May 24, 2019

Working for you!

Our Pro-Kid Budget

This week my colleagues and I introduced a realistic K-12 budget proposal that will increase state support for education by $200 per student in the first year and an additional $204 in the second year, increase special education funding by 13%, and allocate over $20 million toward student mental health services.

Unlike the governor's plan our student centered proposal puts real resources right into the classroom where they belong.

Forcing UW Students to Pay for Sports

Students at every UW campus except Madison are charged a fee for athletics. This fee pays for competitive sports like basketball, football, etc. and does not guarantee students access to tickets or actual participation in a sport. Students pay a separate fee for intramural sports and facilities that they are allowed to participate in. Madison pays for athletics with revenue generated through ticket sales, alumni donations, and television rights.

The following table shows how much each student is charged by campus and how much the fee has changed since 2011.

Memorial Day

On Monday we honor those who have made the greatest sacrifice for our nation by giving their lives in the line of duty.

Your Questions and Concerns

This week I’m beginning a new section in which I include a few of my weekly responses to constituents in the newsletter to give you a better idea of what folks are writing in about and how I’m responding.

Charles of Appleton asked: How closely regulated is the state gaming commission?

This is a great question Charles. I personally have a strong interest in lottery regulation and how the state spends money to promote gambling. State law prohibits advertising of the lottery. Lottery officials claim the ads you see are “informational only,” but that’s just government double speak and I think the ads need to stop. Beyond the division that oversees gaming, the Legislative Audit Bureau regularly audits their program and financial operations. You can read the most recent audit here. You can also read summaries of the lottery and tribal gaming oversight here.

Mark of Grand Chute wrote: Fix I-41 from 15 to Green Bay! There are too many accidents. It should have been six lanes from the start.

I couldn’t agree with you more Mark. I’m putting as much pressure as possible on the governor and the DOT to fix this problem as soon as possible. In addition to enumerating an expansion of I-41 in the budget, I’m also recommending extending certain on-ramps in the Appleton area to increase safety and decrease traffic congestion before the full expansion can be completed.

Anonymous wrote: Get rid of the state pension fund. If 401(k) is good enough for most Wisconsinites, why should state workers get one? I don’t want to be like Illinois and California.

I agree that the last thing we want to do it copy the failures of Illinois and California. Fortunately, Wisconsin has a model pension fund that is considered the best in the nation. Unlike other states, Wisconsin’s employee pension fund is fully funded. The reason our pension plan works so well it because it’s designed like a hybrid 401(k). Maintaining a strong pension allows the state to retain and attract high quality employees without the costs associated with 401(k) matching and management.

Upcoming Events

Check out upcoming events near us by visiting the Wisconsin Tourism website or  https://appletondowntown.org/upcoming-events/ and if you run into me while you’re out and about be sure to stop and say hi!

"Like" Representative Murphy's Facebook Page

I use Facebook to update constituents more frequently on my work in Madison and the 56th Assembly District. I look forward to using this as another way to connect with constituents and encourage you to follow it and watch for regular updates.