NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN
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APPLICATION DEADLINES APPROACHING FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND FARMER GRANT PROGRAMS
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Wisconsin small business owners and farmers in need of cash assistance could begin signing up for their respective state government grant programs as of last Monday morning.
The deadline for small businesses is 11:59pm, Tuesday, June 23. Farmers have until 11:59pm on June 29.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue said as of June 18th, 6,554 farmers had applied. WEDC also on Friday announced that more than 16,000 small businesses had already applied for the We're All In grant.
Small businesses can apply for the We're All In Small Business Grant Program from WEDC. The business must be Wisconsin-based, have been in operation prior to February 2020, and employ 20 or fewer people including the owner. Payments will be for $2,500. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the guidelines before applying to know what information and materials they will need to submit. Information can also be found at
https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/wai-small-business-grant/.
Farmers are able to apply for between $1,500 and $3,500 grants through the DATCP Wisconsin Farm Support Program being administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Gross income must have ranged between $35,000 and $5 million in 2019 (based on Schedule F, Line 9 on their tax forms). Farmers interested in the funds can apply at
revenue.wi.gov or by calling 608-266-2772.
The $125 million funding the two programs created by Governor Tony Evers were funded through the federal CARES Act, passed by Congress and approved by President Donald Trump in April.
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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION RELEASES GUIDANCE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS' RETURN IN FALL
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The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction issued a document titled Education Forward today, a tool that schools may use as they solidify their plans to return to classrooms in the fall.
The document is self-described as "fluid," and "will be regularly updated in consultation with education stakeholders and the DHS to provide new information and address changing conditions to support school operations and the learning environment."
A document summary provided by The Wheeler Report shows some of the larger changes that may be coming to your school district, including:
- Four-Day Week: Each level of school would report to schools for four days and the fifth day would be used for deep cleaning, teaching planning, and professional learning. Students would be provided educational materials – digital, analog or a combination for use on the fifth day.
- Two-Day Rotation: Students report to schools for two full days per week. Students would be provided with learning materials – digital, analog, or a combination for days when they are not in-person. One day per week would be used for teacher training and professional learning.
- A/B Rotation: Half of the students would report to schools for four full days per week of in-person learning, while the other half participates in virtual learning at home. The two student groups alternate between in-person and virtual learning weekly.
- Elementary Face-to-Face and Secondary Virtual Learning: Elementary students start back to school before other levels and attend four full days per week. Secondary students continue with virtual learning.
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FORMER GOVERNOR TOMMY G. THOMPSON NAMED INTERIM PRESIDENT OF UW SYSTEM
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The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents announced late last week that former Governor Tommy G. Thompson has agreed to serve as UW System Interim President effective July 1. According to a statement from the Board of Regents President, Andrew Peterson, the decision to appoint Thompson received "uniform support."
"Thompson is a well-known champion of Wisconsin's public universities, and he has called for a renewal of the Wisconsin Idea, the principle that the UW System serves all parts of the state," a statement read. "He is the state's only four-term governor and his bipartisan policy proposals have had a lasting impact on the state."
Former Governor Thompson said, "The University of Wisconsin System is the state's most valuable asset, and I will be its biggest advocate and its toughest evaluator. No other institution in the state can do more to improve lives, communities, and Wisconsin's economy."
Thompson, 78, was born in Elroy, and earned both his bachelors and law degree from UW-Madison. He was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1966 and became minority leader in 1981. He won election as governor in 1986, and won four consecutive terms. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001 to serve as the nation's Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
At his request, Thompson will be paid the minimum annual salary under the Board policy, which is $489,334.
Thompson will likely serve in the interim role for about 18 months until a new candidate is chosen to take over. Current UW System President Ray Cross will remain with the UW System as a consultant for 90 days after he leaves office June 30 to assist Thompson's transition into the role.
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GOVERNOR EVERS ANNOUNCES 'POLICING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY REFORMS'
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Governor Tony Evers announced on Friday a package of legislation his administration says will increase accountability and transparency in policing in Wisconsin. The announcement was made on Juneteenth, which is celebrated to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
"Our country promises the opportunity of justice and equity, and it's time for us to deliver on that promise," Evers said. "We know we don't have all of the answers- no one does. This legislation is a first step toward dismantling the systems we've created, but it can only be a first step. Racism and racial disparities can't be solved with any single bill or package of bills, or person- it's on all of us, together. We must meet this movement with our empathy and our compassion, but most of all we must meet it with action."
The governor's press release said that Wisconsin is consistently ranked one of the worst states in the country for racial disparities, including infant mortality, educational attainment, employment, home ownership, and incarceration.
