Still No Action on Restoring Opportunity

Last month, the State Assembly adjourned what could likely be our last floor period of the legislative session. In previous newsletters, I have highlighted what happened in those late night, marathon sessions. This week, I want to highlight some things that did not happen during this legislative session. Despite passing hundreds of bills in the final weeks, Republicans failed to address some of the most significant issues facing our state. Here is a snapshot of the major policy areas on which the Republican majority refused to act.  

Job Creation and our Economy

Last year, Wisconsin saw more than 10,000 layoff notices and remains 37^th in the nation for private sector job growth. Our state is also dead last in new business startups according to a Kauffman report last year. Unfortunately, as many Wisconsinites were looking for the legislature to expand economic opportunities, Republicans made no serious effort to address these layoffs or offer proposals to help create jobs in Wisconsin. Democrats offered a vigorous Economic Opportunity Agenda that would have created good paying jobs, connected workers with available jobs, and made Wisconsin more competitive in the global economy. When Republicans refused to advance any of these bills out of committee, Democrats moved to have them pulled to the floor. Republicans voted down each of these bills, refusing to even debate their merits.

Wages

As more Wisconsinites are working longer hours for lower wages, Republicans balked at the chance to raise the minimum wage. Wisconsin’s middle class is shrinking with two thirds of Wisconsin’s counties’ median incomes decreasing from 2009 to 2014. Democrats introduced legislation that would increase the minimum wage over time and index it into the future to ensure that people working 40 hours a week do not live in poverty. Not only did Republicans refuse to even hold a hearing on increasing the minimum wage, but they passed bill after bill to actually drive down wages by removing prevailing wage requirements for government contractors, eliminating local living wage standards, and making it harder for unions to organize and collectively bargain for workers.

Our Public Schools

Over the past three budgets, Republicans have reduced state aid to our neighborhood schools by more than a billion dollars. In the most recent budget alone, a projected $800 million will be taken from our public schools and handed over to unaccountable private voucher schools. These cuts have hurt our schools and our children, leaving our local school districts to do more with less, and without the resources they need, to provide every child with a top-notch education. While Democrats fought attempts to privative our education system at the expense of our public schools, Republicans failed to act or to address the needs of our financially strapped schools. At the same time as Republicans took away critical resources that help our schools attract the best and the brightest teachers, they proposed to solve the problem of teacher shortages in rural school districts by simply lowering the standards for teacher licensing and not requiring that all teachers actually have training in the education field. This is an unacceptable answer that will only work to diminish the quality of education that our state’s children receive.

Transportation/ Infrastructure

Take a drive in any community in Wisconsin, and it is clear that our state’s infrastructure and roads are crumbing. Republicans borrowed massive amounts of money to pay for transportation and delayed several critical road projects across the state. While Democrats have introduced ideas for more sustainable funding, such as a modest increase and indexing of the gas tax, Republicans refused to consider any alternatives, instead choosing to address the issue through more unsustainable borrowing with no plan to meet future needs.

Higher Education and Student Loan Debt Relief
Republicans and Governor Walker have cut higher education funding by nearly $1 billion dollars since taking office, and Wisconsin has gone from having the 10th highest percentage of college graduates with student loan debt in the nation, to the 3rd highest. As students and graduates continue to struggle and look for real relief, Republicans put forward a plan that provides little to no real relief to those saddled with insurmountable debt. Democrats have offered a strong Higher Ed/Lower Debt plan that would allow Wisconsinites to refinance student loan debt at lower interest rates and decrease their monthly payments.

This session can not only be defined by the incredibly damaging legislation that Republicans rammed through the Legislature, but also by the lack of action by the Republican majority on the most critical challenges facing our state. The Legislative session has been beyond disappointing, as the actions taken – and not taken – clearly do not reflect the values and the needs of the people of Wisconsin. That said, I remain committed to working to create economic and educational opportunity for the hardworking individuals and families of our state.

Poverty Level Reaches 30 Years High

According to the most recent data from a UW-Madison study, the number of Wisconsinites living in poverty went up 13% in 2014. This is the highest that the Wisconsin poverty rate has been since 1984. Between 2010 and 2014, the most recent segment of data, the poverty rate went up 20% with none of Wisconsin’s 72 counties showing a significant decrease in poverty. Researchers involved with the study attribute the increase in poverty to low and stagnant wages coupled with Wisconsin’s lagging economic climate. This is a clear indicator of how Republicans have taken Wisconsin in the wrong direction. It is time for the majority to stop advancing policies that drive down wages and to stop ignoring the impact of their backwards economic policies. Until we take real action to create economic opportunity for the people of Wisconsin and ensure that everyone who puts in a hard day’s work is compensated with a fair day’s pay, the middle-class will continue to shrink and poverty rates will continue to rise.

