AND WITH OUR PARTNERS AT
WISCONTEXT DEFINING THE MEANING
OF RURAL IN WISCONSIN.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR FRIDAY,
JUNE 23.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW"
IS PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS
OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> OUR FIRST LOOK THIS WEEK
CENTERS ON HEALTHCARE.
AFTER MONTHS OF SPECULATION AND
CONTROVERSY U.S. SENATE
REPUBLICANS UNVEILED THEIR
HEALTHCARE BILL ON THURSDAY.
THE GOAL, TO BRING DOWN
INSURANCE COSTS BY REPEALING
AND REPLACING MAJOR PORTIONS OF
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
THE PROPOSED SENATE REPUBLICAN
HEALTH PLAN WOULD REPEAL
OBAMACARE TAXES, ROLL BACK AND
EVENTUALLY ELIMINATED EXPANDED
MEDICAID.
BASE TAX CREDITS TO HELP PAY
FOR INSURANCE ON INCOME AND
AGE, ELIMINATES THE INDIVIDUAL
AND EMPLOYER MANDATE TO HAVE
INSURANCE, AND CUTS FUNDING FOR
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FOR ONE YEAR.
FOUR REPUBLICAN SENATORS SAY
THEY ARE NOT READY TO VOTE FOR
THE HEALTHCARE BILL INCLUDING
SENATOR RON JOHNSON OF
WISCONSIN.
IN A JOINT AT THE SAME TIME THE
FOUR SENATORS SAID THE MEASURE
FAILS TO REPEAL OBAMACARE AND
LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS.
AND WISCONSIN'S DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR, TAMMY BALDWIN, ALSO
OPPOSES THE PLAN SAYING, QUOTE,
IT WILL MAKE FAMILIES PAY MORE
FOR LESS CARE AND INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNINSURED.
GOP LEADERS HOPE TO VOTE ON THE
BILL NEXT WEEK AND CAN AFFORD
ONLY TWO NO VOTES.
JUST THIS WEEK, HEALTH
TRADITION HEALTH PLAN, WHICH
SERVES 14 WISCONSIN COUNTIES
AND ANTHEM BLUE CROSS-BLUE
SHIELD ANNOUNCED THE VOLATILE
MARKETPLACE IS FORCING THEM TO
PULL OUT OF THE FEDERAL
HEALTHCARE EXCHANGE.
THE ANTHEM MOVE IMPACTS 14,000
WISCONSIN FAMILIES.
DONNA FRIEDSAM, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
>> PLEASED TO BE HERE.
>> WE WANTED TO ASK YOU RIGHT
OUT OF THE SHOOT WHO ARE THE
WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THAT
SENATE REPUBLICAN BILL.
>> THERE HAS BEEN A LOT WRITTEN
ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN THE TAX
CREDITS FOR LOWER INCOME PEOPLE
AND THE TAX CUTS FOR THE
FUNDING OF THE BILL.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME DEGREE OF
REDISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING AND
PEOPLE WITH HIGHER INCOMES WILL
HAVE SOME BENEFIT AND LOWER
INCOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE SOME
REDUCTION AND SUPPORT THROUGH
THIS BILL.
I THINK SEVERAL ANALYSTS HAVE
SAID THAT.
GENERALLY, I DON'T LIKE TO
THINK OF IT ABOUT INDIVIDUAL
WINNERS AND LOSERS BUT RATHER
LOOK AT IT IN A WAY OF HOW IS
IT GOING TO BENEFIT OUR STATE
AND THE GOALS THAT ALL OF US
SHARE?
THE GOALS THAT I THINK MOST
PEOPLE SHARE ARE HOW IS IT
GOING TO AFFECT THE PRICE OF
HEALTH INSURANCE BROADLY, THE
WAY WE GET HEALTH INSURANCE,
HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR
HEALTH AND OUR ECONOMY.
AND BY THOSE MEASURES WE CAN
JUDGE AND CONSIDER WHETHER WE
THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
BENEFICIAL FOR US.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> SO AT THIS POINT WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE IS THAT THE PRICE --
THE PREMIUMS FOR HEALTH
INSURANCE WILL LIKELY RISE FOR
MANY PEOPLE BUT FOR SOME SMALL
GROUP OF THE POPULATION THEY
MIGHT SEE LOWER PREMIUMS AND
THAT INCLUDES YOUNGER,
HEALTHIER PEOPLE.
