The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original
>> We're just looking to not have our ideas
precluded from discussion. >> Tensions flare at the
Capitol. >> This is to release the
money so that we can finally get this project
going. first step toward large
scale prison reform. >> Our correction system is
in a world of hurt right now. We need to move it
forward. >> I'm Frederica Freyberg.
Tonight on "Here& Now", what's on the table for
plans to begin an overhaul of the state's troubled and
outdated prisons, tariffs, labor shortages and
increasing health care costs. The hits keep coming
for Wisconsin farmers, but could there be some relief?
[MUSIC] increased demand. It's
"Here& Now" for October 31st.
[MUSIC] >> Funding for "Here& Now"
is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and
Friends of PBS Wisconsin. >> A major overhaul of
Wisconsin's prison system got off the starting blocks
this week, when the State Building Commission voted
to approve $15 million to start the planning phase,
as Here and Now, reporter Steven Potter tells us.
Governor Tony Evers six year, $500 million plan is
wide ranging and touches multiple institutions
across the state. >> We need to ensure that
folks that are currently incarcerated need to have
adequate conditions. At least that's the bare
minimum. >> In a proposal from
Governor Tony Evers. That's supported by his fellow
Democrats in the state legislature. Several
significant upgrades and changes would be made to
the state prison system. >> We're the only path
forward, and I certainly hope that we can still find
a way forward is through bipartisan consensus.
>> Recently, Evers again urged the State Building
Commission, which met earlier this week, to
approve spending $15 million to set in motion
what he calls a comprehensive correctional
facilities plan. The governor first unveiled
this plan, which he calls a, quote, Domino series of
projects across six dock facilities during the state
budget process earlier this year.
>> These steps are each a critical part, a crucial
part of this comprehensive plan. And they have to
happen together. >> Primary among these
changes is closing the green Bay Correctional
Institution 125 year old facility, which has seen
severe understaffing and overcrowding issues, as
well as inmate violence and lengthy prisoner lockdowns.
Another change would be to transform the Waupan
Correctional Institution into a, quote, vocational
village that would create skills training and
workforce readiness programs for inmates to
help them land jobs after their release. Other
changes include converting the Stanley Correctional
Institution into a larger capacity maximum security
facility, and converting the John Burke Correctional
Center, also in Waupan, into a female institution
and adding hundreds of more beds there. The Evers Plan
also calls for adding more minimum security beds to
the Sanger B. Powers Correctional Center in
Outagamie County, and to convert the long troubled
youth prisons of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake in
far northern Wisconsin into adult facilities.
>> There's not an alternative to my plan that
is safer, faster and cheaper. Period. Except for
doing nothing. >> State Senator Dora Drake,
who represents parts of and some suburbs of northern
Milwaukee, wants to see the funding for the plan move
forward. >> Put funding where it
needs to go so we can close down some of our facilities
that we know are severely for folks that are
incarcerated, and the workers provide a different
system where we are providing vocational
opportunities. >> Separate. And aside from
this push for Governor Evers new prison plans,
there is already major change underway for where
the state houses minors convicted of serious crimes.
And that's through the construction of a brand new
youth prison for boys in Milwaukee, being built in
Senator Drake's district with money already
allocated. The new youth prison in Milwaukee is
expected to cost $78 million. It will include
educational, vocational, counseling and recreational
programs aimed at lowering the recidivism rate for
young people in the juvenile justice system.
>> It's needed is because our children need to be
closer to home. If we're serious about uplifting our
young people, then all of us have a part to play in
that. Point blank period. >> Drake points out that
the state corrections system needs all of these
changes, and even more adjustments to better help
the majority of prisoners who will ultimately be
released. >> Whether you're a child
or an adult, you are coming home. And so what are we
doing to ensure that you get the wraparound services
to not only come back home and have a fair shot at
being successful, but what can we be doing as a state
in being proactive? >> Reporting from Madison.
I'm Steven Potter for "Here& Now".
>> Despite the unanimous consensus to approve
funding for this initial planning phase, it was not
without friction between Republican members of the
commission and its chair, Democratic Governor Tony
Evers, over how these funds will be used and who will
have input in this forthcoming planning
process. >> And again, I think the
$15 million was put forward with the idea that there
could be a collaborative process that's not in what
was brought forward to the building Commission.
point because we never had a vote like this. This is
important for the state of Wisconsin to understand
that we are serious about this project. We will
continue. You know, you have my word. I'm here for
another year and several months, and you have my my,
my promise to you is that this is one step of many,
and that step will include all the legislators that
want to be involved. We've tried to to do that in the
past. What we have thus far didn't come just from us.
It came from other legislators. And so we're
hoping for that to happen going forward.
