District Attorneys, State Public Defenders, and Courts
Welcome back to another edition of the Sortwell Scoop, where we’ll be talking about a couple new budget highlights from the 6/29 session.
One of the main concerns that has been consistently brought to my attention is the significant problem with our court system. For the past year, we have seen a backlog like no other. It’s easy to recognize how the severe staffing challenges facing our criminal justice system have had a negative impact on public safety and the constitutional rights of victims and defendants. Every individual has a constitutional right to a speedy trial, and it has been extremely concerning how many defendants are being denied access to timely legal representation in the state of Wisconsin. In fact, Governor Evers was sued in Brown County last year for violating the civil rights of Wisconsin citizens. To read more on this lawsuit, visit Tony Evers Is Violating Civil Rights Due To Court Backlogs, Lawsuit Says (wisconsinrightnow.com).
One of the questions I asked in this year’s spring survey was if you, the constituents of the 2nd Assembly District, would be in support of investing more money in our District Attorney and State Public Defender offices to ensure speedy trials. The overwhelming majority of you said yes, and that’s just what we did. Our budget invested in raising wages for assistant district attorneys (ADAs), deputy district attorneys (DDAs), assistant state public defenders (ASPDs), and elected district attorneys (DAs) to keep these positions competitive with pay for private attorneys. Additionally, we provided funding to make part-time ADA positions in Langlade, Oneida, and Ozaukee Counties full-time positions, along with creating two ADA positions in Kenosha County and one in Sauk County to reflect the unique needs of those communities.
We also recognized the need for private bar attorneys to fill gaps when state public defenders are unavailable due to conflicts of interest or high caseloads. Our budget will better compensate private bar attorneys by increasing the rate for these cases to $100 per hour and travel to $50 per hour.
We provided $36.7 million to increase wages for all ADAs, DDAs, and ASPDs, along with raising the starting wage by $8.76 per hour. These funds will help district attorney and public defender offices throughout Wisconsin recruit attorneys to fill vacant positions that have been weakening these spaces.
The last point I would like to mention is that our budget meets our obligations under 2019 Act 184, which created 12 new circuit court branches over a three-year period. With the creation and funding of resources for courts in Clark, Manitowoc, Sawyer, and Wood Counties, we have fulfilled our promises.
Altogether, these investments will help our criminal justice system operate more efficiently, reduce the backlog of cases that exists, and better protect the rights of people in our state.
To listen to what I have to say about this issue, click here.
Thank You, Belmark!
This past Monday, I toured Belmark Inc. in De Pere. It was great to meet with Karl Schmidt, President and Chief Executive Officer at Belmark, and hear about the hundreds of Wisconsin jobs he’s created at Belmark.
A Busy Weekend!
This past weekend was PACKED with fun activities! Between the De Pere Police Department fundraiser, the Greenleaf Fireman’s picnic (shown above), and the Two Rivers Central Park West 365 dedication celebration, I had the best weekend. I am so thankful to be a part of a community where there are so many opportunities to stay involved—and to eat some yummy food!
In-District Events
Thursday, July 20th, will be the Free Dairy Distribution at Mishicot High School (660 Washington St., Mishicot) from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 20th, will be the Neighborhood Dairy Distribution at Denmark High School (450 N. Wall St., Denmark) from 4 p.m. until supplies run out.
The 44th Annual Two Rivers Fish Derby & Festival will be Saturday, July 22nd, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, July 23rd, from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This event will take place at Walsh Field (2201 Polk St.)  in Two Rivers.
The Two Rivers Volunteer Fire Department (6525 County Road B, Two Rivers) will be hosting a fish boil on Friday, July 28th from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Two Rivers Snowfest Parade will be July 29th at 11:00 a.m. It will start at 7th and Columbus Streets and head north on Columbus concluding at State Highway 310.
Head on down to the library for some friendly competition! Every Tuesday from 6-7:30pm, the Lester Public Library in Two Rivers (1001 Adam St.) hosts a Family Game Night. Games and popcorn are provided.
