Dear Friends, This week on WTMJ radio, Governor Tony Evers said that in his budget "we’ll be pretty close" to no tax increases and "there may be some small tax increases." After the last few weeks of consistent flip-flops, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Governor Evers believes more than a $1 billion tax increase is small. Just before the election, Governor Evers stated he was "planning to raise no taxes." The weather is getting nicer, and the Governor has been wearing his flip-flops quite bit recently. Taxpayers of Wisconsin should be fearful when our Governor starts admitting publicly that he believes more than a $1 billion in tax increases is a small amount. It is now more important than ever that we remain responsible stewards for taxpayers Governor Evers has shown time and time again that he views taxpayers as a bottomless well of money to fund his liberal wish list. The state has $1.8 billion in new revenues available for the next budget which is the most in at least the last 20 years. There is no need to raise taxes. The Governor’s words send a clear message to taxpayers. He thinks Madison politicians know how to spend your money better than you, and they want more of it. As we begin the budget process, I remain committed to protecting the taxpayer. As always, if you have any concerns or ideas on how to improve our great state, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 608-266-5830 or by email at Sen.Darling@legis.wi.gov . On, Wisconsin!

More Problems with Governor Evers Expensive Budget

In the video above, I discuss some of the disappointing things I've found so far in Governor Evers' very expensive budget.

Governor Wants to Give Tuition Break to Illegals

The more I dig into Governor Evers' very expensive budget, the more disappointing things I find. This week, it was revealed Governor Evers is creating special benefits for illegal immigrants. Under the governor's plan, illegal immigrants could qualify for in-state tuition if they live in the state for just three years. What's worse is that some of our veterans have to wait even longer to receive tuition benefits at state universities and technical colleges. The governor set up a tuition break for illegal immigrants – non-citizens - to receive in-state tuition (the tuition amount paid by state residents) if they meet a few criteria and live in the state for three years.  Undocumented immigrants would only pay a third of what they should after living three years in the state under the Evers' plan. Veterans who fought for our freedom get free in-state tuition after five years of living in the state. Essentially, Governor Evers is giving illegal immigrants a $27,000 break on tuition each year. It's shocking to see Governor Evers give a tuition break to people who break federal law. I will not support this unfair policy in the budget.

Darling Legislation Lowers Costs for Home Dialysis

March is kidney disease awareness month. On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held a public hearing on my bill that cuts the red tape and should lower costs for home dialysis patients. Many patients with end stage renal disease receive their supplies for in-home dialysis directly from a distribution center. Current law requires dialysis distribution centers to staff a pharmacist, even though the centers only ship pre-packaged dialysis products to patients. The legislation exempts distribution centers from being forced to obtain a pharmacist license if they meet common-sense safety requirements.   Dialysis is a lifesaving treatment for Wisconsinites with advanced kidney disease. Right now, government red tape is adding to the costs for home dialysis. The cost of healthcare is a huge issue right now. Unnecessary government regulations increase costs to Wisconsin patients. This bill removes a burden that lays between patients and their healthcare which will begin to lower costs for patients.

Combating Human Trafficking

On Thursday, I testified in favor of a very important bi-partisan bill I co-sponsored that will fight human trafficking. The bill is authored by Senator LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee and Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac. Human trafficking is a huge problem in our state. All 72 counties report incidents of human trafficking. This bill will help train truck drivers to recognize the signs of human trafficking. I'm hopeful that we will be able to quickly pass this bill. Click on the picture above for more information about this important bill.

Around the 8th...

Reducing Barriers to Employment

This morning, I had the chance to discuss reducing barriers to family-supporting jobs that many people in our state face. The event was hosted by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. I joined a panel with Representative Evan Goyke of Milwaukee, Shanviell McCloud who founded the Milwaukee Clean Slate Expungement Program, and Frederick Anderson, the CEO of Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Company. Wisconsin is on its 11th straight month of unemployment at 3% or less, our biggest economic issue right now is that companies can't find employees for available jobs. We have hardworking people who can be dedicated employees, but don't have a chance at one of our many, many jobs because of a mistake made years ago. That's why Representative Evan Goyke, Representative David Steffan of Green Bay and I introduced a bill to give people another chance to support themselves and their families. It's called expungement reform and it can mean the difference between being able to support your family versus the state supporting you. Click on the picture above to read more about my bi-partisan Expungement Reform bill.

ICC Meeting

I had a great discussion with members of the Milwaukee County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (ICC) on Monday. The ICC is made up of leaders of all 19 communities located in Milwaukee County. We had a lively discussion about Governor Evers' budget and other issues facing our communities.

Pharmacy Society Legislative Day at the Capitol

It was great to meet with many of the pharmacists in our area. They visited the Capitol on Wednesday as part of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin's annual Legislative Day. Thank you for taking time to come to Madison so we could talk about the issues that are important to you.

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