% >> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
% PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
% PRODUCTION.
% >> PATIENCE IN WISCONSIN CAN'T
% COUNT ON GETTING THE CARE THAT
% THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT,
% THEY CAN'T TRUST THAT THEY WILL.
% PHYSICIANS CAN'T TRUST THAT
% THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PUT
% BEHIND BARS DOING WHAT THMP
% TRAINED TO BE DOING.
% >> THE 1849 ABORTION BAN BEGAN
% IN COURT AND RACIST COMMENTS
% FROM A UW MADISON STUDENT
% SPARKED OUTRAGE NATIONWIDE.
% I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
% TONIGHT ON "HERE & NOW," A LEGAL
% EXPERT EXPLAINS THE LAWSUITS
% CHALLENGING ABORTION STATUTES ON
% THE BOOKS.
% PROTESTS OVER A VIRAL VIDEO WITH
% RACIST COMMENTS FROM A UW
% MADISON STUDENT.
% WE HEAR MORE DETAILS BEHIND THE
% G.O.P. SHARED REVENUE PLAN AND A
% LOOK AT THE STATE'S RELIANCE ON
% IMMIGRANT LABOR.
% IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR MAY 5.
% >> FUNDING FOR "HERE & NOW" IS
% PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
% JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.
% ♪
% >> A DANE COUNTY JUDGE THIS WEEK
% HEARD ARGUMENTS WHETHER TO
% DISMISS ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH
% KAUL'S LAWSUIT OVER WISCONSIN'S
% ABORTION STATUTES.
% A NEAR TOTAL BAN ON ABORTIONS
% FROM 1849 IS BACK ON THE BOOKS
% AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
% OVERTURNED ROE VERSUS WADE.
% THE ARGUMENTS IN COURT FOCUSED
% ON DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOEL
% URMANSKI'S MOTION TO DISMISS.
% KAUL AND ATTORNEYS ON HIS SIDE
% ARGUE A MORE PERMISSIVE ABORTION
% LAW PASSED IN 1985 CONFLICTS
% WITH THE EARLIER STATUTE AND
% ALSO THAT THE EARLIER BAN IS
% NULLIFIED BY NOT BEING ENFORCED
% FOR SO LONG.
% >> FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE
% PLAINTIFF'S LAWSUIT IS
% UNPRECEDENTED IN WISCONSIN
% HISTORY.%THE PLAINTIFFS, THE
ATTORNEY
% GENERAL AND OTHER STATE
% OFFICIALS AND AGENCIES HAVE SUED
% DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, OTHER STATE
% OFFICERS, OVER WHAT AMOUNTS TO A
% DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND THE
% PLAINTIFFS A OWN DESIRE TO KNOW
% WHAT THE LAW IS.
% >> THE PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
% KNOW BEFORE THEY ACT WHAT IS AND
% IS NOT SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL
% SANCTION.%IT CANNOT BE THAT
WISCONSIN LAW
% TELLS THE WISCONSIN PUBLIC THAT
% THE SAME FACTUAL ACTS ARE BOTH
% LAWFUL AND ILLEGAL AT THE SAME E
% TIME.
% >> HERE TO UNPACK THIS
% COMPLICATED CASE, UW LAW SCHOOL
% PROFESSOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
% BEING HERE.
% AS YOU LISTEN TO THESE ARGUMENTS
% IN COURT, DID ANYTHING SURPRISE
% YOU?
% >> THERE WERE NO MAJOR
% SURPRISES.%IT WAS A LENGTHY,
RIGOROUS
% ARGUMENT.
% THE JUDGE ASKED PROBING
% QUESTIONS OF BOTH SIDES.
% JUDGE AND ATTORNEYS WERE ALL
% VERY WELL PREPARED.
% IF THERE WAS A NOTABLE FEATURE
% OF THE CASE OR OF THE ARGUMENT,
% IT WAS JUST HOW MUCH UNCERTAINTY
% SURROUNDS WISCONSIN LAW RIGHT
% NOW.% THERE WERE NEARLY TWO
HOURS OF
% ARGUMENT ABOUT HOW THIS
% INTERLOCKING WEB OF STATUTES
% FITS TOGETHER OR DOESN'T, AND I
% THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE LEVEL
% OF UNCERTAINTY THAT THE STATE
% FACES.%THERE ARE OTHER STATES
AROUND
% THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE SETTLING
% IN ONE WAY OR NEAR THE ISSUE OF
% ABORTION BUT WISCONSIN REMAINS
% IN LIMBO.
% YOU HEARD THE PHYSICIAN ATTORNEY
% SPEAK TO THAT SAYING THAT THE
% PHYSICIANS ARE NOT PERFORMING
% CARE THEY WERE TRAINED TO
% PROVIDE NOT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN
% A COURT RULING BUT ACTUALLY
% BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE.
