Joint Committee on Finance Budget Listening Sessions
Both Senators Howard Markein (R-17th) and Patrick Testin (R-24th) have announced the upcoming Joint Finance Committee Public Hearing Schedule for the 2025-2027 Wisconsin State Budget. These listening sessions are a chance for the public to give testimony and share ideas, concerns, and requests or otherwise provide input to the 2025-2027 State Budget. The Senators invite you to attend and encourage you to participate. The entire Joint Finance Committee is anticipated to be there to listen to your presentation.
This year the sessions will be April 2nd at Kaukauna HS (1701 Cty Rd CE) Kaukauna; April 4th at State Fair Park Expo Center (640 South 84th St) West Allis; April 28th at Hayward HS (10320 Greenwood Lane) Hayward; and April 29th at Northcentral Technical College (1000 W. Campus Drive) Wausau. Sessions start promptly at 10 AM and participants are encouraged to get there “plenty early” to register for a speaking opportunity. Each speaker will be given only a couple minutes to share their thoughts.
While none of these sites are close to the Coulee Region, Senator Marklein pointed out that in previous years similar sessions were held in Reedsburg, Platteville, and Wisconsin Dells. This year the closest listening session to the Coulee Region is in Wausau which is about 2 ½ hours away with the others being three or more hours away.
There is an option to provide a written statement by submitting it to budget.comments@legis.wi.gov. Written comments will be shared with all members of the full committee. The public hearings can be watched live at www.wiseye.org.
Sen Marklein (R-17th) is the Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance and represented part of Monroe County (the southeast corner of the county) until the redistricting after the 2020 Census. Sen Testin (R-24th) is the committee vice-chairman and parts of Monroe and Jackson counties are in his district.
The Joint Finance Committee introduces the biennial budget as recommended by the Governor. Then after holding a series of public hearings and executive sessions, the committee submits its own version of the budget for legislative consideration and approval which still needs to be signed by the Governor. The committee then keeps tab on, and has management responsibility for, most everything to do with the budget. The committee is composed of eight Senators and eight Representatives.
Here is your opportunity, as part of “we the people”, to express your two cents worth (pardon the pun) about the biennial budget. If you submit a written comment, you should consider putting your own State Senator and Representative on the CC; line.
There is 1 Comment
This is a fascinating opportunity, use it!
I have attended a few of these sessions. I found them to be very interesting and I learned a few things. I learned some people have legitimate issues that need to be dealt with. One of the stories I heard brought me to tears and changed my life. Some day I will share that story.
But the other thing is that there are many people who love to complain that they are not receiving more benefits or funding for what they think is important. That could be a legitimate issue, but I heard many that want funding for things that the government has provided, but should not be. Things that the government has no business being involved with.
So attend if you can and offer your perspective because they hear the other side often and I suspect some of them are paid to be there.
Add new comment