Latest news with #FreedomCaucus
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Democrats face uphill battle with perception, finances; maintain hope
CHEYENNE — Wyoming Democrats are preparing to focus more on working-class issues and demonstrating their capacity to serve in the community following party officer elections in Rock Springs on Sunday. Wyoming Democrats suffered major losses during the 2024 election cycle, mimicking a nationwide shift toward the Republican Party. Democrats only hold eight seats in the 93-member Wyoming Legislature. With hopes to regain their footing, newly elected party vice chair Lindsey Hanlon of Cheyenne says they intend to lead by example and show the party's ability to meet people where they are. 'We're focusing a lot on being able to just help people,' Hanlon said. 'There is a lot of suffering going on right now in Wyoming. There's a lot of issues that are facing people immediately, and those are the kinds of issues that we want to start helping with.' Whether it be access to food or housing, Hanlon says the party wants to be associated with actively helping in the community and showing care for the community. This message of showing up to help neighbors and leading by example was echoed by several state Democrats at Sunday's meeting. '(Republicans) are focusing a lot on national issues and not really on the issues that are facing Wyomingites,' Hanlon said. 'And so we want to make sure that we are providing that assistance to the people of the state.' In order to meet people where they're at and rebuild the state's Democratic Party, Hanlon said they have to combat the 'fear that the Freedom Caucus has engendered in people.' 'The Freedom Caucus has done a lot of work to make these races much more vitriolic, to make these races much more intense and personal,' Hanlon said. '... The Freedom Caucus has done a lot to try and instill an atmosphere of fear around people trying to oppose their positions.' For Hanlon and others in the party, combating this fear means ensuring there's support for potential candidates. 'There (needs to be) an infrastructure that the candidates can pull from in terms of campaign managers and people to walk and people to knock on doors and all of those things,' Laramie County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Matthew Snyder said. 'I think that's really the thing that has been missing from where we are.' While the party aims to have a candidate in every race, it's too soon for new leadership to say what that will actually look like. For now, the best they can do is ensure candidates feel supported. Battling perception Though Democrats intend to put in the work to support their communities, regardless of whether they hold seats in those districts, they're not unaware of their perception in the state. Snyder noted that sometimes Democrats prioritize intellectualizing politics over meeting people where they are. He said many Wyomingites may not realize that most Democrats are their neighbors, facing the same economic hardships as Republicans. 'We, as a party, like to — for lack of a better term — show how smart we are,' Snyder said. 'I think we need to stop doing that. I think, fundamentally, we need to meet people where they are, and I don't think we do a great job of that.' Snyder added that he hopes the party can focus on fundamental class concerns, rather than party affiliation or blue vs. white collar jobs. Nationally, the Democratic Party has been struggling, being perceived as the party of the elite, rather than the party of the working man. Snyder noted that if the party is going to succeed they have to be open to criticism. 'The only way that you get better is to really assess yourself, determine what things you need to fix and move from there,' Snyder said. 'That's something I really wish we would do, and I think we're trying to do here in Laramie County. Let's be really honest about what we are perceived as, because if you don't do that, then you're going to lose every time.' While the party is largely optimistic about recruiting Democratic candidates for local races, former Laramie County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Jordan Evans noted that perception will pose a major barrier when looking for new candidates. 'They are going to struggle to find people who want to identify (with a party), especially the Democratic Party, just because it is the minority party where we live,' Evans said. 'The brand right now is sort of not within the control of the party itself.' When Evans was campaigning for a seat in the Legislature last year, he thought that a party identity would be a useful tool to give people a general idea of his platform. He later found that campaigning with the party instead defined his entire political identity, Evans told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. 