A little over two weeks ago, the Wisconsin State Assembly recklessly approved a massive new expenditure of tax dollars to build a prison we don’t need. They amended Senate Bill 54 (SB54) so that it includes authorization to borrow $350 million to build a new prison, as well as another $50 million per year in additional spending.
The State Senate can stop this irresponsible plan when they meet later this month.
Tuesday, March 13th JOSHUA Prison Reform Task Force members are headed to the Capitol to meet with their Senators to let them know that SB54 is a terrible idea. They need to stop it, and focus on policies that will actually make us safer.
We still need your help. We need you to contact your Wisconsin State Senator and let them know that SB54 is a terrible idea.
Senator Dave Hansen – 608-266-5670
Senator Rob Cowles – 608-266-0484
If you don’t know who your senator is, click here to find out.
Want some tips on writing your legislators? Click here.
Some things you can say to them include:
Click here to learn more about Senate Bill 54
• $350 million is a huge amount of money that the Assembly added at the last minute. That is reckless. Before spending our money on a new prison, the state needs to look at the ways it can safely reduce the prison population: by expanding Treatment Alternatives and Diversions (TAD); by ending Crimeless Revocations; by re-starting the Parole process. We could cut down the prison population by thousands by just doing those things.
• Other states, both Democrat and Republican-led, are reducing their prison populations. Texas and Michigan are 2 examples of states that are closing prisons. And, the states that are reducing their prison populations are the ones seeing the greatest DECREASE IN CRIME.
As citizens, we want our leaders to take a careful look at how we can have less people in prison, rather than make a rash decision to borrow $350 million for our children and grandchildren to pay back.
