28th Assembly District E-Update
Democrats Say NO to Jobs
Wisconsin had an opportunity to get government out of the way and let the private sector create 1000’s of jobs by passing a responsible mining bill. Yet despite overwhelming community support, Wisconsin Democrats decided that job creation in Northern Wisconsin was not a priority.
Earlier this year, the Assembly passed AB 426, a bill to create a separate mining permit process for iron ore mining. This bill would have created a reasonable permitting process and timeline that did not compromise environmental integrity. More importantly, this bill would have allowed the private sector to create over 3,000 construction jobs and between 2,800 and 5,600 long-term mining jobs. Ultimately, it was estimated that the annual impact to Wisconsin’s economy would have been between $600 Million and $1.2 Billion.
Yet despite the possibility of creating family-sustaining jobs in one of the poorest areas of the state, Democrats in both Houses of the Legislature unanimously said no, blocking AB 426. Calls by Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee to find a compromise between two competing proposals fell on deaf years.
I am disappointed that Wisconsin has lost this great opportunity to create jobs in the state. Instead those jobs are expected to head to Michigan. By getting in the way of job creation, Democrats sent a clear message to the people of Northern Wisconsin, who simply want to get back to work and support their families.
Recalling the Recalls
The week, the Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that states, an elected official may only be recalled if he or she has been charged with a serious crime, or if a finding of probable cause has been made that he or she violated the state code of ethics. Assembly Joint Resolution 63 (AJR 63), of which I am a co-sponsor, passed by a 60-37 vote.
Allowing for endless recall elections is a drain on taxpayer resources. The Government Accountability Board has estimated costs of a state-wide recall will be at least $9 million, on top of the $2.1 million spent on last summer’s senate recalls. People in our area have already been bombarded with endless campaigning due to recalls, and they are tired of it. The general election is the time for people to evaluate the votes of their elected officials. Recalls should be the exception, not the rule.
As with all constitutional amendments, AJR 63 will need to be passed by two consecutive sessions of the Legislature and then will be decided by you, the voter, in a state-wide referendum. |