WHILE THEY MIGHT SEE LOWER
PREMIUMS, THEY WILL PROBABLY
SEE HIGHER DEDUCTIBLES AND THAT
IS BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE
INSURANCE, THE AMOUNT OF
BENEFITS THE INSURANCE COVERS
WILL BE LOWER.
BUT THE PREMIUMS WILL LIKELY GO
DOWN FOR YOUNGER, HEALTHIER
PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD
BRING MORE YOUNGER, HEALTHIER
PEOPLE INTO THE MARKET.
IF MORE HEALTHY, YOUNGER PEOPLE
GO INTO THE MARKET IT COULD
BRING DOWN UNDERLYING PREMIUMS
FOR EVERYBODY.
>> THAT WAS THE THEORY IN THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, HENCE SOME
OF THE MANDATES TO HAVE
INSURANCE.
BUT THOSE ARE GONE NOW.
YOU THINK THAT SIMPLY LOWER
COST FOR PREMIUMS WILL INJECT
THE MARKET WITH THOSE HEALTHY
PEOPLE?
>> WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE --
HAVE BEEN WRITING IN THE LAST
-- WE'VE HAD 24 HOURS OR 36
HOURS NOW TO THINK ABOUT THIS
BILL AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS
THAT IT ELIMINATES THE MANDATE
FOR COVERAGE, BUT IT DOES NOT
REPLACE IT WITH ANY OTHER KIND
OF PARTICULAR INCENTIVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
SICK OR OLDER GET THAT COVERAGE.
THE ONLY THING THERE IS AN
EXPECTATION THAT THEY WILL BE
ENTICED BY LOWER PREMIUMS.
IF THERE IS NOT ANY PARTICULAR
DEFINITE INCENTIVE, THERE IS A
VERY STRONG CONCERN THAT YOUNG,
HEALTHY PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT IT
AND SAY WHY SHOULD I BUY
INSURANCE?
>> WHY DO PREMIUMS GO UP FOR
OTHER THAN YOUNG AND HEALTHY?
>> BECAUSE THEY NEED MORE
SERVICES AND THEY NEED TO
ACCESS MORE SERVICES SO THEY
NEED MORE BENEFITS COVERED AND
THAT COSTS THE INSURANCE
COMPANY MORE.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT MEDICAID,
ANOTHER REALLY BIG ITEM.
THE EXPANSION IS MORE SLOWLY
PHASED OUT THAN IN THE HOUSE
BILL UNDER THIS SENATE BILL.
BUT THEN MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THOSE MEDICAID FUNDING IS CUT
DEEPER IN THE SENATE BILL.
RON JOHNSON, THOUGH, SAYS THAT
THIS IS NOT, IN FACT, A CUT TO
MEDICAID.
IT IS JUST PUTTING THE BRAKES
ON GROWTH.
WHAT --
>> I WOULD SAY FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE THAT THIS BILL THAT
WE HAVE FROM THE SENATE IS MORE
OF A REPEAL AND REPLACE OF
MEDICAID THAN IT IS OF
OBAMACARE, FRANKLY.
IT RADICALLY CHANGES THE WAY
MEDICAID HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR
ITS 50 YEARS AS A SAFETY NET.
IT DOES SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE
THE AVAILABLE FEDERAL FUNDING
BY 25% OR POSSIBLY MORE IN THE
OUT YEARS.
AND IT BRINGS THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO STATES TO
HANDLE WHATEVER REDUCTIONS IN
FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE'LL BE
FACING IN WISCONSIN AND IN ALL
THE STATES IN THE OUT YEARS AND
THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL
PARTICIPATION WILL DECLINE IN
THE OUT YEARS THAN THE
IMMEDIATE YEARS BUT IT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE INCREASING
PRESSURE ON STATES TO REDUCE OR
TO HANDLE REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL
SUPPORT.
