Friends and Neighbors,
I hope everyone had an eventful and reflective Martin Luther King Jr. day weekend. I myself took time to reflect on Dr. King's legacy and was fortunate to participate in the celebration at the Overture Center on Monday night.
This issue of the Sargent Voice discusses recent events at the Capitol including a harmful education bill making its way through the legislature, an update on my upskirting bill, and some interesting meetings I've hosted in my office.
As always, if you have any topics you would like to see discussed in future issues of the Sargent Voice, please contact me at 608-266-0960 or Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov.
Sincerely,
Melissa Sargent
State Representative
48th Assembly District
AB 1 Attacks Public Education
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Strong schools are the heart of
our communities and the bedrock of opportunities for
our kids. We must continue to fight to invest in our
children and our futures. We should trust and
support our teachers to give unique, tailored
attention that every child needs AB1, the GOP’s plan to dismantle public education with taxpayer-subsidized charter schools, is bad enough for our schools, teachers and democratic values, but even more disappointing is that the Republicans are using education for their backroom political stunts at the expense of our kids and our future. Our kids and our public schools deserve better. |
GAB Audit
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Our elections must continue to be
fair, free, and accessible. I will defend the Government
Accountability Board (GAB) to ensure transparency and
accountability in our elections, which are the very
fabric of our democracy. |
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee had a public hearing
earlier this week to discuss the results of an audit on the GAB.
The GAB has been instrumental in protecting our freedom to vote
since its inception in 2007 by overseeing Wisconsin’s campaign
finance, lobbying, and code of ethics. The Right’s attempts to
dismantle the GAB are nothing more than partisan electioneering
and political theatrics.
Rather than destroying and rebuilding the GAB from the ground
up, we must provide better tools and support they need to
continue to be successful.
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Upskirting is becoming far too
common in our community, and no one should feel unsafe
doing everyday tasks like buying groceries or riding the
bus. My bill provides a proportionate punishment for
upskirting offenders and protects our rights and
privacy. |
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I look forward to addressing the issue
of upskirting on the Assembly floor with strong, bipartisan
support. Penalties for upskirting are finally something we can
all agree on.
Women in Government
Conference
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When women serve we all win yet
women are underrepresented in at all levels of
political office. Did you know that while over 5,000
people have been elected to Wisconsin's state
legislature, only 132 of them have been women? |
State of the State
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We deserve elected officials who won’t sell out our middle class for the sake of political expediency. We need elected officials focused on creating jobs and protecting schools in our neighborhoods, not scoring political points in the pursuit of higher office. The hardworking people of our state deserve common sense solutions and a government that believes in protecting and supporting its citizens. |
In Governor Walker’s State of the State address earlier this week, he told us he’ll be doubling down on many of the failed policies from his first term. Wisconsin is desperate for real solutions and pragmatic leadership, not divisive agendas and D.C.-centric rhetoric. I will continue working toward our progressive vision, standing for public education, livable wages, health care access, and a clean, safe environment.
School
Visits in the 48th
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This past week, I had the pleasure of visiting East High School (my alma mater) and LaFollette. As the 'boots on the ground', it is important for me to hear from those who are dealing with the decisions in the State Capitol day in and day out. If you are an educator, please feel free to reach out to me at Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov if you have any comments or questions on the state of public education in Wisconsin.
Think College
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Education is a right that each and every Wisconsinite
should have access to. I had a wonderful, informative
meeting with a group called Think College last week. Think College works to increase inclusive college options for individuals with intellectual disabilities through technical assistance, research, and resource development. Think College WI started in 2011 and has already seen success at providing opportunities for those who may not have previously been able to attend college. |
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Nationally students with intellectual and developmental
disabilities who attend college have much better employment
outcomes: 82% have paid jobs, 82% earn at or above minimum wage,
and 52% rely on natural supports in their job with no outside
job coaching. Only 3.6% of students leave college to enter
center-based work settings.
Considering that the long-term cost of supporting an individual
in an integrated job is less than one-third that of supporting
an individual in a center-based work setting, the strong
employment outcomes for students who access college are
significant.
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January 20, 2015
Issue 45
Contact Me
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708
Office: (608) 266-0960
Email:
Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov
On the Web: sargent.assembly.wi.gov
Quote of the Week
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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -Martin Luther King Jr. |
MLK Day Celebration
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Honoring those who promote diversity
and acceptance in our community is extremely important to
me. I was thrilled to take part in the Martin Luther King
Day celebration at the Overture Center yesterday. I participated in the community choir comprised of people all over our area. I thank Leotha Stanley for his fabulous direction. This is my third year participating, and I look forward to continuing this yearly tradition.  |
In the District
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You are invited to attend this meeting to provide comments on the proposed project. If you have questions or comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Sally Swenson (Engineering) at 266-4862 or sswenson@cityofmadison.com or Kate Kane (Parks) at 261-9671 or kkane@cityofmadison.com.
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Health Care Enrollment Assistance
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Need help signing up for health insurance? Certified application navigators from Covering Kids & Families Wisconsin will answer your questions and assist you in choosing a health care plan. Please bring the social security number and birthdates for each person who needs insurance, income information (pay stubs, W-2 forms, or wage and tax statements), and policy numbers/policy information for any health insurance plans covering people in your household. For other local assistance sites, call 2-1-1.
Open enrollment is offered until
February 15th. Make sure you're signed up! |
MOSES Visit
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WISDOM is a group dedicated to lowering the prison population in Wisconsin. I had the pleasure of hosting MOSES, the local affiliate for an informational meeting last week. Wisconsin's overuse of jails and prisons is out of control. A few facts illustrate the overwhelming failure of our state's criminal justice system:
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