May 1, 2023 at 12:22 p.m.
JFC holds last listening session for state budget in Minocqua
JFC holds last listening session for state budget in Minocqua
By Trevor Greene-
The committee - made up of eight state representatives and eight state senators - is considered very powerful due to its statutory responsibility to review all of the state's appropriations and revenues.
Before more than 200 people stepped up to the mic between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to tell the JFC what they would like to see inserted into the next state budget, district administrator Bob Smudde said a few words.
Smudde expressed thanks to the committee and to those who attended. He also took the opportunity to ask people to be respectful in their comments and be mindful of students who may be in attendance.
LUHS was the only school to host one of the four statewide listening sessions, and Smudde said classes were not canceled because of it.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for (our government classes) to see legislation in motion and how slower processes are usually better processes, even though everybody wants an answer right now in today's world because there's a lot to be heard and a lot to be considered," he told The Lakeland Times. "You know, you hear a lot about the Republican-controlled legislature. Yeah, well we have a Democratic governor. So, split government is usually better government because no one side is right about everything. And that's just the way I believe."
Smudde said he's seen both Democratic and Republican lawmakers make good and bad decisions.
"I've known several of these legislators for quite some time through my journeys through southwest Wisconsin," he said.
Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) was elected to the state senate in 2014 when Smudde was the superintendent of the Ithaca School District. He said he was able to build a relationship with the JFC co-chair at the time because of that.
"We spent a fair amount of time talking about things like open enrollment, funding for rural schools and things of that nature," he said. "And when I tell you they're human beings, they're human beings. They have to put their public face on when they're in public, but I tell you what, they care."
Smudde said he thinks if people disagree with lawmakers, they should at least give them an opportunity to explain their perspective.
"If they disagree they'll tell you, and they'll tell you why," he said.
With regard to LUHS hosting the committee's final listening session, which brought many visitors to the Lakeland area, Smudde said there was a "whole list of places" legislators were considering.
He said it helped that Marklein, Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) and Rep. Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander) knew him well.
"The benefit in having them at Lakeland is that some of our people can't travel long distances," Smudde said. "Some of our people would never even think of going to a Madison, Milwaukee, Racine, Green Bay. They live here because they want to be here and I think that's important that legislators reach out and give them an opportunity to participate."
Smudde decided not to give any comments during the listening session, but he said if he did he would probably have asked for "wins for everybody."
"I think special education is a big area that has been traditionally underfunded, and I'm biased because that's my background," he said. "There's a commitment that's on the books that says (the state) will fund it at 60 percent and right now they're just over 30 - so half of what the promised statute is."
More money for special education is an example of what Smudde said is a win for everyone. He said if the district were to get increased funding for that purpose, it saves other money that wouldn't need to be transferred within the district's budget.
"There's enough people saying that today, though," Smudde said. "I'm more focused on being the host and getting people where they need to go. And besides that, I don't have a problem picking up the phone and calling a senator. This is for people who need a bigger venue and I don't. I believe when I talk to people they listen, and the decisions (for the budget) have to be made whether (lawmakers) are for me or not for me."
'Madison to northern Wisconsin'
Prior to the committee's seven-hour listening session, committee co-chairs Marklein and Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) spoke with members of the media. The two shared the floor with Felzkowski, also a member of the JFC, and Swearingen.
Born said the committee was happy to be at LUHS and in Minocqua for its fourth and final listening session.
"By early next week we'll start voting on the budget and crafting the legislative budget that we will send to the governor," he said.
Marklein said "the train leaves the station" while noting the budget will start to be voted on by the committee today.
"So this is very timely," he said. "This is kind of the last public input we'll hear on the budget as we start crafting (it)."
Felzkowski, representative of the Senate's 12th district, said she was thankful for her colleagues who agreed to bring "Madison to northern Wisconsin."
"It gives our colleagues who are on joint finance with us the unique ability to hear all the issues that really face the Northwoods," she said. "We started out our day this morning with an amazing meeting over at STAR Academy ... so it's good to be here. I know we got a lot of constituents that are ready to talk to our colleagues ... about what faces the Northwoods and the challenges we have. And hopefully we'll get some good things done for northern Wisconsin in this upcoming budget."
Swearingen, representative of the Assembly's 34th district, welcomed the committee to Minocqua and expressed thanks to Smudde for the district hosting.
He said this wasn't a "social visit" for the JFC, but rather, a visit "to get the job done."
"Currently, everybody knows that this state budget that is being worked on right now is about $83 billion," Swearingen said. "The governor upped it to $104 billion. That's way too much money, ... so the job of this committee is to bring (the budget) back down to where it's fiscally responsible and balanced. And they've done it before in the past and they're gonna do it again."
Answering questions from the press, Born said some of his biggest takeaways from the listening sessions at that point included residents concerned about education, roads and infrastructure.
Marklein added new buildings for college campuses was something the committee heard a lot about, too, especially during its second listening session in Eau Claire.
Both agreed helping fund local governments was another issue frequently mentioned.
With regard to tax cuts for Wisconsinites, Born said there will "certainly" be tax-reform in this budget just like previous budgets created under Republican controlled legislatures.
"We'll focus on cutting taxes across the board and continue to move the state in the right direction on tax policy," he said. "The last time the governor signed our budget with our tax cut (he) ran on it. So hopefully he'll continue to follow our leadership when it comes to tax reform in Wisconsin."
Besides tax reform, Born and Marklein added that education continued to be a focal point in the state's budget. Marklein said it has always been the "number one priority" when it comes to the budget. "We will be prepared to make an investment in K12 education again," he said. "And that's something we'll be talking about as we work through the budget process."
Trevor Greene may be at [email protected].
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