On Law Enforcement Funding, GOP Proposes Half of What They Already Turned Down
MADISON – Today, Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement:
“After a decade of underfunding local law enforcement and municipal services, Republicans are desperate to blame anyone but themselves for the consequences of their decisions. Governor Evers’ proposed 2019-21 and 2021-23 budgets included increases in state funding and his proposed 2021-23 budget included a voter approved local option revenue so communities could adequately meet their law enforcement needs. If Governor Evers’ proposed 2019-21 and 2021-23 budget for county and municipal aid and state payments for municipal services (PMS) for municipal services (PMS) had been approved, local governments would have received an additional $50,224,700. The 2021-23 budget alone would have increased state funding for local government by $34,557,700.
“Now, Legislative Republicans are proposing using one-time COVID funds to fund local law enforcement at roughly half the amount Governor Evers proposed since he was elected in 2018, and that Republicans voted against.”
“Despite the longest economic expansion in U.S. history from June 2009 to February 2020, state funding for local law enforcement has declined under Republican control. Yet, the state has its highest fund balance in decades. Local governments in Wisconsin deserve tremendous credit for doing their best to maintain law enforcement staffing despite Republican indifference to public safety. If we want to keep our communities safe, clean, and vibrant, the state needs to increase the resources available to make those investments in municipal services. These are the good times. If essential entities that require state investment can’t receive any new funding in these times, what will happen to state funding when there is a recession?
Governor Evers’ proposed 2019-21 and 2021-23 budgets included increases in state funding and his proposed 2021-23 budget included a voter approved local option revenue.
Below are the amounts of aid that units of local governments would have received under Governor Evers proposed increases to county and municipal aid (formerly shared revenue) in the 2019-21 and 2021-23 biennial budgets:
Fiscal Year State Total
2019 $753,075,300
2020 $768,137,200
2021 $783,500,000
2022 $799,170,000
3-Year Increase: $46,094,700
In his 2021-23 proposed budget, Governor Evers proposed increasing funding for state payments for municipal services (PMS) by $2,065,000 GPR annually, an 11% increase. The total increase would amount to $4,130,000 over the biennium.
According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, “The last year in which the appropriation covered 100% of entitlement costs was 1982, and the highest percentage of entitlement cost covered in the last 20 years was 94.5% in 2000. The last increase in funding for PMS payments was in 2002 and program funding was reduced in both the 2009-11 and 2011-13 budgets. Funding for PMS payments has been set at $18,584,200 GPR since 2011, when funding for the program was reduced by 10%, from a previous level of $20,649,200 GPR.”
Fiscal Year State Total
2020 $18,584,200
2021 $20,649,200
2022 $20,649,200
If Governor Evers’ proposed 2019-21 and 2021-23 budget for county and municipal aid and PMS were approved, local governments would have received an additional $50,224,700. The 2021-23 budget alone would have increased state funding for local governments by $34,557,700.
For instance, under Governor Evers 2019-21 and 2021-23 proposed state budgets, the City of Rice Lake would have received increased funding of $206,504; the City of West Allis would have received $911,056 ($861,126 municipal aid, $49,930 state payments for municipal services); and Dodge County would have received an additional $289,270 in state funding.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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