>> I KNOW THE CBO HASN'T SCORED
THIS YET BUT DO EXPERTS LIKE
YOURSELF HAVE A HANDLE AS TO
HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT LOSE
HEALTH COVERAGE ON THIS KIND OF
SENATE REPUBLICAN BILL?
>> WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE
CBO WEIGHS IN.
THAT SHOULD BE EARLY NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE THE CBO SCORE FROM THE
HOUSE BILL.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL ESTIMATES
THAT CAME RECENTLY FROM THE CMS
ACTUARY.
THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT LOWER IN
TERMS OF LOSS OF COVERAGE.
THEY ESTIMATED ABOUT 10 MILLION
PEOPLE LOSING COVERAGE --
ADDITIONAL PEOPLE LOSING
COVERAGE AS OPPOSED TO 23
MILLION PEOPLE.
BUT NONETHELESS I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO SEE POTENTIALLY
SIMILAR LOSSES IN COVERAGE.
IF NOT THAT, WHAT I THINK MANY
PEOPLE WILL EXPECT WOULD BE AN
INCREASE IN WHAT WE WOULD
CONSIDER TO BE LOWER INSURANCE.
SO PEOPLE HAVE A MUCH LIGHTER
COVERAGE.
>> WE HAVE JUST ABOUT A MINUTE
LEFT AND WITH THAT I WANT TO
ASK YOU ABOUT PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS.
HOW ARE THOSE TREATED UNDER
THIS SENATE BILL?
>> THE SENATE BILL, UNLIKE THE
HOUSE BILL, THE HOUSE BILL SAID
STATES COULD WAIVE PRE-EXISTING
PROTECTIONS.
THE SENATE BILL SAYS STATES
CAN'T WAIVE PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS BUT ALLOWS STATES TO
-- BASICALLY IT SAYS THAT
INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL HAVE
TO CONTINUE TO COVER PEOPLE
WITH THESE HIGH COST CONDITIONS
BUT INSURANCE COMPANIES MIGHT
NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE THE
BENEFITS THAT THE PEOPLE NEED
IN THEIR INSURANCE.
>> REALLY QUICKLY.
KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW, HOW DO
YOU THINK WISCONSIN MIGHT ACT
WITH ANY ABILITY LIKE THAT TO
GET A WAIVER?
>> I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO
BE DIFFICULT ON THE STATE LEVEL
TO HAVE OUR STATE LEGISLATURE
DECIDE TO WAIVE THE KIND OF
BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO RELYING
UPON FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
DONNA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IN THIS WEEK'S LOOK AHEAD
THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
WILL RULE ON A WISCONSIN CASE
THAT COULD HAVE MAJOR
RAMIFICATIONS ACROSS THE
NATIONAL POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
IT IS GILL VERSUS WHITFORD AND
CENTERS ON A DISPUTE OVER
WISCONSIN'S LEGISLATIVE
BOUNDARIES ARE GERRYMANDERING.
THE LOWER COURTS HAVE ALREADY
RULED THESE MAPS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
ELECTION LAW EXPERTS SAY THE
WISCONSIN CASE IS THE BEST
CHANCE YET FOR THE HIGH COURT
TO PUT LIMITS ON WHAT LAWMAKERS
MAY DO TO GAIN A PARTISAN
ADVANTAGE IN CREATING POLITICAL
DISTRICT MAPS.
WISCONSIN ASSEMBLY MINORITY
LEADER PETER BARCA SAID QUOTE,
NOW THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS
DECIDED THE HEAR THE CASE THERE
COULD BE A PRECEDENT SET TO END
EXTREME PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING.
VOTERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE
THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, NOT THE
OTHER WAY AROUND.
BRAD SCHIMEL IS CHARGED WITH
DEFENDING THE REPUBLICAN DRAWN
DISTRICTS AND SAID I'M THRILLED
THE SUPREME COURT HAS GRANTED
OUR REQUEST TO REVIEW THE
RESTRICTING DECISION.
THE PROCESS WAS LAWFUL AND
CONSTITUTIONAL AND THE DISTRICT
COURT SHOULD BE REVERSED.
