I am outraged that the 2015-17 state budget was jammed through both houses of the legislature in less than 24 hours
The awfulness of this budget is truly extraordinary.
What the majority party passed is not a reflection of our Wisconsin values, it’s a war on them. This budget isn’t about taking care of our hardworking friends and neighbors, making them more free and prosperous.
This budget was
crafted behind closed doors by special interests and presidential campaign
donors. I received thousands upon thousands of contacts from my constituents.
They know, like I do, that our state will not be better off tomorrow than they
were yesterday because of this budget, and in many circumstances, hardworking
people in Wisconsin will actually be worse off.The bi-partisan opposition to this budget shows that the majority party will not be able to outrun the disastrous consequences of this budget.
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.
Forward,
Melissa Sargent
State Representative
48th Assembly District
Budget Concludes
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This week's budget debate was difficult. The things we cherish as a state
were directly attacked. |
Education
Republican efforts to rapidly divert taxpayer money to private schools make it
clear their top priority is paying back their private-school campaign
contributors. DPI estimates that more than half of all Wisconsin public school
districts will see state aid cuts in the coming year.
UW-System
Our local schools aren’t the only ones taking a hit. Legislative Republicans
also gutted our world-class university system. The Republican budget makes a
$250 million cut to the UW System, despite opposition from more than 70 percent
of Wisconsinites.
Long-Term Care
One of the biggest concerns we have heard from people across the state is the
Republicans’ dramatic and devastating changes to Wisconsin’s successful
long-term care system. Nearly every single long-term care advocacy group opposes
these changes, which will negatively impact seniors, people with disabilities
and others with fragile health conditions.
Transportation
The current credit card approach to funding transportation is unsustainable. And
the governor, despite having multiple recommendations from his Transportation
Secretary and the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission, hasn’t taken
their advice and will continue to fund our transportation infrastructure in the
same unsustainable way. Now Republicans have chosen the worst of all possible
options – continuing to kick the can down the road while also gutting funding
for transportation projects with changes to the governor’s budget that will also
cost 5,500 good-paying jobs.
Meanwhile, Assembly Democrats offered over 30 budget amendments. These were changes that could've helped move our state forward.
- We brought forward an education package that included provisions to fund education programs identified as most important by superintendents, parents and teachers.
- We introduced an amendment to fully fund the UW System by accepting the federal BadgerCare expansion money to ensure our state’s key economic engine will continue to thrive.
- We reintroduced the Higher Ed, Lower Debt Bill which would allow Wisconsin residents to refinance student loan debts similar to how people can refinance a mortgage.
- We tried to roll back the harmful changes to long-term care and protect our most vulnerable residents and preserve Wisconsin's successful programs.
- We tried, once again, to convince the GOP to accept federal health care funding that would our Wisconsin’s federal health care investments and provide health coverage to 85,000 Wisconsinites at a savings of $360 million over this biennium.
I promise to keep fighting for my constituents in the 48th Assembly District and for people all over Wisconsin. We must return to a government that works for the people, not for corporations.
Marriage Equality is the law of the land
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Each and every American should have the freedom to marry the person they choose
to spend their life with. The ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges which legalized same-sex marriage across the United States was a victory for our nation. Marriage equality is about fairness, love, and respect for one of our country’s oldest institutions. We should be proud of this ruling as we celebrate our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors receiving equal protection and opportunities under the letter of the law. |
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This is not a day that has come quietly, easily, or without tribulation, loss, or setbacks, but finally, after everything, love has finally won.
Affordable Care Act
Saved
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Health Care is a human right. Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act has given
millions of previously uninsured people, access to health care. This access has
been threatened by numerous lawsuits made by conservative groups. |
Expanded access to health care provides people the freedom to pursue a more
prosperous future. Affordable health care is the lynchpin toward a better life
for so many in our community. The Supreme Court's decision is a victory for
the well-being of our state. It is a victory for our hard-working friends and
neighbors who rely on the security of preventative health care. It is a victory
over the fear and stress that a lack of adequate coverage creates.
Simply put, this is a great moment for the health of Wisconsin. This is not a
partisan issue, and I would hope that Democrats and Republicans alike would all
celebrate the fact that 166,000 – including 11,000 children – of our fellow
Wisconsinites are able to keep their health care.
Beyond a doubt this ruling is a mandate for the Affordable Care Act. Now is the
time for Wisconsin to make the long overdue decision to accept the federal
Medicaid expansion money to ensure all Wisconsinites have access to quality
affordable health care.
Shocking Open Records Change Sought by GOP
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An open and transparent government is necessary in a democracy.
A week after Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) passed new and unprecedented restrictions on public access to government records – and the resulting outcry from citizens and groups of all political stripes forced Republicans to backtrack on their extreme position – many important questions about this proposal remain unanswered. It is my hope that members of the media and the people of Wisconsin will join in holding Republicans responsible not only for this terrible budget but also for making swift and damaging changes to public policy under the cover of darkness – with no debate or public input. |
 |
Following last week’s historic assault on clean, open and transparent government, the people of Wisconsin are still waiting for answers on what Republicans were trying to accomplish, what they are trying to hide and who was responsible for requesting these changes.
