2021-23 Wisconsin State Budget Briefing
Aging Resource Center of Milwaukee County Committed to the Independence and Dignity of Older Adults through Advocacy, Leadership and Service State of Wisconsin Biennial Budget Process The State of Wisconsin's budget covers a 2-year period from July 1st – June 30th of odd-numbered years.
JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE: - Public Hearings - Vote on each section - Send to full legislature. April 2021 -- ??? WI Dept’s Submit Gov reviews agency requests & Budgets: Fall 2020 proposes Exec. Budget: Feb 2021
JCF Budget sent to Assembly, Senate for debate & amendment, then Gov reviews Budget passed & Conference Committee. signs, vetoes, or vetoes in part Passed & sent to Governor. Budget becomes law Sends back to the legislature Goal: June 30, 2021 Wisconsin Budget: Revenues
General Purpose Revenues (Income taxes, sales taxes) Federal Funds (including 60% Medicaid Match) Program Revenue (Fees, Court costs, etc.) Segregated Funds (gas tax, etc.) 2019-21 State Budget Expenditures by Function: $81 Billion 2% 1% 3% 4% Commerce & ATCP
Environment 3%2% 8% 8% Corrections
Children & Families/ Economic Support 36% Transportation (not bonding) 32% Health Services 1% Courts & Justice
Education
Shared Revenue & Tax Relief
Source: 2021-23 Governors Executive Budget Summary State General Fund Spending Increases by Area (In Millions), 2021-2023
Proposed Budget Increases
WI ECON DEVT CORP 320
CHILDREN & FAMILES 247
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (SCHOOL AIDS) 1642
HEALTH SERVICES (MEDICAID) 463
UW SYSTEM 192
BROADBAND 204
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Sources: Executive Budget and Budget in Brief (Wisconsin Policy Forum) Budget Issues affecting Older Adults
Taxes & Homestead Credit Personal Care Services Medicaid Expansion Family Care Services Health Care Coverage Nursing Home / ICF Rates Prescription Drugs Family Caregivers Mental Health Minimum Wage Children’s Long Term Support Family Leave Oral Health / Dental Care Transit & Specialized Transportation Dementia Care Specialists Senior Housing & Homelessness ADRC’s/Elderly Ben Specialists Automatic Voter Registration Oversight of SNFs / Assisted Living Healthy Aging Ombuds for Long Term Care Shared Revenue / Fair Deal Taxes & Shared Revenues Expands Earned Income Tax Credit 200,000 Low-Income Families gain an add’l $350 per year Restore indexing on Homestead tax exemption & expand eligibility up to HH incomes of $30K (160,000 new filers, increase for 100,000 current claimants, $69M tax reduction) Partial repeal of Manufacturers credit (>$300K) & equal taxation of capital gains ($487M) Caregiver Tax Credit – nonrefundable income tax credit up to $500 for qualified expenses. Fair Deal Proposal Allows + 2% growth Minimum levy limit Allows Counties/Municipalities to impose 0.50% sales tax, if approved by referendum. Legalize & Tax Marijuana ($86.4M) Increase County & Municipal Aid program by 2% in each year of biennium ($45M). Closes the Dark Store tax assessment loophole. Health Care Medicaid Expansion Milwaukee County Mobile Crisis Team 138% of poverty (some dual eligible) Milwaukee County Trauma Response Increase federal match to 90% Forensic Assertive Community Treatment 90K+ covered (incl. caregivers) Establishes behavioral health program for $1.3B in add’l Medicaid Revenue those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or $634M in GPR Savings deaf-blind Pre-existing condition protections, no Electronic Health Info Exchange lifetime limits + essential services Dental MA rates / Dental Therapists $45M Community Health Benefit Fully Funds SeniorCare Prescription Drug Mental Health & SUD Medicaid rate Office of Prescription Drug Affordability 2 Regional Crisis Ctrs w inpatient beds $500,000 Falls Prevention Grants 5 Regional Crisis Stabilization Ctrs Long Term Care
$77M increas MA rate for personal care NO ADRC or EBS core services expansion or formula change for MKE County $241M 11.5% Nursing Home rate increas $27.4M for core I&A & LTC Counseling $77M add’l for direct care workers in $25M for ancillary services s/a EBS ($2.3M) FamilyCare (not IRIS) Dementia Care Specialists statewide + Expands Caregiver Support Program to fund rebalancing (25 positions) caregivers of adults with disabilities Office of Caregiver Quality to conduct $1M add Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver entity background checks, screen Support & expand eligibility to $55,000 misconduct reports and conduct field Expands FMLA to employers of 25+ & investigations into misconduct allegations expands definition of relatives to include in regulated healthcare settings and grandparents & grandchildren programs. Housing & Homeless Prevention
