NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN |
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JUST IN: FEDERAL JUDGE EXTENDS BALLOT DEADLINE FOR NOVEMBER ELECTION |
A federal judge ruled late Monday afternoon that absentee ballots mailed to local elections officials will be allowed to be counted for up to six days after the November 3rd presidential election. All ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day.
This means that the results of the presidential election in Wisconsin might not be known for nearly a week after the polls close. Wisconsin is also considered a battleground state, so the ruling could have national implications.
Whether the ruling will be appealed to a higher court is unknown.
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GOV. EVERS FIRES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY OVER UNEMPLOYMENT BACKLOG |
Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced he asked for and received the resignation of Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman. Frostman's resignation was effective immediately. Evers also announced that the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Corrections Amy Pechacek will lead the department until a new secretary is selected.
Evers wasted no time shifting blame away from his administration.
"People across our state are struggling to make ends meet, and it is unacceptable that Wisconsinites continue to wait for the support they need during these challenging times," Gov. Evers said. "It is clear that our unemployment system has faced historic levels of claims these past few months, hindered in part by antiquated technology we inherited, and processes designed by Republicans to make it harder for folks to get these benefits."
In response to Evers' announcement, State Senator Chris Kapenga released a statement titled "Its About Time!"
"Governor Evers' administration and the leadership at DWD have been failing the people of Wisconsin since March with legislative Republicans recommending this action months ago," Senator Kapenga said. "There is no doubt this leaves another stain directly on Governor Evers' ability to choose qualified leaders in his administration. I hope for the sake of the nearly 100,000 people who haven't received their unemployment checks that the new Secretary-designee fixes this disaster quickly."
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AGENCIES SUBMIT BUDGET REQUESTS TO GOVERNOR EVERS |
The departments and agencies that make up Governor Evers' administration began submitting their budget requests, ahead of the 2021-2023 biennium. That process will begin in February when the Governor typically speaks to a joint meeting of the state legislature to deliver his budget address.
More detailed information regarding specific budget requests will be forthcoming, though as a starting point, it is interesting to note how large the requested budget increases are per agency.
With the exception of budget decreases requested by the Departments of Administration (-11.5%), Tourism (0%), Financial Institutions (-2.2%), Transportation (0.7%), and Veterans Affairs (-2.2%), all other state agencies requested increases to their budgets; Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (1.3%), Children and Families (4.2%), Corrections (4.5%), Health Services (16.4%), Justice (8.5%), Military Affairs (2.7%), Natural Resources (0.3%), Revenue (0.2%), Safety and Professional Services (4.8%), and Workforce Development (2.7%).
Additionally, the Department of Public Instruction has requested an increase of 0.13%, the UW System has requested a 1.9% increase, and Tech College System 2.1%.
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COMMITTEE EXTENDS UNEMPLOYMENT WORK SEARCH WAIVER |
The Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) last week extended for 60 days the waiver that exempts unemployment recipients from searching for work while receiving payments.
The waiver was first granted by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Evers in April as part of a broader package of legislation dealing with COVID-19.
To date, unemployment recipients have been paid nearly $3.7 billion in benefits since mid-March.
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DWD: WISCONSIN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLS TO 6.2 PERCENT; OVER 34,000 TOTAL NON-FARM JOBS ADDED IN AUGUST |
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The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) last week released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary employment estimates for the month of August 2020.
The data shows that Wisconsin added 34,700 total non-farm and 16,700 private-sector jobs in the month of August. Wisconsin's unemployment rate declined by 0.9 percent to 6.2 percent in August. The unemployment rate was 3.1% in August 2019. The state is still down about 200,000 jobs since this time last year.
A total of 6.5 million weekly unemployment claims have been filed since March 15. About 11% of those claims, or 713,000, are still being handled by the department. The
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PSC: VOTES TO EXTEND THE COVID-19 UTILITY DISCONNECTION MORATORIUM UNTIL NOVEMBER 1 |
On Thursday, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) voted 2-1 to continue to stay a portion of its June 26 order, extending the moratorium on utility residential customer disconnections and refusal of service for nonpayment until November 1.