'Nontraditional media and the sort of polarized state of things defines the brand of the Democratic Party for most non-Democrats before you get a chance to define it for yourself,' Evans said. Evans left his leadership role in the party to better focus on his family, his personal life and serving the causes he values more effectively, he told the WTE. Since leaving the party, he has been focusing on supporting the community through local organizations. He has also started a Substack, a self-publishing platform, where he published an opinion piece titled 'Partisan Politician or 'How I Ruined My Life.'' In the opinion piece, Evans describes what led him to leave the party; in particular, he addresses a newfound belief that has helped him get past the idea that leaving politics at this turbulent time is 'selfish at best and negligent at worst.' 'Disengaging from politics is not only responsible, it may be the key to fixing the politics itself,' Evans wrote. 'I'm learning effective change cannot be steered toward an ideal from the top down. It has to be a wholistic community effort.' Though Evans does not want to discourage those interested in party politics from participating, he does want community members to know that party politics isn't the only way to effect change in their communities. Evans added that this exacerbates the barriers the party will face trying to recruit and even fundraise. 'They'll find people with a strong interest in wanting to make their community better,' Evans said. 'But they'll find it's hard to get those people to then want to associate that interest with the party itself.' Financial barriers The Democratic Party's struggles don't stop at perception; they're also facing an upward battle financially. On Sunday, Wyoming Democratic Party State Central Committee Treasurer Dudley Case informed party leaders that the party has been operating at a loss and needs to do some serious fundraising to recover. As of May 1, the party had $36,580.20 in its federal and non-federal accounts, according to Case. The party has been spending more than it has been raising each month, resulting in a $21,795.32 loss this year, roughly a $5,000 loss per month, in the first four months of the year, according to Case. 'I think that this budget thing is maybe a wake-up call that the party has not been receiving the support that it should,' Hanlon said. 'And I have faith that the people around me are going to step up and are going to give us that support. I think that Wyoming is full of some of the most generous people I've ever met. When you ask for help, you do receive it in this state.' Though Hanlon is confident that fundraising will turn the party's finances around, there's no guarantee they'll receive the support they need. Based on current finances, Case estimated that the party will sustain a $24,478 loss by the end of this calendar year. 'We're about to hit the ground running with fundraising,' Hanlon said. 'I think that it shows really kind of how scrappy and committed that we are. Yeah, we're running out of a bare-bones budget right now, but we're still out there in the community. We're still out there in elections, and I think that just walking the walk is going to have people coming back and coming back with more support.' If the party can't fundraise enough to maintain its current spending, some major cuts will have to be made, though Hanlon said they have yet to have those conversations, mainly because new leadership is only a few days into their terms. 'I don't think it's any secret that the Democratic Party in Wyoming struggles to fundraise or struggles to be organized,' Evans said. 'It's just the nature of where we're at.' Evans added that, due to party perception, it is likely that people will be hesitant to donate to Democrats, even if they agree with Democrats in principle. Particularly, Evans suspects the party will struggle to garner donations from individuals with limited expendable income who have to be very conscious of where they put their money right now. 'I think they think there's much better use of their money than party politics,' Evans said. 'They'd be giving the Habitat for Humanity, for instance, if they care about housing or they care about housing prices within our community. … I think people see other organizations doing work that is aligned with their values, and they feel that those organizations are going to be more effective.' Though Hanlon was willing to discuss the budget with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, a report from Cowboy State Daily indicated that other party members were not comfortable with the press having access to the budget sheet. Cowboy State Daily was present at the Sunday meeting, which prompted the committee to pass a motion formally requesting the outlet not to air its budget publicly to protect political strategies and out of courtesy to employees, whose salaries are included in the budget. Still hopeful Though there are clear criticisms of the party and major barriers to regaining influence in the state, many Democrats have hope that with diligent work they can get there, including Hanlon and Snyder. Though he found minimal success in his attempts, and claims to be no expert in the path forward, Evans said there is a way to get back on the ballot in a legitimate way. 'I think the way is to just show up,' Evans said. 'Show up at the union halls, which (Snyder) is doing, show up at the town halls, which (Hanlon) is doing. Show up, be a volunteer, and don't just do it to be seen. Do it because you care. I think it's a long, slow process, but eventually, those things will bear fruit.'