% >> GIVEN THE ARGUMENTS BEFORE
% THE COURT THIS WEEK, DID THEY
% RISE TO OUTRIGHT DISMISSING OF
% THIS LAWSUIT, IN YOUR MIND?
% >> DEFENDANT URMANSKI IS CORRECT
% THAT THIS DOCTRINE THAT'S CALLED
% IMPLIED REPEAL IS PRETTY
% DISFAVORED BY COURTS.
% THAT MEANS THAT COURTS WILL
% GENERALLY TRY TO RECONCILE AND
% HARMONIZE ALL THE PARTS OF A LAW
% AND GIVE EACH ONE MEANING, BUT
% THE PLAINTIFFS ARGUMENT IS THAT
% THAT CAN'T BE DONE HERE, AS YOU
% HEARD IN THE CLIP, THAT THESE
% ARE JUST IRRECONCILABLE.
% TO THE EXTENT THAT THE COURT
% FINDS IT TO BE A CLOSE CASE,
% THAT WOULD CUT IN FAVOR OF NOT
% DISMISSING THE CASE BECAUSE AT
% THIS STAGE OF THE LITIGATION,
% THE CASE IS TO BE DISMISSED ONLY
% IF THE LAW IS CLEAR-CUT AGAINST
% THE PLAINTIFFS.
% >> COUNTY JUDGE DISMISS THE CASE
% AGAINST THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
% AND NOT THE DOCTORS?
% >> THE DOCTORS ARE INTERVENING
% AS PLAINTIFFS.
% SO THE QUESTION THAT'S PENDING
% ABOUT THE PARTIES IS ABOUT
% WHETHER THE STATE PLAINTIFFS ARE
% ALSO INVOLVED ENOUGH IN THE
% PROVISION OF ABORTION THAT THEY
% HAVE LEGAL STANDING TO BE THERE,
% BUT THE DEFENDANTS WOULD REMAIN
% IN THE SUIT UNLESS THE MOTION IS
% GRANTED AND THE CASE CAN
% DISMISSED ON ITS MERITS.
% >> CAN TWO STATUTES CONFLICT, AS
% IN THIS CASE, ARGUABLY, ONE
% OLDER AND ONE MORE RECENT?
% >> THERE ARE, AND THAT'S A LOT
% OF WHAT THE PARTIES WERE
% DEBATING AT THE ORAL ARGUMENT,
% WHICH IS IS THIS SITUATION CLOSE
% ENOUGH TO THOSE CASES WHERE
% IMPLIED REPEAL HAS BEEN FOUND
% AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE
% JUDGE WILL LIKELY BE SORTING OUT
% AS SHE PROCESSES THE BRIEFS.
% >> THE JUDGE SUGGESTED IN THIS
% CASE, I IN THE, THAT THE 1849
% LAW WAS FET I CRIED AND NOT
% ABORTION.%WHAT WOULD THAT ME
AN FOR LAWSUIT
% OR ABORTION LAW IN WISCONSIN?
% >> WHAT THE JUDGE AND THE
% PARTIES WERE REFERRING TO THERE
% WAS A 1994 WISCONSIN SUPREME
% COURT OPINION THAT REACHED THAT
% CONSTRUCTION OF A DIFFERENT
% SECTION OF THE SAME ABORTION
% LAW.
% SO IT LOOKED AT A RELATIVELY
% SIMILAR SITUATION, TRYING TO
% RECONCILE NEWER STATUTES WITH
% OLDER ONES, AND IT SAID THAT
% THAT EARLIER STATUTE WAS JUST
% LIMITED TO THIS FETICIDE.
% THE CASE IS NOT ON POINT BECAUSE
% IT WASN'T ABOUT THE SECTION OF
% THE STATUTE THAT'S AT ISSUE
% HERE, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE COURT
% AND THE PARTIES WERE REFERRING
% TO AND THE PLAINTIFFS' ARGUMENT
% IS THAT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR
% THE COURT TO FOLLOW IN THIS
% CASE.
% >> SO JUST HEARING YOU SPEAK,
% THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY
% COMPLICATED, AND AS YOU SAID AT
% THE BEGINNING, THESE AREN'T THE
% KINDS OF ISSUES THAT OTHER
% STATES ARE ADDRESSING AROUND
% ABORTION LAW.
% >> THAT'S CORRECT.
% THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER STATES
% IN WHICH THE QUESTION THAT'S
% BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COURT IS
% ONE ABOUT A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
% TO ABORTION.
