MEDIA RELEASE
From the inbox 3.18.24
Chippewa Valley area legislators expressed their frustration with the governor’s continued political games concerning important healthcare funding. Two weeks ago, the governor partially vetoed legislation that would have allocated $15 million to stabilize emergency services in the Chippewa Valley. Instead, the governor’s partial veto removed all guidelines requiring the money to go to the Chippewa Valley and opened it up to 16 other counties.
“The governor has decided to exploit our Chippewa Valley healthcare crisis for his political gain. He continues to assign blame to the Republican-led Joint Committee on Finance for not being willing to blindly release the funding and just trust that the Department of Health Services will do what is best for Chippewa and Eau Claire. We already know the governor’s Department of Health Services would like to expand the use of this funding so it does not have to go to emergency services and it does not have to go to the Chippewa Valley.
“All we are asking is that the Department of Health Services bring forward a proposal that aligns with the original intent of this funding and legislation: to maintain access to emergency services in the Chippewa Valley. Emergency services are a critical need in our area at this time. We are calling on the governor to direct his Department of Health Services to bring forward a comprehensive plan that will actually help our area and ensure these funds go to Chippewa Valley. We are asking the governor to stop playing politics with the critical services our community needs.”
This statement is provided by Rep. Rob Summerfield (R–Bloomer), Rep. Clint Moses (R–Menomonie), Rep. Karen Hurd (R Fall Creek), Rep. Warren Petryk (R–Town of Washington), Rep. Treig Pronschinske (R–Mondovi), and Rep. Dave Armstrong (R–Rice Lake).
