>> The following program is a PBS Wisconsin Original
production. >> President Trump makes a
visit to Wisconsin, and so does his health secretary,
both here ahead of the midterms to stress the
importance and survival of dairy farms.
[MUSIC] I'm Frederica Freyberg.
Tonight on "Here& Now" we talk with the incoming
chairman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission about
new federal rules on absentee ballots and the
FBI probe in Milwaukee into the 2020 election. We have
a report on the number and reasons why so many rural
schools across the state are closing their doors
permanently. And we hear what the
president had to say today during his visit to
Wisconsin. It's "Here& Now" for June 5th.
>> Funding for "Here& Now" is provided by the Focus
Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
>> A new national Marquette Law School poll has Donald
Trump's overall approval rating continuing to
decline, now down to 38%. The survey shows approval
of his handling of the economy at 30% and 19% for
how Trump is handling the spike in gas prices set
against this sentiment heading into the midterms.
President Trump visited western Wisconsin today to
rally support for his ag policies and to lend a
campaign boost to state Republicans running in
November. >> We're at a point we're
going to come out of Iran very quickly, and it's
going to be very strong one way or the other, whether
it's a piece of paper or the very tough way. Okay.
The very tough way is maybe the easier way, but we're
going to come out and your fertilizer prices are going
to go way down, just like they were four months ago.
Your fertilizers down, your energy's down your oil.
Your gas is all coming way down. And frankly, I
thought it would go much higher than it did. I
thought, frankly, that gasoline would be much
higher every day. My administration is fighting
to protect and defend the jobs and livelihood of our
great farmers. I love our farmers, our growers,
agricultural producers, ranchers from coast to
coast. And I just see that dairy exports have surged
nearly $1.2 billion under our leadership. And just
and this is with a conflict going on.
>> Although President Trump retained strong positive
influence among Republican primary voters in light of
his overall slipping poll numbers, this week's
episode of Inside Wisconsin Politics considered the
optics of Republicans running for Congress or
governor campaigning alongside him. Here's what
they had to say about it. >> If you look back in
history more on the Democratic side, there is a
history of some candidates not only not sure if they
want to sit next to an unpopular president in a
midterm election. In 2010, President Obama came to
Madison. There was a big question of whether Russ
Feingold was going to appear on the stage. In the
end, he did. But all the weeks leading up to it, his
campaign wasn't sure he might be in Africa. He had
some other things going on. And that was really a
political question of does he want to be seen with him?
And he ended up losing that race. That was the Tea
Party wave before it was just two years ago.
President Biden visited Madison off that disastrous
debate performance. Tammy Baldwin was elsewhere. She
didn't come to Madison to be with the president.
That's about campaign optics.
>> The president right now has some of his lowest
approval ratings throughout his time in office. But
farmers in particular have really helped deliver him
victories. I believe in his last election, he won the
vast, vast majority of farm dependent counties in the
country. And yet a lot of his policies, tariff
policies in particular, have really been connected
with some of the pain that farmers have been feeling.
So tariffs that have caused, you know, weakened overseas
markets for for corn and soy, and then increased
prices on steel and aluminum. So we have seen
changes in his policies in ways that are, I think,
aimed really directly at trying to appeal to these
farmers. Earlier this week, he signed an executive
order to lower some tariffs on agricultural equipment
in particular. And so now he's coming to Wisconsin to
talk directly to farmers and kind of try to make
sure that that part of his base is secure.
>> The Republicans need this area, and they need
Trump's voters to come out when he is not on the
ballot. Republicans across the state struggle to get
turnout, especially in western and northern
Wisconsin. That is the Maga base of this state in the
seventh and the third. And without those voters, they
could really struggle in the fall. So they actually
need to attach themselves even closer to Donald Trump
at this point, even if it looks like, politically
speaking, it may not be the smartest move because of
his terrible numbers on a lot of things.
