Representative Lisa Subeck's E-Newsletter


 August 11, 2017

 

Contact Me

 

418 North, State Capitol

P.O. Box 8953

Madison, WI 53708

 

PH: (608) 266-7521

TF: (888) 534-0078

FAX: (608) 282-3690

 

rep.subeck@legis.wi.gov

Website

 

Things happening in the district & around Madison


MY KING : International Film Movement Series
Friday, August 11
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd
 

Tony is admitted to a rehabilitation center after a serious skiing accident. Dependent of medical staff and painkillers, she takes the time to remember the tumultuous love story she lived with Georgio. Directed by Maiween, starring Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Louis Garrel.
Join us at the Alicia Ashman Public Library on the second Friday of the month for thought provoking international films from the Film Movement Series.

 


Elver Park Farmers Market
Saturdays, August 5 to September 16
8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Elver Park, 1250 McKenna Blvd.
 


West Side Farmers Market
Saturdays, August 5-November 4
7:00 am – 1:00 pm

New location: 750 University Row
Behind the UW Health Digestive Health Center

 


Bird & Nature Outing
Saturday, August 12
2:30pm to 4:00pm

Owen Conservation Park
6021 Old Sauk Road

Beautiful Butterflies! Join Arboretum Naturalist Sylvia Marek for a free family friendly late afternoon outing at Owen Park to look for Butterflies and other insect life in the prairies and woodlands!

Naturalist guided walks at Owen Conservation Park are held the 2nd Saturday afternoon every month and co-sponsored by Madison FUN Friends of Urban Nature partner groups Madison Parks, Madison Audubon and Owen Conservation Park. Contact 608-698-0104

 


"Pond”-ering Life
Sunday, August 13
1:o0 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

UW Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy

 

Meet at Visitor Center
You will explore pond critters and learn about the fascinating lives of both predators and prey. Learn about the many relationships between friends and foes in Teal Pond.


 


Amazing Amulet Party
Monday, August 14
11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd.

Read like a Badger this summer and earn a golden ticket for entry into an Amazing Amulet party at a Madison Public Library near you!
Visit any party location and present your golden ticket for a chance to craft your own victory amulet. Take your amulet home with you, or add it to the library's display of victors for all to see and marvel at the completion of your summer reading quest. A family friendly event, with amulet designs accessible to reading victors of all ages.

 


Crafting with Amy Meitzel: Sew an Emoji
Tuesday, August 15
3:30pm - 5:00 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd.

Join artist Amy Mietzel, of Bare Knuckle Arts, throughout the summer for crafting fun. Younger children may need help from an adult. Registration begins 2 weeks before each event. Call 288-6160 or online to register.

 


Movies with Madison Parks - Kong: Skull Island
Thursday, August 17
8:00pm to 10:00pm

Meadowood Park
5810 Thrush Lane

Grab a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy the FREE show with Madison Parks! In partnership with the City of Madison's Neighborhood Resource Teams (NRT) we are presenting free movies at parks throughout the city! As the sun sets, we will begin the movie. All are welcome!
 


Visiting the Capitol

Whether you are planning a visit to the state Capitol as part of a large group, small gathering, or just by yourself, our office can assist you in scheduling a free guided tour of the Capitol building during normal business hours.

 

Free tours are offered daily, year round. Tours depart from the ground floor Information Desk Monday through Saturday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 am and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm; and Sundays at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm. A 4:00 pm tour is offered Memorial Day through Labor Day. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are also open during the summer months.

 

 
 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Summer is winding down, and for many families, this time of year is spent getting ready for school and enjoying the time that remains before the new school year begins.

Teachers are in their classrooms getting ready for the start of classes. However, school boards face budgets stuck in limbo because the state budget is more than a month late with no signs of relief. The budget process, already delayed by infighting among Republican members of the Senate and Assembly, now faces further delays as the Assembly considers a large taxpayer giveaway to Foxconn.

In this week’s newsletter, you will find the latest information about the proposed $3 billion subsidy to Foxconn, a budget update, and information about a concerning bill that would allow firearm instruction in our schools.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any matter, please feel free to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Lisa Subeck
State Representative
78th Assembly District

 


More Foxconn Details Emerge
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) has provided additional information on the legislation introduced by Assembly Republicans to provide $3 billion and roll back laws that protect our water and our environment in an effort to woo a foreign company, Foxconn, to locate a factory in southeast Wisconsin very near the Illinois border. The information provided by the LFB sheds light on some of the most egregious parts of the proposal and also raises additional questions.


