March 13, 2009

HIDDEN FRIGHTS IN
THE STATE BUDGET
A legislative column by state Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin)

The more we learn about Governor Doyle's proposed 2009-11 state budget, the worse it gets.

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau has released its analysis, or what I call the English version of the governor's budget. Combing through the LFB analysis, there are many reasons to oppose the budget, and this could top the list.

The LFB reports the state would spend 7.7 percent more in 2009-11 compared to the base year doubled under the governor's proposed budget.

The LFB took the amount of spending in the final year of the last biennial budget (2008-09) and doubled it, and then compared that figure to the total amount of spending in Governor Doyle's proposed 2009-11 state budget. Spending jumps from $58.55 billion to $63.07 billion, a large 7.7 increase. I doubt that you have increased spending in your household by nearly eight percent.

Here is another troubling item I found, quoting the LFB:

"HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE -- COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPENDENTS
Governor: Require every health insurance policy, and every self-insured health plan of the state or county, city, town, village, or school district that provides coverage for a person as a dependent of an insured to provide dependent coverage for a child of an insured unless:
(a) the child is 27 years of age or older;
(b) the child is married;
(c) the child has other health care coverage;
(d) the child is employed full time and his or her employer offers health care coverage to its employees; or
(e) coverage of the insured through whom the child has dependent coverage under the policy or plan is discontinued or not renewed."

The governor is proposing a stunning mandate, requiring that all insurance policies cover dependents in some cases until they reach the age of 27. This mind-boggling provision will dramatically increase insurance costs and exacerbate the entitlement mentality that is causing major budget problems. It is yet another budget item the governor did not mention publicly in his budget address to a joint session of the state Legislature.

Another item in the governor's proposed budget is rather shocking. I am stunned to find a reckless and startling provision that jeopardizes child safety. Apparently Governor Doyle has either forgotten or does not care about the state's handling of one of its most notorious sex offenders, Billie Lee Morford. Again, quoting from the LFB:

“ESCORTS FOR SEXUALLY VIOLENT PERSONS DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF SUPERVISED RELEASE

Governor: Repeal a provision that requires a court, as a condition of granting supervised release to a sexually violent person (SVP), to require, during the first year of supervised release, that the SVP be under the direct supervision of a Department of Corrections escort for permissible outings. Instead, permit DHS to require such escorts as a rule of supervised release during the first year. Specify that this provision would first apply to a person who is on, or who is released on supervised release on the bill's general effective date. In addition, clarify that DHS, rather than the Department of Corrections, contracts for these services, effective with the bill's general effective date.

The supervised release program provides treatment to individuals who are committed as sexually violent persons under Chapter 980 of the statutes and who have been released by the court under the supervision of DHS.

Under current law, all individuals who have been released into the community on supervised release are restricted to their homes during the first year of their release, except for outings that are for employment purposes, religious purposes, or for caring for the individual's basic living needs. Further, all outings must be under the direct supervision of a DOC escort. The bill would permit DHS to decide whether to require direct supervision of DOC escorts."

It is almost breathtaking. Allowing released sexually violent persons to go without state supervision is highly risky and dangerous. Given the way the Doyle administration handled Billie Lee Morford, while I am appalled at this budget provision, I am not surprised. During 2006, I expressed my outrage that habitual sex offender Billy Lee Morford had been traveling for 18 months from his northwest side Milwaukee home to Franklin without state notification to Franklin.

At the time I wrote in a letter to Governor Doyle, "My constituents and I absolutely do not have a sense of security or trust in the Department's supervision of Chapter 980 sexually violent persons. I want the general public, and most importantly, parents to know the whereabouts of sexually violent persons at all times so that they may take measures to protect their children, because the government is not protecting them. Sexually violent persons have violated society in the worst way, and if the government cannot protect people from them, then people must have information available to them to avoid contact with sexually violent persons."

After discovering this provision in the budget, I have even less confidence in the governor and his administration that they can effectively provide child care safety or even regard the issue as a high priority.

These are just a few of the many items, along with the provision to give early release to thousands of felons, lurking inside the governor's budget. The brighter the light shines on the contents of the budget, the more concerning and downright scary it becomes.

If you have comments on this or any other issue, please contact me at Sen.Lazich@legis.wisconsin.gov, www.SenatorLazich.com, Senator Mary Lazich, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 or 1-800-334-1442.