Advocates Call For Replacing Education Cuts With Federal Medicaid Dollars

A progressive advocacy group told state lawmakers Thursday that they could avoid deep budget cuts to the University of Wisconsin System and public schools if they accept federal money to expand Medicaid.

During a public hearing at Reedsburg High School, Citizen Action’s Anna Dvorak told the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee that referendum after referendum showed the public supported the move.

“When you go back to Madison, I imagine that you have many difficult choices to make,” Dvorak said. “Taking the money is not one of them.”

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau says Wisconsin could save as much as $345 million in state tax dollars by expanding Medicaid.

While Republicans in other states have warmed to the idea, it’s been a political non-starter in Wisconsin, where GOP leaders say there’s no guarantee the money will be there in future budgets.

Editor’s Note: The original version of this story said the speaker of the hearing was named Ann Dvorak. Her actual name is Anna.