Representative Lisa Subeck's E-Newsletter


 July 14, 2017

 

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

Website

 

Things happening in the district & around Madison


THE LESSON: Films from the International Film Movement Series
Friday, July 14
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd
 

In a small Bulgarian town Nadezhda, a young teacher, is looking for the robber in her class so she can teach him a lesson about right and wrong. But when she gets in debt to loan sharks, can she find the right way out herself? Directed by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov, starring Margita Gosheva, Ivan Barnev, Ivan Savov.
Join us at the Alicia Ashman Public Library on the second Friday of the month for thought provoking international films from the Film Movement Series.
 


Street Trees
Saturday, July 15
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

UW Arboretum
Longenecker Horticultural Gardens Tour

Stephen Nystrand, Longenecker Horticultural Gardens technician, will take you through the extensive collection of shade trees and discuss strategies for growing healthy trees in urban/suburban conditions. Meet at the Visitor Center.

 


One on One Computer Coaching
Saturday, July 15
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

Sign up for a one-hour session (starting at 1pm or 2:30pm) with a Computer Coach providing individualized instruction on using word processing (Word), spreadsheets (Excel) and other computer basics.
 


Preschool Storytime
Monday, July 17
10:30 am – 11:00 am

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd.


A happy blend of stories, finger plays and songs that help preschool children develop print and phonologic awareness, vocabulary, letter knowledge and narrative skills. Registration not required.
 


Kids in the Kitchen with Kids Chef, Lily Kilfoy
Monday, July 17
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

Lily gets kids in the kitchen at a young age and introduces them to healthy foods through delectable dishes and themes, all while having a hands-on fun time. This summer's classes will feature Healthy Snacks (all are nut-free & vegetarian). For children ages 6-11. Registration begins two weeks before each class.
 


The Supper Club
Tuesday, July 18
6:00 pm- 7:00 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

Discover great apps for kids in this new evening digital story time for families. Pack a picnic from home or have dinner delivered to the library. No pre-registration required.

 


Storytime for the Very Young
Wednesday, July 19
10:30 am - 11:00 am

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd.

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes. No registration required (for children ages 0-30 months).
 


Make Your Own Decorative Painted Rocks
Wednesday, July 19
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

Work with instructor Paula Herr to design and paint your own decorative rock to put in your garden, use as a paperweight, give as a gift, or hide somewhere as a random act of kindness. All materials supplied. Registration required.

 


Visiting the Capitol

Whether you are planning a visit to the state Capitol as part of a large group, small gathering, or just by yourself, our office can assist you in scheduling a free guided tour of the Capitol building during normal business hours.

 

Free tours are offered daily, year round. Tours depart from the ground floor Information Desk Monday through Saturday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 am and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm; and Sundays at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm. A 4:00 pm tour is offered Memorial Day through Labor Day. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are also open during the summer months.

 

 
 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
 

This week at the state capitol, budget negotiations remain stalled as the Republicans in the Senate and Assembly fight amongst themselves about key issues such as transportation and education funding. The budget is now two weeks past due, and there is no end in sight to the infighting that has led to this delay.

In this week’s newsletter, you will find details about a campaign finance bill I introduced this week, an update on the state budget, and an announcement regarding FamilyCare providers in Dane County.


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

 


You Have the Right to Know
Senator Jon Erpenbach and I introduced a bill this week that would increase transparency in election spending, protecting the public’s right to know who is trying to influence your vote. Our bill would shine light on all independent expenditures made in the 60 days leading up to an election.

Our bill would require all groups to register and report expenditures to the Ethics Commission if they are spending money in an election. The bill also creates a desperately needed definition of mass communication that is designed to capture spending that currently goes unreported. The bill is intended to require groups that are currently able to spend money to influence elections without disclosing their spending to report spending to the Ethics Commission, giving the public access to information about who is spending money to influence their votes.

This bill is a critical step toward ensuring transparent election spending in a post Citizens United world.

Click here to view a copy of the bill.

 


Budget: Two Weeks Past Due
This week, the Republican Speaker of the Assembly finally acknowledged the horrible shape state finances are in after 6 years of Republican control. He publicly admitted the budget is in worse shape than the federal budget.

Unfortunately, the Speaker’s acknowledgment of the budget problems does not appear to signal a willingness to resolve the problem. Instead, Republican infighting continues, and the state budget is now two weeks past due.


