This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol talk about the Badger Bounceback agenda and how it addresses racial disparities in the justice system and the Senate’s plan for spending federal COVID-19 relief money. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics:
— In this week’s Dem radio address, Gov. Tony Evers discussed how his Badger Bounceback agenda addresses racial disparities in Wisconsin’s justice system.
The agenda provides an additional $15 million dollars to treatment alternatives and diversion programs while expanding the earned release program. This will allow individuals to work toward release earlier and reduce recidivism while creating an earned compliance credit.
“If we’re going to bounce back from this pandemic and build the sort of future we want for our state, we have to get our priorities straight,” the governor said. “We can’t keep throwing your taxpayer dollars into a system that isn’t working how it should.”
Evers also proposed legalizing marijuana then regulating and taxing it, all while modifying criminal penalties for marijuana-related crimes to align with legalization. In addition, he discussed creating a process for individuals serving sentences or previously convicted of marijuana-related crimes to have the opportunity to repeal or reduce their sentences for minor nonviolent offenses.
“The bottom line is–we have got to change,” Evers stated.
Listen to the address:
https://soundcloud.com/evers-barnes-admin/gov-tony-evers-address-april-15-2021
— In the GOP address, Sen. Howard Marklein discussed bills the Senate passed on how to spend $3.2 billion in expected federal COVID relief money.
“Our responsible stimulus plan reflects the legislature’s priorities to invest in people, improve infrastructure and boost our economy as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Marklein said.
The Spring Green Republican singled out Senate Bill 274, which will invest funds into fixing local roads. The bill will send $2 million to every county and $2,000 per road mile to every town, village and city.
“We’ve listened to constituents and local government leadership who demand our support to fix their roads,” Marklein noted. “This is the right way to invest these funds, and will benefit rural Wisconsin for years to come.”
Listen to the address:
https://soundcloud.com/wispolitics/41521-gop-radio-address-local-roads/s-tODrIeIcGY3
Find the archive of weekly addresses, organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, by going to: https://www.wi-broadcasters.org/for-the-public/weekly-addresses-archive/
