(click to enlarge)

I am continually horrified at the direction that Scott Walker and the Republicans are moving our state. After his devastating budget was introduced, we thought the worst was over. Instead, we are seeing more corporate greed at the expense of the true profit creators in our society: our workers. Despite Republican attempts to re-brand this harmful legislation, let's call the so-called Right to Work bill what it really is: this is a state sanctioned wage theft bill.

The average worker in states with similar laws makes 12 percent less annually than workers in states without similar laws when all other factors are removed. Rates of poverty and people lacking health insurance are also higher in states with Right to Work laws. Workers in states with these laws have also been found to be less safe due to a lack of bargaining over workplace conditions and a lack of safety training.

It is important that the treatment of our workers reflects the challenges and dangers that they face on a daily basis. This proposal would also suppress wages for the true profit creators, the workers, which are already growing at a slower rate than the national average, and further polarize our state.

People struggling to find work and stay in the middle class do not need this divisive legislation. Instead, we should be supporting workers' rights and helping to build the economy. I know that workers deserve the freedoms that unions provide: the freedom to take a sick day if they need to get well or help take care of a family member, the freedom to earn a family sustaining wage, and the freedom to work in a safe environment. These are things that I will always fight for.

When it reaches the Assembly floor on Thursday, I will STRONGLY oppose this bill. We have a moral responsibility to pay a fair wage to those who show up every day and create profits.

Protests at the Capitol

Thousands of people have come to the rallies denouncing the Republicans divisive legislation. I stand in solidarity with the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin who are making their voices heard.

Senate Public Hearing Cut-Off

If such a threat existed and safety was of grave concern, it was interesting to me that hundreds of people were allowed to remain in the Capitol in spite of this supposed danger.

The political theatrics we saw that night are truly disappointing but are something we've come to expect from the Republican Party. It's clear which party answers to corporate greed and who answers to the people of Wisconsin. This is not what Democracy looks like.

Teachers or Terrorists?

For him to make this comparison shows just how out of touch the Governor is with the people he is supposed to represent.
 

Gogebic Taconite Leaves Wisconsin

While these may be dark political times, there are always reasons for hope. Last week, Gogebic Taconite announced that it is shuttering its Hurley office and ending its efforts to build an open-pit iron mine in Northern Wisconsin.

Legislators, environmental advocates, and even the Army Corps of Engineers expressed grave concerns last session when the Republicans were fast-tracking this damaging bill. We know that the open-pit mine would have jeopardized the Northwood's wetlands, trout streams, lakes, wild rice beds, majestic forests, and clean drinking water. It has now been confirmed that the wetlands in Northern Wisconsin would have been adversely affected.

It is my hope that our pristine air and water in the Northwoods will remain that way for generations to come. We must be vigilant in stopping any future bills that would have similar anti-environmental effects.
 

UW-System Cuts Hurt our State

The ramifications of the $300 million proposed cut to UW-System funding, and its transition to a public authority are reverberating around Wisconsin. UW is like a mother to our State. They nurture our communities, foster the growth of our economy, and support the people of Wisconsin in caring for our families. Our Universities are a role model for our values and they push us to be greater, dream bigger, and to be leaders in innovation.

We lean on our UW family when we struggle. They welcome our sons and daughters home from wars; they guide us through economic hardships—the times when our families need jobs and our communities need stability. They see us through the trials of political turbulence, the growing pains of our burgeoning State, and the triumphs and tribulations of living up to the Wisconsin Idea.

The UW budget cuts aren’t about partisanship, politics, your side or mine; it is about pride. The killing of our UW family has nothing to do with either party; it has everything to do with protecting the pillar of Wisconsin.

When we imagine what our state would look like without them, we should be afraid of the fact that we’re going to find out very soon. When we imagine our vibrant, bustling communities across our state without them, we should be concerned about whether they’ll be able to survive. And when we imagine our kids and our grandkids without them, I hope that we can look them in the eyes when we tell them their dreams of joining our State’s greatest legacy might not be a reality for very much longer.

