In this update:
- State of the State Address
- Administration Updates
- Election Updates
- Legislative Updates
- Upcoming Events
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State of the State Address | |
Read the Michael Best Strategies update on the State of the State Address: click here. | |
Evers appoints Wendy Baumann DFI Secretary, Olson-Collins to retire | |
Gov. Tony Evers announced today that Wendy K. Baumann has been appointed as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) effective February 17, 2025. Ms. Baumann currently serves as president and chief visionary officer at the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiatives Corporation (WWBIC), a position she has held since 1994. She also served as the director of small business development at the Milwaukee Enterprise Center, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Wisconsin, director of development and research for the Council for the Spanish Speaking Inc., and as a program coordinator for Goodwill Industries of Greater Milwaukee. “Wendy’s extensive work with the WWBIC, as well as her many contributions to economic, community, and financial boards, including having served as a chair on the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy and Capability, will make her an excellent leader for the Department of Financial Institutions and a welcomed asset to our administration,” said Gov. Evers.
Ms. Baumann will replace outgoing Secretary Cheryll Olson-Collins, who is retiring on February 3rd after having held several leadership positions at DFI since 2007. Gov. Evers praised Sec. Olson-Collins for her longtime service to the state. “Throughout her 18 years of service at DFI, Cheryll has helped ensure the strong financial health of Wisconsin, our people, and our institutions,” said Gov. Evers. “Since taking up her leadership role in 2022, Cheryll has implemented her expansive breadth of experience and knowledge of the state’s financial institutions and infrastructure to serve the people of Wisconsin and protect the financial and economic integrity of our state. I have had the privilege of working with Cheryll for several years, and I could not be more grateful for her years of dedicated leadership and service to the state of Wisconsin.”
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DPI candidates discuss key issues | |
WisPolitics interviewed the three candidates running for State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction. The candidates were asked about their policy positions and their visions for leading DPI. State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly is running for re-election to the seat and has two challengers: Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright and Wauwatosa education consultant Brittany Kinser. Superintendent Dr. Underly was elected in 2021 and is endorsed by the state Democratic Party. Mr. Wright has been the superintendent in Sauk Prairie since 2021 and is endorsed by the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators. Ms. Kinser, considered the more conservative candidate, runs “95 Wisconsin” and previously served as president and CEO of City Forward Collective.
Education Budget
- Dr. Underly highlighted DPI’s recent $4 billion budget request. Although she has faced criticism for the price tag, she defended the request saying “$4 billion is what I truly believe the state of Wisconsin owes its public schools.”
- Mr. Wright questioned the proposal and said, “We’ve had a state superintendent that basically asked for all the surplus for one part of government, and even people who agree with some of her asks are saying an unrealistic ask of that size is comical. It’s not seen as serious.”
- Ms. Kinser wants the funding to go to the classroom and teachers as well as increase funding for special education and rural transportation reimbursements. “But we have to make sure it’s something that can actually get passed, and we’ve had communication, again, like rapport with the Legislature,” she said. “So, you know, I think it’s really important that you understand what’s possible before we put something out there that people … won’t want to work with you on it if you haven’t already had some conversations.”
Act 20 Funding
The Joint Finance Committee has held the $50 million that was allocated for 2023 Act 20’s new reading initiatives, preventing schools from hiring literacy coaches. In response:
- Dr. Underly said the funding is overdue, and schools have applied the initiatives as an “unfunded mandate.” She said, “If we want to do this right, especially when you look at other states that have been able to successfully implement evidence-based literacy, it costs money. And for the Legislature to withhold that from us, it is stingy and selfish.”
- Mr. Wright partly holds Dr. Underly responsible for the “broken” relationship she has with the Legislature. He said he would pursue more compromise with the Legislature if he was elected, citing “a lack of trust between the Republican legislators and the leadership of the Department of Public Instruction. And they’re not going to release this $50 million until they trust that the DPI is actually going to uphold the law and make sure it’s being followed as intended.”
- Ms. Kinser said she did not have an opinion and has “not been into the politics of all that.”
Test scores
DPI changed statewide testing standards like lowering the cut scores between groups and changing terminology used to describe student progress. Governor Tony Evers and Republican legislators have opposed these decisions. On this topic:
- Dr. Underly defended the changes saying states need to change their standards periodically based on feedback from educators, experts, and parents. She argued the test scores are now more meaningful and align with state standards.
