Representative Lisa Subeck's E-Newsletter


 May 19, 2015

 

Contact Me

 

418 North State Capitol

P.O. Box 8953

Madison, WI 53708

 

PH: (608) 266-7521

TF: (888) 534-0078

FAX: (608) 282-3690

 

rep.subeck@legis.wi.gov

On the Web


   

 

Things happening in the district & around Madison

 

Longenecker Horticultural Gardens Tour: Spring Highlights

Wednesday, May 20th

7:00pm

UW-Madison Arboretum

 

Free garden walk at the UW Arboretum. Enjoy the spring beauty in the Arboretum’s woody plant collection on this tour let by Eileen Nelson, UW Dept. of Horticulture.

 


World’s Largest Brat Fest

Friday, May 22nd-6:00am to Monday, May 25th-11:45pm

Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center

1919 Alliant Energy Center Way

 

A weekend full of activities for all ages, with over 100 bands. Headliners include Charlie Daniels and Bret Michaels. It will also include a “Bratteyball” tournament,  Bun Run and Kid Zone.

 


Free Concert Series at Olin Pavilion

Tuesday, May 12

6PM-8PM

Olin Park

1156 Olin-Turville Court Madison, WI

 

Each Tuesday in May, there are free live music concerts at the Olin Park pavilion from 6 to 8PM. This Tuesday features the Bluegrass beat of The Whiskey Farm.

 


West Side Farmers Market

Saturdays, April 18th to November 14th 7AM - 1PM

Hill Farms DOT Building Parking Lot

University Ave. & Segoe Rd.

 


Health Insurance  Enrollment and Exemption Application Assistance.

 Thursdays, until August 31st

10 am - 3 pm

 

Dane County Job Center

1819 Aberg Ave., Madison  

 

Consumers can walk in for assistance or make appointments by calling Covering Kids & Families at 608-261-1455.

 
 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

I am back in the Capitol this week after a short trip to Denver for a Women in Government conference on diabetes and obesity.

 

In this week’s newsletter, you will find an update on the budget, new developments pointing to mismanagement and possible corruption within Governor Walker’s Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the latest information on K-12 school funding.

 

If you have any questions or need assistance with any matter, please feel free to contact my office. 

 

Sincerely,

Lisa Subeck

State Representative

78th Assembly District


                  Budget Update

The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) met twice last week regarding the 2015-17 budget. They took action on a number of topics, a few of which are highlighted here.

 

Democrats introduced a motion to address the student loan crisis through a proposal called Higher Ed, Lower Debt. This would have allowed the refinancing of student loan debt, similar to how individuals can refinance car loans or mortgages. Unfortunately, the motion was voted down by Republicans on a party line vote.

 

The Governor proposed a 34% cut to the Educational Communications Board, a state agency that oversees Wisconsin public broadcasting and provides online programs for schools. The committee voted to restore funding for maintenance and repairs of public broadcast infrastructure. However the Governor’s cuts to funding for the Wisconsin Media Lab, which provides free learning materials to public schools, remain.

 

Before JFC’s next meeting, Republicans announced that they would reject Governor Walker’s budget measure to eliminate IRIS, a program that allows individuals with disabilities to self-direct their care. While this is promising news, there are no details yet of what a new Republican proposal will contain and what changes or reductions in services may be made. My Democratic colleagues and I remain committed to fighting any proposal that that negatively impacts our elderly and disabled neighbors in need of these services.

 

The committee voted to increase funding for domestic abuse services by $5 million. Democrats offered a motion to increase this funding by an additional $14.5 million for additional services per recommendations by the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse and End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, but the motion failed on a party line vote Democrats also offered a motion to increase funding for direct child care subsidies to encourage parents to use higher quality child care providers and stay in the Wisconsin Shares program. This motion, too, failed on a party-line vote with all Republicans voting against it.

 


  Democrats Call for Investigation into Corruption at Walker’s WEDC

Last week, I shared the results from a recent audit of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) that pointed to gross mismanagement at Governor Walker’s centerpiece economic development agency. This week, a Wisconsin State Journal investigation revealed that a $500,000 loan was given to one of Governor Walker’s major campaign contributors after top Walker aides pushed for the loan to be granted. The loan is among those that have not been repaid to the state.

 

Now, Democratic appointees to the WEDC board, Representative Peter Barca and Senator Julie Lassa, are calling for U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and U.S. Attorneys to investigate WEDC to ensure taxpayer dollars were not improperly used and to determine whether criminal violations may have taken place.

 

This is yet another example of Walker’s WEDC wasting taxpayer money to repay Republican campaign supporters. WEDC continues to fail at creating jobs, instead bringing nothing but scandal and corruption since its creation by the governor.

 


                                                                           K-12 School Funding

After announcing plans to restore a small portion of the budget cuts they have made to our public schools, Republicans have been busy holding press conferences and running victory laps.

However, Wisconsin’s school children deserve better than Republican legislators who claim to be heroes while ignoring a budget deficit created by their own irresponsible fiscal and policy choices. In the last five years, Republicans have made record cuts to funding for our neighborhood schools, totaling 1.4 billion dollars including the current proposed budget.

For the third budget in a row, Republicans have proposed dumping more money into unaccountable private voucher schools. I refuse to let Republicans pat themselves on the back while they refuse to invest in our children’s futures by addressing the real challenges our schools face.

 


        Diabetes & Obesity Summit

Late last week I attended a legislative summit in Denver on Diabetes and Obesity, sponsored by Women in Government. Women in Government (WIG) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of women state legislators from all over the country. One of the most valuable services of WIG is that they provide expert forums and educational resources to address and resolve complex public policy issues.

 

At the summit in Denver I heard from experts and medical professionals on how we tackle issues of diabetes and obesity in America. Meanwhile, back home in Wisconsin, Republicans in the Assembly rushed through a bill that arbitrarily restricts what foods participants in the FoodShare program may purchase, in the name of improving health outcomes. Listening to the experts on the issue, it was clearer than ever that Wisconsin Republicans are moving us in the wrong direction and that their bill has far more to do with demonizing struggling families than with improving health outcomes.

 

While we have a long way to go in fighting diabetes, obesity, and other related health problems, what I learned at the summit did confirm that the “Healthy Alternatives” legislation I introduced last month is a much better first step toward healthier outcomes.    

 


                                                                                    Memorial Day

Monday, we honor those brave men and women who have died while serving in our country’s armed forces. This day started as an event to honor Union soldiers, who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women, who died in any war or military action. Please join me in honoring the memory of those men and women who have fallen for our country.

 

 


    Please Don’t Move the Firewood

As you head off this Memorial Day weekend, the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection reminds you to please leave your firewood at home. This year, in the face of the arrival of the emerald ash borer in Madison, the reminder is more important than ever.

 

By purchasing your firewood where you use it, you reduce the risk of spreading both emerald ash borers and gypsy moths to new areas. These pests may live inside of the wood and may not be visible to the naked eye. Even if you do not believe your wood is infested, it is not worth the risk.

 

Please do your part to protect the health of our North Woods by purchasing firewood at your destination instead of hauling it with you from home. Our trees and our wildlife will appreciate it.

 


Saying Goodbye to Our Intern, Gabbie

Tomorrow will be the last day in the office for one of our interns, Gabbie. She graduated on Saturday from UW-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and certificates in Criminal Justice and Educational Policy Studies. We congratulate and thank Gabbie as we wish her well in her future endeavors.

 

 

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