That starts with healthcare. I’ve said all along we need to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin, and according to a Marquette Law Poll, 62% of Wisconsinites agree. 82,000 more Wisconsinites will have access to affordable, quality healthcare coverage. And because we’re accepting these federal dollars, we have the opportunity to invest in programs that improve healthcare access and affordability across our state. It means that we can invest in programs to address infant mortality, and to encourage preventative care like cancer and STI screenings. It means we’re going to put our money where our mouths are–literally–to ensure Wisconsin isn’t among the worst states for dental care in the country. It means we can expand access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, intervention, and stabilization, especially in our rural communities, for folks who are in crisis.
Additionally, the people of Wisconsin have asked us to fully fund our public schools. More than one million Wisconsinites have raised their own property taxes to support local schools in their communities. This is simply not sustainable. I’ve said all along that what’s best for our kids is best for our state, and investing in our kids will yield dividends for our future. So, we’re going to start with providing historic investments in K-12 education and returning to two-thirds funding at the state level.
In the past decade, we’ve not only cut public school funding, we’ve failed to fund programs for our kids with special needs. Erin is from St. Francis and lives in Senator Larson and Representative Sinicki’s district. Erin joined us for our listening sessions in December, and she talked about some of the gaps in our education system, and what more support and attentiveness would have meant for someone like her when she was growing up.
Erin said, “Special education is important to me because education itself is important, but sometimes students need extra support—for some students it’s a little, for some students it’s a lot. But if some of us don’t have the resources we need to access education, everyone loses in the end.”
Because of folks like Erin, we’re working to make sure kids like Mac and Abbey have the support and resources they need to be successful. So, as I told you during the State of the State Address, our budget includes an unprecedented $600 million increase in special education funding. We shouldn’t have to squeeze resources to make sure every kid can be successful. Erin, Mac, and Abbey are here with us in the gallery tonight. Thanks so much for being here.
We have to support our kids in the classroom, and we also have to make sure we’re supporting the educators who teach our kids, too. Wisconsin pays our public school teachers less than the national average, which makes it harder to recruit and retain talented educators. We need to do our part to make sure our educators know that the work they do is valued and to use these funding increases to do everything they can to keep our talented educators here in Wisconsin.
And we’re not just investing in K-12 education. We’re also going to get back into the business of funding public education at every level, including investing in higher education in Wisconsin. We announced this week that we’re increasing Technical Colleges funding by $18 million over the biennium and investing more than $150 million in our University of Wisconsin System. That means we’re able to freeze tuition for undergraduate residents in Wisconsin. But our universities shouldn’t have to sacrifice affordability for quality education. So, we’re not just going to freeze tuition, we’re also going to fund that freeze. And no one should have to struggle paying the bills because they pursued higher education. I’ve said all along that folks should be able to refinance their loans just like you can with a mortgage. That’s why I’m also bringing together State Treasurer Godlewski, DFI Secretary-designee Blumenfeld, and a member of the Higher Educational Aids Board, among others, to work on creating a Wisconsin-based strategy for student loan debt refinancing.
Finally, we’re going to make sure that, regardless of whether a kid was born in this country, if they went to a Wisconsin high school and have lived here for three years, they shouldn’t have to pay more for tuition like an out-of-state student–they should be treated like any other kid from Wisconsin.
In addition to funding public schools at every level, I believe everyone should have the opportunity to participate in our democracy. People should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around. So, earlier this week, we announced that we’re creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission. And, as it turns out, the people of Wisconsin agree. According to a recent Marquette Law Poll, 72% of Wisconsinites want nonpartisan redistricting in Wisconsin. And not just Democrats. 63% of Republicans and 76% of Independents support nonpartisan redistricting, too. I know Senator Hansen has done extensive work on this–thank you for your leadership. Nonpartisan redistricting is only part of the democratic process and participation. So, we’re not only including nonpartisan redistricting in our budget, we’re also going to direct the Elections Commission and the Department of Transportation to work together on implementing automatic voter registration in Wisconsin. And I know Representative Crowley has been working on this issue–thank you.
Finally, we turn to transportation. I’ve said all along that our current approach to transportation is unsustainable. For years, we’ve kicked the can down the road on this issue, and we can’t afford to do it again. According to a 2018 TRIP report, industries like retail stores, tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing bolster about 1.4 million full-time jobs, and they depend on our roads, highways, and bridges. About $580 billion in goods are shipped across our state each year. Yet, our roads rank among the worst in the nation. And according to that same report, our infrastructure problems are costing Wisconsin taxpayers $6.8 billion annually in higher vehicle operating costs, traffic delays, and accidents.
That’s bad for our economy, and it’s bad for our pocketbooks.
It’s time to find a long-term solution to our transportation crisis, and that’s what I’m proposing to do here tonight. I said when I ran for governor that I’d get everyone to the table to find a solution that works for everyone. And that’s what we did.
And that’s why tonight, I’m proposing the largest biennial investment in transportation in Wisconsin state history. But this won’t be a one-time fix. We’re going to raise more than $600 million in new revenues to fix our roads, bridges, and highways and make sure that our transportation fund is sustainable for our future.
Now, I want to be clear: everyone is going to have to give a little to make this work. That’s compromise. We’re all going to have to share the burden so this is feasible for everyone, and to make sure we’re not passing the buck to the next generation. We’re going to be increasing fees for titles and heavy trucks, and we do have to raise the gas tax–but as I promised all along, we’re sure as heck not going to raise the gas tax by a dollar. We’re going to raise it $.08 a gallon–well below what they did over the river raising it by $.20 in Minnesota, or $.18 in Ohio. But the good news is, we’re also going to repeal a hidden tax that costs you $.14 a gallon on gas. That means our plan actually makes it possible for you to pay less at the pump than you do right now.
Because of all of this, we’re going to make sure local governments don’t have to rely on things like wheel taxes to make ends meet. So, we’re going to increase general transit and transportation aid to counties and local governments by 10% to repair local roads and local bridges. Those are the highest levels ever in Wisconsin history. And we’re going to do all of this without having to raid our general funds and without jeopardizing other budget priorities like expanding broadband, fully funding our public schools, and reforming our criminal justice system. Because of our long-term solution to this issue, Wisconsin’s highway bonding in our budget is the lowest it’s been in over 20 years. It’s time we pay our bills and stop kicking the can down the road.
At the end of the day, the people of Wisconsin expect and deserve for us to get to work on these pressing issues. From broadband to healthcare, education to justice reform, and roads to redistricting, these are the priorities of the people of our state. Their plight must be our purpose, their crises our cause, and their desires our demands.
You know, I’ve heard some remark that the people of Wisconsin chose divided government this November. I don’t think that’s the case. The people of Wisconsin didn’t choose for us to be divided, they chose for us to find it within ourselves to be united, not in party, but in promise–to serve our state, and to do what’s best for the people who sent us here.
Folks, let’s get to work.
Thank you, and On, Wisconsin!”
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Adjournment
The Joint Convention arose.
7:46 P.M.
