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The statewide day of budget action is TODAY.

 

Dear All,

 

Today is the day!

 

All across the state, administrators, educators, parents, and advocates are participating in the nonpartisan Statewide Day of Action to demand a fair state budget for our kids and public schools. Please check out the Day of Action Toolkit to see a list of local events and action opportunities, and make a plan to join the efforts in your community. Keep an eye on our social media — particularly our Facebook page — to stay on top of the day!

 

DIGITAL ACTIONS

We now know that the Assembly will go to the floor to vote on June 28 and the Senate will go to the floor on June 30. This means Wisconsinites have ONE WEEK to take action and call on their reps. Today is a perfect time for the Day of Action — now is our time to speak up before it’s too late!

 

Wisconsin has spoken — now let’s make sure we’re heard. Please join us for today’s Statewide Day of Action, take these digital actions, and stand up for public schools!

 

–Christian and Team Public

LOCAL LEVEL ACTION. STATEWIDE IMPACT. Wisconsin Public Education Network is a project of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public education advocacy organization. To support our work, donate here!

 

 

This important message from our friends at Wisdom Wisconsin:

Following the Joint Finance Committee’s actions to remove BadgerCare expansion from the proposed budget, Governor Evers has called for a special legislative session on Tuesday, May 25 to keep this crucial conversation going.

Please make phone calls as soon as possible!

1. Call your state representatives:  Ask that they genuinely participate in the special session Tuesday. Find them here. General phone number: 800-362-9472

2. Call Speaker Robin Vos, 888-534-0063: Ask him to participate in the special session and not allow the Assembly to adjourn without meaningful consideration of the issue.

A bipartisan solution would expand health care access, support our economic recovery, and save more than a billion in state tax dollars while caring for those in need in Wisconsin. Badger Care is not welfare.

More than half of the 91,000 Wisconsinites who would benefit are currently uninsured, and many with coverage are shouldering significant financial burdens to access treatment through private plans. BadgerCare expansion would help address our state’s deep racial inequities in health coverage and health outcomes. It could also help address the criminalization of mental health: people with severe and persistent mental health issues need treatment, not prison.

In addition to significantly improving access to health care, expanding BadgerCare presents Wisconsin with an opportunity to save $1.6 billion over the next two years. The Governor’s proposal to invest in many projects in both urban and rural communities, behavioral health, broadband, and Black maternal and child health, illustrates the breadth of ways all Wisconsinites could benefit from such profound state savings.

Please make your phone calls as soon as possible!

Thanks.

Linking communities across Wisconsin to work for justice
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The Coalition for a Just Wisconsin Budget encourages you to support the

Rally for Fair Maps!

Mon.

May 17th

At Noon!

 

 

So that we can attend and support this important rally, we have decided to postpone our meeting that had been scheduled for this same Monday to one week later:

Join the next Coalition for a Just WI Budget meeting – May 24th at 1:00 PM.

 

 


From Our Brilliant Friends at Wisdom!

Thank you for this exellent 

Call to Action!

Last Thursday the legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC) received the last testimony from citizens about the 2021-23 State Budget.  Immediately after the comment period ended, the Republican members of the Committee – without even informing the Democratic members – released a huge list of items they intend to “remove from consideration.”  Clearly, the list was prepared before they heard or reviewed the public comments.  The timing of the release gives the impression that they intended to make clear that they were not paying attention to the input from citizens and taxpayers.

Some of the many items the JFC intends to remove from consideration in one big motion on Thursday include:

  • Expansion of Medicaid
  • Drivers’ licenses for undocumented people
  • Expansion of programs that would provide alternatives to revocation back to prison
  • The “raise the age” provision that would send 17 year-olds back to the juvenile system

Their list includes much more. To download the whole list, click HERE.

Today, we are asking WISDOM members and supporters to take action to let JFC members know that we are unhappy with their decision to summarily remove from consideration so many items from the state budget.  You can let them know if there are particular things you are concerned about.  Or, you can let them know that you are upset by the complete lack of transparency in the process.

