State Rep. Warren Petryk

As we near the end of 2023, I like to reflect on all of the work that the State Assembly has accomplished and to update you on a number of pieces of legislation that I have been working on this session to help the people of the 93rd Assembly District. The largest of these bills was the state budget. 

The governor's initial budget proposal included over $2 billion in tax increases while significantly expanding Madison's bureaucracy. Thankfully, the legislature instead focused the budget on smart spending priorities that reflect the values and priorities of the people of western Wisconsin. This includes spending more to fix our roads while borrowing less. The budget also increased resources for our community schools, maintained the state's pledge to cover two-thirds of school spending, all while increasing aids for those students with special needs. Unfortunately, the legislature’s middle-class tax cut to help our area deal with rising inflation was vetoed by this governor.

Despite this setback, in 2023 we made some major investments in our local universities. You know those outdated science buildings at UW-Eau Claire and UW-River Falls? In 2023 I was proud to help be the driving force to get these buildings replaced. This means our students will have the facilities needed to do cutting-edge research and keep leading the way in national research. At UW-Stout, we're also making changes. We're replacing Heritage Hall and investing in important majors such as hospitality, tourism, mental health, child care, education, and manufacturing. This helps our community get ready for future jobs.

We also passed a major reform package to help our local municipal governments. The new Shared Revenue formula now sends 20% of the state's sales tax to our local communities. These new funds will help cover public safety workers, like the folks who help us in emergencies while also upgrading our 911 services. This means our towns' police, fire, and EMS teams can keep providing great service to all of us. I'm excited about how this will make our communities even safer and stronger.

2023 was also a busy year for addressing Wisconsin's workforce shortage and I continued by passing common-sense legislation that will give people the tools they need to succeed while also ensuring that our assistance programs prioritize job placement. This includes helping people with disabilities obtain the tools and skills they need to overcome the barriers that prevent them from finding work. In addition, we need to modernize Wisconsin's unemployment insurance system to emphasize work readiness. Moreover, I was able to increase opportunities for our students to learn and earn an industry recognized credential prior to graduation.

This is only a small portion of the work completed in 2023 and look I forward to building on it in 2024, including working to pass a middle-class tax cut and additional workforce reforms. If there is a specific piece of legislation that you would like to learn more about, please contact my office at 608-266-9193 or email me at rep.petryk@legis.wisconsin.gov.