MADISON — Today, the Joint Committee on Finance held Agency Briefings for only two state agencies: the Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Universities of Wisconsin (UW). Republicans have already indicated that they plan to strip Governor Evers’ budget, likely planning to follow the destructive actions of their federal counterparts.
Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health made funding cuts, throwing the future of higher education institutions and students across the country into chaos. Specifically, UW-Madison is at risk to lose $65 million and faces layoffs which will derail lifesaving research that benefits every community in the state.
The four Democratic members of the Joint Committee on Finance issued the following statements:
“Now more than ever we need to support our agencies and the important work they do for Wisconsinites.
“Republicans have been starving the Universities of Wisconsin for years and asking them to do more and more with less and less. This model is unsustainable and if we want to bolster our workforce and spur innovation, investing in ensuring the next generation has the training to meet future challenges is crucial to our success.
“In the same vein, DOC has made it clear — if Wisconsin wants to increase safety and save taxpayer money, Governor Evers’ plan is the best way to do that and this plan only works if every part is approved.”