If you can’t imagine losing part of our Wisconsin family and history, then I’m asking you to fight for and defend our Universities. If you’re worried about our families and our communities, then I’m asking you to reach out and encourage your neighbors to join our fight. And if you’re worried about our kids and our grandkids being able to live the Wisconsin dream, then I’m asking you to stand up for them by calling your state legislators to share your story and to beg them to reconsider.

Our UW family has seen us through the best and the worst of times. It’s time we return the favor.

Strengthening BadgerCare

Every hard working Wisconsinite should be able to get the health care they need - when they need it - at a price they can afford. Wisconsin has long been a national leader in health care, ranking among the top states for health care quality and access.

This has been undermined by Governor Walker's continued refusal to take the federal Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

I was proud to stand with my colleague, Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee), to promote a bill that seeks a creative solution to this problem.

Governor Walker decided to push people between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level who were previously covered by BadgerCare to the federal health care exchange under ObamaCare. This created a coverage gap of between 80,000 and 85,000 Wisconsinites.

I am the co-author of a bill that would keep the Governor's model of using the health care exchanges but it would take the federal expansion money to pay for it.

While the first choice would be to extend full BadgerCare coverage to everyone who needs it (because of the cost savings), we want to make it as easy as possible for legislative Republicans and Governor Walker to do the right thing.

This same plan was already done in Iowa and has been successful. To summarize, in Wisconsin it would:

• Provide over 80,000 people with health care coverage

• Create $240 million in savings for our taxpayers

• Ensure coverage of everyone up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level

Visit to the Waisman Center

I was honored to be given a tour of the world-renowned Waisman Center by its director, Dr. Albee Messing. The research being done in this facility is second to none. Their work on down syndrome and other conditions may change the future for countless children.

I will continue working to protect UW funding that goes towards vital research like the stem cell division at the Waisman Center.
 

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Resolutionn

Dating violence has led to suicides and murders in Wisconsin. Recently, we saw homicides directly tied to dating violence in Mazomanie and Hartford.

I am excited to be working on a Joint Resolution to bring awareness about teen dating violence in Wisconsin. Rep. Samantha Kerkman (R-Salem) and I are committed to bring light to this troubling issue in our state.

The Joint Resolution recognizes February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Touring Schools in the 48th

Schools are the heart of our communities and they teach our next generation of leaders. It is my goal this session to visit each and every school in the 48th Assembly District from high schools down through elementary schools. I have had fabulous conversations with administrators, principals, and teachers through the north and east sides of Madison. These educators dedicate their lives to the betterment of our young people. As a mother with four sons in the Madison Metropolitan School District, I know that educating our children needs to be a top priority for our state.

If you are a teacher and would like me to come speak to your class about state government, please feel free to contact me at Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov or 608-266-0960.


If you would like to have your name removed from this email list, please reply to this message with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.  

March 2, 2015
Issue 48

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

Each session I try to have listening sessions both during the day and in the evening to accommodate all work schedules and availability. In March, I will be holding two listening sessions in the evening as I recently had some during the day. Please feel free to stop by to discuss the state budget, other legislation before the legislature, or stop by just to say hi! Lakeview Library 2845 N. Sherman Ave. Tuesday, March 17 5:30 - 6:30p.m. Pinney Library 204 Cottage Grove Rd Wednesday, March 25 5:30 - 6:30p.m.

Tour at Karben 4 Small businesses like Karben 4 form the heart of our communities. I had a fantastic tour at this local brewery. Cheers to these amazing community members! Read Across America We all want bright, smart, thriving children - us grown ups can help make that be by making books be an integral part of their lives at home and at school. I was tickled to be invited to Schenck Elementary to visit with and read to their wonderful 5th grade students.

Yes, it's cold, but Wisconsin's best trout waters remain ice-free With statewide temperatures projected to remain below freezing through the first week in March, the 2015 Wisconsin early trout season may be on the chilly side. The good news, state fisheries biologists say, is that many of the state's top trout waters feature strong groundwater flows and stay free of ice. So, the trout will be there waiting if anglers can gear up properly to manage the cold. The early inland catch and release trout season runs on selected waters from 5 a.m. on the first Saturday in March (March 7, 2015) through the Sunday preceding the first Saturday in May (April 26, 2015). The regular inland trout season runs from May 2, 2015 to Sept. 30, 2015.