The Joint Finance Committee intends to meet and to pass their omnibus motion on Thursday morning at 11:00 am.  We are asking each of you to call one or more members of the Joint Finance Committee Thursday morning at 10 am.  Ask them to slow down and re-consider this sweeping show of disregard for the people who believed there was meaning to their participation in the process the JFC itself established.  At the end of this email are the names, emails and phone numbers of the JFC members who are in the majority party.

If you would like to go to the Capitol in person, we invite you to join with many groups who will be showing up in person on Thursday morning about 10 am to express their unhappiness with the JFC.  On Friday morning, Mark Rice of EXPO will be among the speakers at a rally at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 7337 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton.  If you are available, your presence there would also be appreciated.

Please, make at least one phone call Thursday morning.  Do not accept the excuse that they are “just removing policy that shouldn’t be legislated through the budget.”  All of these items have significant budget impacts.  And, the JFC is never hesitant to fund policy tweaks that they like.

Here are the Republican members of the Joint Finance Committee:

Representative Mark Born (Co-Chair)
Rep.Born@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2540

Senator Howard Marklein (Co-Chair)
Sen.Marklein@legis.wiscosin.gov
(608) 266-0703

Senator Duey Stroebel
Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7513

Senator Dale Kooyenga
Sen.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2512

Senator Mary Felzkowski
Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2509

Senator Kathleen Bernier
Sen.Bernier@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7511

Senator Joan Ballweg
Sen.Ballweg@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0751

Representative Amy Loudenbeck
Rep.Loudenbeck@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-9967

Representative Terry Katsma
Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0656

Representative Shannon Zimmerman
Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-1526

Representative Jessie Rodriguez
Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0610

Representative Tony Kurtz
Rep.Kurtz@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-8531

 

Please Sign On to Our Call for a Just Wisconsin Budget

Click Here!


All Tour Stops will be Outdoor, Covid-Safe Events. Please come with a mask and keep safe distances from others.

Join the

Coalition for a Just Wisconsin Budget

and Partners

for the

Just Budget Unity Tour

May 7th and 8th!  

(View Tour Schedule Here)

This Tour to all districts of the members of the WI Joint Finance Committee members has three  powerful components:

  1. The Unity Tour led by the UnityMobile – A two-day vehicle caravan that will make 12 stops in 12 Wisconsin communities and hold 12 events where Wisconsinites will speak publicly for our essential need to fund justice in our state budget.
  2. The Four Outlying Tour Legs – In four cities within 4 different JFC districts (Chippewa Falls, Rhinelander, River Falls, and Sheboygan) people will be leading “Tour Stop Events” without the accompaniment of the “UnityMobile.” These four events, have made it possible for us to have a physical presence in all 16 of the JFC districts during the days of May 7th and 8th. As special thanks to the leaders in these communities who have taken the lead on making these events possible.
  3. The Virtual Tour – Whether or not you can join us for one or more of our 16  in person tour stops, you can join us virtually by following the tour on the Building Unity Facebook page. We will be streaming tour stop events throughout the two days. You can also play a very important role in our tour by calling and/or writing to the members of the Joint Finance Committee – their contact information is listed below. Tell them about the justice measures that you want to see in the budget.

You can view talking points about some of the aspects of Governor’s Proposed Budget that should stay in the budget, here. This is certainly not a complete list of all justice issues or talking points and we will be happy to update it with more as they come in. Your suggestions for talking points can be sent to BuildingUnityWi@gmail.com.

Please consider sharing your letters or written testimonies to marykbaum@gmail.com. In partnership with the Wisconsin Video Hub and Building Unity, the Just Budget Video Project is turning letters, testimonials, and songs into inspiring videos that we are sharing with our neighbors and friends. Perhaps your testimony will make it into one of the videos. You can find a collection of the videos that they have made so far, here.

Join us after Day 1 of the tour, for a

First Friday Film NightThe People Call for a Just Budget 

We will watch videos made from various calls for justice by the Just Budget Video Project as well as some footage from our first day of the Just Budget Unity Tour.

This will be a virtual event via Zoom. Register to get the film link at:
https://forms.gle/mn4HR8oLhZDm76Rc6. Vote Mobile

Please share this event on Facebook.

