STEPP, SECRETARY CATHY
Of Madison, as Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, to serve for the term ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
The ayes and noes were required and the vote was: ayes, 17; noes, 13; absent or not voting, 2; as follows:
Ayes - Senators Cowles, Farrow, S. Fitzgerald, Gudex, Harsdorf, Lasee, Lazich, LeMahieu, Marklein, Moulton, Nass, Olsen, Petrowski, Roth, L. Taylor, Tiffany and Vukmir - 17.
Noes - Senators Bewley, Carpenter, Erpenbach, Hansen, Harris Dodd, Lassa, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Shilling, Vinehout, Wanggaard and Wirch - 13.
Absent or not voting - Senators Darling and C. Larson - 2.
Confirmed.
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Consideration of motions, resolutions, and joint resolutions not requiring a third reading
Senate Joint Resolution 5
Relating to: honoring the life and public service of David Earl Paulson.
hist32018Senator Fitzgerald, with unanimous consent, asked that all members of the Senate be added as coauthors of Senate Joint Resolution 5. Senate Joint Resolution 6
Relating to: the public service of Laura Rose.
hist32020The question was: Adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 6? The ayes and noes were demanded and the vote was: ayes, 30; noes, 0; absent or not voting, 2; as follows:
Ayes - Senators Bewley, Carpenter, Cowles, Erpenbach, Farrow, S. Fitzgerald, Gudex, Hansen, Harris Dodd, Harsdorf, Lasee, Lassa, Lazich, LeMahieu, Marklein, Miller, Moulton, Nass, Olsen, Petrowski, Ringhand, Risser, Roth, Shilling, L. Taylor, Tiffany, Vinehout, Vukmir, Wanggaard and Wirch - 30.
Noes - None.
Absent or not voting - Senators Darling and C. Larson - 2.
Adopted.
hist32021Senator Shilling, with unanimous consent, asked that all members of the Senate be added as coauthors of Senate Joint Resolution 6. Senate Joint Resolution 7
Relating to: the life and service of Annette Polly Williams.
hist32023Senator Vukmir, with unanimous consent, asked that all members of the Senate be added as coauthors of Senate Joint Resolution 7. Senator Fitzgerald, with unanimous consent, asked that all action be immediately messaged to the Assembly:
Messaged.
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Second reading and amendments of senate joint resolutions and
senate bills
Senate Bill 6
Relating to: Legislative Audit Bureau access to documents maintained by state agencies and authorizing the Government Accountability Board to provide investigatory records to the Legislative Audit Bureau.
hist32030Senator Fitzgerald, with unanimous consent, asked that the rules be suspended and the bill be given its third reading. Senate Bill 6
Senator Fitzgerald, with unanimous consent, asked that all action be immediately messaged to the Assembly:
Messaged.
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Announcements, Adjournment Honors, and Remarks Under
Special Privilege
Senator Vukmir, with unanimous consent, asked that when the Senate adjourns, it do so in honor of Peggy Troy. On January 1, 2015, Peggy was elected as chairman of the Children’s Hospital Association Board of Trustees, who are the voice of more than 220 children’s hospitals across the country. Peggy has spent 40 years in the health care industry. She has witnessed the trends and changes in health care and the impact they have had on how children’s hospitals address the health care needs of their patients. Peggy served as executive vice president and COO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and president and CEO of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, both in Memphis, and president of Cook Children’s Medical Center in Ft. Worth. In January of 2009, she returned to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin as the President and CEO. She has served on the national board of Children’s Hospital Association and is Peggy is also a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and serves as a director on the boards of Marquette University, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Blood Center of Wisconsin, Teach America and the Wisconsin Hospital Association. As the Chairman of the Children’s Hospital Association Board of Trustees, Peggy will have the opportunity to further advocate for all children in order to protect, improve and advocate for the health of our country’s children. She says she never imagined doing anything other than working with kids. She doesn’t know of any profession that could be more satisfying and her entire career has been focused on this passion. Congratulations Peggy Troy, for an entire career spent on improving the lives and health care of our children.
Senator Taylor, with unanimous consent, asked that when the Senate adjourns, it do so in honor of Black History Month.
Senator Wanggaard, with unanimous consent, asked that when the Senate adjourns, it do so in honor of Kevin Cronin, who passed away Sunday after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Kevin was one of the most selfless volunteers that Wisconsin politics has ever seen. When Senator Wanggaard first ran for the State Senate, Kevin was one of his biggest supporters. Many of his colleagues from southeast Wisconsin can say the same thing. Every day he came into the office and Kevin would be there, working tirelessly, making phone calls and always making everyone around him laugh. Whether it was the County Fair, Chocolatefest, Fall Fest, Lincoln Day Dinners, or county caucuses, Kevin was there giving his time and all of his effort to fight for what he believed in. He didn’t just work hard in politics, but also in his daily life. He was an employee at Case-New Holland, a job that he loved. He would never turn down extra hours and prided himself on his work ethic. Kevin also served his country and state in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Kevin had his share of ups and downs, but despite the challenges, he faced his cancer diagnosis head on, always positive and always smiling right up until the end. He was respectful and kind to everyone regardless of where you stood in politics, unless you dissed his beloved Chicago Bears, then he would have some “choice” words for you. A few years ago Kevin posted this status on Facebook after making it through some hard times, and I think it’s fitting for how he lived his life. He said, “When one door closes, another door opens. Tomorrow starts the next chapter in the life and times of Kevin Cronin. I rode the storm out.” And ride the storm out he did. As one of his close friends said, "he rode out of here on a big white lion of a blizzard." Thank you for your dedication and service, Kevin. You will truly be missed.
