Sen. Terry Moulton and I had two great listening sessions this past Monday in Elk Mound and Sand Creek. I want to thank everyone who came out to share their opinions, and to remind those who weren’t able to make it that they can always call or email my office at any time. We will be holding two additional listening sessions next Friday, May 31. Sen. Moulton and I will be at the Cornell City Hall council chambers at 9:00 a.m. and at the Cadott Village Hall at 11:15 a.m. Each session will be 1.5 hours and will be an informal drop-in session, so please feel free to come and go at any time. I hope to see you there!

I am thrilled by all of the constituent correspondence my office has been receiving of late. It is great to hear about the issues that are most important to you. In that vein, I also occasionally receive contacts from individuals who live outside of the 67th Assembly District. As a legislative courtesy, my staff forward these contacts on to the proper representative. It seems unfair that I would spend time responding to a resident of Milwaukee instead of focusing on the concerns of my own constituents.

To maximize the effectiveness of your legislative contacts, the nonpartisan Legislative Council has prepared a document entitled “A Citizen's Guide to Participation in the Wisconsin State Legislature,” which contains useful tips about contacting your legislator, as well as practical information on how to follow and participate in the legislative process. As the budget nears an Assembly vote, I thought you might find this guide useful.

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC) held two executive sessions this past week discussing a wide range of issues from various state agencies. This coming week, JFC will hold another executive session on Wednesday, May 29. Included in this executive session will be budget requests from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction relating to school funding. As always, if you have any budget concerns, you may call or email my office, or contact JFC directly at BudgetComments@legis.wi.gov.

As we prepare for whatever fun activities we have planned for this Memorial Day weekend, it is important to remember and honor those who defend our freedoms. Our troops in conflicts throughout the world defend the freedom of citizens here at home, as well as others around the globe. I extend my deepest gratitude to those folks who have served in our nation’s military and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. As we enjoy the holiday weekend, it is important to reflect on the shared values that make us American.

Please also note that my Capitol office will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 27. Constituents may still call to leave a voicemail or email me, and we will respond to your contacts when we return to the office on Tuesday.

The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.
--Benjamin Disraeli