% THIS CASE IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE
% IT'S ON THIS NARROWER AND MORE
% TECHNICAL ISSUE OF HOW THE
% STATUTE SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AND
% HOW ALL OF ITS PROVISIONS SHOULD
% BE WRITTEN TOGETHER.
% >> SO DID THIS HEARING PROVIDE
% CLUES AS TO LEGAL ACTORS GOING
% FORWARD?
% >> THERE WERE NO MAJOR NEW
% SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS, I
% THINK, AT THE HEARING.
% THE ONE NOTABLE FEATURE WAS
% THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS AN
% ARGUMENT IN THE CASE ABOUT
% DISUSE, WHICH IS THAT THE 1849
% PROVISION IS NO LONGER
% ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE OF A LONG
% PERIOD OF DISUSE, THAT WASN'T
% REALLY ADDRESSED AT THE HEARING.
% MORE OF THE FOCUS WAS ON THIS
% DOCTRINE OF IMPLIED REFEEL AND
% IF THE MOTION TO DISMISS IS NOT
% GRANTED, THEY'LL MOVE FORWARD
% WITH THAT FIRST.
% >> SO AS TO THAT DISUSE OF THE
% LAY, IS THAT A THING?
% HAS THAT BEEN THROWN OUT BEFORE
% BECAUSE OF THAT?
% >> IT'S A LEGAL CONCEPT THAT'S
% ROOTED IN IDEAS ABOUT FAIR
% NOTICE SO IF SOMETHING REALLY
% HASN'T BEEN ENFORCED FOR A LONG
% TIME, THEN PERHAPS IT WOULD BE
% UNJUST OR EVEN UNCONSTITUTIONAL
% TO JUST SORT OF REVIVE IT, BUT
% IT IS LIKE IMPLIED REPEAL.
% IT'S NOT A DOCTRINE THAT'S
% COMMONLY APPLIED ENTER SO IN
% TERMS OF COURT PROCESS AND THE
% TIME LINE HERE, WOULD IT BE YOUR
% EXPECTATION THAT THIS WILL GO TO
% THE STATE SUPREME COURT, AND IF
% SO, WILL DO SO AFTER THE NEWLY
% ELECTED LIBERAL JUSTICE
% PROTASIEWICZ IS SEATED?
% >> I THINK THE CASE WILL
% PROBABLY REACH THE WISCONSIN
% SUPREME COURT, BUT IT'S STILL AT
% A PRETTY EARLY STAGE.
% THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT
% STILL NEED TO BE GONE THROUGH AT
% THE LOWER COURTS SO IT PROBABLY
% WON'T REACH THE WISCONSIN
% SUPREME COURT IN THE VERY NEAR
% TERM.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% PROFESSOR, THANKS VERY MUCH.
% >> MY PLEASURE.
% >> TURNING TO EDUCATION,
% ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STATE
% COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES MAY
% REPORTEDLY BE HELD HOSTAGE BY
% REPUBLICANS IF THE UW SYSTEM
% DOES NOT AGREE TO ELIMINATE
% OFFICES RELATED TO DIVERSITY,
% EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, A TREND
% BEING SEEN NATIONWIDE.
% THIS NEWS COMES THE SAME WEEK A
% SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO OF A UW
% MADISON STUDENT HURLING RACIST
% SLURS HAS GONE VIRAL.
% OUTRAGE OVER THE STUDENT'S
% COMMENTS PROMPTED PROTESTS ON
% CAMPUS AND A LIST OF DEMANDS
% FROM THE STUDENT-LED BLACK POWER
% COALITION, DELIVERED TO THE
% OFFICE OF UW MADISON CHANCELLOR,
% JENNIFER NOOK KIN, INCLUDING
% ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS, MENTAL
% HEALTH RESOURCES AND COMPULSION
% OF THE STUDENT IN THE VIDEO.
% >> I WOULD SAY THAT A LOT OF
% STUDENTS' INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE
% SHOCK, CONFUSION AND PAIN.
% EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, ACTS LIKE
% THESE ARE NOT UNCOMMON HERE AND
% WE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE
% TIME TO REALLY BAND TOGETHER IN
% ORDER TO MAKE THESE THINGS NOT
% CONTINUE TO BE A REOCCURRENCE.
% AMONOOK KIN'S RESPONSE ACKNOWLED
% HARM CAUSED BUT SAYING AS TO THE
% INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE RACIST
% VIDEO, THERE ARE NUMEROUS LEGAL
% CONSTRAINTS, BOTH ON WHAT WE CAN
% SAY AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS A
% PUBLIC UNIVERSITY, EVEN THOUGH
% THE VIDEO IS BOTH HATEFUL AND
% HARMFUL, I KNOW THAT IS NOT WHAT
% YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT WE ARE
% ALSO MOUND TO OBEY THE LAW.
