Progressive Thinking

Senator Smith writes about green energy tax credits now available to homeowners thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act which passed in 2022.

EAU CLAIRE, WI - As the ranking Democratic member on the Senate Utilities Committee, I’ve spent much of my career fighting to make utility costs more affordable for families while addressing the urgent need to transition to cleaner energy.

There’s only so much we can do as policymakers for families to afford their energy costs. Oftentimes, it takes planning and action from individuals to capitalize on new incentives. There are a lot of opportunities for families to save money with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by the federal government in 2022. Now is a great time to consider taking concrete steps to help your family lower the cost of owning and maintaining your home. By providing incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades and solar panels, and even electric vehicles, the IRA is not only helping Wisconsinites save money, but also moving us to a greener economy.

The IRA offers substantial support for energy-efficient home upgrades, which can have a massive impact on both utility bills and environmental sustainability. For instance, proper insulation and air sealing can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20%. With tax credits available for these improvements, homeowners can now afford to make those critical upgrades that pay off in the long run. And for anyone unsure where to start, the IRA covers the cost of home energy audits, so families can get expert advice on how to make their homes more energy efficient.

In addition to making homes more efficient, the IRA also makes it easier for families to generate their own clean energy. One of the most effective ways to do this is by installing rooftop solar panels. Tax credits now cover 30% of the installation costs, and these can be combined with state-level incentives to bring the cost down even further. Families who install solar panels can save about $300 per year, or $9,000 over the life of the system.

Heating and cooling costs are a great way to save money too. Heat pumps can transfer heating and cooling more efficiently through the home and they are becoming more efficient than traditional systems. In Wisconsin’s brutal winters, heat pumps can make a significant difference. Through the IRA, families can claim tax credits of up to $2,000 for heat pump installations, with state programs offering additional rebates that cover up to 90-100% of the costs for low-income households. This means that thousands of families in our state could have new, energy-efficient systems installed for little or no cost.

Here in Wisconsin, we’ve received $150 million to help homeowners make these green upgrades. Under our HOME Rebates program, families can receive up to $4,000 for energy-efficient retrofits, and under the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, low-income households can receive up to $14,000 for electrical upgrades.

While taking advantage of home efficiency incentives, people can also save money while going to and from home with the expansion of tax credits for electric vehicles (EV’s). These credits are available now for up to $7,500 for new vehicles, or $4,000 for used ones, and are helping families save an average of $950 per year on fuel costs. To qualify, a married couple would need to make less than $300,000, or $150,000 for individuals which ensures the credits are targeted toward middle and low-income households. The vehicles must also be built in North America.

By taking advantage of these new incentives, families can make their homes more affordable, save money while also helping us tackle the climate crisis. Now is the time to act for energy efficiency so you can keep a little extra of your hard-earned money.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the glaring gap in school funding for special needs students which is contributing to the price tag of referendum questions asking voters to make up for the shortfall.

EAU CLAIRE, WI - Over the past decade, you’ve probably noticed more and more referenda questions on your ballot to help fund your local school districts. While there are many reasons for why a school would request an increase in funding, such as facility improvements, better teacher pay or even to cover their standard operating costs, it seems Wisconsin’s lack of state funding for special education could be an underlying motivator.

Under federal law, Wisconsin’s public schools are required to meet the needs of students with disabilities, regardless of how much it costs to provide that service. Currently, our public schools receive a base reimbursement rate of 33% from the state to help pay for special education, but this then leaves them to pay the remaining costs. While some public schools in wealthier districts can help cover these expenses with referenda, our rural public schools in Western Wisconsin are not always able to.

This system is not sustainable for Wisconsin. This last spring, only 60% of all school referenda throughout the state were passed. While those of us in western Wisconsin tend to pass referenda to fund schools, this is not a viable long-term solution. In the last state budget, Governor Evers recognized this funding shortfall and put forward a plan to get the state to a 60% reimbursement rate while paving the way to achieve 90% in future budgets. But, Republicans in the state legislature rejected the proposal, leaving our public schools high and dry.

This gap in funding means school districts have to supplement the cost of special education in other ways. Most often, this means our schools are required to pull funding from their general fund to cover the rest of the special education cost. The lack of state funding for special education does not only impact the students who require special education services, it impacts the entire student body. Whether that be the need to cut back on teachers’ salaries or not being able to purchase classroom materials, school districts in western Wisconsin are struggling to make do with the little funding they receive.

On the November 5th ballot this year, the Eau Claire Area School District will be asking for a 4-year $18 million per year referendum to help cover their operating costs. When comparing this to the unfunded special education costs the school faced in the 2022-23 school year, the result is shocking. The school district had to pay roughly $17.9 million on special education, meaning that roughly 99.6% of the Eau Claire Area School District’s shortfall could be attributed to the state’s lack of special education funding.

