Chippewa Valley Times

MADISON – Senator Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) and Representative Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) have expressed support for Governor Evers’ call for a special meeting of the Joint Committee on Finance. The aim is to approve $15 million to address HSHS hospital closures and release funds to curb PFAS pollution.

“We don’t have the luxury of dragging our feet with the hospital closures in the Chippewa Valley,” said Sen. Smith. “This should’ve been done already, and there’s no excuse for the delay. We shouldn’t have to justify the importance for Republicans to show up to do their jobs because they’ve already gone through the trouble of passing the bills through both houses. Anything that happens now is just laziness, apathy or callousness.”

“We have 40,000 patients trying to line up care and 1,600 unemployed workers ready to help, but we need the $15 million investment now,” said Rep. Emerson. “It’s great that we passed a bill to help with the healthcare crisis, but now we need to finish the job and actually get the money out the door and into the hands of the healthcare providers who can help the people of the Chippewa Valley. I hope that legislative Republicans are going to do the right thing for the people in my area; get the money out and not let politics get in the way of saving lives.”

The Governor's call for a special meeting of the joint finance committee is a rare occurrence, having only been done once before during his tenure. The $15 million grant funding for Chippewa Valley health care providers was passed into law in March. The Department of Health Services submitted their request immediately thereafter, yet over a month has passed without action from Joint Finance.

Additionally, $125 million was authorized for addressing PFAS contamination in Wisconsin’s 2023-25 biennial state budget passed last June. The final step involves releasing these funds to allow additional testing, cleanup efforts, and addressing drinking water concerns. Although Republicans passed Senate Bill 312 specifying how this money should be spent, Governor Evers vetoed it following concerns from clean water advocates about limiting DNR’s authority and allowing polluters to deny responsibility.

Senator Smith remarked on this issue: “PFAS pollution is everywhere in Wisconsin, and Republicans have sat on the money to do something about it since June last year. Water pollution doesn’t care what political party you belong to – it affects everyone the same. Republicans should stop playing politics and just let DNR do their job to protect public health.”

Representative Emerson added: “Eau Claire and other communities have stepped up to act fast against PFAS, but our community could really use DNR’s help to keep polluters accountable and keep our drinking water safe. It’s mind-boggling that Republicans don’t understand the importance of clean water and addressing PFAS now.”