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Tuesday, March 7, 2017
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As always, I encourage you to contact my office with any thoughts
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Capitol Office Number:
(608) 266-3404
Toll-Free Number:
(888) 534-0042
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Mailing Address:
Room 223 North
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708
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REP. KEITH RIPP'S STATEMENT ON WISDOT'S DECISION TO END THE
I-39/90/94 MADISON TO PORTAGE CORRIDOR STUDY
Madison, WI – State Representative Keith Ripp (R-Lodi) issued the following statement in response to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) decision to end the I-39/90/94 Madison to Portage corridor study:
“I applaud WisDOT’s announcement to end the I-39/90/94 Madison to Portage corridor study and not approve any of the alternative options to the existing interstate system. This decision is a significant victory for families, farmers, landowners, local communities, small businesses, and the University of Wisconsin Arlington Agricultural Research Station. I am thankful for all of the neighbors and residents that participated in this process by attending various public meetings and communicating your thoughts to me. I shared many of the same concerns as my constituents regarding this project because each proposed plan would have significantly impacted both Columbia and Dane Counties. I look forward to continue working with WisDOT on other transportation priorities for the 42nd Assembly District.”
If you would like to read WisDOT's official statement sent to my office, click here.
BUSY WEEK AT THE CAPITOL AND IN THE DISTRICT
Last Monday, I went on a ride-along with Columbia County Highway Commissioner Chris Hardy to evaluate the road conditions throughout the county.
I truly understand that a strong transportation system begins with our roads and bridges, and I am committed to collaborating with my legislative colleagues towards finding sustainable funding solutions to our state's Transportation Fund in this biennial budget.
I am honored to receive the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association's Legislator of the Year Award. As a 3rd generation farmer, I take great pride in working together with my fellow colleagues on legislation to improve one of our state's most important economic industries and educating them about Wisconsin's Agriculture.
Last Wednesday, I joined with Senator Petrowski in hosting AT&T's It Can Wait campaign to promote awareness and reduce distracted driving on the roads.
After participating in the virtual reality simulator, I am reminded it is crucial to practice safe driving every time you are on the road and constantly be aware of your surroundings.
Thank you to the Northwoods group for coming to visit with me at the Capitol this past Thursday.
Northwoods provides great services to local communities throughout the 42nd Assembly District, and I look forward to continue working with you this session.
Thank you to Attorney General Brad Schimel for hosting a law enforcement roundtable event in Columbia County this past Friday. I appreciated all of the discussion, especially finding solutions to address the opiate, prescription drug abuse, mental health, and other law enforcement issues facing our communities and state as a whole.
NATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION WEEK: BE AWARE OF "YES" SCAMS
Consumer Protection Week: Don't Say "Yes"
The number one consumer complaint to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in 2016 was telemarketing. Telemarketing complaints spiked in 2016, up 45% from the previous year with 3,685 total complaints. While 2017 may still be young, telemarketing inquiries are already off to a busy start due to a recent rash of potential scam phone calls known as "yes" scams.
Consumers are reporting to DATCP that they have received calls out of the blue where a friendly voice asks "can you hear me?" (or a similar question). The call recipient's first instinct could get the best of them, as their "yes" response may be recorded and used against them.Con artists may be using these recordings of people saying "yes" to bill them for products or services they never actually agreed to.
DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline has heard from consumers in every corner of the state who are worried that they may have received one of these calls, and more than 75% of those who contacted DATCP have said "yes" during a suspicious call.
The best protection for consumers is to watch out for any unsolicited call that starts with a question, such as "Hi, is this ___?" or "Can you hear me?" Take a couple of seconds to decide whether to hang up or to reply with something along the lines of "Who is calling?" Remember that the caller may not necessarily open with the question, so stay on guard.
Looking back at the telemarketing complaints received in 2016, there were two major drivers in this category: "unknown" calls and imposter scams. Consumers reported thousands of phone numbers to DATCP as the supposed source of unwanted phone calls – unknown numbers were those that led nowhere when a return call was placed or that led to a nondescript message that provided no additional details about the caller. Because scammers can use technology to "spoof" their calls (make the caller ID read however they choose), it is possible that the actual call did not, in fact, originate from that line.
Imposter scams flooded phone lines across Wisconsin and the nation in 2016, with crooks seeking money or personal information from potential victims by falsely claiming to represent government agencies like the IRS or United States Treasury, credit card providers or computer tech support companies.
The best tips for consumers to avoid telemarketing rip offs are:
*Sign up for the Do Not Call registry to limit the number of unsolicited calls you receive from legitimate telemarketers. Law-abiding telemarketers will not purposely call a number on the Do Not Call registry, so if your number is on the list and you receive a sales call, it is likely not a company you would want to hire. Remember that criminals making fraudulent phone calls have no regard for any state or federal No Call laws.
*Don't trust your caller ID. Scammers can spoof this information, so never take the data on the readout as absolute if you receive a questionable call.
*Never press a button during a questionable unsolicited phone call, even if you are supposedly given an option to "be removed from the call list." Pressing a button may register your number as active in a caller's computer system, leading to additional calls.
*Never give out your personal or financial information in a phone call unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate companies don't call seeking those details.
*Don't wire money to someone you don't know. Funds sent via wire transfer or money card are practically impossible to track…when they are sent, they are as good as gone.
To learn more about telemarketing including your consumer rights, review our DATCP fact sheet: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Publications/Telemarketing976.aspx.
If you receive questionable phone calls and are wondering about their legitimacy, contact DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128 or via email: datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.