JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE

Senate Members


Co-Chair: Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona

Democratic members Republican members

Assembly Members


Co-Chair: Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson

Republican members Democratic members

BUDGET LINKS

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Vos Blasts Family Care Expansion - Motion Passes

Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia, said the Family Care proposal is a "massive, massive expansion of government," and said it will cost at least $74 million in GPR in 2010-11. And the costs will continue to climb, he said.

He said the expansion is creating a "huge structural deficit in spending," and said once the program is expanded, it won't be reeled back in.

"We will never have the courage to scale it back," he said.

Sen. Jauch answers that the savings of the program and the move away from reliance on institutional care is a savings that doesn't show up on the ledger. He said programs like Family Care allow those with disabilities to "live a richer life."

"We are saving costs over the long run, and we are more productively benefiting society," Jauch said.

UPDATE: The Family Care motion passed 14-1, with Vos voting no and Sen. Decker absent.

-- Decker returns and votes "aye."

Labels: , ,

posted by Greg Bump @ 5/24/2007 12:08:00 PM  

Motion Considered

Under the motion, authored by GOP Rep. Rhoades and Dem Sens. Mark Miller, John Lehman and Bob Jauch, the committee will adopt alternative A1 of budget paper 395.

That alternative approves the governor's funding recommendations, as reestimated, to expand Family Care. Funding is reduced in the bill by $1.74 million GPR and $2.32 million FED in 2007-08, and increased by $1.73 million GPR and $220,000 FED in 2008-09 to reflect the reestimate.

In addition, current law provisions would be retained requiring DHFS to seek the approval of the JFC under a 14-day passive review process prior to expanding the program to areas of the state where more than 29 percent of the population would be eligible for the benefit. Under the motion, the expansion would be deemed approved if the JFC fails to act within 45 days. The governor's provision to repeal the current law provision that requires any expansion of the program to areas where more than 50 percent of he population eligible for the benefit must be approved by the full Legislature would also be adopted under the motion.

The motion requires that as of Jan. 1, 2008, all counties participating in the program by offering the services of a CMO to either provide payment to the DHFS, or to authorize DHFS to allocate an portion of the county's basic community aids allocation to fund the operation of the county's resource center CMO.

Further, the motion directs DHFS to provide $190,000 in 2007-08 and $525,000 in 08-09 to contract with an organization to provide ombudsman advocacy services to individuals enrolled in Family Care who are under the age of 60.

Also, the motion directs a reallocation of MA funds -- $2 million GPR and $2.71 million FED in 07-08 and $2 million GPR and $2.77 million FED in 08-09 -- to increase funding available to serve individuals under the children's long-term support program.

Labels: ,

posted by Greg Bump @ 5/24/2007 11:43:00 AM  

Meeting Begins

Rep. Rhoades, R-Hudson, begins with an apology for the late start, and a discourse on the history of Family Care program. Two years ago, she said, she had an agreement with the Doyle Administration on how to proceed as the program went statewide, only to have the agreement "blown up" when it was submitted for the budget.

"I gotta tell you, I was angry," said Rhoades.

Particularly upsetting to her was the removal of legislative oversight, she said. "When we're going to do something statewide and we're changing the way we do it forever, why would we not want to make sure we do it right?" she said.

Rhoades said the delay this morning was to make sure this budget got it right, including legislative oversight, and more funding for mentally disabled children.

"I'm really concerned this is the population that is going to get left behind," she said.

Labels: , ,

posted by Greg Bump @ 5/24/2007 11:36:00 AM  

Blog Editor

Greg Bump

Contact: bump@wispolitics.com

Blog Description

Updates on Joint Finance Committee action on the 2007-09 Wisconsin state budget, from the first JFC meetings through the governor's final vetoes.

Site feed (RSS)

Other Sites

Previous Posts

Archives

Powered by Blogger



A production of WisPolitics Publishing.