This page will contain news and alerts on the Federal level and in the state of Wisconsin for the past six months..  This information will include legislative and all other news that impact persons with disabilities and their families.  Please check back regularly, as this page will be updated frequently as news becomes available.

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Alert: State Budget Update
Added 08/27/07

The next two-year state budget, SB 40, continues to be discussed in the Conference Committee.  It has passed the Joint Finance Committee, the Senate, and the Assembly.  Since the Senate and Assembly versions are different, those differences have to be resolved in the conference committee.

The Conference Committee has met about eight times.  So far very little has been decided.  They did agree on over 500 minor items where there was total agreement.  Since then they have met and talked, but no agreements
have been reached.  Some of the items that have been discussed include education (both K-12 and the state university system), health care, taxes (both increases and cuts), and aid to the City and County of Milwaukee.

One item that was discussed that may affect people with disabilities is the Homestead Tax Credit.  Many people with disabilities and their caregivers rely on this tax credit to help pay their rent or property taxes.  The Assembly version of the budget would limit who would be able to get the tax credit in the future.

The Assembly would limit the tax credit to people who are either 65 years of age or older, married or have at least one dependent (usually a child) and meet the income criteria.  Over the years this tax credit has been expanded to allow anyone to get the tax credit as long as they earn less than $24,500 in a year.  Both the Governor and Senate proposed to further expand the program.

To read more about the different versions of the budget and how they apply to people with disabilities, go to the DAWN web site at: dawninfo.org/advocacy/budget.cfm.

DAWN offers you an easy way to get in touch with your legislators to tell them what you think about the budget.  It’s called “Take Action”.   The state budget link, Senate 40, has been updated recently.  To take action, look for the “Take Action” box on the DAWN web site at: dawninfo.org/.