WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Governor Tony Evers has announced plans to fund more than 50 economic development, healthcare, and infrastructure plans statewide- but there’s a catch.
Lawmakers have to approve a $1 billion expansion to BadgerCare as part of a special session next Tuesday in Madison; something that has been tough for Democrats to sell in the past.
“We’re not only going to expand health care for tens of thousands of residents, we’ll also use the one billion dollars that we’ll save and put it towards economic development projects in every corner of the state,” said Evers during a press conference at North Central Health Care in Wausau. “We can’t let politics get in the way of doing what’s right and what’s best for the state of Wisconsin. It’s time to put people first and focus on what’s fiscally and morally responsible,” he added.
Part of that package includes $50 million to help a timber producer’s co-op purchase the idled Verso Paper Mill in Wisconsin Rapids and another $15 million to help restart the mill in Park Falls. Evers says he knows those communities could use the boost that would come with bringing hundreds of jobs back in one swoop, and not just in those communities.
“Both those mills employ a lot of people [but it’s also] the supply chain of people that are involved with timber management, cutting, transporting- all of those things. It’s a huge number of people for Wisconsin,” he said.
The Verso mill processed nearly a quarter of the region’s timber before it was idled one year ago.
State Senator Patrick Testin and Representative Scott Krug both released statements slamming the Governor for tying the projects to the expansion of BadgerCare, something that has never had support in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
“These families impacted by the mill closing are not bargaining chips,” noted Testin in a press release. “The Governor has the ability to direct federal funds now, and he should do so. The fate of these families should not be tied to a broader political agenda.”
Krug added “the gamesmanship of which pot of money to use, which is part of the Evers package, is ridiculous. I call on him to just make it happen with federal money – the way we suggested it happen – and use the one-time federal money to make a one-time loan so the mill can re-open.”
North Central Health Care would also receive $5 million in the form of a grant to assist with the addition of mental health beds at the hospital in Wausau. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Gouthro said that would help them expand critical care.
“This is a difficult time. Finding the resources to provide appropriate, high-quality mental health care to people in rural areas has always been difficult. This news today is very welcome,” said Guthro.
He added that the increased capacity will be part of their larger efforts to increase mental health services in the region so people don’t have to travel as far for basic healthcare when they may be at their lowest point. “Just a few months ago if a youth had a behavioral health issue they would have to travel one and a half hours or more for in-patient psychiatric care. We opened a new hospital here to meet that need.”
Other projects listed include a new community center in Reedsburg, upgrades to the Green Bay Visitor’s Center, money for the Green Bay Coal Piles & Neighborhood Revitalization, and $200 million for broadband expansion. Mid-State Technical College in Stevens Point also stands to get just south of $10 million for an engineering apprenticeship center for machinists, fabricators, welders, and other skilled positions.
Again, all of these projects hinge on the State Legislature approving the $1 billion expansion of BadgerCare in special session, something that’s been difficult for the Governor and the GOP controlled chambers to agree on. Previous calls for special sessions have been nothing more than a ceremonious gavel-in and gavel-out. That includes a special session on gun laws in November 2019, a special session on concerns about holding elections during the COVID-19 outbreak in April 2020, and a session on updates to the state’s unemployment system in January 2021.
A session on police reform bills in September 2020 also yielded no action.
Republican leadership in Madison immediately promised to do the same next week.
The Governor also made stops in Middleton and Tomah on Wednesday to announce the plan.
