Briefs
Evers’ broadband budget proposal survives Joint Finance hearing largely unscathed
In his proposed 2021-23 budget, Gov. Tony Evers included a massive increase in funding for the state’s broadband expansion program — one of the few Evers initiatives that enjoys bipartisan support. Evers proposal includes spending more than $150 million over two years on grants to help municipalities work with internet service providers to expand access. […]
State adds up cost of FoodShare aid lost with health emergency’s cancelation
The state Supreme Court ruling that ended Wisconsin’s public health emergency March 31 will cost residents who depend on federal food aid more than $50 million a month, the state Department of Health Services (DHS) reported Wednesday. When the emergency was in effect, Wisconsin qualified for an additional $57.5 million each month in increased benefits […]
Biden administration confirms plan to end Wisconsin Medicaid work requirement
A work requirement for some BadgerCare recipients — which was already on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic — has been eliminated, the federal government has confirmed. The work requirement was part of a Medicaid waiver for which the administration of former Gov. Scott Walker received approval in 2018. It had not been implemented before the […]
Did Robin Vos threaten state education funding due to Underly win?
Speaker Robin Vos caused a stir on his @repvos Twitter account (he has a separate speaker account on Twitter) after Jill Underly won the race to become the next state superintendent. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin supported Underly with significant resources while her opponent Deborah Kerr was backed by Republicans including former Gov. Scott Walker, […]
Money, party support lead to wins in Wisconsin’s nonpartisan races
In several races on the ballot on Tuesday, the support of the state’s political parties and the money that comes with it helped boost nonpartisan candidates into office. Neither major party focused on the same races, allowing each to cruise to wins in their own lanes. In the only statewide race on the ballot, for […]
Union vote is tied at Colectivo, setting stage for NLRB hearing
A vote on union representation at the Colectivo chain of coffee houses in Illinois and Wisconsin will require a federal hearing to resolve. Ballots were counted in the election Tuesday on whether Colectivo employees would be represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The result was 99 votes for and 99 against the […]
Jill Underly wins state superintendent race
Pecatonica School District Superintendent Jill Underly won the race for state superintendent on Tuesday, with the support of teachers unions and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Underly cruised to a double digit lead, defeating Deborah Kerr, the retired superintendent of the Brown Deer school district, who received support from conservatives including the American Federation for […]
A year after Wisconsin’s first chaotic pandemic election, lower turnout but smoother process
On Tuesday, Wisconsin held its fifth statewide election since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wisconsinites are choosing their local representation on city councils, school boards and courts — and in the marquee race, a new superintendent of schools. Last year’s spring election took place just weeks after Gov. Tony Evers instituted a statewide stay-at-home […]
Wildfire state of emergency declared in Wisconsin
Gov. Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency, as all of Wisconsin is currently at a high wildfire risk. A combination of unseasonable warm weather, dry vegetation fresh from the thaw, and low humidity has fueled these concerns. The executive order issued by Evers will allow the National Guard to assist by mobilizing its […]
Wauwatosa police sport thin blue line flag during children’s book reading event
The Wauwatosa Police Department (WPD) caught online criticism after a picture of an officer participating in a book reading event at the local middle school surfaced with a “thin blue line” flag in the background. Particularly after the protests of 2020, which focused on acts of police violence and misconduct, the flags are sometimes regarded […]
Lt. Gov. Barnes gets his first COVID vaccine in Milwaukee
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes got his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, at a site in Milwaukee’s North Division High School. “At one point Wisconsin was the epicenter,” said Barnes, “and I’m so proud of the work that the Department of Health Services (DHS) has done to make sure that vaccine accessibility is […]
Report: Low enrollment in child care subsidy program points to economic challenges
After rising early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin’s child care subsidy program has fallen dramatically since last summer — signaling a potential stumbling block in maintaining child care access, but also difficulty in returning low-income workers to the workforce, according to a new analysis from the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Enrollment in Wisconsin Shares, which enables […]