Governor Scott Walker signed the 2015-17 state budget into law on July 12, one day before announcing his presidential run.
Before signing the budget into law, Walker spoke to a crowd of supporters in Waukesha. He said that his budget again cuts property taxes, expands educational opportunities for Wisconsin families, adds more money to Medicaid and takes efforts to reduce government dependence.
He also made references to his presidential run, asserting that unlike Washington, he gets things done.
He issued more than 100 vetoes to the two-year spending plan.
Some budget issues that the Wisconsin Jewish Conference has identified as priorities for the Jewish community include:
• Long-Term Care Redesign
Between now and April 1, 2016, the state’s Department of Health Services will develop a plan to re-vamp Family Care and IRIS, two Medicaid programs that provide services to people with disabilities and the elderly.
As a result of these changes, it is very likely that national, for-profit insurance companies will begin operating these two programs. The new version of Family Care will be available statewide by January 1, 2017.
• BadgerCare Plus
The Department of Health Services will submit a request to the federal government to implement several changes to BadgerCare Plus eligibility for childless adults.
These include: a 48 month enrollment cap, monthly premiums and a requirement to undergo a yearly health assessment. Individuals engaging in “high-risk” behaviors will be charged a higher premium.
DHS will also request permission from the federal government to require drug screening and testing for childless adults applying for BadgerCare.
• Drug Testing for Public Benefits
In addition to requiring childless adults applying for BadgerCare coverage to pass a drug test, the budget bill also requires drug testing for FoodShare (food stamps), W-2 for non-custodial parents, Transform Milwaukee Jobs Program and unemployment insurance.
• Human Trafficking
The Department of Children and Families will receive $2 million to provide services to child victims of sex trafficking.
• Transportation Assistance for Elderly and People with Disabilities
Provides a 1 percent funding increase for county assistance in the provision of specialized transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Other issues in the budget that could affect members of the community include:
The budgetimplements the ABLE Act in Wisconsin. This means that people with disabilities that occurred before age 26 will be allowed to contribute money tax-free to an ABLE Account and withdraw the money to pay for qualified disability expenses, such as housing, transportation, education and employment supports.
Individuals will be allowed to save up to $300,000 without losing access to Medicaid programs.
• Mass Transit Funding
Fully funds the 4 percent increase to mass transit operating assistance in 2015.
• University of Wisconsin System
Funding for UW is cut by $250 million.
• K-12 Funding
The Joint Finance Committee voted to restore $150 per pupil aid in the 2015-16 school year, which Walker had originally proposed cutting, and increased per pupil aid in the second year of the biennium where payments will be set at $250 per pupil.
The statewide school choice program is also expanded, and a new program is created that would provide state funding for students with disabilities to attend private schools.
Now that the budget is signed into law, legislative action will slow down over the summer. Once the fall legislative session begins, legislation will begin moving very quickly.
Michael Blumenfeld is director of the Wisconsin Jewish Conference, which was established in 1987 by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Jewish Federation of Madison and other state Jewish communities.
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