"If you have been unable to pay your utility bills, contact your utility to arrange a payment plan or seek public assistance now, and while funding is still available," Chairwoman Rebecca Cameron Valcq said. "Even pay a little bit at a time or applying for energy assistance today, can help head off an insurmountable debt at the end of the moratorium."
The PSC's actions come as Wisconsin is approaching its annual moratorium on cold weather disconnections, for utility service used for home heating. The moratorium is set to begin November 1, 2020 and runs to April 15, 2021.
For customers who are having difficulty paying, or know of individuals who are having difficulty, may be eligible for assistance from the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP). Visit energybenefit.wi.gov.
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WISCONSIN AWARDED $16.7 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO COUNTER ADDICTIONS TO OPIOIDS AND STIMULANTS |
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) last week announced that it has received a $16.7 million federal grant to reduce drug-related deaths.
It is the latest round of funding under the State Opioid Response Grant Program managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While opioids remain the primary focus, this program now supports services for stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
Half of the money will be used to fund individual treatment costs. The remainder will support prevention programs, overdose response efforts, and expansion of treatment options, and recovery coaches, according to DHS.
The grant funding is available through September 2021, with an additional $16.7 million expected to be awarded next fall for the following year.
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WEEKLY INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS |
Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims:
Sunday, 1,737 (2020) vs. 341 (2019)
Monday, 3,654 (2020) vs. 814 (2019)
Tuesday 2,518 (2020) vs. 576 (2019)
Wednesday 2,012 (2020) vs. 452 (2019)
Thursday 1,807 (2020) vs. 408 (2019)
Friday 1,749 (2020) vs. 477(2019)
Saturday 535 (2020) vs. 118 (2019)
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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. |
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WEEKLY MEMBER POLL RESULTS |
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Should the UW System schools that suspend classes and quarantine students issue refunds? |
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Kids are not getting what they paid for. At the same time universities have ongoing expenses. Tough choices!
Students are being denied access to most study areas and very little access to professors and TAs. The UW is not providing the service they have been paid for.
Quarantine is better than sending students home to infect others
It's a two week pause to flatten the curve. A quick response,not a full scale semester shutdown.
Breach of contract on the UW side. work out a refund.
Issuing refunds will cost more than the refunds. Just get get the UW System to CUT it's tuition for the next semester to balance out. Give them a voucher for their next semester. Something.
I think kids should be given that option
If they can offer TEMPORARY alternative solutions for just a couple of weeks I think they need to let this play out
The school still needs to operate. Are the students having virtual classes? Not the same as classroom, but they're learning just the same.
The college still has to pay all of their workers. If students are sent home they should receive a significant amount of their housing and food money back. My child is in the UW system. The teachers are trying their best to teach under difficult circumstance.
If students are being instructed virtually they are still learning. And, hopefully the suspension will be short term.
We should also take away their name, they do not represent Wisconsin
Many classes need to have interaction, discussion and instructor guidence. This also means there is no labs.
if students aren't getting the education they signed up for they should definately get at least a partial refund
maybe the Professors should go on unemployment too.
Also they should not change all the (W) to black. Some white, some black.
Refunds are due, unless class time is added at the end of the semester.
Why not?
Partial refunds should be given but if online classes continue I feel they owe something to the UW
The UW system schools have become a liberal education for young people in a lot of their study programr
No brainer!
If you pay for a good or a service, and you do not receive that good or service, there should most definitely be a refund! If my business were to receive money for a service we didn't provide and then not give a refund we would be taken to court, and we would lose!
The cost is way too high already. They should not have to pay for something they are not receiving.
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Pending their final decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has halted Dane County's public health order, and allowed K-12 schools to immediately re-open to in-person learning. Good move or bad move? |
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As long as they can do it safely for staff and students
Public Health needs to be able to make these decisions
Kids need to be in school. They shouldn't control the private schools.
They have had time to set up a good learning situation.
Schools taking reasonable precautions and prepared to respond to outbreak should be able to decide for themselves.
Let the districts decide. Dane county has many rural, suburban and urban areas. It's not just Madison.
I don't think the schools are the problem, although teachers are more apt to getting sick than and kids.
Our President has shown a complete lack of leadership about how schools and businesses can more safely operate in a pandemic. I'm fortunate to do my work outside. Most people are not as fortunate as me.
