Posted inElections, Government, Local news, Politics

Wanggaard begins effort to have voter ID requirement added to state’s Constitution

MADISON — An effort is underway in the Wisconsin Legislature to have the voter ID requirement added to the state Constitution. Wanggaard and Snyder introduce amendment Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) Representative Pat Snyder (R-Schofield) Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and Representative Pat Snyder (R-Schofield) introduced the amendment. The amendment will be similar to current state law: […]

Posted inGovernment, Local news

Bills to increase funding for local government and choice schools pass Legislature

MADISON, WI —Wisconsin’s Legislature passed a bill that will increase state aid to local government and allow Milwaukee to raise its local sales tax on Wednesday night, following months of negotiations that culminated in a deal struck between Republican leaders and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.  As a part of that deal, lawmakers passed another bill […]

Posted inGovernment, Local news

2 Bipartisan campaign finance bills introduced by legislators

by Henry Redman, Wisconsin ExaminerMay 2, 2023 A pair of campaign finance bills with bipartisan support were introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature last week, aiming to prevent officials convicted of violating election rules from accessing their campaign finance accounts and assisting local governments with the cost of holding a special election.  Voters make their way […]

Posted inGovernment, Local news

Caledonia Rep. Wittke sets 2023-25 budget listening sessions for April, May

RACINE COUNTY — Rep. Robert Wittke (R-Racine/Caledonia) has scheduled three listening sessions to receive public input on Wisconsin’s 2023-25 state budget. The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee is currently preparing a budget to cover spending on state programs, services and personnel for the next two years.  Wittke to host Norway, Caledonia listening sessions Rep. Robert […]

Posted inGovernment

Expungement reform: How Republicans and Democrats are working together

by Iuscely Flores, Wisconsin ExaminerJanuary 9, 2023 Republicans and Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature are working together to make it easier to clear your criminal record (expungement). They are seeking co-sponsorship of LRB 0955/1, which would update decades-old legislation and give millions their freedom back. According to the Sentencing Project, “between 70 million and 100 […]

Posted inGovernment, Local news

Legislature quietly and unanimously enact legislation intended to improve policing hiring transparency, reduce bad apples

BY PETER CAMERON, The Badger Project With little fanfare and no opposition, a bill proponents hope will cut down on bad apples in law enforcement passed the legislature and was signed by the governor way back in November. The law requires law enforcement agencies maintain a work history file for each employee and creates a […]

Posted inCommunity, Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Thank You Governor Evers and Wisconsin Legislature

Thank you, Governor Evers and members of the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate for your bipartisan effort to exempt the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award from state income tax. In particular, we acknowledge Representative David Bowen for his work submitting the proposal for inclusion in Governor Evers’s Executive Budget and Senator Dale Kooyenga for supporting the proposal […]

Posted inLocal news

Legislature Special Session Includes Racine Health Center Funding

RACINE – The Wisconsin Legislature is called into a Special Session next Tuesday that includes expanding the BadgerCare health program and funding more than 50 initiatives around the state, including $53 million for a permanent Racine Community Health Center. Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, signed an executive order earlier this week introducing the Special Session […]