FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 15, 2018
Contact: Wenona Wolf, Communication and Development Manager, wwolf@kidsforward.net, 608-284-0580 x 304
MADISON, WI—Kids Forward urges state legislators to slow down the process for considering ten bills that will make dramatic changes to Wisconsin’s safety net programs.
Ken Taylor, executive director of Kids Forward, said a process that considers the actual barriers to work would yield a much different and more effective set of bills. “If state lawmakers are serious about expanding the Wisconsin workforce and helping more Wisconsinites become self-sufficient, they need to slow down and talk with people who are struggling to find employment. They need to learn more about the real barriers to employment that are holding Wisconsinites back,” Taylor said.
Taylor added that the bills are expected to have a price tag of nearly $90 million, yet the legislative committee that is required to review proposed spending has only considered two of the Governor’s ten proposals.
“It’s not only cruel, it’s also a mistake—both substantively and procedurally—to act so quickly on bills that will hurt thousands of children and families,” Taylor said. “Before the legislature rushes to approve these bills, it should carefully review their projected harm, their projected $90 million in costs, and then debate whether there are more effective ways of spending that money.”
A summary of the concerns that Kids Forward has raised regarding specific bills in the Special Session agenda can be found on the organization’s website: “A Guide to Governor Walker’s Proposed Changes to Public Assistance.”
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Kids Forward advocates for effective, long-lasting solutions that break down barriers to success for children and families in Wisconsin. Using research and a community-informed approach, Kids Forward works to help every kid, every family, and every community thrive.