Prompted by calls from various activist groups for the governor to call a special session of the legislature through executive order, Evers' said, "Calling another special session where legislative leaders come in and gavel in and gavel out risks us losing this incredible moment in history where we can and should ne able to work to get something accomplished. We should not need a special session when people across our state are demanding we take action."
The legislation includes:
- LRB 6273: Establishes statewide use of force standards for all law enforcement agencies that includes that the primary duty of law enforcement is to preserve the life of all individuals; that deadly force is to be used only as the last resort; that officers should use skills and tactics that minimize the likelihood that force will become necessary; that, if officers must use physical force, it should be the least amount of force necessary to safely address the threat; and that law enforcement officers must take reasonable action to stop or prevent any unreasonable use of force by their colleagues;
- Prohibits discipline of a law enforcement officer for reporting a violation of a law enforcement agency's use of force policy; and
- Requires the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB) to develop a model use of force policy for law enforcement agencies.
- LRB 6274:Requires each law enforcement officer to annually complete at least eight hours of training on use of force options and de-escalation techniques.
- LRB 6275:
- Creates a $1,000,000 grant program, administered by the Department of Justice, to fund community organizations that are utilizing evidence-based outreach and violence interruption strategies to mediate conflicts, prevent retaliation and other potentially violent situations, and connect individuals to community supports.
- LRB 6276: Requires law enforcement agencies to develop policies prohibiting the use of chokeholds.
- LRB 6277:Requires each law enforcement agency to not only prepare a policy regarding the use of force by its law enforcement officers, but to make it available publicly online.
- LRB 6281: Creates a civil cause of action for unnecessarily summoning a law enforcement officer with intent to infringe upon a right of the person under the Wisconsin Constitution or the U.S. Constitution; unlawfully discriminate against the person; cause the person to feel harassed, humiliated, or embarrassed; cause the person to be expelled from a place in which the person is lawfully located; damage the person's reputation or standing within the community; or damage the person's financial, economic, consumer, or business prospects or interests.
- LRB 6283: Requires that the Department of Justice publish an annual report on use of force incidents, including incidents where there was a shooting, where a firearm was discharged in the direction of a person (even if there was no injury), and where other serious bodily harm resulted from the incident; and
- Requires certain demographic information to be collected about each incident and reported annually by DOJ on its website.
- LRB 6289: Prohibits no-knock search warrants.
- LRB 6292:Makes certain changes to the responsibilities of the LESB, including requiring LESB to also regulate jail and juvenile detention officer training standards and regulate recruitment standards for the recruiting of new law enforcement, jail, and juvenile detention officers;
- Requires each law enforcement agency to maintain an employment file for each employee; and
- Requires each potential candidate for a position in an agency, jail, or facility that is or has been employed by a different agency, jail, or facility to authorize their previous employer to disclose his or her employment files to the hiring entity.
In response to the Governor's unveiling of the legislative package, Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, said, "In the past, I have co-sponsored some of the bills supported by the Governor today. Those bills enhance public confidence in the police and codify existing practice, while preserving public safety and the safety of officers. For the same reason, I have adamantly opposed some of these bills because the perpetuate false impressions of law enforcement and jeopardize the safety of officers and the public."
He continued, "At the end of the day, the goal of both law enforcement and the law is the safety of all citizens, regardless of race, creed, color or sex. That is the standard I will continue to use to evaluate these bills and police reform bills going forward."
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HOTEL TAX REVENUE IN FREE-FALL
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The Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association released data from a new Oxford Economics study, showing the state will bring in $186.5 million fewer revenue dollars in 2020 due to the drop in hotel room occupancy.
During Governor Evers' "Safer at Home" order, all hotels in the state were forced to close their doors to guests. According to the study, many hotels remain closed by local county orders. The Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association says this year will be the worst on record for hotel occupancy, and predicts pre-pandemic occupancy levels will not be seen again until 2022.
"The study adds that over 70 percent of hotel employees have been furloughed or laid off, and a total of $16.8 billion in tax revenue across the U.S. has been lost because of closed hotels amid the pandemic," according to one source.
AHLA President and CEP Chip Rogers said, "Hotels positively impact every community across the country, creating jobs, investing in communities and supporting billions of dollars in tax revenue that local governments use to fund education, infrastructure, and so much more. However, with the impact to the travel sector nine times worse than 9/11, hotels need support to keep our doors open and retain employees as we work toward recover. We expect it will take years before demand returns to peak 2019 levels."
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EVERS SENDS $80 MILLION MORE TO K-12 SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
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On top of the more than $350 million that K-12 and higher education institutions already received directly through the CARES Act, Governor Evers announced last week that he is allocating more than $80 million more in financial assistance to those two entities.
