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This budget also assumes Wisconsin will fight for every dollar we're owed in federal Medicaid money. In the last two years, Wisconsin received almost $1 billion in revenue from this source. In this budget, we're only counting on about half that amount – even less than Governor McCallum assumed in his budget proposal.
Even so, the skeptics are already saying we can't recover what we're owed. Washington is taking its usual position of saying they won't pay. Democrats and Republicans are in this together, and we all need to make sure Wisconsin's taxpayers get their fair share under the law.
This budget also cuts $378 million from the state's administrative and overhead costs.
For the first time in decades, we're reducing the state work force. The budget eliminates 2,900 positions -- through attrition to the extent possible, but through layoffs to the extent necessary.
Politically, it's easy to blame our problems on those who draw their paychecks for serving our state. It's also dead wrong. They are dedicated, decent public servants who love their state and care for its people. These are the men and women who watch over troubled kids, protect our seniors, care for our sick, keep our communities safe and more. The fact that we now employ more people than we can afford does not diminish the service they provide.
The budget includes sweeping measures to consolidate state government and make it more efficient.
Two cabinet agencies, the Department of Electronic Government and the Department of Employee Relations, are eliminated. To make government more efficient, the budget moves the consumer protection office from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Justice and the Higher Education Aid Board is moved to the UW system.
Six existing boards -- including the Tobacco Control Board and the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Board -- are eliminated, not because their work is unimportant but because it is already being performed by other agencies. In today's fiscal climate, we can't afford to have two people doing the same job -- no matter how important that job is.
We've also slowed increases in spending for corrections -- and I'm proud to say this budget includes no increase in corrections in 2005.
That's going to take a lot of sacrifice. We don't have the money to open most new facilities. Here in Madison -- where we have 500 corrections employees but not a single inmate -- we'll eliminate almost 200 positions.
Despite these cuts, I want the people of Wisconsin to know this: As a District Attorney and Attorney General, I've devoted my career to protecting public safety. No matter how deep the budget crisis may be, we're going to keep our communities safe.
And we'll invest in preventing crime in addition to punishing it. This budget includes more money for investing in programs that give kids alternatives to crime. We can't do as much as we'd like to, but we're going to do everything possible.
Tonight I also propose that we invest almost $2 billion each year in transportation. Despite the fiscal crisis, this is almost as much as we have spent in the last two years. This budget proposes that level because I recognize the importance of transportation to economic development and quality of life.
In this budget we're allocating $244 million to begin the work of reconstructing the Marquette interchange. The cost is high, but we can't plug a two-year budget hole by sacrificing the safety and quality of a road people will be driving for decades to come. By financing the cost of this project, we can help to preserve funding for other transportation priorities while also making more room for education and local services.
We haven't settled on a final design for the Marquette interchange, but I make two guarantees: The interchange will be safe, and it will be cost-effective.
People in Milwaukee tell me their priority is getting this work done quickly so construction doesn't clog the roads for years to come. By waiting a year to begin work, we can prevent an extended disruption and still complete the interchange in only four years.
This budget also makes .08 the maximum blood alcohol level for driving. We should have done it 12 years ago. It would have saved lives then, it will save lives now -- and if we don't do it, we'll lose millions of federal transportation dollars.
We need to set priorities in the Department of Workforce Development too.
With the deteriorating economy, the number of W-2 recipients is growing. But unfortunately, like in many areas of state government, we must deal with a deficit we inherited in this program where spending is outpacing revenues by almost $100 million. We must reform this system so it works better for those who depend on our aid and for our taxpayers.
We spend too much on administration, and too little gets to the people who actually need help. This is especially true in places where the W-2 program has few recipients. We simply must make the system work better.
As part of our efforts to improve the W-2 system, this budget also introduces the idea of replacing cash welfare benefits with transitional wage-paying jobs and recipients will be able to claim the state and federal Earned Income Tax Credits -- which could mean as much as $4,000 a year in additional income.
