Weekly Insider, September 14, 2020

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER CALLS ON UW TO REFUND STUDENTS

UW-Madison last week announced that it would be moving its classes online for the next two weeks, and also quarantining the campus' largest dormitories. In response, Representative Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) is calling for students to receive a refund from the university.

"Students in two of the Madison dorms have been quarantined, and the Dane County Executive is asking that all undergraduates be sent home. Additionally, other UW System campuses are not fulfilling their promises of face-to-face instruction to students who have paid significant sums of money," Dittrich said in a statement from her office.

"My duty is to constituents and to Wisconsinites who have put their educational trust in our universities. With that, I urge our UW system, in the strongest of terms, to meet any impediment to our students' choices of educational options and housing with a full, prompt refund. To do otherwise would mean committing a fraud upon those who have turned to our state universities in pursuit of a quality education."

UW La Crosse announced that it would be suspending classes for two weeks and quarantining students in all of its housing units. Officials from neither the UW System or individual campuses have responded to Rep. Dittrich's request.

WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT HALTS DANE COUNTY BAN ON IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION FOR GRADES 3-12

The Wisconsin Supreme Court last Thursday suspended the order from Public Health Madison and Dane County that barred in-person instruction for students in grades 3 through 12, pending their decision. Three lawsuits have been filed against Dane County or its officials regarding the public health order. The court decided to consolidate all three cases into one.

The decision immediately halted the ban on in-person instruction and allowed for students in all grade levels to return to the classrooms. The injunction on Dane County's public health order is temporary, pending the court's decision in the case.

The plaintiffs in the case, primarily private schools and school voucher advocates, argue that Public Health Madison and Dane County Director Janel Heinrich does not have the legal authority to bar face-to-face instruction, and that the order itself violates constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the court's order "will jeopardize those goals and may lead to more illness and needless human suffering."

GOV. EVERS ANNOUNCES SELECTIONS FOR 'THE PEOPLE'S MAPS' COMMISSION

Gov. Tony Evers last week announced the members who will serve on the People's Maps Commission. According to a statement from the governor's office, the commission is a "nonpartisan redistricting commission charged with drawing fair, impartial maps based on 2020 U.S. Census data."

In Wisconsin, however, the legislature (not the governor) is granted in the state constitution the sole authority to redraw and approve maps, ultimately sending them to the governor for approval.

The Commission will hold at least eight hearings across the state. At those hearings, Evers' office says the commission will "listen to experts and Wisconsinites alike regarding redistricting, why it matters, and how it works."

Selected members of the People's Maps Commission, including their biographies (authored by the Governor's office) are as follows:

Elizabeth Tobias, of Racine, will represent the 1st Congressional District. Tobias is the executive assistant to the Board of Education for the Racine Unified School District. Tobias is a member of the Wisconsin Association of School Superintendents and the American Society of Administrative Professionals;

Ruben Anthony, Jr., of Middleton, will represent the 2nd Congressional District. Anthony is the current President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison and previously served the Wisconsin Department of Transportation under both Democratic and Republican administrations;

Annemarie McClellan, of Menomonie, will be representing the 3rd Congressional District. McClellan is currently enjoying her retirement after a career in manufacturing and clinical research. She is currently the Co-President of her local chapter of the League of Women Voters and has served as a poll worker and election observer;

Christopher Ford, of Whitefish Bay, will represent the 4th Congressional District. Ford is an emergency physician serving one of the one of the highest COVID-19 prevalence populations in the state. He is a member of the American Board of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residents Association, and an advisory board member of the Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services for Children;

Benjamin Rangel, of Milwaukee, will represent the 4th Congressional District. Rangel is a high school teacher in Milwaukee, teaching government and history. He is the managing editor of Bridge the City and previously worked as a development coordinator for City Year Milwaukee AmeriCorps;

Susan Ranft, of Wauwatosa, will represent the 5th Congressional District. Ranft is the Vice President, Global Human Resources for Manpower Group, previously served as the President and member of the Governance Board of the Wauwatosa STEM Elementary School, and is an active member of TEMPO Milwaukee;

Melissa Prentice, of Sheboygan, will represent the 6th Congressional District. She is a librarian and public services manager for the city of Sheboygan at Mead Public Library. Prentice has been involved with the Wisconsin Library Association, her local chapter of the League of Women Voters, and was the library representative for the city of Sheboygan DIEB initiative working on diversity and inclusion;

Jason Bisonette, of Hayward, will represent the 7th Congressional District. Bisonette is the Dean of Students for a small K-12 tribal school on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation and the Board Chair for the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College; and

Anthony Phillips, of Appleton, will represent the 8th Congressional District. Phillips is a physician with Theda Care Hematology and Oncology and has been involved with several grassroots organizations working on election and campaign issues, including Fair Maps Wisconsin and Voters First WI.

