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Morning Update: Friday, Nov. 12

Marathon traffic + a new budget

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Good morning, Madison.

I just checked the weather and was surprised to see we are expected to get a small amount of snow today. It won't be enough to build a snowman, but it will be enough to remind us that winter is coming.

And so it begins!

— Sam

💉 The Madison Catholic Diocese is telling churches and schools to not host vaccine drives.

✏️ Madison365 reporting reveals the “haphazardly” way that a new Department of Public Instruction team was created.

  • The creation of the new Office of Partnerships and Equitable Practices at the state's Department of Public Instruction was hurried and done without input from people of color, Madison365 reports.
  • “The fact that some of those groups that are focused on equity specifically were not consulted, were not talked to, were not able to help create what that department should look like, just seems very dismissive that our voices were not heard or included. And we thought that this administration wanted to do things differently” one employee told Madison365.
  • Less than a day after Madison365 reported on the creation of the department, Superintendent Jill Underly emailed staff and admitted to making mistakes. “I prioritized speed over input. That decision runs counter to the idea of inclusion,” she wrote.

🤑 The city's budget passed following several days of deliberation.

  • The "budget" is actually two budgets. Here's how they're described by the city:
    • "The capital budget provides funding for the City’s major construction projects including building new facilities, improving our transit system, maintaining our roads and parks, and purchasing major equipment."
    • "The operating budget provides money for running City departments and services. It pays for the day-to-day spending on employees and materials and supplies."
  • The latest capital budget is $354,244,062 and the operating budget is $360,321,028.
  • Some notable things that are included in this year's budget, per the State Journal: BRT funding, 1% raises for city employees, and $200,000 for gun violence prevention efforts.

🗺️ It's time for a redistricting update! Republicans passed their maps. Now what?

  • What's going on again? The data from the latest census triggered a redistricting process. Lawmakers and Governor Tony Evers created dueling proposals for the new legislative districts.
  • Republicans in the legislature passed their map proposals, which favor Republicans. Governor Evers, who is a Democrat, is almost certainly going to veto the legislation.
  • So now what? The situation will likely trigger a court battle, but which court it ends up is uncertain, WPR reports. The state supreme court, which has a conservative majority, seems most likely, but federal judges could also intervene.

🏡 There’s money available for struggling renters, but it’s been difficult for some local residents to access the aid.

🏃 Traffic alert! The Madison marathon is on Sunday.

  • Runners will "go through the UW Arboretum, UW Campus, Warner Park, and back to the Capitol, with the last runners finishing around 1:30 p.m." the city says.
  • Click here to see the race route maps.

🧈 Your lunchtime read/listen: "I can't believe it's not yellow: A peek into Wisconsin’s quirky margarine laws" (WPR)

🦠 Covid-19 Resources

Wisconsin Vaccination Rate: 55.1%

Dane County Vaccination Rate: 71.7%

Here's where to find a COVID-19 vaccine near you.

Need a COVID-19 test? PHMDC has you covered.

Are you eligible for a third dose of Pfizer or Moderna? Find out here.

NEW: Do you still need your flu shot? Start here.

📅 This weekend...

Friday, Nov. 12

Saturday, Nov. 13

Sunday, Nov. 14

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