% DESPITE THAT, MORE THAN 50,000
% PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION
% CALLING FOR THE STUDENT IN THE
% RACIST VIDEO TO BE EXPELLED.
% HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT ALL OF
% THIS IS INTERIM PROVOST ERIC
% WILCOTS.%THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US.% >> MY PLEASURE.
% THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.%>> T
ELL US WHY THE UNIVERSITY
% CANNOT DISCIPLINE THIS STUDENT.
% >> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND ONE
% WE GET A LOT.
% I KNOW FOLKS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH
% THE ANSWER, BUT LET ME POINT A
% COUPLE OF THINGS.
% ONE IS WITH FEDERAL LAW,
% PARTICULARLY SOMETHING CALLED
% FERPA, WE CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT THAT
% INDIVIDUAL CASE.
% THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE SEEN
% CASES AFTER CASE, AND IT'S
% REALLY ESTABLISHED CASE LAW OF
% INSTANCES AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
% WHERE THIS KIND OF SPEECH, AS
% ABHORRENT AS IT IS, AS HORRIBLE
% AS IT IS, IS PROTECTED SPEECH
% UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
% BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE NOT ABLE
% TO GET -- ACT ON THIS, EVEN
% THOUGH THIS SPEECH IS ABSOLUTELY
% HORRID BECAUSE IT IS PROTECTED
% SPEECH UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT
% OF THE COUNTRY.
% >> BLACK STUDENT LEADERS TOLD US
% THAT THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED IN
% THE RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION BY
% THE CHANCELLOR.
% AS IT DIDN'T FEEL, THEY SAID,
% LIKE A CALL TO ACTION.
% WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
% >> I THINK THE CHANCELLOR'S
% COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSE
% STARTED OUT FIRST BY SHE AND THE
% ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM ARE
% DEEPLY, DEEPLY HURT BY THIS.
% THIS IS HA ABHORRENT, AND WE DO
% APOLOGIZING TO THE STUDENTS AND
% OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY
% WHO ARE OFFENDED BY THIS.
% THIS IS HORRIBLE.
% SUSTAIN THAT, THEN WHAT IS IT
% THAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD TO
% BE BETTER?
% THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A
% CAMPUS, IF WE REALLY DEDICATED
% TO, PARTICULARLY OVER THE PAST
% FEW YEARS, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF
% GREAT DIRECTIONS IN THIS SPACE.
% I WANT TO POINT TO THE REBECCA
% M. CENTER, THE CENTER THAT WE
% HAVE, SO WE'RE MAKING STEPS.
% WE HAVE INCREASED THE DIVERSITY
% OF THE STUDENT BODY OVERALL OVER
% THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND I DEEPLY
% RECOGNIZE.%I'VE BEEN ON THIS
CAMPUS 27
% YEARS.%WE HAVE NOT MADE GREAT
PROGRESS
% IN INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF
% BLACK STUDENTS ON OUR CAMPUS AND
% WE NEED TO DO BETTER AND WE WILL
% CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS DOING
% BETTER.
% SO WE ARE MAKING STEPS.
% THE STUDENTS HAD -- IN THEIR
% DEMANDS A SET OF ISSUES WHERE WE
% AS CAMPUS LEADERSHIP REALLY WANT
% TO SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT HOW
% CAN WE MOVE FORWARD ON A NUMBER
% OF THINGS THAT WE ARE INTERESTED
% IN AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION
% THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE GOING
% FORWARD.%>> YOU JUST SPOKE AB
OUT THE KIND
% OF LACK OF DIVERSITY,
% PARTICULARLY DIVERSITY OF BLACK
% STUDENTS.%ON THIS CAMPUS AND
SYSTEM-WIDE,
% SYSTEM-WIDE, IT SITS AT
% SOMETHING LIKE 2.9% OF THE
% STUDENT POPULATION.
% SO HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT?
% >> WITH A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND
% I THINK SOME OF THAT HARD WORK
% HAPPENS ON OUR ADMISSION SIDE,
% ON OUR OUTREACH INTO DIFFERENT
% COMMUNITIES TO RECRUIT STUDENTS
% TO COME TO UW MADISON.
% PART OF THAT IS OUR ABILITY TO
% BRING SCHOLARSHIP AND OTHER
% DOLLARS TO THE TABLE TO TAKE
% THAT FINANCIAL CONCERN OFF THE
% TABLE, TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT
% STUDENTS.
% PART OF THAT IS WHAT KIND OF
% PROGRAMMING DO WE HAVE, WHAT
% KIND OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS DO WE
% HAVE THAT EXCITES STUDENTS ABOUT
% BEING HERE.
