Make Your Voice Heard at the Wisconsin State Budget Hearings

Every two years Wisconsin adopts its budget.  The budget determines how much money the state will raise through taxes and fees, and how it will spend those dollars as well as dollars received from the federal government.  This year governor has proposed budget to the legislature that is a little over 76 billion dollars.  The budget is very important from an environmental point of view.  For example, it determines whether the various state agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources will have sufficient funds to carry out their work to protect human health and the environment.  

 

The Joint Finance Committee will be holding hearings around the state on the budget over the next couple of weeks.  The dates, times and places are listed below. 

 

This is a good opportunity for citizens to voice their opinions on how we should spend our money.  To do this, first and foremost think about the things the state does that are most important to you and speak to those issues.  For example, put tax dollars back into our state parks to keep fees down; energy efficiency for homes, businesses or school to save money and cut greenhouse gas emissions ; environmental and public health protection; public transit and local road maintenance, etc.

 

Below are five items that are of particular interest to the John Muir Chapter.

 

Remaining Budget Hearings: times and places

Tue, Apr 18, 2017  10:00 AM  - 6:00 PM

Spooner High School Auditorium, 801 Co Hwy A, Spooner, WI 54801

 

Wed, Apr 19, 2017  10:00 AM  - 6:00 PM

Ellsworth High School Gymnasium, 323 W Hillcrest St, Ellsworth, WI 54011

 

Fri, Apr 21, 2017  10:00 AM  - 5:00 PM

Marinette High School Auditorium, 2139 Pierce Ave, Marinette, WI 54143

 

Major Issues of Concern for the John Muir Chapter

 

Item:  Amendments to administrative rule making

Department of Administration: [Bill Sections: 423, 1714, 1723 thru 1725, 1728, 9352(2), and 9452(1)]

 

Issue:

This language would require the legislature to pass a law allowing any rule that would cost $10 million. This is a policy provision, not a budget item and therefore should go through the full legislative process and not be included in the budget.  Beyond that this provision is both unwise and unneeded since the state legislature already has the ability to suspend rules it does not like through the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules. Furthermore, the language only considers the costs of a rule and not the benefits.   Finally, while $10 million is a lot of money to an individual, it is a small amount in comparison to the State’s total economic activity; this means this language would apply to a great many rules.

 

If adopted this would mean rules that are needed to protect human health will be unnecessarily delayed.  For example, the Department of Natural Resources is working on a rule to help protect the citizens in Kewaunee County from water contamination caused by manure spreading.  This language would require work on that rule to stop until a separate bill is passed, delaying even longer much needed help for people who are already suffering.  Ultimately this will result in the inability of the state government to act in a timely fashion to provide efficient service and environmental, safety, and health standards. By making every rule and regulation political, partisan and polarizing, this provision would be doing our state a great disservice

 

This language should be removed this language from the budget

 

Item:

Study to move CAFO program from DNR to Ag; Environmental Quality

Department of Natural Resources and Agriculture [Bill Section: 9133(4)]

 

Issue:  

The Department of Natural Resources is the agency designated by statute and approved by US EPA to issue permits related to environmental pollution issues.  These permits are the main way we control and prevent harmful toxins from entering the environment.  As such they are critical to protecting public health and the environment.

 

The regulation of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) is one such type of permit.  The DNR has the expertise and the back ground to carry out this function.  While the Legislative Audit Bureau report last year pointed out series problems with the way this administration is implementing this program it is clear that the program is not “broken” it lacks sufficient political support and resources to be as effective as it needs to be.  The staff time and resources for this study would be better spent implementing the existing program.

 

 

By Bill Davis, Chapter Director