Walker’s WEDC Ignored Warning Signs of Oscar Mayer Closure

A recent Wisconsin State Journal investigation found emails sent by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the state’s largest conservative business lobby, revealing that the so-called pro-business interest group dissuaded the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) from contacting Kraft/Heinz after it was clear that the company was considering relocating its Wisconsin facilities. The lack of initiative by WEDC may have contributed to the decision by Kraft/Heinz to shut down the Oscar Mayer plant in Madison. The closing of the plant will result in the loss of 1,000 local jobs in Madison. The State of Wisconsin’s economy has continued to lag behind neighboring states, so it is exceptionally troubling that a group claiming to be interested in economic development like WMC would encourage WEDC not to make any contact with Kraft/Heinz about retaining its Wisconsin facilities. Even more troubling is that WEDC took the advice of this lobbying organization and did not follow up with Kraft/Heinz.

Read Across America

On Thursday, I spoke to sixth grade students at Jefferson Middle School about the importance of reading as a part of Read Across America. Jefferson Middle School students joined millions of their peers across the country to celebrate the eighteenth annual National Education Association (NEA) Read Across America program.

The NEA's Read Across America program, which celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday and the joys of reading, is responsible for more than 45 million readers, both young and old, picking up a book and reading. Read Across America brings together schools, libraries, and communities with the goal of showing students the excitement of reading and building a nation of readers.

I enjoyed sharing why reading is important in my job as a legislator and provided students with some reading material about women in government who were the first to serve in a variety of positions and about the underrepresentation of women serving as elected officials.

Read Across America is an excellent program that promotes literacy and helps ensure students in Wisconsin develop a love of reading.

Verona Road (US 18/151) Project

Starting Thursday (March 10) and for the next two weeks, temporary traffic signals will be installed at the Beltline and Verona Road interchange, and the Midvale Boulevard and Nakoma Road intersection, as part of the Verona Road (US 18/151) Project.

Here is what you need to know:

• Daytime and nighttime lane closures are expected to start later this week on area roadways, including Verona Road, Midvale Boulevard, Nakoma Road, and the westbound Beltline ramps to and from Verona Road.

• Construction work on the westbound Beltline (US 12/18), between Seminole Highway and Whitney Way, is scheduled to resume after the temporary signal work.

• Starting in late March, westbound Beltline traffic will be shifted onto the newly constructed eastbound side, between Seminole Highway and Whitney Way.

• From late March to fall 2016, westbound Beltline traffic traveling to Verona Road/Midvale Boulevard must enter the Verona Road exit lane prior to the Seminole Highway off ramp. More information on these shifts will be provided in the coming weeks.

• Two lanes will remain open to traffic in each direction on the Beltline; however, delays are anticipated in the area, especially during peak travel times.

• Access to area businesses and neighborhoods will remain open during construction.

• The public should continue to patronize area businesses in the project area.

• All work operations and lane closures are weather dependent and subject to change.

• Remember to be alert and slow down in all work zones.

Westbound Beltline reconstruction, between Seminole Highway and Whitney Way, and the Beltline/Verona Road interchange is scheduled to be completed in November 2016.

STAY INFORMED: Verona Road Project website | Project Facebook page

Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, when we celebrate and recognize all of the incredible contributions women have made to the history of our country and the history of our great state. Beginning in March, 1982, the United States began celebrating “Women’s History Week” as the result of a joint resolution passed in Congress. In 1987, Congress dedicated the entire month of March to women’s history after the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned them.

Women’s History Month gives us an opportunity to spotlight trailblazing women like Kathryn Morrison, the first women elected to the WI State Senate in 1975; Vel Phillips (pictured left), the first African American woman in the nation elected to a statewide office as Wisconsin Secretary of State in 1979; Justice Shirley Abrahamson, the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1996; Gwen Moore, the first African American woman elected to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004; and JoCasta Zamarripa, the first Latina woman elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2011. These exceptional women have carved out a space for women in a previously entirely male-dominated political environment.

Although women are working their way into the political sphere, there are still great disparities that need to be addressed. Women make up half of our state but only occupy 23% of Wisconsin State Assembly seats and 33% of Wisconsin State Senate seats, and Wisconsin has never had a female Governor. Women’s History month is a great time to celebrate the women who have come before us, but it is also an important reminder of how far we have yet to come.

Click here to read more about women in government in Wisconsin.

You Ask, I Answer

“You Ask, I Answer” is a feature of my weekly newsletter where you can get your questions answered. From time to time, a constituent emails or calls with a question that may also be of interest to others. Therefore, I created this feature, allowing constituents to email me questions for consideration in a future newsletter.

Please feel free to email your questions to Rep.Subeck@legis.wisconsin.gov, and we may share the answer in a future e-newsletter.