- Mr. Wright opposed the decision, saying after the pandemic, student performance should be evaluated on the same standards to avoid confusion. “I worry anytime we are making it easier,” Mr. Wright said. “We should be growing because our students are achieving more, not because we’re lowering the bar to determine whether or not you achieved.”
- Ms. Kinser said she would return to the previous standards “right away.” She argued it lowered the standards and made it more difficult to ensure a child’s success.
School choice program
Under current Wisconsin law, the number of students who can participate in the school choice program are limited to increasing by 1% each year until reaching 10% in 2025-2026. In 2026-2027, no limit will apply. In response:
- Dr. Underly said no limits on private school choice is a bad idea. “What’s happening here is our state Legislature, by expanding school choice, is using public tax dollars to fund a private school system, and we’re funding, as a state, two school systems,” she said.
- Mr. Wright agrees with Dr. Underly and also said he does not support endless expansion of vouchers. He is also concerned about a lack of transparency with taxpayers about where their tax dollars are going regarding school choice.
- Ms. Kinser said the topic is a “legislative issue” and does not have a stance on it.
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Crawford launches first TV ads | Liberal state Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford released the first three TV ads of her campaign. The ads will run statewide on broadcast and cable TV. | The first ad targets her opponent Judge Brad Schimel, saying he let 6,000 rape kits sit untested for two years. The narrator of the ad also claims he is “so corrupt he gave a plea deal to a man caught with thousands of files of child pornography – featuring children as young as six – after getting thousands in campaign contributions from the man’s lawyer.” | The second ad touts Judge Crawford locking up violent criminals while a prosecutor and is a “leader who fought for abortion rights.” The narrator continues that she will “look at the facts and uphold the law” if elected to the state Supreme Court. | Her third ad accuses Judge Schimel of wanting to “bring back the 1849 law that bans all abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest.” The narrator says he gave plea deals to child molesters, no jail time to domestic abusers, and left 6,000 rape test kits untested for two years. | |
A Better Wisconsin Together releases new ad | |
A Better Wisconsin Together Inc. launched an ad targeting conservative state Supreme Court Justice Brad Schimel. The narrator of the 30-second ad says, “Wisconsin women deserved an attorney general who would stand up against domestic abusers and rapists.” The ad continues, claiming he “left thousands of rape kits untested” and gave “light sentences to convicted domestic abusers.” It also says he supports using the 1849 law to ban abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. | |
Felzkowski, LeMahieu on Newsmakers |
Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) were on WisEye’s ‘Newsmakers’ series to provide an overview of Republican priorities this session. They shared that they are hoping for a bipartisan middle class tax cut. Sen. LeMahieu said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) talked about tax cuts for retirees, but “We want to give tax cuts to everybody, not just one segment of taxpayers.”
Other topics covered include:
- Reducing taxes
- Education funding
- Gun safety reforms
- UW-System
- Medical marijuana
- Right of First Refusal
- Hospital price transparency bill
Watch the interview here.
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Neubauer, Hesselbein on Newsmakers |
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) and Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) were on WisEye’s ‘Newsmakers’ series where they highlighted legislative Democrats’ priorities and hopes to engage in bipartisan work this session. They talked about the Republicans push for a tax cut for the second highest tax bracket. Sen. Hesselbein said she would be willing to look at it, particularly for seniors on a fixed income, but would prefer for the budget surplus to be allocated toward education. Rep. Neubauer agreed and said, “It should not be on the taxpayers to raise their own taxes when we have this surplus in Madison.” The top issues they named in the Democratic caucus are education, childcare, reproductive freedom, and costs for working families.
Other topics covered include:
- the November Election results
- Costs of working families’ package
- Education funding
- UW-System
- Legalizing marijuana
- Gun safety reform
- PFAS
Watch the interview here.
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January 31st at 12:00PM - Meet the DPI Candidate- Meet & Greet with Brittany Kinser (virtual)
February 18th at 11:30AM - State of Wisconsin Fiscal Update and 2025-2027 Budget Outlook with JFC Co-Chair Sen. Howard Marklein (virtual and in-person options available)
Register for the event here.
February 19th at 11:30AM - Meet the Cabinet: Public Service Commission Chair Summer Strand (virtual and in-person options available)
Register for the event here.
RSVP to Lauren Lubenow at lauren.lubenow@michaelbest.com if you'd like to attend any of these events
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If you would like any additional information about the above topic, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.
Have a great day,
Wisconsin GR Team
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One South Pickney Street, Suite 700
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-257-3501
Fax: 608-283-2275
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