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New state analysis shows 2.1% biennium budget increase
The full text of Montana's biennial budget laid out on a lawmaker's desk. (Micah Drew/ Daily Montanan) An analysis of Montana's budget for the 2025-27 biennium showed a 2.1% increase over the previous biennium, the Legislative Fiscal Division reported this week. Some members of the state's legislature said during the session the increase was double-digits, focusing specifically on the general fund, which House Appropriations Chair Llew Jones said was a misrepresentation of the budget. 'Sadly, members of Montana's Freedom Caucus have been deliberately misleading constituents, citing as much as an 18% increase in our state budget by including General Fund spending from the previous session and transfers to other state funds in their calculations,' Jones said in a press release. 'Instead, the total state budget will grow by just over 2% in the next two years, which we accomplished while also giving historic income and property tax cuts to Montana families and small businesses.' Jones stated the calculations factored in 'transfer of General Fund resources to special trusts and the distribution of significant income and property tax reductions' when coming to the 2.1% number. That growth rate is less than inflation, the release noted, an often repeated goal of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. Some Freedom Caucus members are skeptical about the calculations. Rep. Jerry Schillinger, R-Circle, said an effort had been made to cut certain items out of the budget toward the end of the session to 'make it look better' and added that the money would still be spent anyway. 'I just haven't verified their numbers yet, but I'm highly skeptical of what Representative Jones is talking about,' Schillinger told the Daily Montanan. The fight over the budget was bitter during the session and a coalition of Democrats and Republicans pushed through the $16.6 billion spending package. Schillinger said some 'big government' Republicans, instead of working with fellow conservatives, sought out Democrats to work with instead. He said this has been happening for several sessions. 'It just came out more and more into the open this session,' Schillinger said. He added that if the legislature had done its job, Gov. Gianforte, a Republican, wouldn't have to be spending the time 'vetoing all these bills.' Not all spending bills have been signed or vetoed, meaning the calculations could change depending on spending, the Legislative Fiscal Division analysis stated. Schillinger said that it appeared likely the Governor would also be signing the mega-trust bill discussed heavily near the end of the session. HB 924, for example, was touted by Jones as critical money for housing, childcare, and disaster resiliency. It became a touch point for spending hawks in the legislature who repeatedly decried the spending. A release stated, 'these trusts will increase Montana's resources.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Missouri special session begins with lawmakers split on stadium funding plan
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent). The opening of the legislative special session Monday put partisan and intraparty fights in the Missouri Senate on display as Democrats called for expanded storm relief and Freedom Caucus members called for tax cuts as the price for supporting stadium subsidies. Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers together just two weeks after they finished work in the regular session to consider a package of tax incentives intended to convince the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri. Kehoe is also asking lawmakers for a $235 million spending bill with $25 million for disaster relief as well as a special tax deduction for the cost of meeting insurance deductibles after a disaster. The brief opening session didn't feature any sharp exchanges, but the bills filed — and the statements made about them — show where the battle lines are being drawn. Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, told reporters that members of his caucus aren't willing to talk about stadium funding until an appropriations bill and other disaster relief measures are on Kehoe's desk. 'When that happens and it's through the House and on the governor's desk, then we can talk about it,' Beck said. Members of the Freedom Caucus said they are holding out for a tax cut that benefits all Missourians before considering a stadium plan, said state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance. Schroer filed a bill to cut the top income tax rate to 4% — it is currently 4.7% — and make the tax flat across all incomes. 'The members of the Freedom Caucus, plus the other conservative members that are not necessarily in the caucus, they've all expressed that whether it's income tax, personal property tax or real property tax, for us to sit at the table, and allow tax credits for billionaires to move forward, the little guy needs to get something in return,' Schroer said. The regular session ended in acrimony when Republicans twice invoked a rarely used procedural move to shut off debate. Democrats had blocked a proposed ballot measure to restore Missouri's ban on most abortions and a bill repealing the paid sick leave law passed by voters in November. Democrats vowed that the move ended their cooperation with Republicans and gave a taste of what that meant last week when they stalled the final paperwork of the regular session. Under the Missouri Constitution, lawmakers have 60 days to complete work on items in a special session and Kehoe has said he won't try to impose an artificial deadline. Because of the uncertainty of action in the Senate, the Missouri House won't convene until next week and will only remain in session if the Senate has passed a bill for it to consider. But the Chiefs and Royals have only until the end of the month to answer an offer from Kansas to fund new stadiums. Kehoe hopes to have his plan for tax incentives worth about 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums to be passed by then. The plan for the Chiefs and Royals would take tax money already generated from activities at the stadiums — $28.8 million annually as estimated by the Chiefs and $15 million annually by an estimate from the Royals — and commit it to bond payments for 30 years for the new or upgraded facilities. The economic activity associated with the Chiefs supports 4,500 jobs, Kehoe contends, and a new stadium for the Royals would generate about 8,400 jobs. The spending bill Kehoe wants passed would use $25 million of general revenue to support a new research reactor on the University of Missouri's Columbia campus, plus funding for a new livestock display barn at the State Fairgrounds in Sedalia and about $50 million to help with construction of a new mental hospital in Kansas City. The funding for the reactor is $25 million less than Kehoe proposed. State Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat, introduced an appropriations bill with $75 million for the reactor, plus all the other general revenue projects that died when Missouri House Republicans refused to bring the construction spending bill up for a vote. 