah Keyeski, and state Assembly candidate Alison Page.

Watch one of the seven digital ads launched yesterday here.

“The Joint Finance Committee is at the heart of Republican obstruction and inaction in Madison. For years, Republicans have used their stranglehold on this committee to wield power to the benefit of the ultra-wealthy and big corporations—and at the expense of everyone else.,” said Democratic State Senate Leader Dianne Hesselbein. “Wisconsin needs support now. It’s past time for Republicans to get out of the way and allow this funding to be put to use to keep our communities healthy and strong.”

“As rural hospitals close their doors, Republicans are arguing about who gets to call a meeting. As Wisconsin families are drinking bottled water because they can’t trust the water out of their tap, Republicans are in DC sipping cocktails at political fundraisers,” said Joint Finance Committee Member Rep. Tip McGuire. “As first responders and families fight the opioid crisis, one anonymous Republican politician is throwing up roadblocks to getting help out the door—and they don’t even have the courage to stand up and explain themselves. It’s time for these games to end, and thanks to fair maps, the days of hiding behind gerrymandered lines are numbered. Voters will finally have a chance to make their move.”

“Joint Finance Republicans have a record of obstruction and inaction that stretches back years—long before they opted to withhold PFAS funding last August or health care funding in February,” said Democratic State Senate Candidate Sarah Keyeski. “They’ve used anonymous objections to hold up conservation projects and have blocked—three years in a row—a spending plan to combat the opioid epidemic. They’ve systematically underfunded the Universities of Wisconsin system, leading to layoffs and campus closures across the system, including in Richland County, located in the heart of the 14th Senate District. The good news is that this November, Wisconsin voters will finally have a fair choice when they head to the polls. Republicans like Joan Ballweg won’t be able to hide from their inaction behind gerrymandered lines, and we’ll finally be able to hold them accountable for all the ways they’ve failed the people of Wisconsin.”

“Republicans agreed to funding to support healthcare in Western Wisconsin, but they put unnecessary restrictions on $15 million in crisis funding, limiting the funds to be used only for emergency departments while ignoring the basic, everyday health services that have been ripped away from our communities,” said Democratic State Assembly Candidate Alison Page. “Yes, we need to support emergency services. But we also need to support primary care, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, and other preventative care that’s become increasingly hard to find after the recent closures. It is time to hold Republicans and Shannon Zimmerman accountable for their obstruction and political power grabs. The time is now. The date is November 5th.”

Source: https://wisdems.org/news/ 

April 24, 2024

Power of the Purse

by Senator Jeff Smith

In a recent column, I wrote about legislation that went unfinished. Many of the issues that were mentioned were ignored from lack of concern by the majority party or for purely political reasons. There are still ways to get things done, even if the full legislature has adjourned. Case in point: The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) and all of its unfinished business.

JFC consists of 16 members; eight members from both houses of the legislature. Any and all considerations of spending must go through and get the approval of the JFC. Committees are able to meet, hold hearings and vote even after the legislative session comes to an end.

Sometimes JFC will make specific decisions that were undecided by the legislature and Governor at the time when a bill was passed into law. But, the lion share of their work involves vetting appropriation bills during the legislative process to create new laws and state programs. As the Legislature’s finance committee, they control the “purse strings” for the legislative branch of government.

One of the most important advantages of holding the majorities in the legislature is the control of the JFC. Whoever holds the majority assigns the number of seats each party can occupy. The Republicans hold that advantage by a 12 to 4 margin.

Because our government must function all year round, our agencies must be fully funded to fulfill their obligations. It is normal for agencies to submit requests of funding to JFC for all sorts of reasons at any time of the year. Needs don’t always follow the same calendar that the legislature follows.

What shouldn’t be the case is allowing a 16-person committee to derail laws by not funding them, even if they were passed by the entire legislature and signed by the Governor. No committee should have that much power.

What is more alarming is that it only takes one person on a 16-member committee to essentially veto a funding decision anonymously for any reason. It’s happened numerous times with the Department of Natural Resources. Stewardship purchases have been held up because one member doesn’t like it. It offers the public no reason for denial and no chance for debate. Where’s the transparency?  

It can be quite a helpless feeling when the only thing stopping important actions from occurring is illogical political disputes over funding. Even the Governor is left waiting and hoping JFC will complete the job after the entire legislature passed the bill and the Governor signed it into law.

The Governor took an action, which he had only tried once before when he called for JFC to meet and take up the already approved $125 million for PFAS cleanup and the $15 million for the Chippewa Valley healthcare crisis. On April 16th Republican JFC members didn’t bother showing up because they were in Washington, D.C. at a fundraiser.

Republicans wanted to strip the DNR of its power to actually go after the polluters who are responsible for PFAS poisoning. The Governor vetoed that bill and now they refuse to release the much needed funds to communities that need to clean up their water.

As far as the Chippewa Valley Healthcare funding, the Republicans continue to complain about the Governor vetoing their attempt to restrict the funding to emergency room capital costs. The Governor agrees with our providers who want more flexibility to pay for more staff or other services beside emergency costs.

If JFC would release the $15 million that was passed into law, the Department of Health Services could immediately consider grant requests from our local providers to begin filling the gaps left by the departure of HSHS.

Weaponizing JFC to undermine the legislative process and co-equal branches of government is flat-out wrong. Clean drinking water and immediately helping with the HSHS hospital closure crisis should transcend politics and put the power of the purse back in the public’s hands.

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Senator Smith currently represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District currently includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

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For more from Senator Smith, go to his website at:
https://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/31/smith/.