action alert: call for a state budget that reflects your values

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 Committee’s leaders 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.
 
The Committee will be meeting on Thursday, May 6, beginning at 11:00am.  Please call the Committee members using the list below and protest the removal of so many vital and important items from the budget that would go a long way toward improving the lives of so many Wisconsin residents.
 
Some of the many items the JFC intends to remove from consideration in one big motion on Thursday include:

• Provisions that would have protected people’s ability to vote
• Expansion of Medicaid
• Drivers' licenses for undocumented people
• The "raise the age" provision that would send 17 year-olds back to the juvenile system

 
Their list includes much more - see the Memo from JFC here.
 
Please take action to let JFC members know that you are unhappy with their decision to summarily remove from consideration so many items from the state budget.  Let them know if there are items you are particularly concerned about.  Or, 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.  Below are the names, emails and phone numbers of the JFC members.
 
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. 
 
Here are the 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
Representative Evan Goyke
Rep.Goyke@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0645
Representative Greta Neubauer
Rep.Neubauer@legis.wisconsin.gov 
(608) 266-0634