And the budget allows mothers to stay home with newborns for six months rather than three. We will ensure that families can be together during this crucial time – and, we will save the state $4 million we would have otherwise spent on child care.
Agriculture is the backbone of Wisconsin's economy, and it occupies an important place in this budget too. Agriculture generates around $40 billion a year for our economy. It accounts for one out of five jobs in Wisconsin.
To strengthen this vital sector, my budget protects our investment in the Agricultural Development and Diversification program. This program helps farmers strengthen their existing operations while exploring new products to improve the bottom line.
Our economy, our communities, and our health depend on the quality of our environment.
I've included $3 million for an aggressive effort against Chronic Wasting Disease in our state's whitetail deer herd to protect our citizens, our hunting traditions, our wildlife and our livestock.
Even in tough times, we must carefully conserve our natural resources for our children and grandchildren. My budget protects the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund so that we can preserve critical natural areas – forests and quiet shorelines. Our tourism economy depends on these special places. And so does every Wisconsin family that loves to hike, hunt, camp or fish.
Our water is our most precious natural resource – that's why this budget makes significant investment in safeguarding groundwater from petroleum contamination and preventing runoff from fouling our streams, rivers, and lakes.
Last, we're going to put aside what we can for a rainy day. When times were good, we didn't save anything -- and that's one reason we're in this fix. Like most families, we can't save as much when times are tough. But we're going to do what we can.
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And we're going to do it responsibly. This budget allocates revenues that are
less certain -- like those from the sale of unneeded state assets -- to the
reserve fund. It would be irresponsible to bank on those revenues for immediate spending needs. But it would be
just as irresponsible to spend every penny we have without putting anything aside.
This is a rainy day, but there may very well be more storms ahead. We must be prepared for more shortfalls if the economy gets worse. Restructuring our bond payments should be a last resort, not our first option. If we restructure these payments to avoid spending cuts, we'll have no protection in the case of a downturn. That mistake was already made once. Let's not make it again.
I have presented you tonight a budget that makes difficult choices.
But the cuts we have proposed are fair. The hardship is evenly shared. And it will not be in vain: We are going to do this once and do it right. If we accept these cuts, if we endure this sacrifice, the budget crisis will be over -- without old tricks, and without new taxes, and without destroying what we cherish most.
Essential services, the university system and other key priorities will sustain cuts, but they will remain fundamentally sound. By finding creative ways to do more with less, by setting careful priorities, we've also managed to avoid the worst choices other states have made.
Other states are cutting aid to schools. We're expanding it.
Other states are taking health care benefits away. We're protecting ours.
Other states are releasing prisoners early. We won't.
Other states are deferring contributions to pension funds. Ours remains sound.
Other states – 24 so far – are proposing to raise taxes. We absolutely, positively will not raise ours.
This budget is a portrait of a state determined to embrace its future -- by solving problems -- and pursuing possibilities too. Confronted with a problem this tough, other people might duck and cover. Here in Wisconsin, we're going to stand and deliver.
I don't expect us to agree on everything, nor do I think my proposal is perfect. I'm open to your suggestions. But above all, I urge this: There is no time for bickering. There is no time for yesterday's politics. We're all in this together, and we need to act now and get this budget done on time. The longer we draw this out, the more we stall, the tougher the decisions become.
Some will say this budget is controversial. I suppose parts of it are. But the honest, can-do spirit it reflects is straight from the heart of Wisconsin. No one should sell our people short. They understand what we're up against. They're prepared to sacrifice. They're ready to join us -- if we're willing to lead.
Now, let's get to work.
On Wisconsin.
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7:45 P.M.
Chief Clerk's Report
The Chief Clerk records:
Senate Joint Resolution 4
Senate Joint Resolution 5
Senate Joint Resolution 11
Senate Joint Resolution 13
Deposited in the office of the Secretary of State on February 13, 2003.
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Senate substitute amendment 1 to Senate Bill 15 offered by Senator Brown.
