The Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) met again this week as we continued our work on the state budget. We completed our work on five more state agencies.

Most of our action this week was focused on improving public safety. We worked with the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association on a plan to add 42 new District Attorneys across the state to fight crime and keep our communities safe. This plan includes adding 1.5 Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) in Grant County, 1.0 ADAs in Dane County, and 0.5 ADAs in Crawford County. I believe these new prosecutors will be a big help to our communities.

We made significant investments in several programs that I have championed and believe will directly benefit our local governments and the communities they serve. We increased funding for the implementation of the new Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM), which will help keep people safe across the state when law enforcement officials from different jurisdictions need to communicate, such as natural disasters, major car accidents, and acts of terrorism. We also invested in statewide teams that use specialized skillsets and equipment to assist our local governments in times of need, including the state’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, regional Haz-Mat teams, and the Cyber Response Team. These groups save our local governments substantial amounts of money by buying and maintaining expensive equipment that many small communities are not able to afford.

We also supported programs that help our communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The Pre-Disaster Flood Resilience Grant program was created by the Legislature last legislative session with the goal of preventing flood damage. The inaugural batch of awards was used to do great work to reduce the impact of flooding up and down the Mississippi River, as well as in western Dane County. Government is often very good at responding to a crisis after it happens. This program is government working to fix a potential problem before it happens. Additionally, we bolstered the State Disaster Assistance Program, which makes funding available to our communities to rebuild after disasters strike close to home.

Finally, we took up the Department of Corrections (DOC). The 17th Senate District is home to three state prisons: minimum-security prisons in Oregon and Prairie du Chien, and a maximum-security prison in Boscobel. We took a number of steps in this portion of the budget to support our correctional institutions. Though our investments in DOC were not flashy, they will ensure that the men and women who work there can continue to do their important jobs and keep our communities safe.

From putting criminals behind bars to empowering local governments to respond to disasters more effectively, I believe that the Joint Finance Committee’s work on public safety will have a real, positive impact in our communities.

If you need assistance with any state-related matters, please call my team at the State Capitol – 608-266-0703 – or email me – Sen.Marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov. My team is ready and willing to help navigate your state government, clear obstacles, and receive your input.