MADISON, WI – Today, Wisconsin lawmakers took up legislation to modify its shared revenue formula in AB 245. Rep. Marisabel Cabrera (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement:
“While it was my hope for the Assembly to come together and find responsible solutions to Wisconsin’s inadequate shared revenue formula, this is far from it. AB 245 is a ransom note from Wisconsin Republican legislators to the City of Milwaukee. For the return of revenue collected locally, Milwaukee must comply with Republican policy demands on local affairs and government that would reverse the city’s efforts to mend historic inequities, topple its fire and police independent civilian oversight board, and override its legislative procedures.
“If AB 245 was a clean bill that only addressed shared revenue, I would have voted yes. In other words, as a Milwaukee legislator, I would have voted yes if the bill kept to fiscal matters, i.e., a 10% increase in shared revenue for Milwaukee and the city’s ability to implement a 2% sales tax. Unfortunately, that is not the case and I cannot support legislation that actively harms my constituents and my city, which is why I voted no.”