Senator Marklein, with unanimous consent, asked that when the Senate adjourns, it do so in honor of Jamie Nutter, superintendent of Fennimore Schools. Jamie was named 2015 Superintendent of the Year by Wisconsin Association of School District Administration.
Senator Carpenter, with unanimous consent, asked that when the Senate adjourns, it do so in honor of his constituents who attended his Town Halls on January 31, 2015. Their civic participation and engagement in the issues of the day continues to be an inspiration to Senator Carpenter.
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President Lazich appointed Senator Vukmir and Senator Taylor to escort his Excellency, the Governor, to the Joint Convention.
Senator Fitzgerald, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess until 6:45 P.M. for the purpose of awaiting the Governor’s Budget Address in Joint Convention in the Assembly Chambers at 7:00 P.M., and further, that the Senate stand adjourned, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, upon the rising of the Joint Convention.
3:07 P.M.
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Recess
The Senate proceeded in a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the Budget Address.
6:45 P.M.
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In Assembly Chamber In
Joint Convention
Senate President Lazich in the chair.
The Committee to wait upon the Governor appeared with his Excellency the Honorable Governor Scott Walker, who delivered his message as follows:
7:00 P.M.
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“Speaker Vos, Speaker Pro Tem August, President Lazich, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, Minority Leader Shilling, Minority Leader Barca, members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Constitutional Officers, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests, members of the Legislature, most importantly, fellow citizens of the great state of Wisconsin, it is an honor to appear before you tonight.
Before we get started, I would like to introduce the First Lady of Wisconsin, my wife, Tonette. Next to my wife is the Adjutant General of the Wisconsin National Guard, Major General Donald Dunbar. Next to him are Brigadier General Mark Anderson and Command Sergeant Major Bradley Shields.
As a kid growing up in Delavan, I started working as a dishwasher at the Countryside Restaurant. Later, I went on to flip burgers at McDonald's to save up for school. My mom was a part-time secretary and she raised my brother and me, while my dad served as a pastor in our small town.
We didn't have much money, but the best thing my parents gave us was an understanding of the value of hard work. Mom was raised on a farm where they didn't have indoor plumbing until she went to junior high school. My dad's dad worked as a machinist at a factory for most of his life.
More than anything, my family ingrained in me the idea that anyone who worked hard could go as far as their dreams would take them. It was through their eyes that I got my first glimpse of the American Dream.
Today, however, I worry that too many of our fellow citizens feel that dream has become out of reach for them and their families. The budget plan we present tonight will help restore that America Dream right here in Wisconsin.
Our plan is based on growth and opportunity—which leads to freedom and prosperity for all. Secondly, our plan will use common sense reforms to create a government that is limited in scope and—ultimately—more effective, more efficient, and more accountable to the public. And finally, our plan will ensure a state where people are safe and sound in their homes and throughout their communities.
Our Freedom and Prosperity proposal is built to help working families like the VanDrisses from Pound—a small town in northeastern Wisconsin. Ken is a truck driver and Kelly works in maintenance. Like Tonette and me, they have two sons.
Trevor is studying to be a diesel mechanic in the John Deere Ag Tech program at the technical college here in town and he also works for the local dealership in Pound. Tanner is studying business communications at the University of Wisconsin in Marinette. The VanDrisses are here with us tonight.
Last year, the VanDrisses were happy to see their property tax bill go down. In fact, largely because of our reforms and the flexibility we gave to local governments, property taxes on a typical home in Wisconsin are $131 less this year than they were in 2010.
Tonight, I am proud to say that our state budget will continue those reforms, so the property tax bill on a typical home will be even lower during the next two years. Just as I promised, property taxes by the end of 2016 will be lower than they were in 2014. That means lower property taxes for 6 years in a row.
Our budget will continue the tuition freeze for undergraduates from Wisconsin at each of the UW system campuses. And we will add a tuition freeze in our technical colleges for high demand areas. That's good news for students, like Tanner and Trevor.
In addition to helping working families and students, this budget will assist small businesses and farmers, as well as senior citizens. That's good news for people, like James Booker from Plymouth.
In December, I received a note from Mr. Booker that read:
“Dear Gov Walker,
I want to thank you! I am 68 years old and have owned various homes in Wisconsin since I was 20 years old. This is the first time that I have ever received a substantial reduction in the Property Tax! I have been very angry at Wisconsin for a number of years due to the huge property tax compared to other States and have been planning on selling our home and moving to a low tax State. We have had our home up for sale for a year and took it off the market for the winter. Now I plan on not re-listing in the spring and will wait to see what happens with Wisconsin property taxes.”
Well, thank you Mr. Booker for the nice message. I'm glad to tell you that our budget will continue the property tax relief—which will make it easier for people like you to stay in Wisconsin.
And that's just some of the really good news happening in our state these days.
