Legislative Dems: Instead of wreaking havoc on Wisconsin families, Republicans should do the righ

[riversedge]

Legislative Dems: Instead of wreaking havoc on Wisconsin families, Republicans should do the right thing


http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=356736



/29/2015

Contacts: Laura Smith, Office of Rep. Barca, 608.266.5504
Rep. Debra Kolste, 608.266.7503
Tony Palese, Office of Sen. Shilling, 608.266.5490
Sen. Janet Bewley, 608.266.3510

End of Walker’s campaign creates chance to bring BadgerCare dollars home


....Refusing to accept BadgerCare funds is not only bad for hardworking people who deserve health coverage, it is also creating major budget problems for the state. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the 2017-19 structural deficit stands at $210 million (see memo). Accepting federal funds for BadgerCare would save Wisconsin taxpayers $360 million over the next two years, and between $2 and $5 billion over the next decade.

“As Gov. Walker tours around the state hopefully apologizing to residents for his inattention to Wisconsin, the first thing he can do is stop holding BadgerCare hostage,” Rep. Debra Kolste (D-Janesville) said. “The good news is that this bad decision is reversible. I hope that Gov. Walker and Republicans will do the right thing for our state by accepting health care dollars that will help real people gain health coverage while improving our state’s bottom line.”

Wisconsin is surrounded by states that have accepted federal health care funds and are benefitting from the investment. Neighboring states like Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana are accepting federal Medicaid dollars and are experiencing large budget surpluses that allows them to invest in education systems. In the meantime, Wisconsin Republicans have made major cuts to our world-class UW system while also refusing to invest in infrastructure or struggling middle-class families.

Today, Citizens Action of Wisconsin also submitted more than 40,000 petitions asking Gov. Walker and lawmakers to say yes to accepting the federal funds for BadgerCare. Accepting federal health funds would also boost jobs in Wisconsin at a time when the state ranks 9th out of 10 in the Midwest in private-sector job growth over the past four years. Estimates find that accepting federal funds for BadgerCare would create more than 10,000 jobs in Wisconsin.