STATEWIDE - We welcome Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes to discuss his first couple of months in the office and the his vision for creating opportunity in Wisconsin over the next few years.

In our third installment of Sarah “what the Godlewski does the state treasurer do?” We review her effort to help UW system graduates refinance their student loan debt and GOP State Rep. Michael Schraa failing to honor his promise to sponsor legislation to put some authority and power back into the state treasurer's office.

We talk about Congressman Mark Pocan’s threat to sue ICE for records related to Wisconsin arrests last year; GOP Legislative leaders plan to intervene in Planned Parenthood case challenging abortion laws; Wisconsin is now the top 2020 battleground state; and State Sen. Dale Kooyenga says he will consider supporting accepting the federal money to expand BadgerCare.

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MADISON - This week Rep. Sondy Pope (D - Mt. Horeb) talks about our investment in special needs education.

Audio File of Radio Address

Hi, this is Representative Sondy Pope with this week’s Democratic Address.

In his budget, Governor Evers makes a historic investment in special needs education.

His proposal would increase funding by $600 million over the next two years.

According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the primary special education fund has not been increased in a decade, despite skyrocketing costs.

Currently, the state covers 25% of special education costs to schools districts. The Governor’s proposal would increase that investment to 60%.

This increased funding will take the pressure off our local districts financially and free up additional resources.

Here’s the bottom line: All students should have equal access to a high quality education. The Governor’s plan is rooted in this reality.

It is disappointing to hear that Republicans are not supportive of this additional investment.

One Republican legislator stated the Governor’s special needs plan was “a big number”.

We know by now the Republican track record.

They’re fine spending millions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations and billionaires. They’re fine spending billions of dollars on the largest tax giveaway to a foreign corporation in our country’s history.

But when it comes to our children, they hesitate, saying the cost is more than our state can bear.

Democrats see it differently. We MUST invest in our kids – the future leaders of our state.

After years of Republicans failing to prioritize public education, I am thrilled to see our Governor working toward what is best for our kids and what is best for our state.

Wisconsin Republicans have a fundamental problem with democracy says Hintz.

MADISON – Republican leaders in the legislature announced today they would be hiring private attorneys at taxpayer expense in a lawsuit involving Planned Parenthood and the State of Wisconsin. This comes just months after Speaker Robin Vos contracted with a private law firm, at a cost of $850,000, to defend Wisconsin’s gerrymandered maps in a case dating back to 2011.

Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement on the continued use of taxpayer dollars for private attorneys:

“The power trip the Speaker and Majority Leader are on seems endless. It’s clear they are more interested in doubling down on an ideological agenda than serving the public. This latest decision proves that a primary focus of Wisconsin Republicans is to abuse taxpayer dollars in order to undercut and undermine an Attorney General that was democratically elected by the majority of Wisconsin voters. Republicans in Wisconsin have a fundamental problem with democracy.”

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s make a better effort to celebrate the women in our lives says Senator.

STATEWIDE - This week we do a deep dive on the Foxconn mess with two special guests: State Senator Chris Larson and State Rep. Jonathan Brostoff. Will we have a thriving new manufacturing hub in 2 years in Racine County, or an post-industrial ghost town? We also look at advances in civil rights in the Evers budget, including automatic voter registrations and drivers licenses for immigrants.

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MADISON - This week, Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) talks about a budget that focuses on the things that matter to everyday people.

Audio File of Radio Address

This is State Representative Jodi Emerson with this week’s Democratic Address.

Every two years, the state budget lays out the priorities for Wisconsin.

It details all of the spending decisions by our state government during that period.

Last week, Governor Evers gave his first state budget address outlining his vision for Wisconsin’s future.

I was thrilled to hear about a budget that focuses on the things that matter to everyday people.

After his election, the Governor toured the state conducting listening sessions where Wisconsinites could weigh in – to be a part of the process.

These authentic conversations lead to the budget the Governor introduced. And that is why it is being touted as “The People’s Budget”.

People told the Governor they’re concerned about the quality of their drinking water - so the budget allocates $70 million dollars in bonding to remediate contaminated wells and replace lead service lines.

People told the Governor they want strong public schools – so the budget includes historic investments in K-12 public education and our UW System.

The Governor’s education plan ensures that every child, regardless of their zip code, will receive a high quality public education.

People also told the Governor they want us to fix our crumbling roads – so the budget addresses this head on with real solutions. After eight years of inaction, the people want results – not politicians offering empty promises.

And finally, the people told the Governor they need more affordable, accessible options for health care – so the budget accepts the federal Medicaid expansion dollars that Republicans have refused for nearly a decade.

This decision will allow us to cover more people AND save money. That’s a good deal for our state.

This is a budget that works for all of us.

I am hopeful that Republicans will join legislative Democrats at the table to work on this budget.

After all, it was the citizens of Wisconsin, who we represent, that helped create this vision.

Thank you.

Environmental advocate group says Evers’ budget tackles two of the most significant problems we face as a state, unsafe drinking water and climate change.

MADISON – With his proposed budget tonight, Gov. Tony Evers made a bold, visionary commitment to clean energy, clean water, and science-based policy.

