Friends and Neighbors,

Over the Thanksgiving weekend I took time to reflect on the things I have to cherish and be thankful for. I am truly grateful for the love and encouragement of my friends, family, and supporters. Each of you has provided me the opportunity to serve the people as we fight to provide freedom for all by giving voice to our shared values.

I hope you all experience a happy and healthy holiday season with loved ones. If you know of anyone in need, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office and I can help direct them towards assistance.

As always, if you have something you would like to see in future issues of the Sargent Voice, please contact me at 608-266-0960 or Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov.

Sincerely,

Melissa Sargent
State Representative
48th Assembly District
Wage Theft Legislation Coming to Wisconsin

Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) said this week that he plans to introduce Right to Work for Less legislation. This proposal would suppress wages for the true profit creators, the workers, which are already growing at a slower rate than the national average, and further polarize our state.

People struggling to find work and stay in the middle class do not need this divisive legislation. Instead, we should be supporting workers' rights and helping to build the economy. I know that workers deserve the freedoms that unions provide. The freedom to take a sick day if they need to get well or help take care of a family member, the freedom to earn a family sustaining wage, and the freedom to work in a safe environment are things that I will always fight for.

I will strongly oppose any legislation that sanctions wage theft like this proposed bill. We have a moral responsibility to pay those who show up everyday and create profits, a fair wage.

Gompers / Blackhawk get New Playground

Schools bring communities together. We must do all we can to support our students in their learning and growth as young people.

The pure joy that I saw and felt last week as I attended the announcement that there will be a new playground at Gompers / Black Hawk Schools was second to none. What a special moment.

(click to enlarge)

Thank you to both Great Lakes Higher Education and Vogel Brothers Builders for making so many dreams come true.

This was a fantastic reminder as to how special my community is and why I do what I do.

Extra thanks to each of the people (in the above picture) for giving me something extra to be thankful for.

Pictured left to right: Principal Sean Storch (Black Hawk), Principal Sarah Chaja (Gompers), Kristi Looze (Great Lakes Gives Coordinator), Amy Kerwin (Vice President for Community Investments at Great Lakes), Peter Vogel (President & CEO of Vogel Bros. Building Co.), Melissa Sargent, Jeanette Paulson (Co-Chair of Growing Together Initiative) and Renae Huffman (Co-Chair of Growing Together Initiative).

Junior State of America Convention

I had the privilege of welcoming the Midwest Junior State of America Fall State Convention to our amazing State Capitol. These students from high school campuses across the country are concerned with what is happening around them and they are our future!
 

Congratulations to each of the young people that I spoke to for taking the important steps to being part of the solution - and remember only 13% of the US population under 30 voted in the most recent election so an important step is to never miss an election.

Why Didn't You Vote, Wisconsin?

I found this chart to the right very disappointing for multiple reasons.

First, the level of disengagement within our population regarding the civic responsibility to vote needs to be improved upon. Whether people are uninformed or choose other priorities over voting; this must change. People all over Wisconsin must realize that many countries around the globe do not allow their citizens to vote. We, in the United State, are fortunate to have this right.

(click to enlarge)

Second, if there are barriers to voting that people are coming across, they must be torn down. Registration deadlines, restrictions based on moving, and other logistical reasons that people listed as stopping them from voting should be fixed by the legislature.

We must be working each day to increase citizen participation in our democracy. Any attempts to suppress votes should be soundly defeated by public opinion and politicians.

Buy Local

Small businesses are the cornerstones of our neighborhoods.

November marks the launch of an unprecedented collaboration among advocates for local independent business. Representing over 800 locally owned and independent businesses in Dane County, Shift Your Shopping will encourage residents and businesses to make a “Shift” by buying from local independent businesses for the holiday season. Shift Your Shopping offers a simple, powerful way to boost our economy and preserve and create jobs in our communities.

Dane County leaders are asking community residents to shift your purchases of food, cards, gifts, flowers and other holiday purchases to where it matters most, from locally-owned businesses.

Americans do a large portion of their annual retail shopping budget between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 — about $700 per shopper according to the National Retail Federation. Numerous studies show that if those dollars are shifted to locally owned, independent businesses, they'll generate far more economic benefit in local communities than money spent at local chain outlets or businesses outside the community.

Dane Buy Local plays an important role helping build our local economy. Shift Your Shopping encourages residents to take job creation and economic concerns into their own hands by exercising their power to strengthen their local economies. Numerous studies on the impact of buying from local independent businesses have found impressive benefits.                           (click to enlarge)

I thank County Executive Joe Parisi and all the other local leaders involved in this effort for turning our attention locally during the holiday season. I too intend on buying local as I plan my holiday shopping.
 

 



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Dec. 3, 2014
Issue 42

Contact Me

State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

Office: (608) 266-0960

Email:
Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov

On the Web: sargent.assembly.wi.gov

Quote of the Week

"You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There's another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.'

-Bill Gates
 

New Leadership Team

Minority Leader: Rep. Peter Barca

Assistant Minority Leader: Rep. Katrina Shankland

Caucus Chair: Rep. Andy Jorgensen

Vice Caucus Chair: Rep. Jocasta Zamarripa

Caucus Secretary: Rep.-elect Beth Meyers
 

In the Capitol

2015-2016 Standing Committees

Speaker Robin Vos has announced the committees the Assembly will have during the 2015-2016 legislative session. Click HERE for the full list.

I will be on anywhere from 3 to 5 of these committees and look forward to the important work done at the committee level.

However, I have serious concerns about the new 'Public Benefit Reform' committee which I perceive to be a tool that the Republicans are using to push their agenda of drug testing welfare recipients.

Constituent Outreach

Constituent outreach is a fundamental tenant of mine in representing the people of Wisconsin. I always get a thrill when I sign my letters and put them in the US Mail for delivery.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any question, concern, or comments on state government in Wisconsin.

Mail letters to:

Rep. Melissa Sargent
PO Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

Or email: Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov


 

In the District

TOYS FOR TOTS
Donate new, unwrapped toys until December 6, 2014

Madison Parks is proud to join in support of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
by hosting collection sites at two locations:

Madison Parks Administration Office
City County Building
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Rm. 104
and
Warner Park Community & Recreation Center
1625 Northport Drive

Thank you for making this holiday a little brighter for others!

 

Wisconsin's Sporting Tradition

My husband, along with my two oldest sons, enjoyed the 2014 hunting season. Wisconsin has a long tradition of deer hunting. I celebrate the discipline and responsibility that hunting has taught my boys.

Also, I cheered with the rest of Wisconsin as the Packers and Badgers have enjoyed huge success on the football field. It's great to be a Wisconsinite these days!


 

National Parent Involvement Day

National Parent Involvement Day provides a yearly opportunity for schools and families to honor and highlight the powerful contributions parents and caregivers provide at school and home to support student success.

I was thrilled to join my son Keanan at Samuel Gompers Elementary School, and was honored to lead the whole school in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public schools are what is good and right for Wisconsin and our families - when parents are involved and there is a bridge between home & school our democracy and freedoms are strengthened.


 

NFWL Conference

Child trafficking and homeless and unaccompanied youth are tragic realities in our community. This is a huge issue that eats at my soul everyday and motivate me to do the work I do. We can and must do better to address this crisis.

I was thrilled to attend the National Foundation for Women Legislators conference in Philadelphia where unaccompanied youth and human trafficking were discussed at length.

I am honored that NFWL has heard me speak on this at previous conferences and prioritized this issue.