>> For their part, upon Trump's visit, Wisconsin
Democrats called the president's farm policy and
the war in Iran a disastrous agenda for
farmers across the state. >> This president has
launched us into an illegal, an entirely unnecessary war
in Iran. This war that no one wanted has tragically
taken the lives of 13 service members. It's taken
the president's time and focus and has taken money
out of the pockets of our farmers. Because of this
war, diesel prices hit record highs in Wisconsin
last month, up 80% from the year before, and global
fertilizer prices have jumped 50% in recent months.
Farmers are paying more for their inputs and getting
less for their outputs. Because President Trump and
my Republican colleagues in the Congress and their
policies. For many farmers, this means an impossible
choice sell at a loss or pay to store crops and hope
that prices improve in the future.
>> Even as the president and members of his cabinet
make campaign swings through Wisconsin this week,
the Trump administration is working behind the scenes
on the electoral process leading up to the November
elections. This week, the U.S. Postal Service
released its proposed rule attached to the president's
March executive order, titled Ensuring Citizenship
Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections.
That's an order. Governor Tony Evers at the time
called BS. The order instructs the Departments
of Homeland Security and Social Security to send
state election officials lists of confirmed U.S.
citizens and prevents mail in ballots to anyone not on
the list. Add to that, the FBI has been in Milwaukee
interviewing and seeking to talk with election
officials who worked the 2020 election that Trump
declares he actually won but didn't. Trump maintains
his loss was a result of widespread voter fraud,
which never proved out. Set against all this, we turn
to Wisconsin Elections Commission chair elect
Republican member Don Millis. And Mr. Millis,
thanks very much for being here.
>> Great to see you. >> So is it another rough
and tumble election cycle staring down the Wisconsin
Elections Commission? >> Well, more. The rough
and tumble certainly is going to be in the
political ads that are run between the candidates. You
know, this has always been an issue for the elections
Commission. You know, counter lawsuits and
proposed regulations. You know, I'm not I'm not too
worried about it. I know that the things that really
bother me the most are that concern me the most are
making sure that absentee ballots, if they're mailed
back a week or two before the election, they get
there on Election Day. Those are things that we're
working to try to working with the post office to
make sure that that happens. Those are the things that
concern me the most. >> Because Hodek has called
on the U.S. Postal Service to speed up deliveries of
absentee ballots. After I read two thirds of of
clerks reported mail delays during the April 7th
election, how bad was it? >> Well, it was so bad that
when the commission staff sent out a questionnaire to
clerks, they got an overwhelming and historic
response from clerks. Typically, clerks don't
respond. There was a huge, huge concern. The. The
staff have met with the Postal service officials.
We are trying to get what's known as enhanced delivery
procedures that they would agree to. When we have
elections. This would mean, for example, that when you
put a return a ballot to Madison or Grafton or Eau
Claire, it wouldn't have to go to Milwaukee or
Minneapolis. It would go straight to the clerk. And
so those are things we're working on. Those are the
things we do behind the scenes that no one really
seems to pay much attention to. I'm glad that you're
paying attention to it, that we can really make
sure that our elections are done effectively and
efficiently. response from the USPS on
that? >> I think the staff have
indicated that it was a generally a very positive
response. I think there's a dedication to making sure
that absentee ballots are returned promptly, having
multiple deliveries on Election Day, things like
that. I think it's I think it was a very constructive
conversation. >> As to these federally
generated voter lists for delivery of absentee
ballots. Do you think that's a good idea?
>> Well, I think it's problematic. I mean, one of
the concerns is they want to use intelligent mail
barcodes on the return we use we use those on the
when ballots are sent out. Again, the problem with
that is that it delays it. I'm guessing that as with
so many other executive orders and regulations.
>> That. >> Have come out of the
Obama, Trump, Biden, Trump, white Houses, the. The
courts are going to have their say if it looks like
it's going to pass muster with the courts, that's
when we probably become concerned. And we'll
certainly have contingency plans if it looks like it's
going to fall into place. But what was published last
week was just a preliminary notice and comment in the
Federal Register. I'm not. I think it's unlikely that
that regulation is going to be in play for the November
election. >> So what is your response
to the FBI poking around on the 2020 election in
Wisconsin, specifically in Milwaukee?