During Thursday's floor session, Assembly Democrats held their colleagues across the aisle accountable
for their attack on transparency in government, forcing a vote on a resolution
that would ensure Open Records Law remains strong in Wisconsin. While
Republicans refused to commit to the preservation of open records laws in the
future, Democrats did force a majority of Republicans to recognize the grave
mistake they made in attempting changes in the state budget bill.
What's Happening at WEDC?
 |
Last week I went to WEDC looking for our missing tax dollars and all the jobs
that we are missing in Wisconsin. Not surprisingly WEDC was no help. We, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, need to get control of this situation. Gov. Walker is selling off Wisconsin’s
future for his own presidential ambitions. |
- In 2012, WEDC lost over $8 million dollars in loans and hid it from the audit committee and the legislature.
- An Audit from May of 2013 showed misuse of WEDC funds with extravagant purchases of Badger football tickets and iTunes gift cards.
- Over the course of the past 2 months we have learned that half a million dollars was given out with absolutely to staff or financial review.
Money is flying out the door at WEDC and we have no idea where it’s going,
what it’s for, or whether we’re going to get it back.
If I send one of my sons to the store, I expect to know what he bought; and I
expect the change. WEDC has given away millions of taxpayer dollars and the
companies have run off with the change and then some.
20-Week Abortion Ban Passed
|
A woman must be able to make decisions using her own deeply held values. On Thursday, the State Assembly passed a ban on abortions past 20-weeks. I was a strong 'No' vote on this harmful piece of legislation. Simply put, it is not my place to make these decisions. Medical experts agree that these decisions should be made by women and their families and medical professionals. |
|
The cruel restrictions on women put in place by this legislation come at the
worst possible time: When they are faced with the need to terminate a pregnancy.
The vast majority of abortions in the United States are performed in the first
trimester of pregnancy. Fewer than 1.5 percent are performed at 21 weeks or
later, according to government data.
But what is essential to keep in mind is the complex, often heartbreaking
reasons why women tend to pursue second-trimester abortions. Not every pregnancy
ends the way a woman or family hopes it will. Some end in miscarriage. Some
create dangerous health conditions for a woman, like cardiac arrest or kidney
failure. Some end in terrible fetal anomalies that require a woman to make a gut
wrenching decision about her family.
The bill does not provide an exemption for a woman whose pregnancy is diagnosed
with a lethal genetic anomaly. Some genetic anomalies mean that a fetus cannot
survive to term. Some mean it will not survive long after being born. Some mean
that, once born, the baby would live a life of severe illness and pain.
The bill also contains no meaningful exception to spare the life or health of
the mother. Pregnancy has a profound impact on a woman’s health, and in some
cases, that impact can become dangerous.
It also threatens physicians with imprisonment for doing their jobs. A letter
signed by 99 doctors was sent to Governor Walker and members of the Assembly
warning that the ban on abortion would “block Wisconsin ob-gyns from being able
to treat our patients in a medically appropriate and humane manner.” This letter
comes following similar pleas from experts representing the Wisconsin Academy of
Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics and the Wisconsin Medical
Society.
The GOP continues to make moves to chip away at women's health access. While
they work to take away these freedoms, I will do all I can to fight for them.
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July
10, 2015
Issue 57
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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"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than
ignorance." |
Motion 999
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Does Motion 999 sound omninous to you too?
Well it certainly is. Motion 999 is the last thing that the Joint Finance Committee does before the budget bill is passed along to the full Assembly and Senate. It contains all the items that didn't fit within another agency budget. And usually, it contains all the items that special interest groups have been hoping for. Among other things in this budget's 999 motion:
Thankfully, due to outrage from citizens all over the state, both these items were taken out. I encourage you all, as citizens, to always pay attention to the 999 Motion during a budget cycle because you will often see the big money forces that are too influential in our political process.
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In and Around the District
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Northside Parade
Grandview Town Center First Public Meeting Upcoming Friday evening, July 17th, at 6pm. Please mark your calendars and join us, as neighborhood input is crucial to the success of this development. This will not be the only meeting regarding this development of course, but as the process moves along it gets harder to change and update details of the project.
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Did You Know?
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Fun Wisconsin Fact Miller Park is the only stadium in all of Major League Baseball that serves more brats than hot dogs.
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Money in Politics
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After seeing the horrible influence of big money on our
state government during the recent budget process, I authored the following
op-ed for the Capital Times. Read the full op-ed by clicking HERE.
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Capitol Visitors
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4-H Students
Last week I had the honor to speak to, and meet with, a
lively group of teens who were delegates to the Wisconsin 4-H and Youth
Conference. |
Community Events
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Meet a Hero from WAGS Got dog? A dog from the Wisconsin Academy for Graduate Service Dogs (WAGS) will visit the library. Always a crowd favorite! Tuesday, July 7, 2015 - 2:00pm to 2:45pm Pinney Library
Art Fair on the Square
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