Public schools are federally mandated to educate all children with disabilities by providing them with a free public education they deserve. But when our Republican-controlled state legislature continuously fails to provide funding for these services, citizens are on the hook for continual referenda to raise taxes.

As we head into the new year and approach another budget session, we must remember this funding gap and push state legislators to do their job for our schools. Increasing the special education reimbursement rate will help all students in our Wisconsin school districts by freeing up funding that could go to the entire student population. Republicans must be held accountable for failing our state’s public schools.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the innovative approach some county health departments are taking to address the opioid overdoes epidemic by offering free vending machines with Narcan, and other items like gunlocks and fentanyl test strips.

MADISON - Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin, and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is typically used to treat severe pain following major surgeries with strict oversight from nursing staff and doctors who understand how life threatening even a small amount can be. It only takes a two-milligram dose (equal in size to a few grains of salt) to cause an overdose of an average sized adult. Now that fentanyl is getting laced with other street drugs, people young and old are dying at an alarming rate by mistake. Even though the risks of accidental overdoses are real, the good news is that these deaths are preventable.

More and more, awareness is increasing about how effective overdose reversal drugs like Narcan are at saving lives and give people struggling with drug addiction another chance at recovery. The introduction of harm reduction kiosks in Eau Claire and Dunn Counties reflects an evolving, pragmatic approach to this public health nightmare. These kiosk vending machines provide free access to items like naloxone (aka Narcan), which can quickly reverse an opioid overdose. Other items at these vending machines include fentanyl test strips people can use to see if the something they are about to take has been laced with the powerful drug.

Since making a free vending machine available to the public last June at the Eau Claire County Jail lobby, they have dispensed a total of 2,188 doses of Narcan and 3,090 fentanyl test strips.

Dunn County installed their vending machine in July at the Health Department building and they go even further by offering additional items like gunlocks, Deterra bags to neutralize and dispose of drugs, menstruation products, condoms and even socks.

Earlier this summer, Eau Claire, Chippewa and Dunn County each released a community health report regarding the biggest issues facing each community. While the three main concerns facing all three counties were alcohol misuse, accessible childcare and access to health care, the report also noted substance abuse as a major issue.

Between 2018 and 2022, 82 people died due to drug overdoses in Eau Claire County and 62 of those deaths (76%) were opioid-related. During the same timeframe, more than 488 suspected nonfatal opioid overdoses occurred in Eau Claire County.

In 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services found that fentanyl caused 91% of opioid deaths statewide. Provisional data from DHS shows there were 1,358 opioid overdose or poisoning deaths in 2022, a slight decrease from 2021, but it was still a 62% increase from five years ago.

I want to applaud the work of our county health departments for coming up with innovative and accessible solutions like these harm reduction kiosks. They may not be the silver bullet for solving incredibly complicated issues, but they provide a bridge to treatment and recovery services while reducing the burden on emergency services by helping individuals avoid fatal overdoses.

It’s clear these vending machines are practical and effective because they are anonymous and free for anyone to use. My plea for families is to have these lifesaving products in your home, in your car or any place you could find someone who might need them. People who need these items may not use the kiosks, but citizens having these items nearby might just be the way to save a friend or family member who struggles with addiction. You might just save someone’s life, or your own, one day.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the public health risks of vaping and ways our state government needs to do more on this issue, including banning flavored e-cigarettes.

EAU CLAIRE, WI - Vaping has rapidly emerged as a significant public health crisis, especially among young people. Initially marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, vaping is now known to pose serious health risks. As evidence of these dangers mounts, the Wisconsin state government has a responsibility to take more meaningful actions to protect public health.

Public Health Risks

In 2018, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine reported that the substances in e-cigarettes, like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, were toxic to users, and led to youths choosing to start smoking traditional tobacco.  During a severe outbreak in 2019, the American Medical Association linked more than 2,000 lung illnesses and over 40 deaths to e-cigarette usage.

Equally troubling are the dangers posed to non-users. Secondhand emissions from e-cigarettes, according to the U.S. Surgeon General, contain harmful substances like nicotine, diacetyl (linked to serious lung diseases), benzene (a carcinogen) and heavy metals like lead. These emissions, inhaled by anyone in the vicinity of the vaper, create a public health risk—particularly for children, pregnant women and those with preexisting respiratory conditions.