The unwillingness of the Republicans to set ideology aside and fund necessary projects threatens our core transportation infrastructure. Some Republicans are threatening no new funding for transportation, meaning potential delays of even the most urgent repairs. In this scenario, Wisconsin could end up paying many times more in the long run as roads and infrastructure continue to deteriorate.

Republican meetings are taking place behind closed doors – without input from Democrats and completely out of public view. These closed door meetings will likely result in final budget motions with little opportunity for public review or input prior to adoption.

I will continue to provide details on budget deliberations. It is not yet clear when and if the Republican dysfunction will end so we can move forward with making critical decisions that affect our economy, our schools, our transportation infrastructure, our environment, and the well-being of our state.

 


Dane County's Family Care, IRIS Providers Announced
The state has selected Care Wisconsin and My Choice Family Care to operate Family Care in Dane County. Family Care and IRIS are Medicaid programs that provide long-term care to disabled and elderly residents in their homes. These programs help to foster independence and improve the quality of life, while providing support and recognizing the desire of individuals to self-direct long-term care services.

Dane County’s transition to Family Care and IRIS will begin early in 2018. The Department of Health will work with county staff and the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) to assist in the transition of more than 2,200 aging and disabled people now served by county programs called Medicaid legacy waivers.

The transition will include September group meetings with Dane County participants to provide an overview of the Family Care, Partnership, and IRIS programs and answer questions related to the transition. Beginning in October, each person will receive one-on-one counseling with the ADRC to help them decide which program will be best for them and then choose a managed care organization for Family Care or Partnership, or an IRIS consultant agency. The managed care organizations and IRIS consultant agencies will also meet with providers to build their service networks.

Along with the Family Care and IRIS programs, people in Dane County will still be able to enroll in the Family Care Partnership program, which provides long-term care along with acute and primary services. Care Wisconsin and iCare will continue to operate the Partnership program in Dane County.

I have heard from many constituents who are concerned about this transition. My staff and I are happy to help answer questions and do whatever else we can to assist.

 


Emergency Call for Blood Donations
The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood due to a blood shortage. Over the last two months there has been 61,000 fewer donations than needed causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply.

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.

 


Consumer Resources for Service Members and Their Families
July is Military Consumer Protection Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is pleased to honor the campaign by sharing ways our Bureaus of Consumer Protection and Weights and Measures can help you and your family with consumer issues both while you are in country or deployed.

Some of the ways our Bureaus of Consumer Protection and Weights and Measures support military families include:

  • If your family members run into a consumer issue in your absence, they can start their search for relevant information on the DATCP website. There are a number of fact sheets on the site that go into great detail on a wide range of consumer issues like home improvement, job scams, false advertising, landlord/tenant rights, and much more.

  • The agency’s Consumer Protection Hotline is available weekdays from 7:45am to 4:30pm to answer your family members’ questions and guide them toward references that can help with their issue. Reach the hotline at 800-422-7128 or datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.

  • If you are involved with a group serving the needs of service members or veterans and would like a presentation on consumer issues like scams or identity theft, please let us know. Request a Consumer Protection Bureau presentation on the DATCP website.

  • Military families face unique challenges that could put them at risk of identity theft. The Consumer Protection Bureau has specialists who focus on helping Wisconsin identity theft victims mitigate the potential damage to their credit and reputations that can result from this crime. If your family or friends believe they may have had their identities misused, they can start the process by visiting the identity theft protection section of the DATCP website or by contacting the Consumer Protection Hotline.

  • The Weights and Measures Bureau regularly monitors the accuracy of gas pumps, price scanners, scales and package weights statewide to ensure that consumers are receiving their money’s worth in Wisconsin stores. If your loved one believes that they have been shorted product, questions the quality of the fuel they purchased, or thinks they may have been mischarged at the register and cannot come to a resolution with the business, they can contact the Weights and Measures team at 608-224-4942 or by email (datcpweightsandmeasures@wi.gov) to file a complaint. Our inspectors will follow up.


Fun Wisconsin Fact
Robert D. McFadden author of No Hiding Place and Outrage was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attend both the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the University of Wisconsin-Madison for journalism. McFadden won the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 (acceptance pictured left) for his journalism in the New York Times. He continues to write articles for the New York Times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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