'If there is going to be a $25 million variance on agreements made in this chamber, we ought to go $25 million in the other direction,' Webber said. Webber also introduced a bill imposing a 1% income tax surcharge on incomes greater than $1 million, which he said would bring in about $400 million over three years to support disaster relief. 'There is obviously a belief, among some, that billionaires should be given a sweetheart deal. I would disagree with that,' Webber said. 'There is also some concern about whether we can fund disaster relief for some communities in our state that were desperately hit. So what I've tried to do is build a bridge between those two issues.' State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican who chairs the Freedom Caucus, introduced a bill to finance the stadiums entirely from donations. He called it the 'No Taxation, All Donation Act' and included incentives for giving. 'So if somebody gives over $10,000 to this stadium, then they are able to obtain free parking to be able to get into that stadium,' Brattin said. The next step will be to send the bills to committees for hearings. That will happen tomorrow and the first hearings will occur soon afterward. Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Parkville, seemed happy to have gotten past the first day without a filibuster. 'Today went smoothly,' Luetkemeyer said. 'And then we'll just take it day by day and see where we go from here.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
29-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
House passes reconciliation bill with sweeping Medicaid changes
The House passed the reconciliation bill in a 215-214 vote early Thursday morning that includes the first set of federal work requirements. Why it matters: The reconciliation bill includes the biggest Medicaid rewrite in the history of the safety-net program, which will likely result in millions of Americans losing their health insurance coverage. The big picture: The package represents an uneasy compromise between conservative Republicans' demands and the concerns of GOP moderates. Moderates had pushed back against more sweeping Medicaid policy changes, like altering the federal share of costs for states (FMAP) or implementing per capita caps, though they were on board for work requirements. Hardline conservatives then staged their own rebellion this week, demanding deeper cuts to Medicaid to help pay for state and local tax deductions — but then caved after GOP leadership and the White House agreed to some limited changes. House Freedom Caucus members had continued up unto Wednesday to try to push for deeper cuts for FMAP, but were unsuccessful. What's inside: The manager's amendment filed on Wednesday had a few updates to the health provisions — most notably by moving up the start of work requirements to the end of 2026, from 2029, which was a Freedom Caucus demand. It also would fund cost-sharing reduction payment to insurers and allow state-directed payments to be higher in states that have not expanded Medicaid than in expansion states. The original bill also would cut the FMAP for states that cover undocumented immigrants with state funds, impose cost-sharing on enrollees for medical services and increase Medicaid eligibility checks to every six months. And it includes several other GOP health care priorities on PBMs, the Medicare physician payment cut and delaying the nursing home staffing measure. In one more last-minute change, the amended bill would now ban Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for all individuals, not just minors as the original bill would have done. By the numbers: The Congressional Budget Office estimated that around 10 million individuals will lose health insurance coverage due to the policy changes.
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
New Homer Township leadership pledges to reduce highway commissioner salary, review civic center costs
It's been about three months since the Homer Township Reset slate won the February Republican primary, ousting the incumbent administration, and the group is ready to get to work, Homer Township Supervisor Susanna Steilen said. Because the Reset party ran unopposed in the April 1 election and state law states most township officials assume their duties the third Monday of May, it's been a long wait, Steilen said. The Reset slate, which also includes Highway Commissioner John Robinson, Clerk Tami O'Brien, Collector Sara Palermo and Trustees Ken Marcin, Chris Sievers, Don Melody and Keith Gray, were sworn in May 19. The special meeting was mostly ceremonial as each elected candidate publicly took their oath of office with Judge Art Smigielski. Their first real business meeting will take place on June 9, when the slate wants to start making good on its promises, Steilen said. The Reset slate bested incumbent Supervisor Steve Balich, who also represents the area on the Will County Board, and his Freedom Caucus slate. The Freedom Caucus accused the Reset slate of being 'Republicans in name only' and courting the Democrat vote in the often contentious election season. Members of the Reset group said Balich and the incumbents were not respecting residents' viewpoints, chastised them during public meetings, fought with Homer Glen village officials and were not transparent. The Reset slate criticized the Balich administration for trying to sell open space land, moving forward with a civic center without resident input and hiring family members for full-time jobs. One of the first orders for the new administration will be to reduce the highway commissioner's role to part time, Steilen said. During the campaign, the Reset group said the township Highway Department is responsible for about 18 miles of road, and the commissioner shouldn't be entitled to a $61,000 full-time salary. A wage and benefit compensation resolution passed in 2020 stated if the road district's total responsibility drops below 20 miles, the commissioner's salary will be reduced to $15,000 annually without insurance or pension benefits. 