I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to read through my newsletter. Each week, I'll include information to keep you up to date with what's happening in Madison and the 1st Assembly District.
2019 Highlights
Inauguration
After being elected to my third term on the Wisconsin State Assembly, it was an incredible honor to be sworn in last January to continue to serve you as your state representative.
As the 104th session of the Wisconsin State Legislature kicked off about a year ago, it quickly became clear that operating under a split government for the first time in nearly a decade would bring its share of challenges, as well as new opportunities.
In previous sessions under former Gov. Scott Walker, Republicans didn't need to worry about securing the support of Democrats, which made it a lot easier for us to pass legislation. But with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, that has completely changed, and as a result, not as many bills have been signed into law as in past years.
While the gridlock of our state government can often get frustrating, it has also forced both sides to reach across the aisle to get things done for our constituents. For example, it previously wouldn't have been important to get Democratic co-sponsors for a bill I am authoring that ensures room taxes are remitted to the correct municipality.
However, with our divided government, I made it a point to work with my Democratic colleagues to get their input, and I believe that collaboration will greatly improve the chances of my legislation advancing to the governor's desk. That may have been difficult for some people to do, but I have always prioritized finding common ground with all stakeholders and lawmakers, no matter their political affiliation. I am confident the relationships I have built will help me as I continue to seek solutions for Wisconsin's residents.
Budget
This past July, Gov. Evers signed the Wisconsin Legislature’s 2019-21 state budget, which provided more funding and resources to many of our state agencies and programs.
Even though not everyone received exactly what they wanted, it is still a good budget that benefits our state. In today’s political climate, it was also nice to see the Legislature and governor were able to come together to positively impact our state and residents.
The budget covers a wide range of issues, such as increasing state funding for public education, nursing homes and personal care workers and fully funding our Healthcare Stability Plan. The budget also aims to improve mental health services for veterans and all Wisconsin citizens.
Furthermore, I was very pleased that the state's spending plan included my proposal to release $2 million to Washington Island to help pay for damages that resulted from ice shoves destroying the only submarine cable that supplied electricity to the town. That assistance is something that Washington Island residents and I truly appreciate.
This was a compromise budget, so no one was happy with every single item. We fought hard to reduce the spending levels proposed by the governor and, although it's not a completely perfect budget, it still provides the necessary funding for various programs throughout our state. I look forward to carrying this momentum of both sides working together into the new year.
Environment
As someone who cares deeply about protecting our natural resources, I was honored to be named chairman of the Assembly Environment Committee and as a member of the Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality. I also formed my own bipartisan work group that is looking specifically at reducing the levels of nitrates that are polluting our water.
As a careful steward of our environment, I have fought hard to bring our agriculture and conservation communities together to keep us moving toward our common goal of safeguarding our ground and surface water without hurting the state economically.
In the Assembly Environment Committee that I chair, we are considering or have already recommended passage of bills that limit the use of firefighting foams that contain PFAS chemicals, incentivize the creation of wetlands in needed areas, improve the state's electronic waste recycling program and require that counties are notified of certain water pollution violations.
The Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality is also expected to release its final report this month that will recommend numerous legislative proposals that are based on the comments we received at public hearings held all across the state. I will be the primary author of a couple of these bills. I expect clean water to be the focal point of the Assembly's legislative calendar as we finish out this session in the spring.
The environmental bill that I'm most proud of is my AB 113, which aims to reduce the amount of contaminants in our state's waterways by creating a system for buying and selling pollution credits through a third-party central clearinghouse. This will be first-of-its-kind legislation in the country and it has received enthusiastic support from nearly every conservation, agriculture and industry group.
Although we accomplished many great things related to the environment in 2019, there is still more that needs to be done. While I am happy that we were able to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for an additional two years, I was fighting for 10 years instead. Please know that I will continue my efforts in extending this important program and prioritizing other policies that preserve our environment.
Education
This past year I had the privilege of working on some meaningful education legislation. Coupled with the signing of the 2019-2021 budget, students across our state are now being given more opportunities to succeed.
