Weekly Insider, December 21, 2020

DECEMBER 21, 2020

LAWMAKER SERIES

SEND THE KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL

By Senate President-Elect Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield)

Even Dr. Fauci agrees. Our kids need to be back in school, and they need to come back now. We’ve heard the same important message from other groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. The consensus is that in-person classes are far and away best for our kids. Unfortunately, too many parents and students in Wisconsin are not even being allowed to decide what is best for their educational needs.

The damage is starting to mount with thousands of our kids missing more and more of the school year. The numbers show it, but you don’t need to hear about the data. As parents, as grandparents, as members of our community, you can see what is happening right away. Grades are starting to slip. Progress just doesn’t seem to be happening. Math, reading, and other core skills are taking a step back. Disadvantaged students are hurt even more by these shutdowns literally taking away valuable opportunities for advancement. Our achievement gap is one of the worst in the nation, and this can only make things worse.

All the while, research continues to indicate that schools are not meaningfully furthering community spread of the virus.

It begs the question why the self-proclaimed “education governor” hasn’t been more vocal about the issues facing our students. He has been radio silent on encouraging schools to be open. In fact, the governor recently proposed not administering any student assessment tests. This includes reading tests, ACT assessment, and the Forward Exam. Gov. Evers also wants to prevent teacher evaluations and school district accountability reports.

The question needs to be asked why the governor is trying to avoid accountability for education results. Maybe he is trying to hide how much better in person schools are performing. Maybe there are other forces at play here. One of them may be that unions across the country and here in Wisconsin have been vocal opponents of in person instruction.

School districts need encouragement to do what is right for our kids. That’s why I am calling on our schools to make the right decision for kids and return to in person classes.

Senator Kapenga represents the 33^rd Senate District, which covers most of central Waukesha County and Lake Country.

NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN

FORMER WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE SHIRLEY ABRAHAMSON DIES

The former Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Shirley Abrahamson died on Saturday in Berkeley, California after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 87 years old.

Abrahamson was a legal trailblazer in Wisconsin, and an outspoken member of the court's liberal bloc. She became the first woman to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court when appointed by Governor Patrick Lucey in 1976, the court's first woman chief justice, and the longest serving member the court -- a career spanning more than four decades.

In a video tribute to Abrahamson in 2019, the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said "Among jurists I have encountered in the United States and abroad, Shirley Abrahamson is the very best."

In a statement on Saturday, Governor Tony Evers said he and his wife Kathy were devastated to hear of Abrahamson's passing.

"She has had a larger-than-life impact on the legal profession in Wisconsin and our state’s and country’s jurisprudence. She was a pillar of our state and the court for generations. We have missed her greatly on the court, and we will miss her greatly in this life," Evers said.

Dozens of other condolences, statements, and press releases were issued on Monday by elected officials, community groups, and others.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Abrahamson was accomplished, and a groundbreaker in Wisconsin's legal community who will be "remembered for her gifted legal mind and commitment to Wisconsin."

NEW $900 BILLION STIMULUS GLIMPSE

As Congress gears up to pass its latest spending bill with COVID-19 stimulus, a few notable items have been included.

According to several sources, a technical fix will be included to ensure that PPP loan forgiveness is tax free.
A new round of $600 stimulus checks will be included to most Americans.
New $300 per week jobless benefits would be included for 11 weeks, in addition to extending other pandemic unemployment programs that were enacted in the CARES Act in March.
The PPP program would re-open for additional small business asssitance
$25 billion in renters' assistance has been included, in addition to an extension of the eviction moratorium to January 31st
SNAP benefits increase by 15%
$20 billion for funding purchasing of vaccines, and $8 billion for vaccine distribution on top of $20 billion in assistance to states for testing costs

Aids to both state and local governments were not included in the bill.

EVERS OFFERS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS PARED BACK COVID PACKAGE

Governor Evers this afternoon offered Republicans who control the legislature a pared back version of the COVID response legislation he sought to sign into law before the New Year. In a letter to Senator LeMahieu and Speaker Robin Vos, Evers put forth a $100 million COVID plan, a much smaller piece of legislation than his $540 million bill last month.

The legislation, among other things, authorizes employee transfers to critical positions, provides payments to hospitals from the Medicaid fund, provides no cost COVID testing, and transders up to $100 million from other state appropriations.

The governor's plan, however, includes liability coverage for physicians and nurses, but does not mention liability for schools, homeowners, and small businesses.

Senate Majority Leader-Elect Devin LeMahieu has previously said he has no intention of calling in his chamber fore the New Year.