Impact on Youth

The rise in vaping among young people is particularly alarming. The same National Academies’ report found that youth who use e-cigarettes are at higher risk for respiratory issues like coughing, wheezing and asthma attacks. Nicotine is highly addictive and early exposure to nicotine can also increase the likelihood of addiction to traditional cigarettes or other harmful substances.

Flavored e-cigarettes also play a major role in attracting teens as the fruity, mint and candy taste masks the harshness of nicotine, making it easier to start vaping. The 2022 Wisconsin Tobacco Youth Survey found that 92 percent of Wisconsin high schoolers say they would not use unflavored tobacco products. While some states have implemented flavor restrictions, Wisconsin has yet to take significant action on this front.

Wisconsin’s Legislative Response

While other states have moved to limit vaping, Wisconsin's response has been slower. As of 2024, 19 states (and the District of Columbia) have laws banning e-cigarette use in indoor public spaces like restaurants, bars and workplaces. Wisconsin currently has no statewide restrictions on indoor vaping to protect non-users from secondhand emissions.

In Wisconsin, just last year, Senate Bill 268 was passed into law to require retailers who sell electronic vaping devices to obtain a cigarette and tobacco products retailer license. Several amendments to strengthen the bill failed, but it thankfully passed into law as Wisconsin Act 73 on December 7, 2023.

This law will help control who gets to sell vaping products, and it ensures that sellers are adhering to age restrictions, reducing the likelihood that minors can easily purchase vaping products. This is a good first step toward prevention, but more can be done to protect our public health.

Wisconsin should do more for prevention efforts. We should follow the lead of states like Minnesota and enact excise taxes on vaping products to discourage use, particularly among young people. Other measures should include removing flavored e-cigarettes from the market and banning the sale of all vaping products that are not approved by the FDA.

The health risks of vaping are undeniable, and the impact on Wisconsin’s youth is particularly troubling, and it’s clear that vaping is not the “safe” alternative it was once thought to be.

The Wisconsin state legislature must act swiftly to implement stricter regulations on sales, taxes and public vaping to protect our youth and the wider public. Addressing this issue now is crucial to protecting our kids and keeping them healthy.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the difficulty couples face when trying to plan a family and making the costly decision to pursue In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as a solution for infertility.

EAU CLAIRE, WI - Raising children is expensive, and solving infertility can be a fortune. Couples trying to conceive experience the joy of a positive pregnancy test and the horrendous heartbreak of miscarriage. Before long, they turn to medical professionals for help.

Each person may try a lot of different things like changing diet, taking supplements, working on their timing, or they may get to the point when the conversation about IVF (in vitro fertilization) comes up as a potential solution.

What usually starts as a conversation with a doctor can quickly turn into a discussion with a financial planner. The price tag for each IVF treatment is close to $15,000 with no guarantees. I’ve heard about families who have gone through this procedure two or three times before having success. For most though, just the opportunity to try IVF costs too much to consider.

Couples shouldn’t have to take out a loan or a second mortgage to have a child. Families that have the resources to care for their children are good for our society. As with most questions about what is good for society, so goes the conversation in politics.

Unfortunately political hurdles are happening for IVF. Following the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the Roe v Wade decision in 2022, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled back in February that frozen embryos can be considered “unborn children.” Often excess frozen embryos are disposed of after a couple’s treatment is completed. Clinics around the country are starting to fear a future where they could be accused of murder. The combination of these two court decisions have caused many fertility clinics in Alabama to stop providing IVF altogether.

What should be a conversation between partners earnestly finding a solution has turned into a liability for them due to politics. Couples desperate for starting a family may have no other option than intensive fertility treatments such as IVF, and now that option is being threatened by reckless court decisions that are out of touch with the reality of thousands of Americans who are trying to start a family.

Republicans have stressed that they support IVF treatment, but then fail to have the courage to introduce legislation to protect it. If politicians are asked about IVF from either party, the vast majority will express support for the procedure. So what stops lawmakers from solving this important issue?

Once again the answer is politics. Democrats in Wisconsin and in Washington have introduced legislation to help families with the cost of IVF treatments, but Republicans ignored all attempts. In the meantime, couples are left with heartbreak when science has provided a clear path to resolution.

This is one time when Republicans must be willing to work with Democrats. It will take bipartisan agreement to put politics aside and do right for families. It’s an election year though and lines are being drawn. At a recent parade, I was walking with other Democrats and it was disheartening to see a Republican voter who wouldn’t let his child take candy from a woman offering it because she was walking with Democrats. “Not from you,” he said.

It doesn’t matter which political party you are a part of. Our kids deserve the best from us. It starts with politicians and it ends with people. As the election draws closer, there’s no doubt rancorous partisanship will reach a fever pitch, but when it comes to the hope of a new family, we must set differences aside and work together.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.