According to the LFB, even in the best case scenario, it would take 25 years for the state to break even on the $3 billion provided to Foxconn under the proposal. The state has never given such a large subsidy to any company, and the next largest subsidy pales in comparison to the astronomical $3 billion Foxconn price tag.
A lot can change in 25 years, and accountability measures in the proposal are scarce. In last week’s newsletter, I share that I am skeptical of the proposal. The latest LFB analysis, coupled with the fast-track on which Republicans have placed the proposal, only furthers my skepticism. I have joined many of my Democratic colleagues requesting that another public hearing be held to address unanswered questions. However, Assembly Republicans seem intent on scheduling a vote of the full Assembly next week. They may even forego having the Joint Finance Committee review the $3 billion proposal.

Any proposal to strike a deal with Foxconn should include a timeline for job creation and guarantees of living wages and benefits, as well as a commitment to hire Wisconsin residents. Given the 25 year timeline for recouping taxpayer funds, accountability measures must be included to ensure that as technology changes, the company does not leave us holding the bag with lost taxpayer funds and an empty, shuttered factory. The air, land, and water in the surrounding community should be protected, and perhaps most importantly, the facility’s neighbors must be protected from the harm that can come from pollutants in the air they breathe and the water they drink.

I firmly believe that we can create jobs without breaking the bank and without harming our environment, and we can and should ensure jobs created using taxpayer dollars pay enough that working families can put food on their tables and a roof over their heads. Unfortunately, the Republican proposal for Foxconn puts the profits of one multi-billion dollar, international company ahead of the hardworking, taxpaying people of Wisconsin.

 


Budget Update
Unfortunately, there is little news to report about the state budget this week. The 2017-19 state budget should have been effective on July 1. However, at this point, budget negotiations remain at a standstill. Republicans in the Assembly and Senate have been unable to agree on a couple of key issues, including transportation and education funding. Instead of continuing to work diligently and hold public meetings, Republicans continue negotiating amongst themselves behind closed doors.

Despite a substantial $3 billion expenditure, Republicans insist on considering Foxconn outside of the budget process. Unfortunately, Foxconn has provided them with a convenient distraction. Meanwhile, without a new state budget, road and infrastructure projects cannot move forward; our schools, cities, and counties are left without the information they need as they move forward on their own budgets; and new resources are not allocated to address problems in state facilities and services.

 


Concerns Raised over Firearm Bill
Last week, the Committee on Education held a hearing on Assembly Bill 427, which would make firearm education an elective in our high schools. I have significant concerns about this bill, as I do not believe firearm training is appropriate in our neighborhood schools.


Wisconsin has a reputation as a leader in firearm safety training. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website provides information on approved hunting safety courses. These courses have served to dramatically reduce injuries and deaths during hunting seasons and must be taken and passed by anyone born after January 1, 1973 who wishes to hunt. Families who target shoot or keep firearms in their homes can choose to enroll their children in a course to learn about firearm safety.


Firearm safety courses are available outside of school for families who engage in hunting or other firearm sports. Rather than using the limited resources our schools have available for elective courses on a thinly veiled attempt to get children interested in firearms, we ought to use those resources to provide students with opportunities that will help them succeed and be better prepared academically.

 


NCSL Women’s Legislative Network Leadership
Last week, I attended the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit in Boston, where I was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the NCSL Women’s Legislative Network.

The Network is the professional development organization that includes every female state legislator in the 50 states, United States territories, and the District of Columbia.

At a time when women make up only 25% of legislators nationwide, I am excited to help lead an organization committed to the empowerment of women in our State Legislatures.

 


Beware of Online Rental Scams
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has received reports from various partners that consumers in the Madison and Milwaukee areas have “rented” properties advertised online only to find out later that the property was never available for rent. Consumers wired money to the “landlord” to hold the property. Now the consumers have no place to live and the “landlord” can’t be found to return their money.

The Bureau of Consumer Protection advises consumers when renting property, whether for vacation or longer-term housing, to:

  • Know exactly with whom you are doing business. Does the person/management company actually exist?

  • Verify the property address exists and is actually for rent.

  • Inspect the property (inside and out) before you put any money down.

  • Get a rental agreement in writing, if possible.

  • Never wire money.

  • Be cautious if you are asked to send money out of state when the property you are renting is located in Wisconsin. Ask why and verify the reason.

It is also a good idea to rely on friends, family, co-workers or local professionals to assist you in your search.

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

 


Fun Wisconsin Fact
Middleton is home to the National Mustard Museum. It was founded by Barry Levenson. The Museum was first opened on April 5, 1992, in Mount Horeb. In 2009, the Museum moved to Middleton, and on August 7, 2010, the annual Mustard Day festival was held in Middleton for the first time. The museum’s collection has more than 5,676 mustards from all 50 states and more than 70 countries.

Admission to the National Mustard Museum is free. Click here to visit their website for more information and the museum’s hours.

 

 

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