>> Well, I've seen politicians on the press
report about it. Everything that I've seen in talking
to people who have been interviewed is that the
interviews have been professional. They've been
done by career employees. And it wasn't really what I
call an investigation. I think there's an effort to
prepare a report for probably someone higher up
in the Department of Justice or the FBI. I am
not confident that anything more will come of it.
Certainly, the conversation that was reported in the
press with the Election Commission staffer, the
questions that were asked were, can you debunk these
election conspiracy theories? I think the
staffer did a very good job of that. And so I'm not
sure that we'll have an investigation. I think it's
doubtful that we'll see the FBI come in to any clerk's
office in in Milwaukee or Madison or elsewhere with a
search warrant. I think mostly what's going on is
that they're trying to draft a report so that
those in Washington can evaluate.
>> With all of this happening behind the scenes,
really, what should voters do to make sure they can
cast a ballot that is counted?
>> Well, certainly. Go on my vote. Make sure that
you're voting in the right place if you're going to
vote absentee. We don't want to discourage people
from doing that. Make sure your ballot, fill it out,
send it back early. Or if you're concerned about the
mails, place it in a secure drop box. If your
municipality has one or deliver it to your clerk,
that's the most important thing.
>> All right. We leave it there. Don Millis, thanks
very much. >> Thank you. Have a good
weekend. >> In other news, dozens of
school districts around the state asked voters for $1
billion in ballot referendums in the latest
spring election. Much of that money was just to keep
the schools open and operating. But many of
those referendums failed. And that means some schools
in rural Wisconsin will permanently close. Here and
now. Reporter Steven Potter has this report on rural
school closures. >> Thousands of the state's
public schools are closing for summer break. But there
are two schools set next to farms in central Wisconsin.
>> We had to make the difficult decision to shut
the doors of two of our rural schools.
>> That won't reopen next fall or ever again.
>> This is definitely the worst day of my career as
an educator, and I think it's one of the darkest
days in the history of Portage.
>> Josh Swain is the district administrator for
the Portage Community School District. He says
the decision to close two elementary schools, one in
Marquette County, the other in Columbia County,
couldn't be avoided. >> Purely for budgetary
reasons. And that is something that's going on
all over the state. >> Swain says. They did try
to keep Lewiston and Endeavor elementary schools
open as long as they could. >> The issue is funding,
right? We just don't have the funding to be able to
do that. >> After a referendum
asking voters for more money failed this spring,
the school district made the difficult decision.
Portage isn't alone. Last year, school districts in
several rural counties such as Dunn, Vilas, Jefferson,
Richland, Juneau and others all closed at least one
school the year before that. Another handful of schools
in other, lesser populated counties also closed. And
earlier this spring, the Hustisford School Board in
Dodge County voted to completely dissolve the
school district, which means the elementary,
middle and high schools will all close this year.
Education experts say that the impact of school
closures on small communities is very painful.
>> A rural school is the heart and soul and the
identity of a community. >> Bradley Karl studies
rural school systems for the UW-Madison, Wisconsin,
Center for Education Research. He says that part
of the reason that small rural schools are so missed
when they close is because they do so much so well.
>> Things like small class sizes and strong
relationships between teachers and students, and
strong relationships between school districts
and employers in the community.
>> Services beyond the regular school day are
important for working parents.
>> School districts also provide after school care,
before school care, and summer programs, and that
has an economic impact in terms of allowing families
to work. >> Schools in rural areas
can also be a social hub for the community.
>> Everyone goes to the basketball games on Friday
night or the football games on Friday night, but it's
so much more than that, too. It's going to the theater
productions and the homecoming parades.