GOV. EVERS CALLS SPECIAL ELECTION FOR 89TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Governor Evers last week signed Executive Order #99 calling for a special election for the 89th Assembly District. That Assembly seat is currently vacant due to the resignation of State Representative John Nygren from the Legislature.

It was announced last week that Nygren has accepted a position as the Executive Director for the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans (WHAP).

Gov. Evers ordered the special election to be held on April 6, 2021, coinciding with the statewide 2021 spring election. If a primary is necessary, it will be held on Feb. 16, 2021.

EVERS, DHS ANNOUNCE OUTPATIENT INFUSION CLINIC FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS, MODERNA VACCINE HEADED TO WI

Gov. Evers last week along with The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced that the Alternate Care Facility at the Wisconsin State Fair grounds, which was opened due to a purported over-run of hospital beds in Wisconsin, will be opening as an outpatient Bamlanivimab Infusion Clinic.

Bamlanivimab was authorized for emergency use by the FDA in November for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms in adult and pediatric patients. The clinic will be open seven days a week, except for Christmas Day and New Years Day.

The treatment option is recommended only for people with COVID-19 who are over the age of 12, have had mild to moderate symptoms for ten days, and preferably 4 days or less and are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID. The drug is not for people who are already hospitalized or require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19.

Evers and DHS together also announced today that Wisconsin is expecting shipments of the Moderna vaccine to begin arriving at hospitals and clinics across the state this week. The initial shipment is expected to be 16,000 doses, with state health officials planning to receive a total of 100,000 doses in the upcoming weeks. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna drug can be stored in normal freezers, which allows the vaccine to be shipped directly to vaccinating entities across Wisconsin.

DHS also announced today than more than 10,000 people have already received the Pfizer vaccination in Wisconsin.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS WITH STATE'S LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Some good news was announced last week -- Wisconsin's unemployment rate dropped from 6% to 5% in November, according to the state's Department of Workforce Development. But that might be where the good news stops for the time being.

The figures also showed that the state's labor force participation rate lost over 23,100 people between October and November, pushing the number down a half percent to 66.9%. The labor force participation rate is the number of people in the labor force, divided by the population ages 16 and older.

Private sector employment also dipped by 1,000, and in what is usually a major time of year for the industry, the retail sector lost 5,200 jobs fro October to November. To date, that industry has lost 11,400 jobs from this time last year. Leisure and hospitality are down 74,200 from last year.

Wisconsin's drop in labor force participation was at 66.9 percent before the state government shuttered the private sector. The low of 65% occurred in July, and had rebounded to 67.4%. Wisconsin generally has a higher labor force participation rate than the nation.

EVERS' BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON RURAL PROSPERITY RELEASES RECOMMENDATIONS

Governor Tony Evers announced last week that his Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity has released "Rural Voices for Prosperity: A report of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity." The commission was designed to use the power of the Governor's office to harness expert advice on how to tackle the economic challenges that many face in the state, including access to capital, access to high speed internet, economic development and more.

From Evers' press release:

"The report features 10 overarching recommendations that, taken together, would commit state government to a comprehensive approach to rural prosperity, create new partnerships with rural and tribal communities in the designing and delivering state services, and invest more thoughtfully to address rural Wisconsin's critical challenges and most promising opportunities."

Here are, verbatim, the ten "overreaching recommendations" that the Governor's commission on rural prosperity released.

Create and appropriately resource a plan within the Wisconsin state government that understands and champions the unique attributes of rural Wisconsin -- including Native Nations;
Continue the governor's efforts to make the needs and priorities of rural communities and Native Nations a forethought, rather than an afterthought;
Take an "all-of-government approach" to doing right by rural and tribal communities;
Ensure rural places and Native Nations in rural Wisconsin get a fair shake in accessing state and federal resources;
Look beyond Wisconsin's borders for good ideas;
Unleash the full power of communities to innovate and act by updating state laws and restrict local agency;
Reinvest in the Wisconsin Idea and the University of Wisconsin, its satellite campuses, and our state's network of community and technical colleges as unique and valuable assets;
Rebalance state business incentives to ensure economic development prioritizes the assets of Wisconsin people, communities, and businesses;
Invest in vital ingredients for our better future; and
Continue the work of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity.

The full report may be accessed here.

