April 20, 2020

Working for you!

Special Public Health Emergency Update

Dr. Duke Pesta and I recently spoke about the impact of statewide closures on Wisconsin. Click on the picture to watch the video.

I’ve heard from a great number of you this week about the governor’s inexplicable extension of the public health emergency until May 26.

What I learned recently is that the governor did not consult with Wisconsin hospital or business leaders before making his decision to extend his executive order. Communication with public health experts and folks who will be able to get our economy back on its feet has never been more critical, and yet it appears more and more that the governor is continuing to make decisions without their input.

I will not stop pushing for our state to do the work necessary to reopen safely and quickly. This work begins with communication with our health experts on the ground. According to the Post-Crescent, COVID-19 testing is at less than 25% of Wisconsin's capacity. This is primarily due to poor communication from the governor to physicians about who Wisconsin actually has the capacity to test.

We need a concrete plan, with public benchmark goals that will enable us to safely reopen all Wisconsin businesses. We must move beyond tinkering with levels of closures and focus instead on how we can support all businesses with safe guidelines and resources for reopening before it’s too late. Restrictions on high risk facilities like nursing homes and sports stadiums may be necessary; however, most businesses need state guidance on how to reopen safely. The Wisconsin Tavern League recently sent the governor suggested guidelines for their members to begin opening safely on May 1.

Until the governor takes serious action to support businesses safely reopening, I ask you to continue to protect yourselves and your loved ones by following the President’s guidelines.

Today In the Fox Valley

Nearly two weeks after holding an election in which some people were fearfuly about the health concern, there are now zero COVID-19 patients in Fox Valley Intensive Care Units (ICU). We also have just 14 individuals waiting for test results, down from 28 last week.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association is now maintaining a dashboard where the public can view the data being used by the state to make public health decisions.

COVID-19 Guidance and Assistance

Help is available if you are in need. You can’t control whether you lose your job or your benefits because of the Coronavirus. However, you can take steps to protect yourself in case you wind up without health insurance during the pandemic. If you have lost coverage (or fear that you might), you have options! Call 920-882-6420 or dial United Way’s 2-1-1 for free help.

Below are additional resources:

Unemployment and Job Opportunities

• Unemployment insurance claims should be made online if possible, and requirements have been relaxed. Many employers are currently hiring in order to fill gaps in delivery and retail services. Learn more by visiting https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/covid19/public/

Small Businesses

• Grants of up to $20,000 to targeted small businesses with no more than 20 employees to cover rent and to meet payroll expenses, including paid leave.

Financial Resources

• If you are experiencing financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, assistance may be available.

The Impact of School Closures

On Friday, I received the above excerpted letter from the Appleton Area School District, highlighting their concerns relating to long-term mandated closures of school buildings. I am increasingly concerned about the one size fits all approach to school closing the governor has imposed and the negative repercussions it is having on our students. I firmly believe that we must do everything we can to open schools in a safe way before the end of the year. I’m deeply moved by the loss currently being felt by high school seniors who may never experience their prom or graduation ceremony. I can’t imagine how I would feel without these formative memories. Even CNN recently ran an article about the damage to teens these school closures are causing. The lasting damage being done to this low risk population is simply inexcusable.

The Legislature's Proposals

The legislature has been hard at work to offer safe alternatives to the governor’s blanket shutdown approach. Representatives and Senators have reached out to experts across medical and business fields to learn about and propose reasonable and responsible ways to reopen our state.

On Thursday, our Assembly Republican caucus issued a public statement raising our concerns with extending the governor’s “Safer at Home” order. Below is our full statement:

 “Our phones have been ringing off the hook since the announcement came out. People are frustrated and so are we. Many citizens can’t get through to the governor’s office and have asked us to be their voice. While everyone shares the goal of protecting public health, the governor’s order goes too far. The Safer at Home order’s main intent was to flatten the curve, which we have successfully done to this point, not devastate our families.

“Legislative Republicans are planning to act with legal and legislative options to deal with the extension of the order and get answers to the questions our constituents are demanding.

“Today’s briefing gave no actual metrics, no measurable goals, and most importantly, no clear plan to reopen going forward. The governor can’t just keep extending the date, waiting for some new knowledge to appear. We need to hear from the economic and medical experts who support his continuation of the order as appropriate for Wisconsin's circumstances and not from more politicians.

“The health crisis is changing by day in the state - just three weeks ago, Governor Evers announced the state needed to buy 10,000 ventilators, yet placed an order for only 1500. The prevailing model out of University of Washington has substantially scaled back predicted impacts repeatedly in recent days. The hardest hit city in the nation, New York City, is expected to reopen on May 15. These rapidly changing data points leave in question what indicators the governor is using to continue the extension of an order, which is having far-reaching economic and human impacts in the state.

“The people of Wisconsin are owed a comprehensive, economic recovery plan. We must begin to plan for an easing of restrictions and gradually, possibly through a regional approach, reopen the economy.

“The Evers administration also can’t ignore other health concerns. Wisconsinites can no longer receive preventive care or important health screenings. Unfortunately, one of the unintended consequences will most likely be undiagnosed medical issues left untreated due to this never-expiring order. These emergency orders don’t allow much for citizens to do for their own physical and mental well-being beyond isolating themselves from possible infection of the coronavirus.

“People are not only afraid of the virus, they’re afraid of losing their livelihood. We all know the governor can’t control the coronavirus, but he can control the impact on the state’s economy.

“With the economic costs growing daily, we must begin the recovery process before the economic damage can’t be undone.”

On Friday, many of my colleagues and I signed on to a letter authored by Rep. Horlacher that proposed a specific and achievable way for Wisconsin to reopen in a reasonable and responsible way. You can read the full proposal by clicking on the letter below:

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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.