% I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO JUMP
% IN.
% >> I WAS GOING TO ASK, IS PART
% OF THAT THE CULTURE.
% >> PART OF THAT IS THE CULTURE.
% IF YOU LISTEN TO MNOOKIN'S
% WORDS, A CLEAR FOCUS ON WHAT SHE
% IS CALLING FLOURISHING, AND THAT
% IS THAT NOTION THAT WE ALL
% BELONG AT UW MADISON, REGARDLESS
% OF OUR RACE AND ETHNICITIES, TO
% GET THAT SENSE OF FLOURISHING.
% HOW DO WE DOOR THAT?
% HOW DO WE BEGIN TO CHANGE MINDS?
% AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
% THAT HAS EMERGED OVER THE PAST
% 48 HOURS, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF
% EMAIL FROM DIFFERENT ACADEMIC
% UNITS ON CAMPUS DOING A BIT OF
% THAT SELF-REFLECTION, SAYING,
% OKAY, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO
% BE DOING WITHIN OUR PARTICULAR
% UNIT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
% CLIMATE, OUR CULTURE IS ONE THAT
% IS WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE OF
% ALL.
% >> HOW MUCH DOES THIS KIND OF
% THING SET ALL OF THAT BACK?
% >> IT'S A DING.
% IT'S A DING.
% WE WILL HAVE TO -- IT'S A STEP
% BACK WASHED.
% WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP
% CHARGING FORWARD AND I THINK
% WE'RE ALL DEDICATED TO DOING
% THAT.%I'VE BEEN A DEAN FOR T
HE LAST
% FOR YEARS, BUT ON CAMPUS FOR 27
% YEARS.
% I'VE SEEN IN MY COLLEAGUES A
% REAL COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION
% TO NOT JUST THAT
% DEXTROMETHODEMOGRAPHICS,IT'S EAE
% OUR NUMBER, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE
% SURE WE'RE CHANGING THAT
% CULTURE.%>> I WANTED TO GET Y
OUR REACTION
% TO THE IDEA THAT THE REPUBLICAN
% LEGISLATURE WOULD LIKE TO
% ELIMINATE CAMPUS DIVERSITY
% OFFICE IN RETURN FOR STATE
% FUNDING.
% >> I THINK THAT'S A HORRIBLE
% IDEA, AND I THINK THIS INCIDENT
% PROVES THE NEED THAT WE NEED TO
% FOCUS ON MAKING SURE OUR
% CAMPUSES ARE OPEN AND WELCOMING
% FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT REQUIRES
% DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE
% IN THESE POSITIONS WHO ARE
% ALLOWING US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
% ARE THE BEST PRACTICES AND
% THAT'S WHAT THESE ROLES CAN
% DELIVER FOR OUR CAMPUS AND
% DECREE WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE
% REALLY ASKING FOR.
% >> ERIC WILCOTS, THANK YOU FOR
% JOINING US.%>> THANK YOU.%
>> REPUBLICANS THIS WEEK
% RELEASED THE DETAILS OF THEIR
% PLAN TO INCREASE SHARED REVENUE,
% WHICH WOULD INCREASE FUNDING FOR
% LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BY AT LEAST
% 10%.%IT WOULD ALSO ASK MILWAU
KEE
% VOTERS WHETHER TO INCREASE THE
% LOCAL SALES TAX BY 2% IN ORDER
% TO PAY OFF DEBTS TO THE COUNTY'S
% PENSION SYSTEM.
% HOWEVER, THE PLAN ALSO HAS
% NON-MONETARY STRINGS ATTACHED,
% LIKE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF POLICE
% OFFICERS RETURN TO SCHOOLS IN
% THE MILWAUKEE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR
% PROHIBITING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT
% FROM PUTTING AN ADVISORY
% REFERENDUM QUESTION ON A BALLOT.
% GOVERNOR TONY EVERS SAID HE
% WOULD VETO THE PLAN AS IT IS NOW
% IN ITS ENTIRETY.
% FOR MORE ON THE SHARED REVENUE
% PLAN, WE TURN TO ROB HENKEN,
% PRESIDENT OF THE RESEARCH GROUP,
% WISCONSIN POLICY FORM.
% ROB, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH%
US.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
% >> SO JUST WHEN LOCAL
% GOVERNMENTS COULD TASTE THE
% RELIEF IN THEIR SHARED REVENUE
% AND IN THEIR BUDGETS, A POSSIBLE
% IMPASSE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
% THREAT OF A VETO.
% HOW FAR APART ARE REPUBLICANS
% AND THE GOVERNOR NOW ON THIS
% PLAN?
