Post Messenger Recorder -

On Monday, February 13, 2023, over 70 Main Street Alliance member businesses from every corner of Wisconsin gathered for our Day of Action to discuss small business policy matters. We met with 55 legislative offices, the Lieutenant Governor, and the office of the Attorney General. In those meetings, we called for Paid Family Medical Leave, Badgercare expansion with a public option, and Child Care Counts extension. Corrine Hendrickson and Brooke Skidmore were among those who met with Assembly Rep. Bare and Senator Hesselbein's office. Both Representatives, along with Green County Senator Mark Spreitzer, all fully support those three budget priorities. The remaining four state from the county were noncommittal (Rep. Anderson, Rep. Jacobson, Rep. Novak and Sen. Marklein).

Governor Evers formally announced his budget on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, and talked about those same priorities and how those investments would decrease the workforce challenges and improve the quality of life for hard working Wisconsinites.

"Over a billion dollars would come in to help WI meet our needs for our state," Becky Cooper, owner of Bounce Milwaukee, stated. "On top of all of that, the benefits cliff where workers cannot take more hours in order to remain eligible for their health insurance is a huge barrier to addressing our workforce challenges. Expanding Badgercare is one of the best ways we can address it."

Hendrickson, who attended the Capital budget address on Wednesday, February 15, stated, "The inclusion of $340 million for Child Care Counts by the Governor in his budget acknowledges that we cannot continue to expect parents and early childhood educators to absorb the entire cost burden to educate our children from six weeks to five years. That child care is workforce development and education combined. I am cautiously optimistic that our legislators will also understand that connection to stabilize the industry and invest accordingly so that parents can access care, the educators are paid better and employers can recruit and retain the skilled employees they need to succeed."

Irene Strohbeen, of Strohbeen and Associates in Appleton, added, "I am very heartened by the total inclusion in the Governor's budget of Paid Family Medical Leave. It's a great starting point. I hope that the legislature includes this in their version of the budget. It is essential for Wisconsin to remain competitive for young professionals, especially among the other midwestern states."

"We look forward to working across party lines to ensure these provisions are included in the final budget. That is what small business needs now," said Shawn Phetteplace, Midwest Regional Manager for Main Street Alliance.

Join the conversation and learn more about how those priorities impacts our county by joining Skidmore and Hendrickson at the Brodhead Memorial Library, March 9, 2023, starting at 6:00 p.m., for a free presentation of a Community Conversation for Change, with Brodhead special guests, Lori Sutherland, owner of Little Prairie family child care, and Chelsea Andrews, owner of Little Learners family child care, or March 15, at the Green County Justice Center starting at 6:00 p.m., with special guests, Monroe child care professionals.