For Release: February 16, 2023
Contact: Emily Miota, emiota@kidsforward.org
At Kids Forward, we believe every child and family, notably children and families of color and those furthest from opportunity, deserve to thrive.
For too long, some politicians have rigged the rules in favor of wealthy individuals and corporations at the expense of Wisconsin’s families. Then they have tried to divide us, fueling fears based on our race and ethnicity, immigration status, and where we live.
Last night in his budget address, Governor Evers leveraged our state’s historically strong fiscal position to reimagine a Wisconsin that does more to provide every child and family with a solid foundation to live a happy and healthy life.
Kids Forward supports a wide range of proposals in the Governor’s budget, including:
- Extending BadgerCare coverage for 12 months after pregnancy to ensure continuity of care for moms and babies and to start addressing our state’s disgraceful racial disparities in maternal and infant health
- Paid family leave so workers do not have to choose between paying their bills and caring for a child or other loved one
- Increased funding for our state’s early care and education system, including Child Care Counts, which provides direct support to child care programs
- Investing in our public schools, including universal school meals and mental health services
- Returning 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system and ensuring that youth are treated as youth, not adults
- Access to drivers’ licenses for Wisconsin residents who are currently blocked due to immigration status – this is a small step towards fairness and will improve family stability, make roads safer, and connect main street businesses and farmers with high-quality workers
- Offering more affordable health insurance—by expanding BadgerCare—to an additional 90,000 Wisconsin residents who earn a little more than the minimum wage
- Tax changes that will help Wisconsin families with low incomes meet their basic needs
The path to prosperity is through investments that ensure every child and family in Wisconsin has a strong foundation to achieve their full potential.
Over the coming months we will share more on how the proposed state budget will impact children and families in Wisconsin, notably children and families of color and those furthest from opportunity.
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