A Historic Investment Closer to Reality

On August 17th the Assembly was in session and passed Special Session Assembly Bill (SS AB) 1, which provides incentives for a historic $10 billion investment in Wisconsin by electronics manufacturer Foxconn.  I was proud to join with legislators on both sides of the aisle in supporting this important legislation.

As SS AB 1 worked through the legislative process, I heard from many people from around the 87th District on both sides of this issue.  The feedback I received allowed me to advocate on your behalf for changes that improved this legislation.  I want to take a moment to outline some of those changes.

In response to questions raised regarding workforce needs, I joined my colleagues in supporting changes to SS AB 1 that will invest $20 million towards new worker training initiatives.  Also, I supported changes to the bill that promote the use of Wisconsin workers whenever possible.

Additionally, concerns were raised in regards to environmental protections and how they would apply to this proposed project. I heard these concerns and was able to work with my colleagues to improve the environmental oversights surrounding this project. As amended, SS AB 1 clearly specifies that the Department of Natural Resources maintains oversight on the project.  Also, Foxconn must create 2 acres of wetland for each acre that is disturbed.  This is an increase from the 1.2 acres to 1 ratio that is required under current law.

With passage by the Assembly, the bill now awaits further action by the State Senate.

Also, I wanted to share some more encouraging news that was announced last week regarding the Foxconn project.  A new report from the UW-Madison's Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy showed that the project could return  $4 for every $1 that is invested.  This is more evidence of the major impact that Foxconn's investment will have on Wisconsin's economy.

State Budget Update

As you are likely aware the finalization of the 2017-19 State Budget has been delayed for the past couple of months due to some disagreements on how to fund K-12 education and transportation.  As budget negotiations progressed, I continued to speak with my colleagues about the budget priorities of the people of the 87th District.

I am happy to report that the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) resumed their work on the budget on Thursday and is expected to finish their work by early September.  While I wish the budget had been completed sooner, I am hopeful that the final product will be worth the wait.

JFC will meet again at 1:30 p.m. on Monday to vote on a variety of issues including funding for K-12 education.  You can see a full list of items to be considered here.  You can also watch the session live on WisconsinEye.

Around the 87th

Celebrating Health Center Week

Recently, I visited NorthLakes Community Clinic in Hayward as a part of National Health Center Week.  Besides touring the facility I also had a great conversation about healthcare.  Thank you for hosting me!

Law & Order: Sawyer County

Earlier this month, I had the chance to meet with Judge Yackel and Sheriff Kelsey to discuss the issues impacting law enforcement and the judiciary in Sawyer County.  Thank you to Judge Yackel and Sheriff Kelsey for their service to our community. 

Sawyer & Rusk County Fairs

August is a month full of great events around the 87th District.  I particularly enjoyed attending the county fairs in both Rusk and Sawyer Counties.  It was great to see all the wonderful exhibits and support some of the great community organizations in Rusk and Sawyer Counties.

Senior Resource Center Ribbon Cutting

Earlier this month, I was pleased to attend the open house for the Senior Resource Center in Hayward. They held a ribbon cutting for their new kitchen facility, which was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Talking Education in Flambeau

A few weeks ago, I had a wonderful meeting with Erica Schley, the District Administrator for the School District of Flambeau.  Thank you for meeting with me as you get ready for the start of the new school year. Go Flambeau!

Stay Up to Date

One of the best ways to stay up to date with what is going on in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking service.  This service allows you to follow legislative activity in Madison.  Once you create a free account you can sign up to receive notifications about specific bills or committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject area (i.e. agriculture, veterans).  You can sign up for this service at notify.legis.wisconsin.gov.