The close of each year brings for many a time of reflection and I’m no exception. With that comes a time to give thanks and show appreciation to others that have positively affected my life in the previous year. I’m thankful for my wonderful husband Dave and the rest of my supportive family members. I’m also thankful to the taxpayers and citizens of the 70th Assembly District for re-electing me to represent a district and communities I care deeply about and I’m grateful to the community leaders from the district that do things every day to make our part of the state a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
I’m also thankful for the amount of engagement that is shown from a variety of individuals throughout the year. Whether it’s an in person visit from Monroe County Farm Bureau members, a School District Administrator from Wood County calling about school safety legislation, a Jackson County resident calling for consumer complaint information or a veteran’s family from Portage County emailing my office to alert my attention to a problem they’re having with in-state vs. out of state tuition issues for one of their children, an open dialogue is important because I can’t try to help with things I’m not aware of.
I’m pleased with a number of initiatives that were accomplished over the course of this legislative session, but I know there’s more work to do. Those of you that received my 2018 Legislative Report know that in the current legislative session, I've been proud to have authored and supported legislation that:
- Improved access to rural healthcare
- Invested in our public schools
- Helped to grow our workforce
- Took care of our most vulnerable, and
- Addressed the tragic heroin and opioid epidemic in our state
Earlier this month, the legislature convened for an extraordinary session. A number of measures were put forward and passed that: 1) Ensure equal balance among the co-equal legislative, executive, and judicial branches of our state government 2) Provide oversight and accountability to the legislature over unelected bureaucrats within our state government, and 3) Safeguard important legislative initiatives and provide for a smooth transition to new leadership. Next month, Governor-elect Tony Evers will be sworn into office. The governor-elect will assume office next year with the full constitutional authority provided to the governor in the state of Wisconsin and arguably the most powerful veto authority in the country. I wish the governor-elect success because his success is Wisconsin’s success. I recently released an opinion column with my full thoughts on the upcoming and extraordinary session. You can view it on my legislative website here: https://tinyurl.com/y8xbzbmr
My focus moving forward will not change. I will continue to focus on developing a legislative strategy on which our district and the state of Wisconsin can grow in the areas of healthcare, workforce development, technology, education and protecting our most vulnerable citizens, while striving to hold the line on taxes and allowing families to keep more of their own money in their pocket.
All my best to you and yours and a special Happy New Year’s wish for the military members and emergency services personnel: our service men and women, police officers, firefighters, emergency services personnel, and others, for keeping us safe and sacrificing time away from their families to be on duty during the holidays.
Please continue to utilize my legislative website, legis.wisconsin.gov/
assembly/70/vandermeer, and follow Rep. Nancy VanderMeer on Facebook to communicate with me and receive up to date information and communication.
Sincerely,
Nancy VanderMeer
70th Assembly District Representative
|
|
The 2018 Wisconsin State Capitol Christmas Tree is up through January 1 in the Capitol Rotunda. This year’s tree comes from by Mary and Don Miller of Plainfield, Wisconsin, and stands 35 feet tall.
It is decorated by two thousand multicolored LED lights and handmade ornaments made by hundreds of Wisconsin school children, including schools in Tomah, Sparta and Pittsville. The theme for this year’s tree is America’s Dairyland, reflecting our state’s proud agricultural and dairy heritage. If you are in Madison between now and New Year’s, I encourage you to checkout our beautiful state Christmas Tree!
.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events in the 70th
Sparta Holiday Lights in the Park
Evans Bosshard Park, 215 East Ave.
Continues through January 1. Lights remain on from dusk until dawn.
Holiday Lights Display
Winnebago Park, 1020 Brandon St., Tomah
Through December 23, 5:00pm-8:00pm
Rotary Winter Wonderland
Wildwood Park & Zoo, 1800 S Roddis Ave., Marshfield
Through December 31, 5:00pm-9:00pm daily
Sparta American Legion Christmas Dinner
1116 Angelo Rd.
December 25, 11:00am-2:00pm
Tomah Memorial Hospital Holiday Blood Drive
321 Butts Ave.
December 26, 10am-3:00pm
Register at: https://donor.bcw.edu/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/169694
|
|
|
|
|
|