I was pleased to see the governor include in his budget some of the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding, of which I was the co-chair. One of the recommendations was to increase per-pupil funding to $742 per year. As a result, new spending on public education totals around $570 million.
The education budget greatly benefits our area’s school districts by increasing the low revenue ceiling to $9,700 per pupil in the first year and $10,000 in the second. This will address the needs of school districts like Sturgeon Bay, Southern Door, Algoma, Kewaunee, Luxemburg-Casco and Denmark, who are among the lowest spending in the state.
Even though there was a lot of good that came out of the education budget, I was still disappointed in Gov. Evers' decision to veto the minimum aid provision. For years I have been supportive of providing a minimum level of school aid for every public school student, regardless of the school they attend or where they live. This would of helped the school districts of Washington Island, Gibraltar and Sevastopol because high property value districts like these get very little state aid compared to lower property value districts, even though not everyone who lives there is wealthy.
While 2019 was a productive year, I am looking forward to 2020 and for the opportunity to get more education bills passed into law, including my AB 67. That bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to include the percentage of pupils participating in music, dance, drama and visual arts on the school and school district report cards. Having already passed the Assembly, AB 67 awaits a vote by the full Senate.
I’m proud of the things we were able to accomplish this past year related to education, but one area we still need to pursue is how we fund districts that are dealing with declining enrollment. This is a fundamental flaw in our funding system that forces most rural districts to constantly go to referendum. I look forward to continuing my work in making school funding more fair and equitable and assuring that every kid in Wisconsin receives a great education.
Transportation
While we were able to increase revenue to fix our roads, the state Legislature decided the best way to do so was to raise vehicle title fees and car registration rates. Although I am glad that we did substantially increase spending on transportation, we regrettably did not come up with a sustainable funding source.
I heard from many of you throughout the year and it was quite evident that the majority felt an increase in the gas tax was the most acceptable choice. That would have also ensured that out-of-state drivers who use our roads are paying their fair share.
While raising the gas tax was also my preferred short-term option, that proposal was not included in the budget because several senators said they would not have voted for a spending plan that included a gas tax hike. I will always fight hard to avoid tax increases, but the fact remains that our funding source continues to decline while costs climb with inflation.
Be that as it may, even if an increase in the gas tax was passed, we still wouldn't have a long-term solution to repairing our roads. That is why I was frustrated when Gov. Evers vetoed a provision that would have required the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on tolling and mileage-based fees.
We know that we cannot solely rely on gas tax increases to fund our transportation infrastructure. Vehicles are breaking fuel economy records every year and it is estimated that by 2030, 30 percent of all cars on our country's roads will be either hybrid or electric.
If we want to be more environmentally-friendly by having more electric and hybrid vehicles being driven in our state, we have to find other ways to pay for our roads. I vow to continue to look outside the box for answers and study what other states are doing so we can adequately fund our roadways now and into the future.
Upcoming District Events
What: Naturalist Guided Snowshoe Hike Where: Ridges Sanctuary, 8166 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor When: Saturday, Jan. 4, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Details:"10am & 1pm. Winter snows create a wonderland for snowshoeing the trails at The Ridges. Snowshoe rental available. If there is insufficient snow, hike will be done without snowshoes. Hike ends at the Center with cup of hot cocoa or coffee. $5/members. $8/public. Free/kids."
What: LEGO Kids’ Club Where: Sturgeon Bay Library, 107 S. Fourth Ave., Sturgeon Bay, WI When: Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1 p.m. Details:"Kids (in grades K-4) are invited to play with the library's LEGOs and build something to share with the group. Creations are displayed in the Children's Department, where they can be admired for the rest of the month."
What: Civil Air Patrol-Door County Composite Squadron Where: Door County Cherryland Airport, 3538 Park Drive, Sturgeon Bay When: Saturday, Jan. 4, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Details:"Our main missions are Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education. Everyone is welcome to attend to check us out."
In Closing...
Thank you for taking the time to read my e-update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office. My staff, Lea and Adam, look forward to working with you. Also, if you would like a 2019-20 Wisconsin Blue Book or 2019-20 state highway map free of charge, just send us an email!