>> State Senate President Mary Felzkowski is a
Republican member of the Building Commission and,
along with other Republicans, voted with
reservations to fund the planning phase. We sat down
with Senator Felzkowski at the Capitol following the
vote. Thanks so much for doing this.
>> So the $15 million that the commission unanimously
approved is meant to start the planning process. And
Governor Evers said, quote, state to know we are
serious about this project. How serious are lawmakers
taking this prison revamp project?
lawmakers have been very serious about this since, I
think it was 2018 when we passed the closure of
Lincoln Hills and moving forward with the Sgaus. And
if you look at it, we've had numerous council
studies around revamping corrections. We've had
legislators from the green Bay area trying to close
the green Bay Correctional Institute for years and do
other types of reforms. So this has been a forefront
for a lot of us for a lot of years.
>> But what concerns do you have even ahead of this
planning process? corrections has been in
disarray under many governors. And Governor
Evers when he first ran against Governor Walker.
What is that eight years ago now? Ran on corrections
reform and has done really nothing. He's pushed for
the closure of Lincoln Hills, but we've all been
working towards a closure of Lincoln Hills, so that's
not something special that he's been doing. And now
all of a sudden, in 2025 budgetary cycle, he comes
out with a proposal and he's kind of like shoving
it down our throats. And he didn't include anybody in
this proposal, not his own legislative Democrats. And
he's kind of given us a take it or leave it
proposal. I don't I don't think that's how this
should work. Now he wants $15 million to move forward
with that plan. There was a press release that
doesn't even didn't even seem like he remembered
putting out two weeks ago. That said, you have to
release this money. Don't hold it up.
>> Whatever. You took objection to that.
>> How is that a bipartisan move forward and under his
proposal? Because right now we have over 1100 medium
security inmates that are housed in a maximum
security institutions. And because of that, they're
not receiving any programing to help them.
They're not where they need to be. Under this proposal,
he's releasing them into society in order to move
forward with the building modifications that he wants
to do. So you're going to take 700 people that have
had no programing and release them under a
program earned release that normally they would go
through programing, mental health programing and other
things and just release them into society. How is
that good for the safety of constituents to release
people out into society? And if you look at some of
the crimes that have been committed by these people,
it's not safe. It's not well thought out. And the
sad part about it, we don't have to do that. We gave
them alternatives yesterday where we could expand
Jackson. We could expand to Chita, move people into
those programs. Lincoln Hills can be converted. We
can take over 500 inmates there. Close green Bay and
expand on other areas. It's just not what he's doing is
not well thought out. >> In the meantime, though,
he said to you that you have my promise. This is
one step of many, and the next step will include all
legislators that want to be involved. Are you confident
in that promise? >> I'm not going to use the
term confident, cautiously optimistic. Cautiously
optimistic. >> Is there danger of
partisan politics kind of derailing this whole effort
to redo the correctional system in Wisconsin?
>> That's what's been happening so far. I'm
hoping that with the governor's words yesterday,
we get away from partisan politics and move towards
doing what's right for the citizens for once.
>> In terms of those 700 inmates and their release.
Does does that skirt in your mind toward kind of
prison reform policy, or do you think it's simply just
to make the dominoes, as they're called, work in
this project? >> There was things in the
governor's proposal that I think every one of us could
have gotten behind, because I think a lot some of his
ideas were positive. That's why I think it would have
been nice to include this doesn't have to be a
Democrat or a Republican idea. Prison reform across
the United States has been very nonpartisan. We can
all work towards the same ideas. But when you when
you give somebody a proposal and say, take it
or leave it, here it is. This is what we're moving
forward with. And even a good proposal. How
do you think the other sides are going to react?
>> Reiterate for me what the prongs of a good
proposal would be in your mind.
policy change where we need to look at the programing
as it it's out there. Former Assemblyman Mike
Schram had the idea around. I'll use Waupan, for
example, of making that into more of an academy
where medium and minimum security inmates could get
programing education so that when they are entry
into society, they are ready to go and they're
educated and more into a work environment so they
can become productive members of society. One of
the things that we see around prisoner reentry, if
they can have a home, have a job, and become
productive, they are much less likely to re-offend.
They become productive. Self esteem can take care
of their families. That's a winning message in the
corrections reform. Those are ideas that have worked
in other states. Those are some ideas that could have
been brought to the table. I hope we can count on the
governor being true to his word, and that he brings
all people together, and that we can put a plan
together, because our world of hurt right now. We
need to move it forward. >> In a sea of not great
news, Wisconsin farmers could see a boost after
President Donald Trump met with China this week. As a
result of the talks, China promised to restart buying
U.S. soybeans after halting such purchases. In May,
Wisconsin farmers waylaid by trade disputes could at
least see a better market for soybeans, but they're
still facing trade trouble for beef, rising costs, and
for the many farmers who, as small business owners,
depend on Affordable Care Act health plans, hikes in
premiums. We pick up now with Brad Olson, president
of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. And thanks a lot
for being here. >> Thank you for having me.