SO IN TONIGHT'S CLOSER LOOK,
THE SUPREME COURT'S ULTIMATE
RULING COULD SHIFT HOW
LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL
LINES ARE DRAWN IN EVERY STATE.
AS A RESULT, WHO CONTROLS STATE
HOUSES AND CONGRESS.
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO CAPITOL
BUREAU CHIEF SHAWN JOHNSON HAS
BEEN TRACKING IT FOR MONTHS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
HOW BIG OF A DEAL IN YOUR
ESTIMATION AND IN OTHERS IS
THIS THAT THIS CASE WENT TO THE
U.S. SUPREME COURT?
>> IT'S BIG IN WISCONSIN
BECAUSE IT'S OUR MAP.
IT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE
DIVIDE UP LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
AND POTENTIALLY CHANGE WHO GETS
ELECTED IN WISCONSIN
LEGISLATURE BUT IT'S BIGGER
THAN THAT.
IT'S A BIG NATIONAL DEAL.
THE BIG REDISTRICTING PROCESS,
THERE IS A POINT AT WHICH
SOMEBODY CAN GET TOO PARTISAN
AND DEMOCRATS WHO BROUGHT THIS
CASE ARE SAYING THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED IN WISCONSIN.
AND THEY WANT THE SUPREME COURT
TO USE THIS CASE AND WHAT
HAPPENED HERE AS A TEMPLATE FOR
SAYING NO, THAT IS REJECTING
OTHER WHAT THEY VIEW AS
PARTISAN GERRYMANDERS AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
>> WHY DID THE HIGH COURT
DECIDE TO STATE WISCONSIN'S
CASE IN PARTICULAR?
>> BOTTOM LINE.
THE FEDERAL PANEL THAT STRUCK
DOWN WISCONSIN'S MAP ON A 2-1
DECISION IS WHAT MADE THIS CASE
RIPE FOR THAT APPEAL.
THAT PANEL UPSET THE STATUS QUO
AND CHANGED THE STATUS QUO.
IT SIDED WITH THE
GERRYMANDERING CASE AND SAID
YES, YOU CAN STRIKE DOWN A MAP
FOR BEING TOO PARTISAN FOR
DISCRIMINATING AGAINST
DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN THIS CASE
BECAUSE OF THEIR POLITICAL
BELIEFS.
MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM TO
TRANSLATE VOTES TO LEGISLATIVE
SEATS.
ONCE THE COURT MADE THAT RULING
IT MADE IT LIKELY THE SUPREME
COURT WAS GOING TO WANT TO GET
INVOLVED.
>> THE ARGUMENT ON THE PART OF
THE CHALLENGERS TO THE MAPS IS
REPUBLICANS DREW THE LINES
KNOWING FULL WELL THAT
DEMOCRATIC VOTES WOULD BE QUOTE
WASTED.
IS THIS A NOVEL CHALLENGE?
>> IT'S A NOVEL WAY OF
MEASURING AN OLD PHENOMENON.
WHAT PLAINTIFFS HAVE DONE IN
THIS CASE HAVE COME UP WITH THE
NEW METRIC THEY CALL THE
EFFICIENCY GAP.
IT IS A WAY OF MEASURING WHAT
HAS GONE ON FOREVER IN
REDISTRICTING.
THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN IT,
THEY ARE ABLE TO PACK VOTERS
FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
SO PACK A BUNCH OF DEMOCRATIC
VOTERS INTO DISTRICTS THAT THEY
WILL WIN ANYWAY SO THEY ARE
WASTING VOTES, OVERVOTING IN
THOSE DISTRICTS AND THEN YOU
CRACK THEM, SPREAD THEM OUT IN
OTHER DISTRICTS WHERE THEY COME
UP JUST SHORT AND WASTE THOSE
VOTES, TOO.
THEY PUT A NEW METRIC ON THAT
THAT CAN MEASURE ONE STATE'S
MAPS AGAINST ANOTHER AND BY
THAT METRIC THE EFFICIENCY GAP,
WISCONSIN HAS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST PARTISAN GERRYMANDERS
OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS.
>> THE COURT STAYED OR DECLINED
THE LOWER COURTS RULING THAT
REPUBLICANS IN WISCONSIN HAD TO
DRAW UP NEW MAPS BY THE 2018
ELECTIONS.