"Our educators, faculty members, staff, and students have risen to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting with very little warning, and planning for a new normal," Evers said in a press release. "I've always said what's best for our kids is what's best for our state, so I am hopeful this funding can help alleviate expenses already incurred and further created efforts to transition between in-person learning and distance learning seamlessly ans we prepare for the upcoming fall semester and continue to fight COVID-19 in Wisconsin."
The $46.6 million allocated to K-12 schools will come from the "Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER Fund) established under the CARES Act.
According to Evers' office, the dollars will prioritize students and districts that have the highest remote learning needs and have been most significantly affected by the pandemic. The $37 million given to higher education institutions will be distributed out of funding provided directly to Wisconsin under the CARES Act, and can be used to reimburse "necessary, unbudgeted expenditures made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
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ELECTIONS COMMISSION APPROVES PLAN TO MAIL 2.7 MILLION ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO VOTERS
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In an update to a report from WPT last week, the Wisconsin Elections Commission signed off last Wednesday on their controversial plan to send absentee ballot applications to most registered voters in the state.
The commission unanimously agreed to send the forms to 2.7 million voters ahead of the November 3rd presidential election. Actual ballots are not being sent.
One GOP lawmaker, Representative Rick Gundrum of Slinger, tried to stop the plan by filing a letter of opposition with the commission right before the body was set to meet. He said the more than $2 million plan was too costly, and could confuse voters. He called on the commission to allow local governments to decide for themselves what is best for their communities.
A Democrat lawmaker from Milwaukee said Wisconsinites should be suspicious of anybody who advocates for a reduction in voter participation.
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DWD RELEASES MAY UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES
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Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development last week released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary employment and unemployment estimates for the month of May 2020. The data shows that Wisconsin added 74,900 total non-farm and 72,100 private-sector jobs in the month of May. Wisconsin's labor force participation rate in May was 66.6 percent, and the state's unemployment rate fell to 12.0 percent, down from April's revised rate of 13.6 percent.
"May's job numbers show a strong increase in jobs, employment, and an unemployment rate that is more than a full percentage point lower than the national rate," DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman said. "As Wisconsin's economy continues to reopen, DWD stands ready to assist workers as they transition back to their former employer, or to new employment."
Wisconsin also added 9,400 manufacturing jobs from April to May, but those numbers are still down nearly 30,000 from March. The jump in numbers was thanks to non-durable goods manufacturing, according to the BizTimes, and an increase of 8,300 positions in food manufacturing helped fuel the uptick.
Here are the latest unemployment claims numbers for Week 25:
Sunday, 3,637 (2020) vs. 883 (2019)
Monday, 6,656 (2020) vs. 1,473 (2019)
Tuesday 3,645 (2020) vs. 879 (2019)
Wednesday 3,111 (2020) vs. 680 (2019)
Thursday 2,960 (2020) vs. 752 (2019)
Friday 2,907 (2020) vs. 683 (2019)
Saturday 857 (2020) vs. 164 (2019)
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By clicking the link, you acknowledge that it is the policy of WPT, Inc. to publish all comments that are submitted by members each week, often including broad differences of opinion within the weekly responses. Our organization values our role in fostering dialogue within our membership, but does not take responsibility for the individual views and opinions expressed herein. It is the right of WPT to remove responses that what the organization deems to be vulgar, hateful, or inflammatory language.
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WEEKLY MEMBER POLL RESULTS
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Have you/do you plan to sign up for the small business or farmer grant programs?
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We do not Qualify.
+WE have signed up but a drop in the bucket to support our farmers
Not small enough.
Any help large or small is welcome here.
Retired from farming.
As a very small business owner, I will leave these funds to the farmers that will need it most.
To many " free" dollars going to everyone
We have too many employees to qualify
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Senator Alberta Darling rejected tax increases as a means to recover the state's lost revenues and strengthen finances. Do you agree or disagree?
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Why should we have to pay more in taxes. We had a gosh darn surplus that was spent and now we have to bail the state out and try to keep ourselves afloat. We need to quit pandering to people and start doing our jobs in Madison.
The Covid Crisis is not over yet; there is no vaccine yet.
As long as wealthy pay a similar EFFECTIVE tax rat, calculated for ALL taxes paid.
I'd like too know if people received the extra $600 per week, besides their unemployment, pay taxes on that money. (
Yes, recipients are required to pay income taxes.)
We need to reduce spending just like the general population. If we had a rainy day fund that could have been tapped, that would be a prudent use of this fund.
