To The Telegram,
Tuesday, the Joint Finance Committee of the Wisconsin Legislature approved a funding increase for programs statewide that fight domestic violence. The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV) thanks lawmakers for backing the increase -- the first since 1992.
In his budget proposal, Gov. Jim Doyle had requested an increase of $950,000 per year for domestic violence programs. In April, Joint Finance Committee co-chairs announced that the request had been trimmed from the budget because it would have been funded by an increase in fees for vital records requests. Tuesday, the Joint Finance Committee put the funding increase back into the budget. Now it will be funded in large part by general revenue and also by an increase in the domestic abuse surcharge (a penalty for perpetrators of abuse).
The Joint Finance Committee approved the increase on a 14-2 vote, although the two lawmakers who voted no -- Rep. Mark Pocan and Rep. Pedro Colon -- explained they supported the increase but were compelled to vote no because the motion was tied to an unrelated issue in the budget that they opposed.
Advocates from programs in every region of Wisconsin have been speaking out about the needs of their programs at public hearings, in the media, and directly to their lawmakers. Tuesday, over 20 advocates traveled to Madison to be there for the vote.
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-- Josh Freker, policy director
Wisconsin Coalition
Against Domestic Violence