AND GOP LEADERS LIKE ATTORNEY
GENERAL SCHIMEL HAVE BEEN
SAYING THAT THIS IS A VICTORY
RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT
EXPERTS ARE SAYING AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THAT STAY HAS
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR
THINKING ON THE CASE ITSELF?
>> YOU KNOW IT'S DEFINITELY
POSITIVE FOR REPUBLICANS BAUT
THE EXPERTS THAT WE'VE TALKED
TO SAY THAT MAKES IT MORE
LIKELY NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS
IN THIS CASE, EVEN IF THE COURT
WERE TO AGREE AND SAY YES, THIS
WAS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL
GERRYMANDER, IT MAKES IT MORE
LIKELY THAT THIS MAP WILL BE IN
PLACE FOR THE 2018 ELECTION.
SO IT'S A WIN FOR REPUBLICANS.
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT GIVES
YOU SOME INCLINATION OF WHERE
JUSTICES ARE GOING TO RULE,
POSSIBLY.
ONE REASON THEY WOULD ISSUE A
STAY IS THEY THINK THAT
REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO
EVENTUALLY PREVAIL BUT THEY
COULD BE ISSUING THE STAY
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO
UPSET THE STATUS QUO WHILE
THEY'RE HEARING THE CASE
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE
THEY'RE GOING WITH IT.
>> IT'S EX PREKTED THE SUPREME
COURT WILL HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS
LATE THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT
YEAR.
A DECISION IS EXPECTED BY JUNE
2018.
THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF
WISCONSIN ELECTIONS TESTIFIED
THIS WEEK BEFORE THE U.S.
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATING RUSSIA'S
INFLUENCE ON THE 2016 ELECTIONS.
MICHAEL HAAS TESTIFIED
WEDNESDAY ABOUT POTENTIAL
THREATS TO UPCOMING ELECTIONS
AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM 2016.
>> THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT
VOTING MACHINES OR ELECTION
RESULTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED IN
U.S. ELECTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE'S
EMPHASIS ON THAT.
I THINK THAT FOR THE PUBLIC
THAT CANNOT BE STATED ENOUGH.
AND STRONGLY ENOUGH.
STILL, WE AS ELECTION
ADMINISTRATORS MUST EXERCISE
VIGILANCE TO ASSURE THAT SUCH
THEORETICAL ATTACKS DO NOT
BECOME REALITY.
WE MUST ALSO CONTINUE TO
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT
SAFEGUARDS IN THE SYSTEM.
>> HE WASN'T AWARE OF ANY
ATTEMPTS TO HACK WISCONSIN'S
ELECTION SYSTEM BUT HASN'T
TALKED TO U.S. INTELLIGENCE
ABOUT WHETHER WISCONSIN WAS ONE
OF THE 21 STATES THAT
EXPERIENCED HACKING ATTEMPTS.
SLOWER THAN HOPED FOR PROGRESS
ON KEY REPUBLICAN INITIATIVES
LIKE HEALTHCARE AND TAX REFORM
MIGHT PROMPT CONGRESS TO CANCEL
ITS AUGUST RECESS.
HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN TOLD
THE 2017 MANUFACTURING SUMMIT
THIS WEEK THAT TAX REFORM WOULD
BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR.
RYAN TALKED ABOUT CUTTING
CORPORATE AND PERSONAL TAXES,
SIMPLIFYING THE TAX CODE AND
ELIMINATING THE DEATH TAX.
>> WE WILL CLEAR OUT SPECIAL
INTEREST CARVE OUTS AND
EXPENSIVE DEDUCTIONS AND FOCUS
ON KEEPING THOSE THAT MAKE THE
MOST SENSE.
HOMEOWNERSHIP, CHARITABLE
GIVING, RETIREMENT SAVINGS.
WE WILL CONSOLIDATE THE
EXISTING SEVEN BRACKETS INTO
THREE.
DOUBLE THE STANDARD DEDUCTION
AND SIMPLIFY THINGS TO THE
POINT THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN
TAXES ON THE FORM THE SIZE OF A
POSTCARD.