This is temporary. Let's not make knee-jerk reactions to short term issues. Things will recover. Besides, we should be operating at a Surplus, so, let the Surplus do it's thing.
should think more about reducing State exoenses
How about the State manges its money better! Or quite this BS about COVID and get the hell out of the way.
like everyone else, state needs to tighten belt and balance the budget. making difficult decision on cutting things is part of life - Evers needs to prioritize
Tightening the states belt would be a better direction.
Most tax payers can't afford an increase.
Taxes are high enough, budgeting would be more appropriate. We’ll get there, in time.
Taxes will keep the economy from regaining its pre covid status
Suck it up like the rest of us had to.
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What do you think of the election commission's plans to mail an absentee ballot application to 2.7 million Wisconsin voters?
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WE ALREADY HAVE MAIL IN VOTING, THERE IS NO NEED TO JUST MAIL IT TO US. WE CAN SIGN UP FOR OURSELVES........
get this figured out already!
The Presidential election is going to have the largest amount of voter fraud ever, I have lost all faith in the people of this country, power in king here, we've lost our way and will continue on a downward spiral.
Since the ballot applications can only go to registered voters, it is a good idea. Even our President uses mail in voting. Lets protect the health of our citizens.
If they are registered voters, yes.. other wise no they should go to the polling places.
The old Chicago way.Vote early and vote often!
Only creates more corruption as to who really voted.
We asked for an absentee ballot this last election, never received them.
Too many possibilities for fraud.
I feel like those ballots will be too easily made fraudulent.
To many ways for fraudulent voting.
more fraud and what happen to voter list that was to be redone
Democrats just trying to cheat. The Election commision should be in jail already for ignoring the order to cleanse the voter rolls.
need adequate controls and it will be a great thing
Opens the door wide to potential voter fraud.
I registered for a mail in ballot, as I’m shut in now with an aging parent. This is a needed option for many.
The case for fraud increases.
Fantastic! About damn time!
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Sports fans: How are you getting your fill of sports this summer? Do you have confidence the Packers and Badgers will play this fall? With our without fans? Have you been watching ESPN classics and replays? Any hope for an MLB season? Do you think the NBA will finish? Share your sports thoughts here!
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Athletes and Hollywood are showing us just how ridiculous their worldly views are right now. I love football and the Packers, but may never watch the NFL again.
I miss sports, its a nice distraction but in the big picture not really critical.
The whole pandemic and now the rioting and senseless lawlessness in this country and now the pro athletes no longer supporting our country or the flag, I'm done with athletics, I'd rather spend time outdoors in nature. Enjoy the beauty of this state. I'll probably do much more reading this winter, we are about ready to ditch the whole TV thing, it is all democrat propaganda.
They may play but nobody will be in the stands.
NBA is over just like college and high school basketball is over. It’s June. Let’s get some baseball going with limited seating for fans.
Too many millionaires arguing with billionaires. They had a chance to help calm the nation and instead made it about money
I think our sporting teams will play on a limited basis and let the fans enjoy them on tv. We need some fun to look forward to and our sporting teams can provide it.
Do not care, attending a Pro event is FAR above my peasant income
Don't want to watch ESPN anymore.Too much pontificating by the millionaire athletes,coaches and media types about "social justice"and political correctness ad nauseam.
Been watching classics. NO baseball, player union has too much power. They'll keep the league shut down until they get both the pie and ice cream.
Hope none of them ever come back.
I certainly miss watching sports of all kinds, hope they can return safely.
Football will be back but without packed stadiums.
No, No, No, No and No. Spending more time hiking, exploring and fishing and enjoying the great outdoors of Wisconsin instead of watching sports/tv. Amazing try it you'll enjoy it:)
ESPN is a joke. MLB players are greedy. Who cares about the NBA. If we don't have an NFL season there will be riots everywhere, AND if the kneeling BS starts up again there will be unrest in the stands.
no sports gives us more time to spend with family and friends and enjoy the outdoors - miss sports but loving it!
Not missed at all. Ball sports were left in my childhood. Never understood the attraction for adults.
Thank goodness NASCAR got the ball rolling, I"m hoping other sports will pick up and follow soon.
Watching NASCAR, don't care about baseball or basket ball and Football's future unknown.
Don’t care.
I sincerely hope the Packers and Badgers play this fall. I am an avid football fan. I hope baseball resumes and the Bucks season ends with a championship. I have watched football classics and thoroughly enjoyed them! Especially when the Pack won 2 Super Bowls! I would like to see the one and only Ice Bowl with the incredible Bart Starr!
Not confident in anything but God these days.
I surely hope that they all play ball. I don't understand what we are all supposed to be afraid of? We have had worse health issues in the past ie. polio,scarlet fever,measles etc.why are we shutting down our entire economy???
sick of 3 putting every green. Cant wait for college football!!
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