Due to COVID-19, the People's Maps Commission will host virtual public hearings for each of Wisconsin's congressional districts. Agendas and additional details will be announced in advance of meeting dates. The hearing dates are as follows:

Thursday, October 1, 2020, 8th Congressional District
Thursday, October 29, 2020, 5th Congressional District
Thursday, November 19, 2020, 3rd Congressional District
Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 4th Congressional District
January hearing date TBD, 7th Congressional District
February hearing date TBD, 1st Congressional District
March hearing date TBD, 6th Congressional District
April hearing date TBD, 2nd Congressional District

EVERS ANNOUNCES $8 MILLION 'TRAVEL GRANTS PROGRAM' FOR TOURISM INDUSTRY

Governor Evers and Tourism Secretary-designee Sara Meany today announced the launch of the Tourism Relief to Accelerate Vitality and Economic Lift (TRAVEL) stimulus grant program -- and $8 million effort, aimed at providing support to the tourism industry, and administered by the state's Department of Tourism.

"The grants will be distributed to Wisconsin's tourism promotion and tourism development organizations for the purposes of resuming business operations and helping restore economic activity stemming from the COVID-19 public health emergency," a statement from Gov. Evers' office says.

How exactly $8 million will help a $22.2 billion annual industry is still unclear.

Two types of grant funding will be available through the TRAVEL grants: funds to support the continuation of operations due to impacts of COVID-19 and marketing funds to promote a safe and healthy experience for travelers and resident consumers amid the COIVD-19 public health emergency. Tourism promotion and tourism development organizations can apply for one or both types of grant funding. Long-term marketing campaigns unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic are not eligible.

This effort is funded through the state’s discretionary Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars. Full program details, eligibility standards, grant application, and program contact information are available here. The Department of Tourism is accepting applications now through 4:00 pm Central Time on September 28, 2020 and grants will be announced by late October.

LFB MEMO: TRANSPORTATION FUND DOWN $100 MILLION

A memo released from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that the state's segregated transportation fund generated just under $100 million less than projected due to drops in gas tax revenue and vehicle registrations during Governor Evers' 'Safer at Home' order.

The memo also showed that revenues were over 6% higher last fiscal year, which ended on June 30, than the previous year. The difference is that the transportation fund collected about 5% less than earlier projections showed.

According to The Daily Reporter, a trade publication, Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary-designee Craig Thompson told reporters in June that he had made $100 million in cuts to "offset the expected drop in revenue from the coronavirus.

Transportation funding is a biennial fight in each state budget. The biennial budget process begins relatively soon, when Governor Evers will present his two-year spending plan to the legislature in February. From there, the budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance will consider the proposal, amend it, and send it to the full legislature.

WEEKLY INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims:

Sunday, 1,327 (2020) vs. 428 (2019)

Monday, 1,507 (2020) vs. 903 (2019)

Tuesday 2,997 (2020) vs. 591 (2019)

Wednesday 2,124 (2020) vs. 529 (2019)

Thursday 1,963 (2020) vs. 492 (2019)

Friday 1,910 (2020) vs. 556 (2019)

Saturday 604 (2020) vs. 120 (2019)

Up-to-date information can be viewed by clicking here.

WEEKLY MEMBER POLL

Click here to take this week's poll

By clicking the link, you acknowledge that it is the policy of WPT to publish all comments that are submitted by members each week, which often include broad differences of opinion. WPT does not take responsibility for the individual views and opinions expressed herein. It is the right of WPT to remove responses that that the organization deems inappropriate.

WEEKLY MEMBER POLL RESULTS

After reading the article: What do you think of Sen. Kapenga's proposal that would provide safe harbor liability reform for businesses and others?

Most places are trying to follow the law and should not be punished if something goes wrong because of this virus.

Unfortunately this legislation is likely needed in our sue happy society

If this state would regulate the ambulance chasing lawyers, we wouldn't have to do this.

Better yet, I think you should have to prove without a doubt, where you contracted it. Exposure is unavoidable just leaving your house, let alone the exposure from the people you may live with. Noone should be able to sue over this. Just opening another can of worms.

