LOCAL ISSUES:

Manitowoc's Housing Shortage
Jennifer Hollahan, Leadership Team - 06/02/2023

On May 17, 2023 Manty Dems hosted an open meeting with community and Democratic Party members to discuss and share ideas to address the housing crisis in Manitowoc.  There is a shortage of housing stock for both workers and families in all sectors to the local economy.  The meeting was attended by 75 concerned community members including representatives from the League of Women Voters, First Presbyterian Church, Painting Pathways, RUTH and and other homeless community advocates. 

Mayor Justin Nickels gave information on the City’s response to this crisis.  The Mayor presented an overview of the City’s 2022 Housing Study.  

• He explained that housing was the number one issue for his office this year and stated that the City Council shares his focus on this priority. 
• To help address the problem Mayor Nickels is forming a committee comprised of housing, building contractors, and other business professionals.

Following the Mayor's presentation was a period of open discussion during which participants asked questions and generated ideas including:

• Tiny House Project concept by Deena at Painting Pathways
• Partnership with Habitat for Humanity in Manitowoc
• City funding for Partners for Community
• Prioritize low income housing  
• The Mirro Sight Development must include low income housing as part of final plan.
• Historically, during periods of substantial job growth and economic expansion, Manitowoc industries like Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry financially supported housing for workers.  Can we learn from that history?

Participants noted the absence of homeless community advocacy on the Mayor's proposed Housing Shortage Committee and vocalized the need to include such representation on the committee. 
After Meeting Recommendations:

• Speak with Theresa Collins regarding the homeless population in Manitowoc.  
• Access United Way data from their biannual Manitowoc area homeless count.
• Revisit the League of Women Vote’s past Housing Study.
• Talk with Darlene Wellner and Nancy Slattery from RUTH about housing issues for out of prison population. 

Manty Dems will follow up on the interest in this issue — possibly establishing a Housing Coalition with interested Party members in collaborating with community groups. 

STATE ISSUES:

Legislative Republicans Reject More Than 540 Priorities for Wisconsin
 
MADISON — Yesterday, Republican members of the Joint Committee on Finance removed more than 540 provisions from Gov. Tony Evers’ 2023-25 biennial budget in a single budget motion, including investments in mental health supports for kids, support for veterans, seniors, and working families, to bolster the state’s workforce, to expand BadgerCare and provide healthcare coverage to 90,000 Wisconsinites, and to ensure no kid goes hungry at school by providing universal free breakfast and lunch, among many other provisions. 

“You know, people work hard to do the right thing, get the healthcare and education that they need, the housing that they need, but they need help from the Legislature,” Gov. Evers said in a video statement yesterday. “We have enough resources. We can make a better state... I’m angry. I’ll admit it. I don’t get angry often, but this is a situation where the Legislature has to step up. They can’t just play games like this. Very disappointing.”

In a statement released yesterday, the governor highlighted several priorities that were tossed out of his budget by Republicans in the Joint Finance Committee, provided below.  

1. Expanding Paid Family Leave
The governor’s budget would’ve provided most private-sector workers in Wisconsin paid family and medical leave for 12 weeks and expanded eligibility to ensure parents and families had the flexibility to meet their personal, family members’, or kids’ needs.

2. 10 Percent Middle-Class Tax Cut
Gov. Evers proposed to deliver real, responsible tax relief targeted to working families who are facing rising costs. His plan would’ve cut taxes by 10 percent for single filers making $100k or less and married-joint filers making $150k or less.

3. Efforts to Bolster the Workforce 
Gov. Evers’ budget would’ve helped build a workforce for the future by investing nearly $500 million into programs to bring new workers to communities, invest in new infrastructure, and ensure Wisconsin can meet the needs of a 21st-century economy.

4. Building Workforce Housing
Lack of affordable housing will hold the state’s workforce and our economy back, but Republicans are rejecting the Affordable Workforce Housing program to invest $150 million into local communities to maintain and develop workforce housing statewide.

5. Support for Veterans 
The governor’s budget would’ve invested in making housing more affordable for vets and their families, helping prevent veteran homelessness, and bolstering job training opportunities to help the nation’s heroes find and maintain work when they return to civilian life.

6. Expanding Mental Health Services in Schools
Wisconsin’s kids are facing a mental health crisis. Gov. Evers proposed investing more than $270 million into our “Get Kids Ahead” initiative to expand access to school-based mental health services in schools across our state.

7. Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids 
The governor’s “Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids” budget initiative would’ve funded universal school breakfast and lunch so that Wisconsin could ensure Wisconsin kids at school are focused on their studies and not on when or whether they'll eat next.

8. Improving Financial Literacy 
Through Gov. Evers’ “Do the Math” initiative, the state would’ve helped schools start or improve financial literacy curriculum and programs designed to ensure kids are prepared for future financial success.

9. Expanding High-Speed Internet
No administration has done more to expand access to reliable, high-speed internet, but the state has work to do to be prepared for the 21st century. So, Gov. Evers, again, proposed the largest investment in expanding high-speed internet in state history.

10. Making Healthcare More Affordable 
Picking up life-saving medications and having access to quality, affordable healthcare shouldn’t break the bank. Gov. Evers proposed capping insulin copays at $35 and expanding access to affordable healthcare to about 90,000 Wisconsinites.

11. Access to Safe, Clean Water
The governor’s budget made historic investments to tackle water contaminants, including $300 million for lead remediation and pipe replacement and more than $100 million to take a three-pronged approach to confront PFAS and get them out of our water.

12. Reducing Gun Violence 
Gov. Evers proposed universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders—two commonsense measures supported by an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites, including gun owners, to help keep kids, schools, and communities safe.

13. Tax Relief for Seniors, Caregivers, and Veterans
The governor’s budget would’ve provided millions in targeted tax relief for seniors living on fixed incomes, families providing care and assistance to an aging relative, and veterans and surviving spouses paying rent.

14. Legalizing and Taxing Marijuana 
Gov. Evers proposed legalizing and taxing marijuana, much like the state already does with alcohol, which would help Wisconsin compete with other states for talented workers and have more resources to invest in critical state priorities like K-12 education.

15. Support for Small Businesses 
The governor’s budget would’ve helped as many as 5,000 eligible small businesses afford building repairs and improvements, lease and mortgage payments, and defray other expenses that can be a barrier to becoming a successful business.