% >> SO I OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE ANY
% INSIDE KNOWLEDGE, BUT I WILL SAY
% THAT UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS
% SAUSAGE MAKING, SAUSAGE MAKING
% IS NOT PRETTY.
% I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD HAVE
% REASONABLY EXPECTED THAT THIS
% WAS GOING TO GO COMPLETELY
% SMOOTHLY.%I THINK FROM THE P
ERSPECTIVE OF
% LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THE IMPORTANT
% THING IS THAT THERE IS SOLID
% AGREEMENT AMONG LEADERS OF BOTH
% PARTIES THAT NOT ONLY BOOSTING
% THE AMOUNT OF SHARED REVENUE,
% BUT TYING IT PERMANENTLY TO A
% PERCENTAGE, IN THIS CASE,
% ONE-FIFTH OF THE DA STATE SALESX
% IS SOMETHING THAT THEY AGREE ON,
% AND THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT
% FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BOTH
% IN THE IMMEDIATE FUNDING
% INCREASE IT WILL PROVIDE OVER
% THE NEXT TWO-YEAR BUDGET, BUT
% ALSO IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT
% THERE IS SOME REVENUE SOURCE.
% >> HOW USUAL IS IT TO HAVE
% RESTRICTIONS AS TO HOW THE MONEY
% WILL BE SPENT OR NOT ALLOWING
% LOCAL REFERENCE.
% >> IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
% OBVIOUSLY, STATE GOVERNMENT HAS
% A GREAT DEAL OF AUTHORITY IN
% TERMS OF THE RESTRICTIONS IT CAN
% PLACE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THE
% PARAMETERS IT CAN SET FOR LOCAL
% GOVERNMENTS IN THE CASE OF DPTS
% IN PARTICULAR, COUNTIES ARE
% REALLY ARMS OF STATE GOVERNMENT.
% HOWEVER, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT THE
% OTHER WAY, TOO, AND THAT'S THE
% CHAIR REVENUE IS DIFFERENT.
% THIS WAS A COMMITMENT MADE BY
% STATE LEADERS MORE THAN A
% HUNDRED YEARS AGO WHEN THE STATE
% WAS THE FIRST IN THE NATION TO
% ADOPT AN INCOME TAX AND THERE
% WAS THIS PRINCIPLE THAT HAS THE
% STATE COLLECTED BOTH SALES AND
% INCOME TAXES AND THE ABILITY OF
% GOVERNORS TO DO LIKEWISE WAS
% EITHER ELIMINATED OR
% SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTED, THAT
% THERE WOULD BE SOME COMMITMENT
% TO SHARING THOSE REVENUES SO
% PUTTING FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON
% IT, ARGUABLY DOES MAKE THIS A
% DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
% >> HOW HAMSTRUNG IS THE CITY OF
% MILWAUKEE LIKE POTENTIALLY
% FACING BANKRUPTCY WITHOUT NEW
% MONEY OR THE ABILITY TO RAISE
% IT?
% >> I WOULDN'T D GO SO FAR AS TO
% SAY BANKRUPTCY, BUT I WOULD
% CERTAINLY SAY DRACONIAN SERVICE
% CUTS WOULD BE TO BE ADOPTED IN
% ORDER TO FILL A BUDGET HOLE AS
% DEEP AS THE ONE THAT THE CITY OF
% MILWAUKEE WOULD FACE WHEN THESE
% FEDERAL PANDEMIC RELIEF DOLLARS
% ARE EXHAUSTED AFTER 2024.
% IT'S ROUGHLY 120 TO $150 MILLION
% BUDGET HOLE IN A GENERAL PURPOSE
% BUDGET OF $650 MILLION AND GIVEN
% THE FACT THAT POLICE AND FIRE
% ARE MORE THAN HALF OF THE CITY
% OF MILWAUKEE'S BUDGET, NOT ONLY
% IS THERE NO WAY TO AVOID
% POSITION CUTS IN GENERAL, BUT
% THERE IS NO WAY TO AVOID VERY
% DEEP PUBLIC SAFETY POSITION AND
% SERVICE CUTS AND, REALLY, I
% THINK THAT'S THE FACTOR THAT'S
% BRINGING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE
% HERE.
% >> ARE THE POLITICS OF
% RESENTIMENT AS THE BOOK TITLE
% DESCRIBED STILL AT PLAYED FOR
% REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS FROM
% RURAL DISTRICTS WHEREBY OUTSIDE
% VOTERS BELIEVE THAT MILWAUKEE
% GETS TOO MUCH MONEY?
% >> YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENT CAN GO
% BOTH WAYS.