WEEKLY INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS: WEEK 51

Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims:

Sunday, 2,530 (2020) vs. 1,271 (2019)

Monday, 5,028 (2020) vs. 2,128 (2019)

Tuesday 3,164 (2020) vs. 1,318 (2019)

Wednesday 2,702 (2020) vs.1,206 (2019)

Thursday 2,570 (2020) vs. 1,072 (2019)

Friday 2,382 (2020) vs. 1,202 (2019)

Saturday 880 (2020) vs. 396 (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 AgAlert

Midweek Moment

WEEKLY POLL RESULTS

Are you confident Wisconsin will be able to pass a balanced budget next year?

cut spending

The Democrats think they are in charge. Look how carelessly they have managed the budget in the past year. Not seeing to staffing to help those out of work get their just payment of Unemployment. 13 weeks average. Come on!!!! UW system does not need money extra for their employees.

cut spending - just like a normal person would. open the economy for people who are comfortable being outside their homes

It is state law to balance budget if not fire the parties that are not doing their job

Wisconsin as a State needs to do what we in the public sector are doing. Cut spending, reducing overhead and eliminate public sector jobs. There is way too much fat we can no longer afford and much of which we should not have been paying for in the first place.

Cut spending

Evers is going to try and get every dollar out of the taxpayers for his budget.

When Govenor Walker left the office, there was a positive balance for the budget. Give the Dem's two years and they have blown it already. I do not know why anyone is VOTING for a Democrat. I am so disappointed with the politicians, at least now we know how Evers got into to office with our NEW voting machines. No one was paying attention before.

Cut spending, cut government.

I hope taxes will not be raised. We have had enough problems this yesr

We have to cut State expenses but Our Gov. thinks money grows on trees, in my own business I look at were I could save money an survived in situation we are in do the virus

Cut spending, we are not getting our money's worth with everything in Madison and in gov't being shut down. There is no reason for increases in the UW system since there is so much virtual learning.

We need to cut spending on foolish programs and help the businesses and unemployment

Spend less, let the people start taking care of the people instead of relying on the government.

Cut spending

I think we need to leave things alone, and maintain the positive cash flow we've had, and spend very judiciously.

Cut government spending

We are not gonna cut spending, taxes gonna go up, and of course those CARES dollars will be spent!! What do you expect with 2020 revenue in the toilet?

All departments should do some belt tightening.

Evers and Barnes are the most inept pair of fools to ever get elected. The chance of a balanced budget is slim to none.

wisconsin sucks

So much wasted money...

Legislature will balance budget but Ever's line item vetoes will screw it up.

As long as the Republicans there

Cut spending like the rest of us have had to do

Spending needs to be cut, businesses have had to cut due to the pandemic. The government should as well.

Cut spending.

There are always areas to cut back. The trick is to find them.

Typically democratic officials always raise taxes, be it property taxes, income taxes and gas taxes. Spending has to be reigned to necessities, no frill spending.

Evers and overspending are synonymous.

Just get rid of Evers would solve a lot

Cut spending. Cut the UW system off totally. Defund local schools as well.

cut spending, cut spending. cut spending...what don't they understand about this!

federal and state governments are spending money that isn't there. Open up the state and hope people use common sense

Wisconsin has received its first round of vaccines. Do you plan to receive the vaccine when it's made available to you?

Because then I will have a gps chip in me so the wife can track me when I'm lost.. or maybe I will just get it to save lives

I noted that those with a frequent allergic response are having difficulties and I fall into that category. I have herd immunity already.

unproven, don't see a need to be vaccinated for a virus that has a very low fatality rate

to much politics

So if I get the shot...I can still get the virus, can still infect others, and will still need to wear a mask and social distance? And pharma is immune to liability of something terrible happens with the mRNA route? No thanks. I'll take my chances with the virus.

Keep healthy

Came too fast. Don’t trust it

It would be foolish not to get the vaccine

Never get the flu vaccines as well, practice good hygiene to stay safe.

I will wait and see what happens with the people getting the vaccine. Not to sure that I want it.

Not a chance would I take it. Can't wait for the law firm commercials representing all the side effects for rushed testing.

We have 4 children with autoimmune issues. But we're also being told conflicting information with some of the other health issues our children have, regarding whether the vaccine would be safe for them to take. So, here we sit, waiting....

you bet I will get the vaccine! Been living in this politically handicapped covid soup for too long...

After reving the scinece of the vaccine, I will waite till 2022

There is NO pandemic!

only because we never get vaccinated, people who are afraid of virus should get vaccine, we are not afraid of it

I want to get this pandemic behind us.

Im autoimmune and viruses can cause molecular mimicry and more autoimmunity to other tissues. More studies should be done. They put this vaccine out super fast

Trump should be credited with speeding up the process to make a safe vaccine!

We will follow the roll-out and determine risks.