 

 

Call and write to the members of the JFC and also to your legislators.

You can find your Legislator and their contact information here: https://legis.wisconsin.gov

Dist Party First Name Last Name Office Address Email Address
JFC Senators
5 R Dale Kooyenga Room 310 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2512
6 D LaTonya Johnson Room 19 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Johnson@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2500
12 R Mary Felzkowski Room 316 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Tiffany@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2509
14 R Joan Ballweg Room 122 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Olsen@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-0751
17 R Howard Marklein Room 8 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Marklein@legis.wi.gov (608) 266-0703
20 R Duey Stroebel Room 18 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7513
23 R Kathleen Bernier Room 319 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Bernier@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7511
27 D Jon Erpenbach Room 415 South State Capitol Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Sen.Erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-6670
JFC Assembly Representatives
18 D Evan Goyke Room 111 North State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Goyke@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-0645
21 R Jessie Rodriguez Room 204 North State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-0610
26 R Terry Katsma Room 306 East State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-0656
30 R Shanon Zimmerman Room 324 East State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-1526
31 R Amy Loudenbeck Room 304 East State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Loudenbeck@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-9967
39 R Mark Born Room 324 East State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Born@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2540
50 R Tony Kurtz Room 418 North State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Kurtz@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-8531
66 D Greta Neubauer Room 8 North State Capitol Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Rep.Neubauer@legis.wisconsin.govs (608) 266-0634

 


4/24/21 – Check out these great budget priorities put out by our friends at Wisdom!
Write to your elected leaders today! Tell them what you want to see in the state budget. 
To find the names, websites, contact information, staff directories, and calendars of your legislators go here.
You can also send your letters to the members of the Joint Finance Committee by going here.

Comments may also be submitted via email: Budget.Comments@legis.wisconsin.gov

Budget Comments will be accepted by the Joint Finance Committee until Noon on April 30th.


4/11/21 – The Rock County Progressives present:
Mike McCabe on The Wisconsin State Budget
email RockCountyProgressives@gmail.com to receive a Zoom invite!
6 PM-6:30 PM Zoom Meeting begins, “Reception”
6:30 PM- 7:30 PM, speaker & discussion
Where: Zoom
Mike is executive director of Our Wisconsin Revolution “an independent social justice organization working to make both our economy and our government a true democracy—of, by and for the people.” McCabe and Our Wisconsin Revolution are leaders in the Coalition for a Just Wisconsin Budget – a coalition of over 40 groups that are united in our call for a Wisconsin state budget grounded in justice.
“The one possible path to progress is the state budget process. The budget is the one and only bill that really needs to pass every two years, and a new one is due to be enacted this year. The governor will make his budget request next month and what he proposes will be pronounced dead on arrival in the do-nothing legislature…unless the governor employs a strikingly different strategy than he did two years ago, one that compels legislators to negotiate with him in good faith.”
“State budget hearings are being held next month. State lawmakers need to hear a simple message loud and clear: Take the money! Expand BadgerCare!”
Mike was the former director of Blue Jeans Nation and the former Executive Director at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
The Rock County Progressives are a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting activism and education in Rock County

 

 

3/29/21 

The Coalition for a Just Wisconsin Budget met today. If you would like to see a recording of most of that meeting, click HERE.

During today’s budget coalition meeting Dan Folkman shared our new video that was created from Mike McCabe’s op-ed piece below:

“Take the Money and Expand BadgerCare.” You can also see by clicking HERE.

 

 


3/19/21 – Check out Coalition Leader, Mike McCabe’s piece that just came out in the GazetteXtra out of Janesville.

Mike McCabe is the Executive Director of Our Wisconsin Revolution and a leader in the Coalition for a Just Wisconsin Budget.

McCabe: Brainless Politics Blocks BadgerCare Expansion

(click on the link below)

https://www.gazettextra.com/opinion/columns/mccabe-brainless-politics-blocks-badgercare-expansion/article_573681cb-0bc2-5218-ab06-603a30011caf.html