'This is a part-time job; I will not take a full-time salary,' Robinson said. 'It's not fair to the people who pay taxes.' Steilen said her slate pledged open communication and transparency and that's how she plans to govern. 'I plan to be available,' Steilen said. 'We want to improve the communications. I do invite emails and phone calls. This is their township and we want to work with everyone.' Steilen and her team are analyzing the budget in preparation for a budget hearing in June. They are also deciding what to do with township-owned cars that were used by Balich and former Highway Commissioner Brent Porfilio, and whether they could be used by the Highway Department. Robinson said it was important for the prior administration to not declare the vehicles as surplus and get rid of them until they could be inspected. The vehicles will not be for township officials' personal use, Robinson said. Steilen said she wants to create committees to serve senior citizens, individuals with special needs and veterans and work on issues such as open space preservation and the new civic center. Residents interested in serving on the committees should contact her, she said. 'I'm even open to hearing if there's something we should have a committee for,' she said. 'I'm always open to new ideas. We want volunteers. We want all different groups represented because that's what our community is.' While Steilen has been only on the job for a week, she has already toured the controversial civic center and is starting to go through construction documents. Earlier in the year, Balich said he expected the center, which is being built on township owned land preserved for open space, to be open by May or June. Steilen said the $2.2 million multipurpose center on Trantina Farm, 15774 151st St., is nowhere near complete. 'There's a lot of work that needs to be done,' she said. The building, which some residents have said was not an appropriate use of open space, still needs interior work, light fixtures, a sprinkler system, parking lot improvements and landscaping, Steilen said. 'What we are doing right now is taking a look at what was actually contracted for, all that has been paid and has it been delivered and seeing what's left on any contracts that still needs be done,' she said. 'What is it going to take to finish this financially and are those funds there to do that?' Steilen said she wants to keep residents up to date on the civic center and other township business through monthly meetings, newsletters and emails. Steilen said she also wants to improve transportation options for senior citizens. 'It's been such a long wait,' she said. 'We are ready to go.' In the last four years, residents packed township meetings to protest some of Balich's initiatives. Residents objected to the administration's attempts to build homes on the Welter Farm and sell the Paul and Purdy Farms, which are all part of the open space program that was approved by voters. Some residents also said the township board exceeded its duties when it took a stance in the debate over abortion rights and designated the township a sanctuary for life community. Balich also drew attention when he flew the U.S. flag upside down at the township offices in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's guilty verdict last year. While many residents voiced their support for Balich's freedom of expression, other residents said he shouldn't use a public building to promote a personal political belief. Trustee Keith Gray said he knows residents will be watching the new board, and they expect members to work in their best interest. He said the new township board will post its agenda packets online for residents to follow along. Like Steilen, he promised transparency and improved communications with 'no drama' and 'no hidden agendas.' 'We don't look for fights; we look for solutions,' Gray said. 'We are there for a reason, which is to be the best stewards we can of the public's assets.' He said he knows during the Republican primary, some Democrats crossed over and voted for the Reset party. The Reset slate was endorsed by the Homer Township Democratic Organization, but they didn't solicit that endorsement. 'They were taking a shot at Balich because he was taking shots at them for four years,' Gray said. During the campaign, the Reset slate said its opponents were attempting to weaponize these endorsements. 'We will govern for everybody,' Gray said. 'We will govern for all residents of Homer Township.' Steilen, who was elected as a trustee to the Homer Glen Village Board in 2023, resigned from that position. 'I'm not going far, so it's not a total goodbye,' she said during a recent Village Board meeting. 'When I was elected I did plan on serving as a trustee for four years. I do like to honor my commitments. But I (feel) like I am still going to serve the community as a township supervisor.' Steilen said she has a good relationship with Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike and believes the township and village will work together toward the betterment of the community. She said she also had a nice conversation with Lockport Township Supervisor Alex Zapien. Neitzke-Troike said earlier this month she looks forward to working with Steilen. 'I will finally have that opportunity to work with the township and get things done and get things accomplished,' she said. Balich, who attended the swearing-in ceremony for the new administration, said he promised an orderly transition. He said his administration cut property taxes, increased services and built the civic center, securing a $500,000 federal grant for the project. When he lost the primary in February, he said he didn't want to start any new projects that would handcuff the incoming administration. He said if the new administration has a problem, they can call him. 'Do I want them to fail? I would have to pay more property taxes,' Balich said. 'I want them to be successful.'