% THERE'S NO QUESTION, WHEN YOU
% LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF SHARED
% REVENUE THAT THE CITY OF
% MILWAUKEE RECEIVES, ABOUT $230
% BILLION PER YEAR, THAT'S A LOT
% OF MONEY.
% THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE SET
% UP A STRUCTURE IN THIS STATE
% WHERE OUR GAME PLAN IS TO BE
% VERY RESTRICTIVE ON LOCAL
% GOVERNMENTS IN TERMS OF THE
% VARIETY OF TAXES THAT THEY CAN
% LEVY ON THEIR OWN IN RETURN FOR
% COMMITTING TO GIVE THEM
% APPROPRIATE STATE AIDS AND
% PROPERTY AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THEM
% TO PROVIDE CRITICAL LOCAL
% SERVICES, AND SO WHILE VOTERS
% OUTSIDE OF MILWAUKEE CAN LOOK AT
% THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND SAY BOY
% THAT'S A LOT AND WHY SHOULD WE
% ADD TO THAT, YOU CAN ALSO LOOK
% AT IT AS THAT THIS APPROPRIATION
% HAS NOT GROWN FOR 25 YEARS IN
% NOMINAL TERMS AND I THINK THE
% ENTIRE STATE WOULD SUFFER IF THE
% CITY OF MILWAUKEE IS UNABLE TO
% PROVIDE THE TYPES OF CORE
% SERVICES ON WHICH NOT ONLY ITS
% RESIDENTS BUT ALSO THE MILLIONS
% OF PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE
% CITY AND THE COUNTY WHO VISIT
% MILWAUKEE ATTRACTIONS AND SO
% FORTH EVERY YEAR.
% >> WITH ONLY ABOUT A HALF A
% MINUTE LEFT, HOW DIVERGENT DO
% YOU EXPECT THE TWO BUDGETS TO BE
% WHEN IT COMES TO BIG TICKET
% ITEMS LIKE K THROUGH 12 FUNDING?
% >> YOU KNOW, K THROUGH 12
% FUNDING IS A HUGE ISSUE IN TERMS
% OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.
% I DO THINK, I'M DETECTING THAT
% THERE'S SOME FUNDAMENTAL
% AGREEMENT THAT MORE MONEY NEEDS
% TO BE AVAILABLE, PARTICULARLY
% FOR SPECIAL ED.
% THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THEY'LL
% MEET IN THE MIDDLE OR, AS YOU
% SAY, IT WILL REMAIN DIVERGEENT
% AND THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE
% ISSUES THAT POTENTIALLY DRAGS
% DOWN EVERYTHING AND DELAYS THE
% ADOPTION OF A BUDGET.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% WELL, ROB HENKEN, THANK YOU SO
% MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.
% APPRECIATE IT.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.%
>> THE ANNUAL DAY OF IMMIGRANT
% WORKERS RIGHTS ON MAY 1st SAW
% DEMONSTRATIONS IN MADISON AND
% MILWAUKEE THIS WEEK.
% AMONG ITS GOALS, ADVOCATING FOR
% DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR
% IMMIGRANTS.
% MEANWHILE, THE REPUBLICAN LED
% BUDGET COMMITTEE THIS WEEK AXED
% 545 ITEMS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S
% PROPOSED BUDGET, INCLUDING
% DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR ALL.
% THERE'S AN ESTIMATED 5,000
% MIGRANT WORKERS ARRIVING IN
% WISCONSIN ANNUALLY TO WORK
% FARMING OR FOOD PROCESSING JOBS.
% FOR MORE, WE TURN TOP TONY
% GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR OF THE
% AMERICAN HISPANIC ASSOCIATION OF
% MARATHON COUNTY, AND THANK YOU
% FOR BEING WITH US.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON
% YOUR PROGRAM.
% >> SO WHY ARE DRIVER'S LICENSES
% SO IMPORTANT FOR THE IMMIGRANT
% WORKER POPULATION?
% >> WELL, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
% BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT
% EVEN THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC
% THEY'VE JUST EXPERIENCED, IT WAS
% THOSE IMMIGRANT WORKERS OUT IN
% THE FIELDS PUTTING THE FOOD ON
% AMERICA'S TABLE, AND, YOU KNOW,
% WHATEVER PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT
% IMMIGRANTS, THE REALITY IS THAT
% THEY'RE WORKING, THAT BUSINESSES
% ARE HIRING THEM AND NEEDING
% THEIR LABOR AND OTHERWISE, WE
% WOULDN'T HAVE A LOT OF
% PRODUCTION, AND PARTICULARLY
% HERE IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN,
% WHERE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS
% NON-EXISTENT, JUST ABOUT, VERY
% LIMITED, AND THE DISTANCES ARE
% SO GREAT.
% SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY
% GET THEIR IN A SAFE WAY AND ALSO
% YOU DON'T WANT -- YOU HAVE TO
% CONSIDER THE FACT THAT A LOT OF
% THOSE IMMIGRANTS' KIDS ARE
% AMERICAN-BORN KIDS, THEY GO TO
% SCHOOLS, THEY NEED TO GO TO THE
% HOSPITALS, THEY NEED TO ARRIVE
% THERE IN A SAFE WAY SO IT'S AN
% IMPORTANT THING THAT PEOPLE DO
% SO IN A SAFE WAY AND THAT WE
% KNOW THAT -- WE ALL WANT TO KNOW
% THAT THOSE THAT ARE SHARING THE
% ROADS BUT IT IS ARE PEOPLE THAT
% HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND KNOW HOW
% TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
% >> SOME CRITICS SAY THAT THIS
% COULD LEAD TO FRAUD OR ILLEGAL
% VOTING.%WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE
TO THAT?
% >> YOU KNOW, THAT IS A NARRATIVE
% THAT IS NOT TRUE.
% NUMBER ONE, IF SOMETHING LIKE
% THAT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE TO BLAME
% THE PEOPLE AT THE VOTING POLLS
% BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOW
% THEIR I.D. AND THE OFFER HAS
% ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO MAKE SURE
% THAT THESE AREN'T GOING TO BE --
% I.D. CARDS THAT ARE VERY
% SPECIFICALLY GOING TO SAY NOT
% FOR VOTING, SO THEY'RE NOT REAL
% I.D. COMPLIANT AS THEY HAVE TO
% BE, SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY
% CLEARLY MARKED THAT THEY'RE NOT
% ABLE TO VOTE, AND I'VE GOT TO
% ADD SOMETHING TO THAT.
% THE POPULATION ALSO HAS NO
% INTEREST IN DOING THAT.
% THEIR INTEREST IS BEING ABLE TO
% GET ON THE ROAD SAFELY.
% >> HOW IS THE TIDE TURNING ON
% THIS ISSUE, THOUGH, BETWEEN THE
% WORKER SHORTAGE AND THE
% PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY?
% >> WELL, I THINK WE ARE VERY
% OPTIMISTIC THAT THINGS ARE
% CHANGING.%THE CONVERSATION H
AS CHANGED TO
% BE MORE EDUCATIONAL, WHERE OUR
% LEGISLATORS UNDERSTAND THE NEED
% THAT BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE
% INDUSTRY NEEDS FOR THE WORKERS
% AND THAT SAFETY IS SOMETHING
% THAT IS INCREDIBLY BIG, NOT ONLY
% JUST ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT
% UNDOCUMENTED WORKER, BUT THE
% REST OF US THAT ARE ON THE ROAD.
% IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
% PEOPLE HAVE INSURANCE, THAT THEY
% KNOW HOW TO DRIVE AND THAT WE
% ARE SAFE ON THE ROADS.
% >> YOU SAID ANOTHER TOP ISSUE IN
% YOUR AREA WITH NOT VERY MUCH
% TIME LEFT HERE TO TALK, IS
% MENTAL HEALTH.
% WHAT'S THE SITUATION?
% >> WELL, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A
% VERY HARD SITUATION BECAUSE
% THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH
% PROVIDERS TO START WITH, AND
% MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S NOT
% MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS THAT
% SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OR THAT HAVE
% THE CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE.
% SO WE HAVE TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
% HOPEFULLY WITH MORE
% PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN DO THAT,
% BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE USE OF
% PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE LANGUAGE,
% INTERPRETERS THAT CAN HELP
% BRIDGE THAT GAP IS VERY
% IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE IT IS AN
% ISSUE WITH MANY OF OUR FARMERS,
% BEING A QUARTER OF AN INCH THEIR
% FAMILIES, -- BEING AWAY FROM
% THEIR FAMILIES, HAVING TO LIVE
% IN THE SHADOWS, AND DID ALSO
% GROWING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT IS A
% REALLY BIG BURDEN AND IT'S A BIG
% NEED HERE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND
% PROVIDERS TO HELP WITH THAT.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% WELL, TONY GONZALEZ, THANKS VERY
% MUCH.%>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME
% ON YOUR PROGRAM.
% PLEASURE.
% >> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
% ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT
% OUR WEBSITE AT PBS WISCONSIN
% DOT-ORG, AND THEN CLICK ON THE
% NEWS TAB.
% THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
% I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
% HAVE GOOD WEEKEND.
% (CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
% RIVERSIDE CAPTIONING)
% FUNDING FOR HERE AND NOW IS
% PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
% JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.