State of Poverty in Wisconsin

On Thursday, Senator Jeff Smith and I held a press conference where we highlighted the state of poverty in Wisconsin according to a recently released report released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities titled Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships. We also announced that we will soon introduce comprehensive legislation to address poverty and homelessness in our state. We were joined by Brad Paul, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP); George Hinton, Board President of WISCAP; Michael Jahn, a veteran and Community Action Coalition (CAC) client from Madison; and Annie Culver, owner of Annie’s Fountain Café in Fond du Lac.

Too many Wisconsinites are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet. The numbers in the report are startling: 125,000 households in Wisconsin are behind on rent and at risk of eviction; 177,000 Wisconsinites report not having enough food, and 70,000 households have children that did not eat due to lack of food resources; and 825,000 households in Wisconsin report not being able to cover basic household expenses. Despite their best efforts, our cities, counties, schools, and service organizations struggle to meet the needs of families, seniors, and disabled individuals living in poverty. Poverty has been a crisis since long before COVID-19 hit, and the pandemic only served to make it worse and to highlight the need for bold action.

Due to the scarce resources and strain on current organizations that fight poverty, Senator Smith and I look forward to introducing comprehensive legislation in the form of an updated Wisconsin Opportunities Act to address immediate and long term solutions to end poverty in Wisconsin. We have been working closely with WISCAP and other community partners in developing this legislation, and I will share more details in the next few weeks.

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Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act is here, which means Wisconsin residents can sign up for high quality, affordable health coverage between now and January 15, 2022. During this limited time, all Wisconsinites are eligible to get enrolled in one of the many health plan options available on the federal marketplace. Rates are lower, and thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), many consumers can access health insurance coverage for $10 or less per month.

By visiting WisCovered.com or calling 2-1-1, Wisconsinites can get connected with help to learn about their health insurance options and get their questions answered. The online services are available in English, Spanish, and Hmong. 2-1-1 operators are able to offer help in more than 180 languages.

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COVID-19 Information

On Friday, both the CDC and FDA approved Pfizer and Moderna booster shots for all adults. While everyone 18 and older is now officially eligible for a booster, the approval panel stated that everyone 50 and over should receive one.

You can sign yourself or your child up for a vaccine (booster or initial dose) appointment here in Dane county here. You can also visit Vaccines.gov.

There are multiple paces where you can acquire a COVID test here in Dane County. For more information, click here.

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Tour of University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering Hall

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to tour the College of Engineering campus at UW-Madison with my legislative colleagues and staff. We were shown labs, classrooms, and projects like the Badger Seal which can be put around a standard facemask for a better fit. We toured some of the older buildings, newer ones, and learned about the College of Engineering's vision for the future. Thank you to Ian M. Robertson, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering, for leading our tour.

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State Park Passes Available Starting November 26

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced that the 2022 state park and forest admission passes will go on sale November 26. The 2022 stickers and passes for admission to parks, forests, recreation areas, and trails are valid from the date of purchase through Dec. 31, 2022, and provide access to more than 60 state parks, forests and recreation areas across Wisconsin.

A state trail pass is required for all people age 16 or older biking, in-line skating, horseback riding, cross-country skiing or off-highway motorcycling on specific state trails. A state trail pass is not required for walking or hiking.

Those interested in purchasing a bulk order of annual admission stickers on behalf of themselves or their organization can fill out this questionnaire and DNR staff will assist with the order.

You can learn more about the Wisconsin state park and forest vehicle admission sticker here.

Additionally, Wisconsin’s 170^th gun deer season began on November 20, and runs through November 28. Find out more by clicking here.

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Student Loan Debt Relief Scammers Target Worried Borrowers

The final extension of the federal student loan payment pause ends on Jan. 31, 2022. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) encourage student loan borrowers to be cautious of offers from questionable student loan debt relief companies, to be aware of fraudsters taking advantage of this transition period, and to create a repayment plan now before their student loan payments are due.

Student loan borrowers should be wary of phone calls, emails, letters, and texts claiming relief from federal student loans or warning that student loan forgiveness programs are immediately expiring. These aggressive solicitations are used to scam borrowers with fees for services that are often free, and can be used by fraudsters to steal their money and identity.

Signs of a fraudulent student loan debt relief company:

• Up-front fees – These types of fees are prohibited for loan service providers. Do not provide credit card numbers or bank account information.
• Promises of immediate total loan forgiveness – Most government forgiveness programs require many years of qualifying payments and/or employment in certain fields before loans can be forgiven.
• Requests for a borrower’s FSA ID username and password – A borrower’s FSA ID has the same legal status as a signature, it can be used to make changes to the borrower’s account without their knowledge. Do not share a borrower’s FSA ID.
• High-pressure sales phrases – Fraudulent student loan debt relief companies often try to instill a sense of urgency by citing “new laws” or “discontinuing programs” as a way to encourage borrowers to contact them immediately.
• Requests for a third-party authorization form or power of attorney – Debt relief scammers often want these authorizations to change the borrower’s contact information so they won’t be notified when the loan servicer stops paying the student loan bill.
• Spelling or grammatical errors – Communications with misspelled words or grammatical errors often indicate the communication is likely from a scammer and should be deleted.

Student loan borrowers can find free repayment resources on DFI’s LookForwardWI.gov website, including the Wisconsin Strong Student Loan Repayment Tool provided by the student loan experts at Savi. This tool helps student loan borrowers navigate the complexities of federal student loan repayment plans, forgiveness programs, and lowering student loan payments. To learn more, visit WIStrong.BySavi.com and register to attend Savi’s free workshop on December 1, 2021, from 6-7 p.m. CST.

Student loan borrowers with questions are encouraged to call the Wisconsin Student Loan Help Hotline at 1-833-589-0750 or contact Federal Student Aid.

If you have been the victim of a scam, report it by filing a complaint online, emailing datcphotline@wisconsin.gov, or calling DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.

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Wisconsin History Fact

November is Native American Heritage Month

Walter Bresette was an Ojibwe politician, author, and activist in northern Wisconsin’s Lake Superior region. He was an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In addition, he was a member of the Loon clan. He was stationed in Japan during his service in the United States Army. Upon his return, he operated a trading-goods store in Red Cliff.

As an environmental rights activist, he directly focused on opposing proposed sulfide mines in northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan. These sulfide mines would lead to significant environmental damages if not combatted. He co-founded Anishinabe Niijii to oppose mining, as he believed it to have brought environmental destruction that jeopardized many key watersheds, including Lake Superior. Through his work, he was lucky enough to see the Wisconsin legislature pass a mining moratorium that postponed the Crandon project indefinitely just before he passed away.

Bresette was a founding member of the Wisconsin Green Party, where he notably pushed for the Seventh Generation Amendment (Common Property Amendment) to the United States Constitution throughout the 1990s. To do so, Bresette helped organize several protest walks around the entirety of Lake Superior. He was extremely passionate about politics, promoting environmental, treaty rights and human rights issues until his sudden death of a heart attack in 1999.

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