Thank you to Public Employees

Thank you to our public employees who endured the brutally cold weather this week to keep our communities safe and running smoothly.   Whether working to clear our streets, responding to emergencies, providing care and warmth to those in need, or keeping our buses running, we are fortunate to have great friends and neighbors who are also great public servants.   Here are a few examples of service that made the news:

 On the east side of Madison, members of the Madison Fire Department fought a home fire in temperatures that reached -50 degrees with wind chills.  They were assisted by employees of Madison Metro who brought buses to the site of the fire so that firefighters could get warm.  Thirty-year veterans of the Department said they had never seen conditions like this before.

After the armed robbery of a Park Street restaurant on Tuesday, the suspect led police on a chase through the UW Arboretum for much of the afternoon.  Officers who responded were out in the elements on foot and had to be checked for frostbite after the suspect was arrested.

Employees of the Madison Water Utility repaired more than 18 water main breaks while outside in the bitter cold.   Because of their efforts, Madison residents who were hunkered down in their homes were able to count on continued water service, and additional flooding could be avoided.

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Foxconn Back in the News, Not Delivering on Promises

This week, Foxconn officials said the company was going to employ engineers and researchers rather than workers to build screens because the salaries for workers would be too high.  This statement is an obvious contradiction to the promise that primarily well-paying manufacturing jobs would be created in exchange for a massive giveaway to the company at the urging of Republican leaders, including President Trump.   Now, just days later, Foxconn is back to promising manufacting in Wisconsin, though details remain to be seen.

The simple fact is Foxconn is a company that has been notorious for making promises that go unfulfilled.  This is why Governor Evers has made a commitment to protecting taxpayers in his approach to the Foxconn project. As Republicans play a blame game in an attempt to divert attention away from the fact that they made a bad deal for Wisconsin taxpayers, our Governor is working to hold Foxconn to its promises and to get the best possible results for Wisconsin under the circumstances.

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Evers Declares 2019 “Year of Clean Drinking Water”

In Governor Evers’ State of the State address last week, he declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water for Wisconsin. His comments reflect the urgent importance of the issue of water quality for our state.

Wisconsin faces water quality concerns on multiple fronts, including lead pipes in older homes and aging infrastructure, as well as polluted wells in rural communities.

The installation of lead water pipes was banned at the federal level 30 years ago, but many communities in Wisconsin still have lead water lines or “laterals.” This puts drinking water supplies at risk. Lead in drinking water can cause brain, kidney, and nervous system damage, especially among children.

In 2001, the City of Madison made the wise decision to replace all its lead laterals with much safer copper, but lead can sometimes still be found in interior pipes or plumbing fixtures. Statewide, at least 176,000 Wisconsinites get their water through lead lines.

In his address, Governor Evers promised to designate an employee at the Department of Health Services to focus on Wisconsin’s lead crisis and seek federal funds to address the problem.

Many communities in Wisconsin also struggle with polluted wells. About 1.7 million Wisconsinites rely on private wells for their drinking water, and a recent study by health departments found nearly half of those wells don’t meet safety standards for things like bacteria and nitrates.

Access to safe drinking water is a concern not only in Wisconsin but also throughout the Great Lakes region. Last year, I attended a Great Lakes Legislative Council policy institute on the subject of lead in drinking water and now serve on its Policy Council on Lead in Drinking Water comprised of legislators from throughout the region. I have had the opportunity to work on model legislation to ensure lead-free drinking water and look forward to working with the Governor’s office to advance our shared goals.

Everyone deserves access to safe, clean drinking water. I was glad to see the Governor make water quality a priority, and I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in the Legislature to address this issue.

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Wisconsin Civics Games

I am looking forward to an exciting day tomorrow as I head to Union South to help judge the regional competition for the 2019 Wisconsin Civic Games.

The Wisconsin Civic Games is an excellent extracurricular opportunity that is open to all Wisconsin high schools. I am thrilled to see participation from 54 high schools across the state this year.  I strongly encourage all students to consider getting involved in this competition in the future.

While the first place finishers will each receive a $2,000 scholarship, the Wisconsin Civic Games is an excellent way for young people to become familiar with their rights and obligations as a citizen and hopefully spark an interest in government at a young age.

Thank you to the Wisconsin Newspaper Association for taking the lead on organizing the games and artist Phil Hands for creating a great logo for the games.  You can learn more about the games and see a list of sponsors here: https://www.wnanews.com/wisconsin-civics-games/

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Fun Wisconsin Fact

While visitors may find it odd that our society places faith in a groundhog being able to predict the weather while, at the same time, some often doubt highly educated scientists who point out the dangers of climate change, this weekend our neighbors in Sun Prairie will once again serve as hosts for another celebration of Groundhog Day.

As the City of Sun Prairie proudly proclaims on its website, “For over 50 years, the Sun Prairie members and supporters have been proclaiming Sun Prairie to be "The Groundhog Capital of the World." This proclamation has caused reverberations from the halls of Congress, to the coal fields of Pennsylvania, and in the news media of the country. Groundhog Day is tied to Candlemas Day, a centuries old celebration day in Europe.  Folklore states:  ‘If the day is bright and clear there'll be two winters in the year.’  The Groundhog Day tradition in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin dates back to 1948, when Wisconsin celebrated its centennial year.” 

If you are an early riser and want to see the spectacle unfold for yourself, Cannery Square on Main Street in Sun Prairie is the place to be shortly after 7:00am on Saturday, February 2.

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