The Trump vaccine will work better than the Biden vaccine!

A vaccine will end up killing more folks than did the virus itself!

Last time I had a flu shot I had the flu so don't get that and don't get the flu

The UW System has requested 4.5% pay raises for its 39,000 employees over the next two years. Good idea or bad idea?

I’m sure there will be many unplanned expenses because if the past years pandemic. Let’s wait a year for raises.

Ask China, they're teaching what wants anyway.

They had less work this last year, fewer enrollments this year, I do not agree with the idea.

should get cost of living, but college is so expensive! and now with students not going to campus, why does the university need so much support staff?

need to be completive but staffing cuts also need to happen

Jobs and budgets need to be cut. It has been proven during the pandemic, large teaching staffs and the overhead that comes with all universities is not needed.

They are over paid now. They charge too much tuition now and then we should forgive there tuition because they can't repay it.

Are other employers handing out raises? Are all the teachers teaching? Are students getting their money's worth? No raises now.

They only worked part of a year, maybe they should give back some of their money.

More pay for less work, less useful knowledge to students

A pay raise for doing what? Sitting at home running virtual classes. Enough with the insanity. I took a pay cut due to Covid. How about the public sector do the same

They didn’t do much this year. Let us recover from psndemic

They think its free money coming from the taxpayers of Wi. I didn't get a raise let them suffer just like I'm suffering

There is no reasonable explanation for a raise. Mostly virtual learning for a year, costs should have come down, not up.

They don't need a raise.

I think they kept their jobs during the pandemic and should be grateful to hold the line for a while.

I think the UW System needs to stop it's spending increases for 10 years, and figure out how to actually work within a budget, keep the standards of education high, and CUT WASTEFUL SPENDING.

you think inflation is just going away??

The educators seem to think they are entitled to a pay raise, even if the tax payers are struggling.

They can go to hell!! We don't need the UW system, we need the tech schools!

incredible BS

Can't get blood out of a stone!

I have a hard time understanding why taxpayers pay for it when the patents they hold bring in hundreds of millions of dollars.

Don't increase pay of administrators!

Let them leave

Only the most liberal of us would ask for continued raises why the people who fund them are making less or on unemployment. And can't get unemployment benefits from this state.

No, simply no at this time!

I do understand that good teaching should be rewarded, however the poor jobs that have been done during this crisis deserve no reward.

Did they really earn it?

Economy is struggling and people want more money. Me and a lot of people didn’t even get any type of raise this year

Cut them off. Let the workers flee to other institutions. If those professors hadn't screwed up the students in the first place we wouldn't need any cash to restore statues.

no raises until things are back to normal from Covid

Tone deaf academia. What's new?

Will your Christmas plans be altered this year?

Trying to keep grandma and older relatives safe no big gatherings. Common sense stuff

We have a large extended family. We will not gather in large groups this year. Planning a big party in spring!

Travelling. Out of state.

We Will NOT be hosting a family gathering this year as we had for over a decade.

ba hum bug

Downsized just like our government and public sector workers jobs should be

Just our immediate family gets together...always have.

HUM BUG

Just family. Small

It will not be a family gathering like the pass years

Some family members are afraid of COVID so they will not be joining. We are respecting everyone's individual decisions and making the best of it. Fear perpetrated by the media has a way of controlling people unfortunately.

We stay home every year.

Smaller group, less gatherings.

smaller family gathering

same as thanksgiving, wife and I only.

My plans are to be with just my immediate household. As a healthcare worker this is the best option for everyone. Anyone who this that Covid 19 is a hoax should talk to people who's loved ones have died as I know a couple of them. Not to mention someone who now needs a kidney transplant due to Covid. Several friends who have had Covid now need inhalers. Just keep it up you fools. When there are no hospital beds they can take you directly to the morgue.

I am glad that my stupid COVID scared relatives have convinced everyone in the family that we should not gather, that way I will have my parents, (who may not see another Christmas) all to my self.

to live our lives like always, carry on like normal. People die every day from many more things than CORONA

Staying home. No visitors

The government is trying to destroy all traditions and religion

No big family event this year.

Wife and I will be at home alone.

Just my wife and 2 kids. No relatives. Will be nice not having to travel.

Yes immediate family with careful planning

Family and close friends.

Staying home with our children. We always do a small family group with a special dinner. The tradition remains the same.

Simple family gathering, no frills.

Christmas Eve with extended family, Christmas at home with immediate family. Feed, milk, and clean up after cows, just like we do every other day of the year so we can provide everyone else with quality, yet incredibly cheap food.

zoom