WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU) — Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blaser made his case for the “Mill Bill” in Madison last week.
Blaser and Alder Dean Veneman both made the trip Wednesday to express their support for the bill before a Senate hearing on the matter, including money for the Park Falls mill, which was recently idled.
Blaser said he was also joined by Park Falls Mayor Michael Bablick who also testified.
“We were both there just to show support for what it could mean for our community to have our mills operating again,” said Blaser. “Hopefully the state will join in that and support the purchase of both mills
The bill has already passed in the Assembly. Should the Senate do the same it would go to Governor Evers’ desk. Blaser says he’s the one holding the cards at this time adding he has gotten no indication which way he’ll go with it. “It’ll really come down to the Governor, whether he chooses to support it or not. It’s a straightforward bill, nothing else is added to it. No matter what your politics are, this is the bill.”
The bill, currently SB 369, is considered partisan as it’s sponsored by 12 Republicans including Scott Krug and Patrick Testin. The measure would instruct the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to issue $50 million in loans to the co-op that’s looking to buy the Wisconsin Rapids mill and another $15 million to get the Park Falls facility up and running again.
Governor Evers has previously proposed funding the measure as part of a $1 billion deal to expand BadgerCare using federal money, then taking the savings to fund infrastructure and economic development projects statewide. However, that idea was gaveled in and out by Legislators earlier this summer. Krug has previously noted that the Governor copied the language he used for the Assembly version of the bill in that proposal, which he hopes is a sign that he would sign the stand-alone measure.
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Blaser added that the fire at the facility that was sparked by lightning on May 25th has had no impact on anyone’s plans for the mill.
As it stands the bill has been referred to the Senate’s Economic Development and Workforce Development Committee for a hearing on Tuesday. That’s the same day that the Assembly Rules Committee will take up that chamber’s version.
Other topics Blaser discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- return of Lunch by the River for 2021
3:00- update on efforts to restart Verso mill
6:30- city-wide hiring boom including some mill jobs
8:20- Matalco update
10:40- city 4th of July fireworks
