Democratic Joint Finance Committee members announce additional budget hearings

From the inbox, finally, some good news:

Democratic Joint Finance Committee members announce additional budget hearings

More opportunities needed for public input on Gov. Walker’s budget proposal

MADISON – Today the Democratic Senate and Assembly leaders and members of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC) announced additional budget hearing dates in order to allow for more public input on Gov. Walker’s extreme budget plans. The Democratic leaders are also inviting Republican legislators to attend these hearings.

The Republican co-chairs of the committee scheduled just four public opportunities for citizens across Wisconsin to tell the committee what they think about the budget. That’s tied for the fewest number of budget hearings held since at least 1985. The four communities chosen for the hearings also represent just two percent of Wisconsin’s total population.

Senate Democratic leader Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), Assembly Democratic leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) and the four JFC Democrats – Reps. Cory Mason (D-Racine) and Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) and Sens. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) and Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie) – released the following schedule of additional hearings.

There are currently 10 additional budget hearing dates scheduled. More information about specific times and locations will be released as it becomes available:
April 8—La Crosse. Hogan Administrative Center Gym, 5:00-6:30 pm, 807 East Ave. South.
April 15—Racine. Gateway Technical College, Great Lakes Room, 4:00-7:00 pm, 1001 Main St.
April 20—Milwaukee. Location TBD, 11:00 am-2:00 pm.
April 22—Wausau. UW-Marathon County, 4:00-7:00 pm, 518 S. 7th Ave.
April 22—Viroqua. Viroqua Middle/High School Band Room, 5:00-6:30 pm, 100 Blackhawk Dr.
April 23—Madison. Location TBD, 4:00-7:00 pm.
April 24—Wisconsin Rapids. City Council Chambers, 5:00-7:00 pm, 444 W. Grand Ave.
April 25—Appleton. Conference Center at Fox Valley Technical College’s D.J. Bordini Business and Industry Center, 4:00-7:00 pm, 5 Systems Dr.
April 27—Barron. Barron County Courthouse, 10:00 am-4:00 pm (final time TBD), 1420 State Highway 25 North.
April 29—Eau Claire. Chippewa Valley Technical College, 4:00-7:00 pm, 620 W. Clairemont Ave.
“This budget is as extreme and damaging to our middle-class neighbors as the last Republican budget,” Sen. Larson said. “Their budget gives a 30% increase in taxpayer money to private unaccountable voucher schools versus 0.01% for our community public schools and will lead to tens of thousands more being kicked off their health care.”

“We look forward to hearing from hardworking families and citizens all over Wisconsin on how we can fix this budget and ensure it focuses on their priorities,” Rep. Barca said. “It is vitally important that as many people as possible have the chance to weigh in, especially since so few will be able to attend the official hearings. We are ready to make sure their voices are heard on how we can work together to craft a budget that actually helps Wisconsin’s middle class.”

It's nice that at least one party is willing to listen to the people instead of the corporate special interests.