Madison Democrat likes funding for our public schools, but says we must keep pushing for proposals that will positively impact lives across Wisconsin for generations to come.

MADISON - Thursday, Governor Tony Evers announced his line item vetoes for the 2021-23 state budget. The budget was then signed, becoming Act 58. Additionally, he announced $100 million of American Rescue Plan funds to address the education funding shortfalls.

Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement:

“The will of the people is the law of the land - this budget falls short of that. In February, Governor Evers proposed a historic budget that invested in the needs of Wisconsinites. It addressed what the people of our state deserve. Unfortunately, Republicans said no - they turned their back on the people by ignoring countless proposals that would positively impact people across Wisconsin. While Governor Evers was able to use his line-item veto power to make changes to better this budget, it is still disappointing that my GOP colleagues are governing as though the people of Wisconsin are not their boss.

“Throughout this budget process, we have been again and again confronted with this idea of providing the bare minimum versus making a down payment on our state’s future. Budgets are about priorities - we could have done both in this budget. We could have expanded Medicaid, legalized cannabis, created a non-partisan process for drawing legislative maps, invested in forward thinking transportation methods, provided historic funding for schools, invested in climate change initiatives, and so much more.

“While this budget provides one-time relief to Wisconsinites, it does not build the same foundation for our state’s future that was in the governor’s proposal. While it will make sure our bills are paid today, it does not plant the seeds for tomorrow that the people we represent want and deserve. We must work to ensure that we are helping every Wisconsinite reach their full potential and achieve their dreams.

“I am grateful that Governor Evers was able to restore some funding for our public schools through the federal American Rescue Plan funds and make other changes through his veto powers. However, we should not have to settle for less - we must keep pushing for proposals that will positively impact lives across Wisconsin for generations to come.”

Evers has put the legislature in a position to restore more of the school funding that Republicans cut from his original budget, says Oshkosh representative.

MADISON - Rep. Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement on Governor Evers signing the 2021-23 state budget and announce the investment of $100 million federal dollars in Wisconsin’s public schools:

“Gov. Evers introduced a budget which would have invested in Wisconsin’s public schools, brought in millions in federal funding while increasing access to affordable health care, spurred economic development, and provided needed resources for local governments. Unfortunately, legislative Republicans prioritized partisan politics at the expense of the best interests of our state throughout the budget process. Their actions over the past two-and-a-half years leave no doubt they would have been willing to walk away from any vetoed budget, risking Wisconsin’s economic security and stability for many months to come.

“I commend Gov. Evers for acting in the best interests of the people by using his partial veto authority to address some of Republicans’ misplaced priorities and providing certainty for our state. Gov. Evers’ actions today demonstrate that he won’t punish our state in order to engage in tired political fights, and show once again that the people of Wisconsin are always his top priority.

“I also applaud Gov. Evers for announcing the investment of $100 million new federal dollars in Wisconsin schools. The future of our kids is paramount, and this investment will provide critically important resources in light of Republicans’ education cuts. At the same time, we know that much more school funding is needed to avoid cuts and layoffs in the next two years. Through today’s partial vetoes, Gov. Evers has put the legislature in a position to restore more of the school funding that Republicans cut from his original budget. I call on legislative Republicans to act immediately to fund our schools and invest in our kids’ future.”