IN MY OPINION: Legislature’s refusal to take federal health money enriches other states at Wisconsin’s expense

Wisconsin Farmers Union applauds the Joint Finance Committee vote to fund the University of Wisconsin Dairy Innovation Hub. This important investment in our land-grant universities is essential for Wisconsin to remain a leader in the dairy industry. 

  Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the state Legislature has not only fully funded its universities and colleges, but also just provided $8 million directly to dairy farmers to pay their dairy margin coverage premiums. Why is it that Minnesota can manage to fund university research and provide direct help to struggling dairy farmers, while the Wisconsin state Legislature struggled to find money for just one of these worthwhile initiatives?

  Maybe it’s because Minnesota has taken advantage of available federal dollars to cover big-ticket items in the state budget like health care, while the Wisconsin Legislature has stubbornly refused to accept those same funds. The result is that Wisconsin is missing out on a $324 million boost to our state budget.

  Wisconsin is one of only 14 states that has failed to accept federal Medicaid funds to help defray the cost of state health insurance programs. That $324-million hole in Wisconsin’s budget means that there is less money for rural roads, broadband and BadgerCare, which helps thousands of farmers get health care for their families when times are tough, like they are now.

  Wisconsin has missed out on $1.1 billion in federal money for Medicaid expansion since 2014. That’s money Wisconsin taxpayers are paying through their federal taxes, but that is not coming back to the state because of the Republican Legislature’s refusal to take it.  

Wisconsin farmers have dutifully paid their federal taxes, and states like Minnesota can take that money and give it back to their colleges and universities, broadband and rural roads—and to extend health insurance coverage to more farm families who are struggling to pay the bills.

  How much longer are Wisconsin taxpayers willing to fund other states’ budgets? Tell your legislators: “Take the federal money for health care.” It’s long overdue.  Some of those tax dollars came from Wisconsin in the first place. We might as well get our portion back and do something useful with them here in the Dairy State.

The author is the government relations director for the Wisconsin Farmers Union.