Governor Evers’ proposed budget includes a call for Wisconsin to set a statutory goal to have all electricity produced in the state be carbon-free by 2050. It also commits resources to fight the state’s drinking water crisis on multiple fronts, and it creates an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy at the Department of Administration.

Executive Director Kerry Schumann had this to say about Gov. Evers’ budget:

“Gov. Evers’ budget tackles two of the most significant problems we face as a state: unsafe drinking water and climate change. His budget embraces science, sets Wisconsin on a path to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, and combats the drinking water crisis in the state, from manure to lead to emerging contaminants like toxic firefighting foam.

Over and over, voters across the state made it clear that these are the issues that top their concerns. Tonight, Governor Evers showed that he is listening to Wisconsinites. If approved, this budget has the potential to protect Wisconsin families, create jobs, and mitigate our role in climate change. We applaud the Governor for this bold budget.

We are disappointed that Governor Evers failed to reauthorize the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program. We appreciate his plan to bring diverse stakeholders together to determine the next phase of the program but are disappointed that his budget only allocates funding for two years at current levels. We’ll work with his Administration and the entire legislature to support and enhance this important program in this budget and into the future.

We thank Gov. Evers for this bold vision for Wisconsin’s future. We look forward to working with his Administration and legislators to make this budget a reality.”

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Engaging voters to protect Wisconsin's environment.

Education, Health Care, and Transportation Prioritized

MADISON – Thursday night, Governor Tony Evers gave his first budget address to the Wisconsin State Legislature. In the speech, the Governor laid out his vision for the future of Wisconsin. After holding listening sessions across the state, the Administration built the biennial budget from the thoughts, values, and priorities of the people of Wisconsin. Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement on the Governor’s address and the biennial budget proposal:

“I thought Governor Evers knocked it out of the park tonight. This budget, the people’s budget, takes our state in a new direction. A direction that invests in the issues that matter to families across Wisconsin. It takes the first steps towards fixing our transportation infrastructure crisis. It gives Wisconsinites access to affordable, accessible health care by accepting the federal Medicaid expansion. And it works to fix the disparities that exist in our criminal justice system.”

“The Governor’s priorities are Wisconsin priorities. We know that the people overwhelmingly support our Democratic agenda. Things like redistricting reform, medical marijuana, and a tax cut for the middle class have broad, bi-partisan support. It’s time to stop the political games and work toward these policies the public wants.

“And finally, the cornerstone of this budget is a historic investment in education. From our public K-12 schools to our tech schools and UW System, the Governor knows that nothing lays the foundation for future success like world class public schools. Our students and parents deserve nothing less.

“I look forward to debating this budget, and I am hopeful that my colleagues across the aisle will listen to their constituents – the people of Wisconsin – who played such a large role in crafting this budget.”

Refreshing to See a Budget that Puts People First

MADISON - Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement in response to Gov. Evers’ first budget address Thursday evening:

“Tonight, Governor Evers laid out a budget blueprint that finally puts the people of Wisconsin first. Under the failed leadership of the former administration, we could only watch while Scott Walker and Republicans cut necessary funding for our state and citizens while prioritizing the whims of wealthy corporations, growing poverty & the prison population exploding. For too many years, Republicans failed to adequately fund critical investments in education, health care and infrastructure all while ignoring the needs of everyday Wisconsinites.”

In his first budget address, Gov. Evers outlined a welcome and ambitious plan to not only pursue the measures outlined above, but to also legalize medicinal marijuana, provide tax relief to middle-class families, allow undocumented people access to formal identification, ensure clean drinking water for the people of Wisconsin, and take partisanship out of the redistricting process.

“I was especially pleased to see Gov. Evers’ commitment to properly fund education at two-thirds in his budget. We can lead the Federal Government to match us and recommit two-thirds funding for the whole country. While this budget is likely going to be the subject of much debate, ensuring our children’s education futures should be a point of bipartisan agreement from a Governor that was the former State Superintendent of Public Schools. I sincerely hope that my Republican colleagues can agree that the Education section of the budget should be agreed to in full.

“I look forward to working with Governor Evers, his Administration and all members of the legislature to make this budget a reality. Together, we can embody ‘What's best for our kids is what's best for our State.’”

For the first time in eight years, we have a Governor that is listening to Wisconsinites says Shilling.

MADISON – After months of open discussions with community leaders, students, families and seniors, Governor Tony Evers has unveiled his 2019-2021 State Budget. Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) released the following statement:

“It’s a new day in Wisconsin. For the first time in eight years, we have a Governor that is listening to Wisconsinites and connecting the dots to create a budget that reflects our values. It’s clear that this proposal isn’t a Republican budget or a Democratic budget, but the People’s Budget – a budget that restores tax fairness for working families, puts more money into local classrooms, and ensures more Wisconsinites have access to affordable health care.

“Democrats are eager to work with Gov. Evers and deliver on his promise to protect access to clean drinking water, close corporate tax loopholes, increase child care affordability and invest in 21st century infrastructure. By fixing our crumbling roads, repairing outdated bridges and expanding high-speed broadband access, we can open the door to a world of opportunities for communities across Wisconsin. This is a budget that works for everyone and tackles the tough issues that have been ignored for far too long.”