>> So, all told, what kind of headwinds are Wisconsin
farmers facing right now? >> Well, just increasing
costs, fertilizer, feed, all of those are increasing
at a time when when other than the price of fat
cattle, everything is is down, corner down, beans
have been down. Milk is not good. So lots of lots of
headwinds out there. On the other hand, farmers have
faced this in the past and are resilient.
>> Are the input costs for things like fertilizer and
feed having to do with trade?
>> Not so much. Certainly a little bit. I mean, if you,
you know, from the potash side of things, 80% of
potash comes from, from Canada. So we certainly
want good stable trade with Canada on that side to keep
potash prices normal. Normal.
>> How welcome is the news that China will start
buying soybeans again. >> Oh extremely welcome. I
mean, a big deal not just in Wisconsin but across the
nation to get China back. You know, maybe not this
year, but the next two years of buying what they
have in the past is exceptional. Good news for
soybean farmers and all farmers across the nation.
>> Is it expected that China will buy enough to
kind of offset that country not buying since May?
>> Well, they're going to buy roughly, you know, 12
million metric tons this year, which isn't going to
make up the difference. But at the end of the day, it's
going to make a big difference. And moving
forward to 26 and 27 with that promise to buy back to
the, you know, the same level that they had been is
certainly going to help agriculture out in the long
run here. >> What about beef
producers in Wisconsin with President Trump's plan to
quadruple imports from significant impact in this
state? >> I guess time will tell.
You know, certainly it's the first time that beef
producers have been profitable in a number of
years. So we're certainly concerned and keeping an
eye on that on a regular, very regular basis.
>> As to this government shutdown and the Fight over
Affordable Care Act, enhanced premiums or
enhanced tax credits, how dependent are Wisconsin
farmers on kind of marketplace plans?
>> Somewhat fortunately, Wisconsin Farm Bureau is
again this year going to try and get the Tennessee
Health Plan passed here in Wisconsin, which would help
farmers considerably that that are in that in-between
maybe don't are not eligible for the Affordable
Health Care Act, but at the same point, can't afford
regular health care from, you know, companies across
the state of the nation. So again, we're working on
trying to to find that middle ground where we can
where we can help members out.
health plan offered by the Farm Bureau do? I mean,
what what is that plan? >> It's just a health plan
that not necessarily insurance, but a plan that
is typically, like I say, it isn't for people who
necessarily on the affordable health care, but
also people who cannot necessarily afford it,
finds them, them people that are in between. Right.
>> And so that would require legislation from
the state. >> It would require
legislation from the state and being signed by the
governor. 14 other states around the nation have it.
>> And what are those prospects for that
happening? >> A little better than
5050, I think. >> Well, those aren't bad
odds, really. But no, no. Another kind of hot topic.
The 2025 farm bill, the largest piece of which is
SNAP, which we're all talking about right now.
How is work on that progressing?
>> Well, there again, we need not not just for Snap
benefits, but everybody across the nation, farmers,
everyone in day to day businesses. We need to get
the federal government back up and going again. You
know, you go to the airport, the TSA people aren't
necessarily being paid. We need those people to be
paid. And hopefully here, hopefully this week we'll
see some movement and get the government open again
and get those people paid, as well as get recipients
of federal programs taken care of.
that has been discussed a labor and labor shortages.
Is that something that Wisconsin farmers are
with? >> Yeah, I think so. You
know, it's agriculture is a labor dependent business.
And so it has always been that and we've just, you
know, rural America, rural Wisconsin is shrinking. So
we don't have those those neighbors and those other
farm kids to to necessarily fill those jobs.
>> We leave it there. Brad Olson, thanks very much for
your time. >> Thank you very much.
>> As of tomorrow, SNAP or Foodshare benefits are due
to run out because of the government shutdown.
Wisconsin gets about $115 million a month from the
feds to help some 700,000 people be able to buy
groceries. State Attorney General Josh Kaul signed on
to a multi-state lawsuit to tap contingency funds in
the USDA to cover SNAP into November.
>> A government shutdown has never stopped states
from distributing these critical benefits to those
who need them. So this lawsuit is about protecting
Foodshare funding and preventing Wisconsinites
and millions of others from around the country, from
losing access to what can be life sustaining food
assistance. As the government shutdown moves
forward. >> Following a hearing in
the lawsuit, the federal judge in Massachusetts
indicated she would order the Trump administration to
send Snap funds to states. So the familiar uncertainty
persists. But adding to the federal snap cliff, some
18,000 federal workers in Wisconsin are mostly going
without a paycheck. Where to turn for help to feed
the family in the midst of it, food banks and pantries
are girding for a rush on their services. We turn to
Jackie Anderson, executive director of Feeding
Wisconsin, a statewide network of food banks. And
thanks very much for being here.
