MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting his recent announcement awarding nearly $1.3 million in grants to support quality of life, foster economic development, protect and improve the Great Lakes resources, and create resiliency in Wisconsin’s coastal communities through the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.

MADISON, Wis. — In response to Donald Trump naming MAGA faithful J.D. Vance as his running mate, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement:

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/biden-assault-weapons-2022-s450.pngJoe Biden has served the country with dedication and distinction. However, given the current circumstances, I believe it’s time for him to step aside and allow a new candidate to take the lead.

MILWAUKEE - Citizen Action just launched our volunteer field campaign in support of our progressive candidates and “no votes” on damaging state constitutional amendments. We discuss the pivotal State Legislative primary races and the influence activists can have on electoral outcomes. Our week of calls demonstrated a real thirst among voters we talked to for progressive candidates. JOIN US on the phones next Tuesday, July 16th, 5pm, for our next primary candidate, Amillia Heredia (Assembly District 11; City of Milwaukee).

We discuss news this week that the Marshfield Clinic Health System intends to combine with South Dakota-based Sanford Health. We discuss how this further consolidation of monopolistic health systems will drive up costs and lead to more closures. We critique Milwaukee Journal Sentinel coverage that reported Marshfield Clinic PR as news coverage. We also review the Eau Claire area community assessment released this week that found a serious lack of access to health care, particularly mental health services. Robert also educates us on how Medicare’s crazy payment system is helping create monopolies in health care.

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MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting the one-year anniversary of signing the 2023-25 biennial budget on July 5, 2023, and urging the release of nearly $200 million that was approved in the 2023-25 biennial budget to fight PFAS contamination statewide, improve reading outcomes and literacy for kids, and support child care providers and working families across the state. While these investments were initially approved in the 2023-25 biennial budget, they have languished in Madison for over a year as Republican lawmakers continue to obstruct and delay critical funding to address this and other pressing challenges facing Wisconsin.

Audio File of Radio Address.

Hey there, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here!

One year ago, I signed our 2023-25 state budget into law, and that budget included a lot of good bipartisan work.   

We secured historic investments in affordable housing statewide, the first real increase for local governments in a decade, and made significant investments in our roads and infrastructure, kids and schools, and so much more.

We also approved several investments to address pressing issues facing our state, including $125 million to fight PFAS contamination statewide, nearly $50 million to help improve reading outcomes and literacy for our kids, and $15 million to support child care providers and working families across the state.    

Unfortunately, it’s been a year since I signed that budget into law, and some of these critical investments are still sitting in Madison because Republican lawmakers refuse to release them.     

In total, from the last legislative session, there’s more than $200 million worth of investments sitting in Madison that could be going out the door today to help folks, families, and communities across our state.

And make no mistake: Republican lawmakers can release these already-approved investments at any time. They’re simply choosing not to.     

And this isn’t the first time Republican lawmakers have come under fire for months of inaction and delays.

These are many of the same lawmakers who led the “Least Active Full-Time Legislature in America” during the coronavirus pandemic. 

I don’t think that's how government’s supposed to work. Do you? 

Wisconsinites expect their elected officials to show up to work and find common ground to solve problems and address real and pressing challenges facing our state.

I’m urging Republican lawmakers to release these funds as soon as possible so my administration can get these resources out the door to communities who need them because Wisconsinites shouldn’t have to wait another day longer than they already have. Simple as that.

MILWAUKEE - With the launch of the presidential debates this week, the fall election is in full gear nationally and in Wisconsin! We discuss Citizen Action’s newly announced state legislative candidate endorsements. We focus on some key Democratic Primary elections we think our listeners should know about and get involved in helping progressive Democrats win! We review the new MU Law Poll where much is unchanged in the swing state.

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http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/disability-old-s444.jpgSenator Smith details the heroic efforts of everyday volunteers who make the work of county Aging, Disability and Resource Centers (ADRC) possible.

MILWAUKEE - Senator Chris Larson joins us to discuss the current financial reporting crisis at Milwaukee Public Schools and the direct link to nearly two decades of under-funding from the state and the lack of serious investment in democracy's most important priority, educating all of Wisconsin’s children. We discuss how the opponents of public education are cynically using the situation to gut public education and democratically elected school boards.

We review new research showing a majority of Americans want to forgive medical debt. We look at the connection between escalating medical costs and the current monopolistic health systems running roughshod over local communities. We talk about the shameful scheme by the Mayo monopoly to get $1 million more from the city of Eau Claire, as they suffer through an epic healthcare crisis Mayo helped create. Ascension healthcare workers are speaking out about the serious health risks posed by the data meltdown. We discuss why it speaks to the need for real regulation of hospitals and health systems in Wisconsin.

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MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address celebrating Juneteenth in Wisconsin. This week, Gov. Evers also signed Executive Order #230, raising the Juneteenth Flag above the Wisconsin State Capitol for the fifth year in a row. Gov. Evers also proclaimed June 19, 2024, as “Juneteenth” throughout the state of Wisconsin. A copy of the governor’s 2024 Juneteenth proclamation is available here.

MILWAUKEE - We continue our look at the deeper systemic issues afflicting Wisconsin government and politics.