BUDGET: Unemployment fix, but not really.
Gov Tony Evers has proposed his new budget, which included upgraded the very outdated Unemployment Services computer systems.
While upgraded outdated equipment happens in every budget, as we get new snowplows, office building upgrades and computer systems, to provide us with a modern and dependable set of tools our state government uses. Seems logical.
But the GOP, and a certain Mr. Vos has decided that we don't need to upgrade any computers, or put that cost into a budget. Computer upgrades have always been part of bi-annual budgets.
The current Unemployment computer systems are using A FIFTY YEAR OLD SOFTWARE.
COBAL. Yes, a one-time only, very specific software program designed to only be used with Wisc's Unemployment claims.
In 1971, which was fifty years ago:
--the was no internet
--people did not own computers
--the software could not be updated for decades
--the costs of computers that the state purchases to operate as a government... is now, somehow not a normal expense.
This is not only a ploy, it's also an ignorant argument when it affects every man, woman and child in the state. thee are tens of millions in legitimate UC claims that are not being processed...and have not even been looked at, as a very first step for one full year.
Those weekly checks buy food, services from other Wisconsinites; every day of every week.
Vos does not believe this is true and that every UC claim is a fraud.