March 30, 2018

Working for you!

Record Low Unemployment

At just 2.9%, the Wisconsin unemployment rate is lower than it has ever been in state history!

Unemployment fell in all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and metro areas from Feb. 2017 to Feb. 2018 and we ranked 4th nationally in year-over-year manufacturing job gains.

WI Gains $18 for Everyone $1 Foxconn Incentive

A new MMAC analysis has found that for every one dollar the state is providing in incentives to Foxconn, the state economy is growing by $18. Foxconn is a sound investment that will put Wisconsin on the leading edge of the technology sector for decades to come. Right here in the Fox Valley, we’re seeing the positive impacts with our local companies bidding to provide a vast array of services and supplies to the new massive facility.

Local companies interested in serving as subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, and professional services firms for the Foxconn project should register online and plan on attending an upcoming information session in Appleton. More information can be found online here: https://wisconnvalley.wi.gov/Pages/ScienceTechPark.aspx

Governor Calls Special Elections

Regular and free elections are the cornerstone of any stable democratic republic. America is so strong, because the people are able to freely choose their representatives in elections that occur at regular intervals. From time to time, when a vacancy occurs, it becomes necessary to hold a special election.

The Governor has now called special elections for the vacancies in the 1st senate district and the 42nd assembly district.

I’m pleased that the legislature will not step in to alter these elections. I also believe the confusion caused by the ambiguous wording in statutes needs to be fixed in the next legislative session, in order to avoid situations like this in the future.

Highway 116 Detour Problem Solved

Thanks to the Village of Winneconne, upcoming detours for State Highway 116 will allow trucks to access the freeway without having to make a 30 mile u-turn to the west. In meetings and phone calls with the stakeholders, we were able to get a rapid assessment of the situation and its issues to come up with a solution. I'm glad the Governor and Department of Transportation were responsive to our concerns and altered their initial plan, which will save local businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You can watch a video of the detour on Facebook thanks to Doug Sasse: https://www.facebook.com/Winneconne/posts/1860817410619455

Out and About in Our District

I always enjoy getting out to work with constituents in the district.

Fredrico Bell and me at the Copper Rock Cafe in downtown Appleton discussing a youth program that I've been helping him get off the ground.

I had a great discussion with Appleton school board candidate Brian Farmer regarding school district issues. Brian believes strongly in transparency in schools and empowering parents and communities to have more input.

24th district (town of Grand Chute) county supervisor candidate Matt Albert and I met recently. Matt talked to me about his low tax, pro growth agenda for Outagamie County.

Karen Weinschrott and Mike Thomas, with Brian Farmer in the background. Karen is the Grand Chute town clerk and Mike Thomas serves as supervisor for the 20th Outagamie County district. It was a pleasure to discuss voting issues with Karen and Mike, who are highly experienced in this area.

I enjoyed meeting with Appleton School Board President Kay Eggert, Appleton North High School students, Principal David Pynenberg, and Superintendent Judy Baseman about school district issues and their Sources of Strength mental health program.

Murphy Newsletter in Your Mailbox

My spring newsletter summarizing this legislative session should have arrived in your mailbox recently. If you'd like an electronic version, just let me know by emailing me at Rep.Murphy@legis.wi.gov 

Happy Easter!

April Fools' Spam

April Fools' Day is a big deal for your garden-variety jokester, but it's just another day at the office for a scammer. Con artists don't care whether it is April 1st, September 19th or February 3rd - they will use any opportunity on any given day to pull tricks on trusting victims and rip them off for money or personal information. And as anyone who follows consumer news knows, spam email is one of their favorite tools.

The good news for you is that email scams can be easy to spot...but only if you know what to look for. In recognition of April Fools' Day, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) wishes to share some simple tips to help spot a malicious email:

• Spam emails often include the name, logo, and color scheme of a well-known business, so the tip-off of a scam is often in the language used in the message. Watch for poor grammar, misspellings, awkward wording, and a general lack of professionalism. Legitimate corporate emails will be clear and grammatically accurate.

• Check the sender's email address for another easy tip-off. In many spam messages, the web address (URL) referenced in the sender's email address does not match the true URL for the business in question. For example, an email that claims to come from the U.S. Postal Service may come from "JoeSchmo @somefakecompany.com" instead of "___ @usps.com."

• Be suspicious of any request to open an attached file or click a link (including to "view your account"). Either action could lead you to download malware onto your device.

• On a desktop or laptop computer, if you hover your mouse over a link in an email (do NOT click your mouse!), the URL that the link directs you to will typically appear in the bottom of your browser window.

• Refuse requests to reply to an email with confidential information such as user names, passwords, and personal details. If you question the validity of an email that claims to be from a major business, call the business directly to inquire about its legitimacy.

• Most of these emails end up in your "junk mail" folder if your security settings are high and your email provider is routing spam correctly, but the occasional junk email inevitably finds its way through the filters and into your inbox.

Two major spam email ploys from recent years have claimed to come from well-known retailers and shipping companies. These emails draw in potential victims through false promises of gift cards as part of a "rewards program" or they claim to have information about a delay or other issue with a (nonexistent) package delivery. Other recent email schemes have involved fake invoices and threats about past-due taxes sent using the names of government agencies.

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at datcp.wisconsin.gov, call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128, or send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.

Upcoming Events

Check out upcoming events near us by visiting the Wisconsin Tourism website or  https://appletondowntown.org/upcoming-events/ and if you run into me while you’re out and about be sure to stop and say hi!

"Like" Representative Murphy's Facebook Page

I use Facebook to update constituents more frequently on my work in Madison and the 56th Assembly District. I look forward to using this as another way to connect with constituents and encourage you to follow it and watch for regular updates.