>> So what kind of trepidation do you have
going forward with potential lapses or
disruptions in food share benefits?
about having enough food because we know that people
already, in preparation for not being able to receive
their Snap benefits in the month of November, they're
starting to stock up. So across the state, we're
really thinking about how can we ensure that
everybody has the amount of food that they have until
the government opens up again and Snap benefits
will go back on EBT cards? >> You're saying with
people kind of stocking up even ahead of any kind of
cut of Snap funding, that you're having difficulties
because the costs are going up?
some vendors, because they know that there is pressure
to make sure that we have food on our shelves. There
are some significant increases that we're seeing
in some parts of the state. So, you know, we're really
trying to encourage people to use their Snap benefits
in the month of November because there was some
miscommunication saying that a person could not use
their Snap benefits throughout the month of
November, and that is inaccurate. The confusion
was around whether or not stores would accept their
EBT cards in the month of November, and the message,
and that because of messaging that had come
from on the federal level. And so we needed to be
clear that everybody can use their benefits. So
let's say you have a balance left over in
October. You absolutely can use that in the month of
November. >> How have food prices
already taxed your services even ahead of all of this?
The shutdown. numbers we were looking at
were actually pre-COVID. So we know already because of
inflation that people cannot keep food in their
shelves like they had previously done. So we know
we knew already that we didn't have enough food at
the food bank and food pantry world to to keep
everybody fed. And now this is just increased what we
need to do. >> As to the lawsuit to tap
USDA contingency contingency funds to cover
SNAP through November, what's your response to the
administration? can't do that?
>> Yeah, it's frustrating because we know that there
is funds on the federal level. We know that there's
funds at the state level as well. The funding is there.
It's just a matter of releasing it. And it is a
political game at this point. And everybody needs
to to come together because people are going to go
hungry. And that is not something that anyone
should play around with. We need to really take
advantage of the funds that are there and release them.
>> It does seem like a policy choice, because
there are some lawmakers who believe that the Snap
program is bloated or rife with abuse and fraud. What
do you know about that? >> It's not we we see time
and time again, and we know the vast majority of people
who are using Snap benefits absolutely are working more.
They work 1 or 2 jobs that it's not it's not fraud.
It's not fraud, waste and abuse. We know that people
who need it are 700,000 people throughout the state
of Wisconsin. Of them, a large percentage are senior
citizens and families with children. It's not people
who are taking advantage of the system.
>> Even with a court order, could recipients experience
a lapse in food share? >> Absolutely. So even when,
released and it goes back on their EBT cards, we know
that there will be a slight delay just to get
everything up and running again. So we're being
really clear in the messaging around that, that
even when the government opens up, it's not going to
be a miraculous, you know, addition on their EBT cards.
It's going to take a couple of days to get things up
and running. >> So Feeding Wisconsin
secures donations from retailers, food companies,
local donors and ag producers. Have those
donations kept pace with this demand?
>> It's interesting. So our food banks, they collect a
lot of donations. And what you just spoke about, I
think where we're seeing the biggest lapse right now
is corporate donors. And that could be because of
tariffs. Like there's a lot of reasons why that's
happening. But on the whole there is donations. So many
people want to help out right now. We encourage
anybody if they are interested in helping out,
go straight to the food bank or the food pantries
instead of doing individual food drives. That is where
you can get the most for your money. Where they have
purchasing power, they understand what their
community needs. >> So for people who have
never sought out food pantries, what should they
know? that our food pantries are
welcoming and that they are there to help the community.
They try to communicate what is available most, not
most all, food banks and food pantries. They are
there. Times are listed on their websites and
sometimes those change based on if it's a mobile
pantry. Also, expect long lines we're seeing right
now. You know where there used to be maybe an hour
long line. Now it's 2 to 3 hours long, so expect a
delay if you could get there during the
distribution hours early. That will help ensure that
there's enough food for you. >> Is it true that right
now there are many first time users kind of of
pantries? Especially in those
military communities. We know that there are first
timers. You know, anyone else who is a federal
worker. If they're not getting paid, we know that
they're going to be first timers as well as just
people who are struggling to because of the cost of
groceries right now. So, absolutely, the number of
first timers is high. >> All right. Jackie
Anderson, thanks very much. >> Thank you.
>> For more on this and other issues facing
website at PBS Wisconsin and then click on the news
tab. That's our program for tonight I'm Frederica
[MUSIC]
>> Funding for "Here& Now" is provided by the Focus
Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.