J.B. VAN HOLLEN
ATTORNEY GENERAL

State Budget Impact on Public Safety

I am very concerned about plans in the state budget currently under consideration in the Wisconsin State Legislature that will adversely impact public safety. These concerns quickly translate into concerns for new crime victims - - and those victims already impacted by those now soon to be let free ahead of their release dates. As the discussion has begun, it is an appropriate time to highlight law enforcement concerns with the budget proposal with the sincere hope the Legislature will remedy the proposed budget's failures and adequately protect public safety.

Fighting crime and a duty to Wisconsin's crime victims is in my job description. I take this responsibility seriously as I know Wisconsin's prosecutors and law enforcement officials do.

Public safety is the first priority of any government. People expect to be safe in their homes, at their schools, and on their streets. Not only does law enforcement and public safety protect individual liberty, but without it, other government efforts cannot succeed.

That is why I was, initially, very encouraged when Governor Doyle began his budget address to the Legislature by stating that the budget must first protect what's important to Wisconsin – and he included public safety in that list.

Unfortunately, the Governor's proposed budget fails to protect law enforcement's existing ability to protect public safety. In fact, it takes dramatic steps backward.

As examples, Governor Doyle's proposed state budget calls for:

• Early release of felons from prison
• Early termination for felons on extended supervision (or parole)
• Elimination of probation for some misdemeanants
• Reducing GPS monitoring of convicted sex offenders
• Expanding opportunities for criminals to expunge (or erase) their criminal records
• Cuts to District Attorney's budgets by 6.5% while increasing all government spending by almost 8% in the first biennium.
• Cuts to shared revenues by 1% across-the-board impacting local law enforcement and fire protection
• Elimination of the front license plate
• Adding charge backs of costs to local law enforcement for some crime scene investigation services
• Cuts to law enforcement training statewide and locally
• Cuts to drug enforcement
• Cuts to the State Crime Lab
• Additional cuts to the Department of Justice to be set by the Department of Administration without the benefit of planning, discussion, or legislative oversight

Today, I am asking you to join me in asking your representatives in the Wisconsin State Legislature to protect law enforcement and ensure public safety.

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