March 23, 2007
Volume #29, Issue #10
THE STATE BUDGET AND YOUR JOBS - Every AFSCME member in
Wisconsin is affected by the state
budget now being considered by the Legislature. Whether it's aid to local governemtns for
public services
and health care, funding for Medicaid, transportation, schools, or the compensation
reserves that
determine how much money will be available for state employee pay and benefit packages,
the
Legislature's budget deliberations have a big impact on AFSCMe members and the citizens we
serve.
The Governor's budget provides long-overdue increases in funding for key services like
Shared Revenue,
corrections, school aids, transportation, courts, Milwaukee County, nursing homes, health
care and more.
Overall, AFSCME supports the budget proposal.
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau has published a summary of the budget which is
available on
the LFB website: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/index.html.
Or call your AFSCME lobbyists at the AFSCME
Area Office at 608-836-6666 for information.
LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC, THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE ROAD SHOW CONTINUES -
The
Joint Committee on Finance continues to dissect the Governor's budget. Between briefings
from various
state agencies and public hearings across the state, JFC is gathering the information that
will shape their
deliberations as they work on the budget this spring.
The Committee has already had two hearings on the budget and will hold four more hearings
in the
coming weeks. When JFC comes to an area near you, please take the time to either testify
or register
on the budget at these hearings. The times and locations for the remaining hearings are:
March 27 (12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.)
Chippewa Falls County Courthouse
Assembly Room (Lower Level - Rms. 1 & 3)
711 North Bridge Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
April 4 (12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.)
Prairie du Chien High School
Auditorium
800 E. Crawford Street
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
April 11 (12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.)
Nicolet College
Learning Resource Center - Theatre
5634 College Dr. (off of County Hwy. G)
Rhinelander, WI 54501
April 12 (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
National Railroad Museum
Lenfestey Center
2285 South Broadway
Green Bay, WI 54304
LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES. . .For those "online", here are some good info spots:
Wisconsin State Legislature: www.legis.state.wi.us/
"Who Are My Legislators": www.legis.state.wi.us./waml/
State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/
Wisconsin Legislative Council: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/
Wisconsin Ethics Board: http://ethics.state.wi.us