THIS INSTEAD OF THE 1040 FORM.
WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE?
>> OF COURSE, HOW MUCH INCOME
TAX YOU PAY DETERMINES HOW MUCH
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN CAN
SPEND.
BUT JUST HOW IS YOUR TAX MONEY
BEING SPENT?
"HERE AND NOW" REPORTER ZAC
SCHULTZ BROKE DOWN THE NUMBERS
WITH THE HELP OF OUR GRAPHICS
TEAM.
>> 2 1/2 MILLION TAX RETURNS
ARE FILED WITH THE STATE'S
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
THAT INCLUDES MORE THAN A
MILLION SINGLE FILERS, MARRIED
COUPLES TO NEARLY 43,000
FAMILIES WITH SIX OR MORE
PEOPLE.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH THE
MEDIAN INCOME TAXPAYER EARNS IN
A YEAR.
NOW, MEDIAN IS NOT THE AVERAGE.
IF YOU PUT ALL THE INCOMES IN A
ROW, LOWEST TO HIGHEST, MEDIAN
IS THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE.
TRULY THE MIDDLE CLASS.
IN 2016, THE TAXPAYER PAID 1104
IN STATE INCOME TAXES.
IN 2016 THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
SPENT $44 BILLION.
BUT THAT INCLUDES FEDERAL MONEY
AND BORROWING AND MONEY THAT
CAME FROM FEES.
IF YOU WANT THE LOOK AT HOW
YOUR INCOME TAX DOLLARS WERE
SPENT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT
SOMETHING CALLED GENERAL
PURPOSE REVENUE OR GPR.
IN 2016, GPR WAS $15 BILLION.
THAT CAME FROM THINGS LIKE
TAXES ON YOUR PHONE AND
ELECTRIC BILL, TAXES ON BEER
AND CIGARETTES AND THE STATE
INCOME TAX.
THE INCOME TAX IN 2016 WAS 7.7
BILLION OR 51% OF GPR.
REMEMBER OUR TAXPAYER EARNING
$38,000?
THEY PAID $1104 OF THAT 7.7
BILLION IN STATE INCOME TAX.
SO WHERE DID THEIR MONEY GO?
THE BIGGEST CHUNK $376, WENT TO
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
$195 WENT TO MEDICAID.
THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT PAYS
FOR BADGERCARE, THE HEALTH
INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR LOW
INCOME FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
$183 WAS USED TO FUND STATE
GOVERNMENT.
OF THAT, $84 WENT TO PAY FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AND THE PRISON SYSTEM.
$72 WENT TO THE UW SYSTEM.
$37 TO THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
SYSTEM.
AND $64 WENT TO PROPERTY TAX
CREDITS TO HELP LOWER THEIR
PROPERTY TAX BILL.
ANOTHER $60 WENT TO SHARED
REVENUE TO HELP FUND CITY AND
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE ALSO
HELPS KEEP WISCONSIN PUBLIC
BROADCASTING ON THE AIR.
FOR THE MEDIAN TAXPAYER IT IS 1
CENT A YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
SPEAKING OF CENTS, ONLY 8 CENTS
WENT TO TRANSPORTATION.
THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION SPENDS NEARLY $3
1/2 BILLION A YEAR.
MOST OF THAT COMES FROM THE GAS
TAX, REGISTRATION FEES WHICH IS
NOT PART OF GPR AND THE REST IS
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
BORROWING.
ADDING UP WHAT WE'VE TOLD YOU
SO FAR, THAT'S ALMOST 90% OF
WHAT IT PAYS FOR.
JUST A FEW DOLLARS FROM THE
MEDIAN TAXPAYER CAN FUND A LOT
OF PROGRAMS.
>> THAT WAS ZAC SCHULTZ
REPORTING.
TAXES AND THE ROLE OF
GOVERNMENT ARE ISSUES THAT PUT
RURAL AMERICANS AT THE CENTER
OF THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS
TALKING ABOUT INCREASING
FUNDING FOR RURAL SCHOOLS AND
INCREASING INTERNET ACCESS.
IT WAS ALSO THE RURAL VOTE THAT
IS CREDITED WITH PROPELLING
DONALD TRUMP INTO THE WHITE
HOUSE.
