March 1st Press Release From Julie Lassa (One of the 14 WI Senators)

[Jmaxfie1]

Sen. Lassa’s Reaction to Gov. Walker’s Budget Address

Madison – State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) released the following statement this afternoon in response to
Governor Walker’s budget address:

“Governor Walker’s address was long on rhetoric and short on details. Over the next few days, I’ll be studying the bill
carefully to understand the impact it will have on the people of central Wisconsin. Tough decisions and painful cuts will
be necessary to get the state’s fiscal house in order as we continue to face the effects of the worldwide economic
downturn. However, it looks as if Governor Walker is balancing the state budget on the backs of children, working
families and local governments.

“In the last session, we started with a budget shortfall almost twice the size as the one Governor Walker faces. Yet we
balanced that budget while protecting education and other vital services. The Governor has chosen a different approach:
more tax cuts for the wealthy, more pain for middle class families. That approach has been tried on both the state and
federal level, and it has always failed.

“From his remarks, it appears that Governor Walker has chosen to pass the pain down to our local communities. By
massively slashing aid to local governments, the Governor is putting our counties, cities, towns and villages between a
rock and a hard place. They will have little choice but to cut vital public services. Schools will be closed, police and fire
protection will be cut, highways and bridges will deteriorate, and children, seniors and disabled people will be deprived of
the services they need. This budget will last for two years, but the damage Governor Walker will cause with these cuts
will last for a long time to come.

“This budget includes damaging cuts to education. Our preliminary indication is that the Marshfield schools stand to lose
more than $2.7 million; Wisconsin Rapids schools will lose more than $3.8 million; Stevens Point schools will lose more
than $5 million. Our more rural school districts will also face devastating cuts. Make no mistake – slashing education
this way will harm our children’s education today, and Wisconsin will pay the price in lost economic growth for at least a
generation.

“We also have initial indications that BadgerCare and FamilyCare will be especially hard hit. Changing eligibility
requirements and higher copays threaten to cost tens of thousands of families their health care. This will saddle working
families and seniors with more costs that they can’t afford.

“I hope the Republican leadership in the Legislature will hold full hearings on the budget throughout the state, and that
they will listen carefully to the voices of Wisconsin citizens. It is possible to create a compromise that balances the
budget, shares the sacrifice fairly, and protects our state’s most vulnerable people. I will continue working toward a
budget that meets those goals.”

http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/March11/0301/0301lassa.pdf">link

[Lifelong Protester]

1. Good for her!! Excellent release.

My senator is one of the 14 too. She sent in her weekly column to the county paper, without as specific analysis of the cost, but instead gave excerpts from emails from constituents about how this bill stinks to high heaven. She even quoted Repubs who say that Walker has gone too far.

[Jmaxfie1]

2. Awesome! I think many Repubs are begining to realize this is hurting them...

hopefully their will be some push back by them on Walker.