Madison…The Wisconsin Counties Association presented Senator Joan Ballweg with their Outstanding Legislator Award on October 15, 2024 at the Sauk County Board of Supervisors’ meeting in Baraboo. This award is given biennially to a select group of legislators for their commitment and leadership on key issues supporting counties.
“I want to thank the Wisconsin Counties Association for this recognition and for their work supporting our county officials who serve our constituents to the best of their abilities,” said Ballweg.
As a member of the Joint Committee on Finance, Senator Ballweg voted for the largest increase of state funding for county and municipal governments in state history. Senator Ballweg also authored several bipartisan laws that will benefit the work of county officials across the state:
– Utility Aid for Counties (2023 WI Act 139): This clarifies how utility aid from the state is disbursed to local governments during the decommissioning process for power plants and creates a fairer process for power plants with multiple power generating units, like the Columbia Energy Center in the Town of Pacific. Columbia County and the Town of Pacific will save a combined estimate of $16.68 million during the plant’s decommissioning period as a result of this new law. This will allow the county and town to preserve existing county services and avoid the need to raise property taxes.
– County of Residence for Care Management Organization Facility Placements (2023 WI Act 68): This update will help counties determine which county is responsible for the care, treatment and services of residents in long-term care facilities.
– Kinship Care (2023 WI Act 119): Adding like-kinto the kinship care program will allow children to be placed in the care of an individual or family with whom they are comfortable rather than a stranger or informal out-of-home placement like a foster home or group home. This change is supported by both Wisconsin counties and tribal nations.
“As a former mayor and city council official, I learned how important it is to have a good partner at the state level. In my role as a state senator, I strive to be a resource and form quality relationships with all my county and local officials to support their efforts,” stated Ballweg.
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