This week’s question was submitted by a constituent who wanted more information about the differences between the Democrats’ and the Republicans’ approaches on addressing the student loan debt crisis.

Read on for more details.

Question: Lately, I have been hearing a lot about student loan debt legislation.  Governor Walker talked about a set of Republican bills in the State of the State Address, and Democrats have been advocating a “Higher Ed, Lower Debt” bill for a few years that has not yet passed. What is the difference between these two approaches?

Answer: Student loan debt is an enormous and growing problem in Wisconsin.  Our state now ranks third in the nation for percentage of college graduates with student loan debt, with an average burden of $28,000 and a total of $19 billion.  Graduates who are saddled with debt are far less likely to obtain economic security and join the middle class. In addition, many students are deterred from enrolling in higher education because of the staggering costs.  I believe it is wrong for collection agencies and banks to profit off of the backs of students and graduates.

At the beginning of this year, Republicans proposed a set of bills that pay lip service to the student loan debt crisis but do little to provide relief to those facing insurmountable debt. My Democratic colleagues and I do not believe that these bills go anywhere near far enough to provide real relief. The Republican bills provide very minimal aid to an estimated 32,000 borrowers – a fraction of the approximately 1 million borrowers who need relief.

The Higher Ed, Lower Debt bill, which has been blocked by Republicans, would go much further in addressing the student loan debt crisis.  It would allow borrowers to deduct their entire student loan payment from state income taxes, not merely the interest payments.  The bill would also allow borrowers to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates, similar to a mortgage or car loan.  This measure would provide substantial relief to hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin borrowers and would cost taxpayers nothing, but nevertheless, the bill has been consistently opposed by Republicans.

The passage of meaningful student loan debt relief is long overdue, and I will continue to work on behalf of Wisconsinites to eliminate this endless cycle of debt and finally allow them to use their education to achieve the American Dream.

Pre-Trip Tips to Reduce Your Rip-Off Risk

After a long winter, spring break’s siren song draws college students and families to sunny beaches and exciting foreign locales. But as travelers let off steam, they may also be letting down their guard, opening up opportunities to get ripped off by scammers and identity thieves. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection offers some simple pre-trip tips to mitigate your risk and help you travel more securely.

Before you start your trip:

• Alert your credit card company and financial institution. Call the number on the back of your credit and debit cards and let them know where you will be travelling and when. This advance notice will let the bank know to expect transactions from the area you visit, keeping your account from being locked.

• Verify your reservations. If you booked your trip through a third-party website or travel service, confirm your reservations directly with the airline, hotel, or car rental business so you don’t get stranded in the case of a miscommunication with your booking.

• Put your mail on hold. Identity thieves could steal mail from unattended mailboxes, giving them the information they need to misuse your identity and open credit lines in your name. The post office can hold your mail until you return, keeping letters and packages from sitting idle in your mailbox.

• Limit what’s in your wallet. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or purse, keep your passport locked away, and minimize the number of bank cards you take on your trip.

• Use credit cards instead of debit cards. This reduces your risk of having your checking account emptied while you are on vacation, and credit cards may offer additional protections for your purchases.

• Pack a second credit card. If you lose your main card or it is damaged, you will need a backup. Keep them packed in separate locations.

• Photocopy your documents and cards. Make two copies (front and back) of your passport, driver’s license, credit cards, tickets, and hotel reservation confirmations. Give one copy to a friend or family member at home and carry the other copy with you, stored securely and separately from the originals. These can come in handy if your original documents are lost or stolen during the trip.

• Share your plans with friends and family to avoid “grandparent scams.” Phone scammers could call your relatives while you are away, claim to be you, and ask for money to get out of a phony legal or medical emergency. Make sure your family has a plan in place and a way to reach you directly in case a relative or friend receives one of these frightening calls. As part of the plan, consider using a family code name to verify family members.

• Tighten the security around your online accounts. Your social media accounts can reveal everything a thief needs to know to steal your identity or to rob your home in your absence. Adjust the security settings on your social media accounts to only allow friends and family to view your posts, and consider turning off the location services on your phone so the photos you post online are not tagged with GPS data. Make sure that the mobile devices you intend to take on your journey are password protected.

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau Website, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Protection Hotline toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.

Fun Wisconsin Fact

In honor of Women’s History Month, this week’s fun fact is about Enola O’Connell. Enola, a 32-year-old widow and mother of one from Milwaukee, was the only woman welder working on gasoline trailer tanks at the Heil Company during World War II. Her job at Heil was her first work outside the home. Her legacy represents the new roles women took during World War II and the importance women had on the home front. Some might consider Enola to be Wisconsin’s own Rosie the Riveter. A portrait of Enola working on the assembly line, provided by the Wisconsin Historical Society, hangs in my office in the State Capitol.

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