Implements Recommendations of the Interagency Council on Homelessness $1 million GPR each FY for Homelessness Prevention Program $500,000 GPR each FY for the creation of a new diversion program $700,000 GPR each FY for the State Shelter Subsidy Grant $5 million GPR each FY for the Housing Assistance Program $500,000 TANF each FY for Homeless Case Management Services Grant; $250,000 GPR each FY for Skills Enhancement Grant at DCF $2 million GPR each FY to create a new housing quality standards grant $600,000 GPR each FY for housing navigation grant (renthelpmke.org) NO funding for Senior Housing tax credit set-aside in Qualified Action Plan NO increase in qualifying income limit for WHEDA property tax deferral loan program Transportation
Local Roads & Highways 2.5% General Transit Aids 2.5% Specialized Transportation Aids (+$6M) 2.5% Paratransit Aids Creates Transit Capital Assistance Fund to replace transit vehicles ($10M/yr) NO NEMT reforms Allows local referendum for inter-municipal transit services Broadband / Internet Connectivity
$204M to expand broadband in rural and underserved areas Includes assistance to eligible HHs to extend Internet cable to a residence Allows municipalities, electric coops and utilities to install and maintain Make permanent some Telehealth services Creates Internet Assistance Program for Low-Income HHs Require detailed maps of broadband coverage Prohibit denial of residential Internet service on basis of race or income Veterans, Corrections, & Voting
Continue funding for Veteran’s peer-run respite in Milwaukee Expands the Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program Create a veteran rental assistance program funded at $1 million GPR in each fiscal year. Geriatric Population in Corrections: No changes in budget Close Lincoln Hills & Copper Lake / new state secure juvenile facility in MKE
Automatic Voter Registration – option to update voter registration with new Driver’s License or WI State ID. Restores Residency Requirement to 10 days prior to an election. More Information on the 2021-23 Budget Current 2019-2021 Biennial Budget
https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/StateFinances/CurrentBiennialBudget.aspx Governor’s 2021-23 Executive Budget
https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/2021-23%20Executive%20Budget.aspx Joint Finance Committee
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/committees/joint/2293
Includes Budget Procedures & Adopted Budget Motions Wisconsin Aging Action Network (WAAN) Budget Priorities
https://gwaar.org/waan-issues-and-initiatives Milwaukee County Commission on Aging Budget Priorities
Get Involved | Department on Aging (county.milwaukee.gov) Joint Committee on Finance Senate Assembly Howard Marklein (R) co-chair Mark Born (R) co-chair Dale Kooyenga (R) vice-chair Amy Loudenbeck (R) vice-chair Mary Felzkowski (R) Shannon Zimmerman (R) Dewey Stroebel (R) Terry Katsma (R) Kathleen Bernier (R) Jessie Rodriguez (R) Joan Ballweg (R) Tony Kurtz (R) Jon Erpenbach (D) Greta Neubauer (D) LaTonya Johnson (D) Evan Goyke (D) https://legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments/ How to Make Your Ask with a Legislator
1. Introduce yourself
Your name, where you live (you want to establish yourself as a constituent), a few details to establish your credibility and connection to your community. 2. Introduce your issue and experience
Introduce your issue and how your issue effects older adults. Share your personal experience with your issue. Tell them WHY you CARE. 3. Make your ask!
Make sure to let your legislator know what you want. Do you support what is in the Governor’s budget, want to see something added or changed, or want something removed? Tell your legislator how much it is going to cost or save in the budget. Get Involved! Attend / Testify at Hearings: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 The Hodag Dome, Rhinelander, WI Thursday, April 22, 2021 UW-Stout, Menomonie, WI Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Virtual Submit Budget testimony to Joint Committee on Finance at: [email protected] Attend town halls with local legislators / call your representatives, esp J C F. Follow your state senators and representatives on social media (FaceBook/Twitter) and subscribe to e-newsletters. Find your legislators online here: http://legiswisconsin.gov / 1-800-362-9472 Attend AGING ADVOCACY DAYS on Monday, May 10th & Wednesday, May 12th! Register Here: https://gwaar.org/aging-advocacy-online-2021.