IN OUR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH
WISCONTEXT THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT
THE INFLUENCE OF RURAL
COMMUNITIES AND HOW DO YOU
DEFINE RULE IN WISCONSIN.
MALIA JONES A SCIENTIST AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
JOINS US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
WHY DID YOU SET OUT TO DEFINE
RURAL?
>> WELL, AS YOU SAID IT'S BEEN
THE TOPIC OF NATIONAL
CONVERSATION, WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN RURAL AMERICA AND RURAL
ISSUES AND COMING LARGELY FROM
AN URBAN BACKGROUND I START
EVIDENCE TO GET CURIOUS WHAT WE
MEANT BY RURAL PLACES.
SO I STARTED LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT WAYS TO PUT RURAL
WISCONSIN ON A MAP AND WE CAME
UP WITH QUITE A FEW, ACTUALLY,
WAYS TO DEFINE IT.
>> WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE US
AS THE DEFINITION OF RURAL?
>> SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS THAT ARE
OUT THERE.
I THINK THE ONE THAT MANY URBAN
PLACES THINK OF IS CLOSELY
ALIGNED WITH THE CENSUS
DEFINITION.
ANY PLACE THAT HAS A DEVELOPED
LAND AREA IS CONSIDERED URBAN
AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS RURAL.
THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF THE
SUBURBS AND EVEN SMALLER CITIES
THAT ARE REALLY NOT TRULY RURAL
PLACES LIKE OTHERS MIGHT THINK
OF THEM.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF
YOUR MAPS.
IT IS KIND OF SHOWING THIS
NON-URBAN AND URBAN AND
DESCRIBE FOR ME WHAT THIS MAP
SHOWS.
>> THIS IS THE MAP THAT COMES
FROM THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF
MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
DEFINITION OF METROPOLITAN AND
MICROPOLL TAN AREAS.
AND THE DEFINITION USES
COUNTIES SO THEY ARE WHOLE
COUNTIES CLASSIFIED AS
METROPOLITAN OR MICRO.
THOSE ARE TWO CITY SIZE
DESIGNATIONS.
AND THEN EVERY -- EVERY COUNTY
THAT DOESN'T HAVE A METRO OR
MICROCENTER IS CONSIDERED RULE.
>> I CAN'T COME UP RIGHT HERE
BUT HOW MANY COUNTIES ARE
DESIGNATED AS RURAL IN
WISCONSIN AND MAYBE WHAT
PERCENTAGE OF THE STATE?
>> SO IN WISCONSIN IT'S 32
COUNTIES ARE CONSIDERED RURAL
BY THIS DEFINITION AND IT IS
SOMETHING LIKE HALF OF ALL THE
COUNTIES AND AROUND HALF OF THE
LANDMASS.
BUT CONSIDERABLY FEWER PEOPLE,
OF COURSE, BECAUSE RURAL PLACES
ARE MUCH LESS DENSELY SETTLED.
>> THAT'S A LOT OF RURAL SPACE.
>> IT IS.
>> WHAT ARE THE SIGNIFICANT
DEMOGRAPHICS OF RURAL PEOPLE?
>> SO IN WISCONSIN, WE SEE
REALLY STRONG PATTERNS AROUND
AGE AND RURAL PLACES TEND TO BE
OLDER AND ALSO CONSIDERABLY
LESS RACE AND ETHNICALLY
DIVERSE THAN OUR URBAN PLACES.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, OF
COURSE, THERE ARE BIG
DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF ECONOMY
AS ANYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN TO
A RURAL PLACE WOULD KNOW.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC LAND USES
LIKE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY,
MINING AND MANUFACTURING THAT
ARE REALLY CENTERED IN OUR
RURAL PLACES.
>> YOU TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING
ELSE AND WE HAVE A MAP OF THAT.
IT IS THE RURAL VERSUS REMOTE
OR FRONTIER, WHICH IS REALLY
INTERESTING TO ME.
WHAT IS REMOTE AND FRONTIER?