We will see a spike in COVID cases due to this.
kids need to be in school
Freedom!!!!!!!
should be up to parents, do we really need the courts to tell us every move to make?
We never hear the hospitalization and death rates anymore. Get on with life please
I feel its more up to the parents to make a decision and not big government
Great move, maybe Evers can learn something from it.
These health departments are completely out of control! They claim to be going with the science, but the science clearly suggests that children are the absolute lowest category risk of anyone. As a parent two kids in elementary school and two kids in middle school, this is put immense stress on my wife and I, both financially and emotionally. But ultimately the ones who are suffering the most is our children.
Kids need to be back in school, in person. The decison whether or not to reopen should be made locally, not in Madison. One size does not fit all.
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Do you think Gov. Evers' $8 million TRAVEL Grant Program will have an impact on helping the tourism industry in Wisconsin? |
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Can't hurt I guess
Every little should help some.
It will help the few businesses that get the money. If it just goes to Convention & Visitors Bureau, it will evaporate into waste and bureaucracy.
Out Gov has some people too terrified to travel. I'm ready to go places but in order to do that places need to be open and functioning as normal
It will help a little...people wearing face masks would help even more so things can reopen safely.
All of the leisure industries are suffering. Travel with outdoor activities can be quite safe.
It won't make up for what was lost, however, it can provide advertising to encourage safe travel.
If he really wanted to help he would not allow any patchwork of county level mask orders to crop up and end all of this supposed pandemic BS. Maintaining law and order will also stimulate people to come and enjoy the different parts of our state.
too little too late
I think tourism is up just in different forms such as camping instead of resorts
Waste of money
I know tourism brings money into the state but feel there are other areas need help
Like spitting against the wind.
Like it was stated in the article how is $8 million going to save a $22 billion industry? I especially find it ridiculous to think that he cares at all being that it is his continued, ridiculous orders that has caused the issue in the first place. Politicians playing politics! Bullsh*t!!!
Not enough to make a difference when so many tourism businesses and employees have been shut down for so long.
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Did you watch the Packers season opener yesterday? |
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Great game - Go Aaron!!
I will not watch until they respect our flag
They should just stay in the locker room. What a shame will not watch any sports teams.
Die-hard Packer fan, but not if they are going to support BLM. I am finished with all sports except high school sports. UW supports the Brewers and Bucks game boycott so no more Bucky for me as well. I am not allowed my first amendment rights like the sports world is, I'm told to shut up or risk losing my job.
I'm not allowed to bring my political views into my workplace, why should they?
Not much excitement with no fans, no tailgating etc
NFL has become too political. Therefore I will not watch or go to a game
I didn't have the time.
NFL has been losing me for years and now the white and black national anthem has put the fork in them for me
ABSOLUTLEY NOT. I'm over pro sports. Their solial justice preening has beent he last straw. If our Packers would man up and come out on the field to STAND for our National Anthem I may change my mind. s
It was fun to watch the Packers on TV. It makes life seem a bit more normal.
Screw the NFL and screw thew Packers leadership. They are a disgrace!
Until they stand and respect our only National Anthum, No support for these teams!
no desire to watch overpaid athletes who think their opinions matter
Done with sports!
will not watch football again until protests are over
When they didn't come out of the locker room for the National Anthem I decided not to watch them.
I am in protest of pro sports due to players political protest
I had to quit sports, sick of these over paid babies running the United States
I will no longer watch the NFL . Sports should be non political
Defense needs work!
I was disappointed after I hear that the players stayed in the locker room for the national anthem which is a slap to this USA
I am boycotting pro football this year because they are siding with the thugs and against policemen
I think that the team staying in the locker room during the playing of our national anthem was disgraceful, and I do not plan on watching any games until they get there act together.
Gave up 24 points in the 4th quarter, what does tell you.
Offense --good -- defense - not so good
Boycotting all NFL games
Even though I am a sports fanatic and a lifelong packer fan I cannot, and will not, support in any way, shape or form, financially or otherwise, the NFL or the Packers as long as they support terrorist organizations like BLM!
Did not watch but was great that they beat the Vikings!!!
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