Its too bad that people would file a lawsuit because of covid-19, I always felt that we have to many lawyers that want to make a living off of the public

Good, could go farther.

Imagine what plan Ever's could concoct.

We need to protect small business from frivolous lawsuits.

Two Republican lawmakers have partnered with the Green Bay Police Chief to diversify law enforcement hiring practices. What do you think?

I thought Republicans hated DACA-recipients... guess they have value when they serve a political agenda.

This is a start but long way to go.

DACA people have had ample time to become citizens, figure it out. like that they can serve as law officers - still, get legal

For minority families to think that the police understand there needs; the police force needs to be more diversified. Our police need more training on how to deescalate situations if possible and we need more mental health support so our police are not looked at as psychologists and psychiatrists.

With what is happening with BLM, were going to have to take whatever we can get..who's going to want to be a police officer anymore.

Its a start that maybe come up with good ideas and a lot of thought should go into this progress , and take time to come up with a good solution

There is nothing wrong with our police forces.

Hire the most qualified

Not enough information to embrace fully.

Don't make diversify the priority. Just hire the best man for the job.

Wisconsin's two legislative leaders have signed on to a letter, urging the Big Ten Conference to reconsider canceling its season. Good idea or bad idea?

1000 cases of Covid-19 in 2 weeks on campus! How can they play football?

Apparently they have nothing better to do than worry about college sports. Why would they ever get involved in this?

they should choose for themselves - but let those who want to play play

It seems like they could have tried to play with limited fan access

I played Big 10 football and as much as i hate that they are not playing I still feel they made the right decision. This is a pandemic. Wait to you see what will happen at some of these colleges as far as covid cases go. Very hard to social distance and take this serious at that age. Sometimes you have to trust the experts even if you don't like it.

cancel sports forever, just have college as a place of learning, much better idea

Let the big 10 die a peaceful death. They are becoming no better than the political NFL. Good riddance.

If they can come up with a successful solution like Disney did in Florida, why not try playing ball.

Maybe keeping sports down will help open the country back up sooner? I'm more worried about getting the kids back to school than sports.

I think the biggest reason they want to play is for the money.

Its all about money they should suffer along with the rest of us

Don't care either way.

Who gives a shit about sports anymore.

We cannot continue to be afraid of everything.We must allow ourselves to build up immunity to this virus just as they did in the 1918 pandemic. It is not just going to disappear on it's own w ourselves to

Looks like UW Madison is the new hotbed for Covid19 iin Wisconsin. Maybe Voss and Fitzgerald will lead by example and be in the student section every home game to cheer on Bucky!

No right or wrong here

Liability issues weigh heavily no matter which way you decide.

As long as we are this far into cancellation, just let them sit it out. I loved sports up until the time that they all felt the need to tell me how to think socially and politically. No way! I am done with sports and their personalities. Let them go to work at normal jobs like the rest of us. It may help them learn they are not as important as they (apparently) think.

Lot of lost needed revenue, but outbreaks are beginning to increase with colleges now open. Academics is more important than football.

What did you do over the holiday weekend?

Receive a call on Sunday that I needed to go to work Monday and clean out my desk. Recruiting operations at the Census Bureau have ended.

home repairs and fall cleaning

Rode our motorcycle and participated in some Harley events. Enjoyed a beer garden with friends. Had a very nice dinner out on Saturday night. Then stayed home and did things around the house on Sunday & Monday.

Nothing

Stayed home.

Golfed, drank to much, got the winter jackets ready. It's cold out!!

Another long weekend in Shut down Wisconsin....watched COVID 19 news all weekend, that and how terrible Trump is handling anything he does from our Democrat Run News Organizations. I figure I better get used to it since Biden is going to win easily if I am going to believe what I am told.

Stayed home, caught up on things that needed to get done.

We picniced with a few limited friends and spent time with our children. Simply enjoyed the beautiful weather.

nothing. fdl county back to phase 1, stay home and put on a damned mask!

Got together with the family and had a fry out and talked smart about the good old times. NO POLITICS

northern

Partied without a mask on!!

Stayed at home!!

Social distance and wore a mask

Practiced safe distancing at home, boring.

Chopped corn for my dairy herd. Earliest i can remember

Well, my Thresheree and the host of good things and experiences that go along with that was cancelled because of fearful people who just can't wait to get in line to willfully hand their liberty back to an over-reaching government....so I installed a new distributer in my old International Loadstar. Went well. Didn't even have to swear at it. Good day.

Not much