>> School closures are not unique to rural areas. Over
the last 20 years, more than 600 public schools
across Wisconsin have closed, but nearly 40% of
them have been in small, rural counties of less than
100,000 residents. In all, that's around 250 rural
schools that have closed. Like in Portage. There's
just not enough money to keep the doors open. And
that's usually because there are fewer students
enrolled. >> Two thirds, maybe three
quarters of the rural districts in Wisconsin. As
is the case around the country, are facing
declining enrollment. Given the way we fund schools,
declining enrollment means declining revenue from the
state. >> Figures from the
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction show
that student enrollment in public schools has declined
roughly 7% over the last two decades. Population
experts agree that this is a nationwide problem,
largely due to shrinking birthrates.
>> Declining enrollment is real, and it's a challenge.
>> Jeff I.D. knows the problems facing rural
school districts better than most. He's the
executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools
Alliance. >> 70% of the schools in
the state are rural, so we have a lot of rural schools.
Not the majority of the students are within our
rural areas, but that's a large footprint in
Wisconsin. >> I.D. says rural schools
are doing their best. >> They are working their
buns off. They're working hard to do the best they
can with the resources that they have.
>> He adds that what the state provides in per
student funding isn't 100% of what a school needs to
operate, so they pull in money from local government
and property taxes to make up the difference. And over
the years, more and more small and rural communities
are having to go to ballot referendums to ask
residents for more money to keep their schools open.
>> I do see school referendums at this time as
a continuing trend, unfortunately. I'm hoping
one day that it becomes an anomaly and not a need.
>> Another major factor is the rising cost of
everything from gas for busses to heating and
cooling costs, to building and even playground
maintenance, as well as school supplies and the
need for new technology. It's simply becoming more
and more expensive to educate students.
>> But I think everybody's struggling with the funding
formula that we currently have.
>> Swain and ID agree that changes to the state's
school funding formula are needed, like a per student
rate increase tied to inflation. That was part of
the school funding formula more than a decade ago. But
state lawmakers discontinued the practice
back during the Great Recession.
>> We need to make sure we're doing the best we can
to meet the rate of inflation. We haven't done
that for many years. >> If inflationary
increases had continued from 2009 to the end of
this biennium, we would not have a gap of it's $3,573
per student that we would have gotten in state aid or
in that per pupil revenue. >> But in order for there
to be a change in the school funding formula at
the state level, state lawmakers and the governor
would need to agree on what those changes would be.
>> There's a lot of challenges in a rural
district. Also. There's a lot of really great things
about a smaller rural school.
>> In the state Assembly. Democrat Karen DeSiato
represents the area that includes the Portage
Community School District, where those two schools are
closing. She says schools are a draw for residents.
>> When a school falters, especially in a very small
rural community, it affects everyone. If a school is
not there in a smaller community, it discourages
people to live there. >> DeSiato is open to
changes in school funding. >> Our budgets are based on
our values. As Wisconsinites. Our values
are to support our kids in public education and we are
not doing that. >> Across the political
aisle. Republican State Representative Lindy Brill
from Sheboygan Falls says state budgets need to be
balanced. education is a priority in
our state, which I do believe our future
generations is a priority, then we need to figure out
where we're cutting elsewhere.
state school funding formula.
>> I do think we are well overdue to look at it now.
That doesn't mean a complete overhaul, but I do
think we need to figure out if this is the best way to
serve the state. compromise, school boards
and administrators will continue to struggle and
keep asking voters for more money.
day, we still need to balance the budget. And we
don't we don't have the money to do it.
>> And in many cases, it's all but certain that rural
communities will keep closing schools. Reporting
from Portage. I'm Steven Potter for "Here& Now".
>> If you have children and child care programs, expect
tuition to go up and availability to go down.
That's because temporary Covid era funding to help
providers keep costs down and retain staff is set to
expire at the end of June. The child care bridge
payments of $110 million took up after more robust
federal stabilization funding ended results from
a new report and survey from the Wisconsin Early
Childhood Association show that three quarters of
providers across the state said they'll need to raise
tuition, and a quarter of providers said they're
likely to close. We're joined now by Paula Drew,
director of early childhood education policy and
research for the association, and thanks
very much for being here. >> Thanks for having me.
