Month: June 2019

The ranking Democratic member of the Senate Education committee says a budget approved by the Jt. Finance committee ignores the will of the people when it comes to public  education.  Democratic state senator Chris Larson of Madison says the GOP budget shortchanges public schools, by cutting governor Evers proposed $1.4 billion increase.  "What Republicans did is they slashed that by over $900 million.  They slashed off 80 percent of special education funds.  It just […]

Republican state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says the Republicans on  the Jt. Finance committee listened to Wisconsin residents in crafting a state budget that was forwarded to the full legislature.  Theisfeldt says the budget will benefit  52nd Assembly District.  "Its good for roads in the Fond du Lac area where where we sometimes feel like we've been underserved by the Department of Transportation.  There's significant help in here for Corrections Officers, which […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is signaling he doesn't support Republican moves to raise car registration fees in the state budget.  Evers' budget called for an additional $624 million in transportation funding, covered in part by raising the gas tax by 8 cents per gallon. The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee scrapped his plan earlier this month and replaced with their own language that would raise title fees by […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers says if Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes owes taxes he should pay them.  Milwaukee Deputy City Treasurer Jim Klajbor said last week that Barnes has failed to pay $2,225.43 in property taxes, interest and penalties for his condominium. Barnes said that he's paying the delinquent taxes in an installment plan but Klajbor said Barnes failed to make the first installment by Jan. 31 and hasn't […]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Torrential rain this spring prevented most Midwest farmers from planting their crops but while the federal government provides help to growers of corn and soybeans, those who grow specialty crops are largely on their own.  Although the lack of federal safety net programs for farmers who grow everything from arugula to zucchini isn't new, one of the wettest springs in U.S. history has focused attention on […]

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff says he anticipates a smooth flow of pedestrian traffic when a manned security checkpoint goes into operation at the city-county government center.  Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt says people will have to go through a metal detector  at the north entrance to the building.    If someone has an item that is not allowed in the building, like a pocketknife for example, Waldschmidt they will be given two options.  He says they […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic legislators are complaining that their Republican colleagues didn't give advance notice to them or the Madison Police Department about a proposed security study of the state Capitol that would require the department's involvement. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the state's budget committee adopted the measure on Tuesday along party lines. But not knowing that Madison police would be involved didn't sit well with Democrats.

A Republican state senator from Fond du Lac says a budget approved by  the Joint Finance committee is a responsible budget that lowers taxes, and provides more money for education and transportation.    State senator Dan Feyen says the budget guarantees funding for the Highway 23 expansion project in Fond du lac County.  The budget is a stark contrast from what Democratic governor Tony Evers proposed, with far less money for public education […]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans are gearing up to push their version of the state budget through legislative floor votes and on to Gov. Tony Evers. The Republican-controlled finance committee finished revising the spending plan on Thursday. The document now goes to the full Assembly and Senate. Both houses must pass an identical version of the budget before it can go to Evers. The Assembly plans to take up […]