>> SO THIS IS ANOTHER
DEFINITION THAT WAS DEVELOPED
BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND IT IS MEANT TO
IDENTIFY PLACES WHERE RESIDENTS
WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME
ACCESSING BASIC SERVICES AND
SPECIALTY SERVICES LIKE AUTO
REPAIR, GROCERIES, EMERGENCY
HEALTH SERVICES, SPECIALTY
HEALTH SERVICES.
AND SO THE DEFINITION IS BASED
ON HOW FAR RESIDENTS HAVE TO
DRIVE TO GET TO SOME KIND OF
TOWN CENTER OR URBAN CENTER
WHERE THEY COULD ACCESS THOSE
NEEDED SERVICES.
IT IS REALLY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
HAVE POOR TRANSPORTATION OR LOW
RESOURCES LIVING IN THESE
REMOTE AREAS AND THE KINDS OF
RESOURCES THEY CAN GET TO.
>> YOU HAVE A REALLY DELIGHTFUL
MAP AS WELL.
IT HAS TO DO WITH COW TO PERSON
RATIO.
IS THIS A SCIENTIFIC MEASURE OR
JUST ONE FOR WISCONSIN?
>> WHEN WE WERE MAKING ALL
THESE MAPS WE HEARD A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE TELL US THAT THEIR
COUNTY WAS RURAL BASED ON THE
FACT THERE WERE MORE COWS THAN
PEOPLE.
I ACTUALLY WENT AND GOT THE
DATA FOR THE NUMBER OF COWS PER
COUNTY AND WE CAME UP WITH THE
MAP OF WISCONSIN WHERE THERE
ARE MORE COWS THAN PEOPLE WHICH
IT TURNS OUT IS A CONSIDERABLE
PART OF THE STATE AS WE MIGHT
HAVE GUESSED.
>> HOW DOES WISCONSIN COMPARE
TO OTHER STATES WHEN IT COMES
TO PERCENTAGE OF PARTS OF THE
STATE THAT ARE RURAL?
>> WISCONSIN HAS A RELATIVELY
LARGE PROPORTION OF OUR
POPULATION THAT IS LIVING IN
RURAL PLACES AND ALSO
RELATIVELY LARGE AMOUNT OF LAND
AREA.
WE'RE ALSO, I THINK, UNIQUELY
DEPENDENT -- NOT UNIQUELY BUT
MORE DEPENDENT ON RURAL ECONOMY
THAN SOME OTHER PLACES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF MAJOR
URBAN CENTER THAT DOMINATES THE
STATE THE WAY SOME OTHER NEARBY
STATES DO LIKE ILLINOIS AND
MINNESOTA.
SO IT'S -- WE DO HAVE A BIG
RURAL POPULATION AND IT IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STATE.
>> THANKS FOR DEFINING IT IN SO
MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
MALIA JONES, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IN OUR WISCONSIN LOOK THIS
WEEK AN UPDATE FROM THE STATE
CAPITOL.
A BILL PROPOSED BY REPUBLICANS
REGARDING CAMPUS FREE SPEECH
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK.
THE BILL DISCIPLINES COLLEGE
STUDENTS WHO DISRUPT CAMPUS
SPEAKERS BY SUSPENDING THEM
AFTER TWO VIOLATIONS AND
EXPELLING THEM AFTER A THIRD.
STATE REPUBLICANS SAY THE BILL
WILL PROTECT BOTH LIBERAL AND
CONSERVATIVE FREE SPEECH.
DEMOCRATS DISAGREE, HOWEVER,
CALLING THE BILL
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST
AMENDMENT.
AND FINALLY TONIGHT A LOOK
AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK AND A NEW
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
POLL AS CHARLES FRANKLIN GETS
REACTION TO THE NEW REPUBLICAN
HEALTH PLAN, PLUS THE POSITIVE
MESSAGE FROM A MADISON BARBER
TO THE INMATES AT LINCOLN HILLS
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY EVEN AS A
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES USE OF
PEPPER SPRAY AND SOLITARY
CONFINEMENT AT THE PRISON IS
LIKELY UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND
MUST BE CHANGED.
UNTIL THEN I'M FREDERICA
FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> FUNLDING FOR "HERE AND NOW"
IS PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS
OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.