>> So with costs up elsewhere for food and fuel,
how are working families who depend on childcare
likely to respond to these tuition hikes?
>> I think families around the state right now are
sitting around tables like this, asking themselves,
does it make sense for one of us to keep working? If
it makes sense, should we work part time instead of
sending our child to a licensed child care program
down the street? Perhaps we should entertain a
grandparent, a neighbor, because the cost of care is
just becoming unaffordable to the point where those
who have the means to access it will, and those
that don't simply will be sort of priced out of the
market. >> Because what kind of
tuition increases could we be talking about in general?
>> So 75% of child care providers at answer this
question, and they said, we will have to raise our
tuition rates at least $25 per week. And so that's,
you know, between 2000 and $3000 per year.
>> It's already pretty expensive.
>> It's already, I think, at the point where some
families can no longer afford it.
>> So how meaningful was the original "Child Care
Counts" program that used federal emergency Covid
funds to stabilize the industry?
>> The original "Child Care Counts" program was very
meaningful, and child care providers have been on
record over and over and over, stating, this is the
first time I've ever been able to start a retirement
account. For our early educators, we are actually
accessing health insurance for the very first time.
Our early educators are earning a wage in which
they only have to work one job. It also kept tuition
rates affordable for parents.
>> How much of Wisconsin providers gotten from both
programs? >> Hundreds of millions of
dollars. >> And so going from
hundreds of millions of dollars over the past six
years to nothing, it's easy to see why your survey
results show that they will have to make some of these
very difficult choices. >> That's right. For years
on end, childcare providers have been depending on this
funding to meet the gap between what parents can
pay and what it actually costs to provide high
quality childcare. And without those funds, most
people within the field are asking these same, very
hard questions that parents are should we close? Should
we let go of some staff? Should we lessen the hours
of operations that we have, stop providing food, stop
providing bussing, you know, cutting costs, right? Both
parents and providers are are trying to figure out
how they can make the math work.
is my understanding is that it's already difficult, but
how stunning is it that a quarter of providers might
have to close their operations?
>> It's very dramatic. And I think when we dig into
the numbers and we think about 25% of providers now,
25% of group providers, that's a really significant
amount of child care seats available in the state.
Right? So family child care providers can serve up to
eight children at a time, but group programs can
serve hundreds of children. So we're thinking about,
you know, when you just think 25%, it's not just
like across the board in terms of how many seats we
have. And I think that's going to be really stark.
And I also would estimate that that that number is
likely going to be larger than it was when the
research was done. >> Is there any prospect
that the state would replicate this funding?
>> I would love to see this program be codified into
law. I think we have seen examples from all over the
country states, red, blue, purple states making
significant investments in the childcare sector and
seeing really big returns on that investment.
Anything's possible when you prioritize it. And yes,
we would love to see this program continue it. It had
all the components that I think are needed to hold
together. This market. >> Is, for some
policymakers, does that kind of funding smack of an
entitlement? >> It can and I think it
it's because the childcare sector itself is is made up
of for profit, nonprofit family child care providers
operating out of their homes, you know, large
group programs. It's hard to sort of wrap your mind
around it versus like a K-12 system. You need a
teaching license, you need a certain amount of
education to meet the teaching license. That
doesn't mean that that's not also required in early
care and education, but it's not what you think
about because of the the fabric of these providers
in the state, you know, look different. But I would
argue a, you know, a wage and career ladder for early
care and education based on experience. And their own
education is the same. That is in K-12 schools, right?
In which is public is publicly funded. We see
that as a public good. What's happening over here
is the same exact thing, but it's entirely funded
mostly by parent fees. >> All right. Well, Paula
Drew, thanks very much. >> Thank you for having me.
>> For more on this and other issues facing
Wisconsin, visit our website at PBS Wisconsin
Education Vigue and then click on the news tab.
That's our program for tonight. I'm Frederica
Freyberg. Have a good weekend.
>> Funding for "Here& Now" is provided by the Focus
Fund for Journalism and friends of PBS Wisconsin.