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September 17, 2015 |
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I hope everyone had a fun Labor Day weekend and is
enjoying this beautiful fall weather! This week's e-update
highlights the University of Wisconsin La Crosse best in the UW
System ranking,
voucher school accountability, the weekly radio address,
recent news coverage across the state,
the release of the 2105-26 State Blue Book, Wisconsin DNR updates, and a new business of the week.
This month is especially exciting for me because it has been four years since I was sworn into the Wisconsin State Senate.
I hope you find the information in this e-update helpful, and don't forget to get out and enjoy all of the fun upcoming events in western Wisconsin!
Sincerely,
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University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranks best in UW System |
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Congratulations to my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on being ranked best college in the University of Wisconsin System and fourth in the Midwest! UW-L faculty, staff and students should be very proud. #GoEagles
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GOP shuns accountability, opts for further voucher expansion |
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Just days after a new report detailed the
drastic increase in state spending on Gov. Walker’s
unaccountable private school voucher program, legislative
Republicans are poised to further expand the entitlement program
and increase taxpayer costs. Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) is
fast-tracking
Senate Bill 250 that would increase the number of
taxpayer-funded private school vouchers in Wisconsin. After learning about the massive increase in voucher school costs over the past four years, another expansion is the last thing taxpayers in Wisconsin can afford. Public schools still haven’t recovered from the historic budget cuts enacted by legislative Republicans yet they continue to propose deeper cuts. Taxpayers simply can’t afford to abandon our public schools while expanding a separate entitlement system that benefits the special interests behind Gov. Walker’s presidential campaign. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, $139 million in taxpayer funding has been funneled to private schools that were “subsequently barred from the state’s voucher system for failing to meet requirements related to finances, accreditation, student safety and auditing.” Despite these serious concerns, Republicans have blocked repeated efforts by Democrats to prevent fraud and improve education standards at underperforming voucher schools. Republicans need to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on a broken entitlement program and work with Democrats who are trying to improve access to a quality education for all of Wisconsin’s children. Voucher accountability was supposed to be a “top priority” for leaders this legislative session, so let’s get serious about preventing voucher fraud, restoring the cuts to public schools and improving our education system. Check out more news coverage on this ongoing issue: Fox6 Now: Milwaukee Choice school shuts down nine days into school year A local Choice school has closed, less than two weeks into the school year, amid controversy. Daughters of the Father Christian Academy, which has been under fire since last spring for allegations related to its use of taxpayer money, voluntarily closed on Thursday according to an email sent to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. -Read Full Article
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Closing of voucher school spurs Democrats' call for accountability
The closing of another Milwaukee voucher
school prompted Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday to renew their
calls for greater accountability for private schools that
receive state funding through the parental choice programs in
Milwaukee and statewide. Democrats say they have been unable to
secure a hearing for a bill that would hold private voucher
schools to some of the same standards as their public school
counterparts, and have seen little progress on a Republican
alternative -Read
Full Article |
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Weekly Democratic radio address: "Changes needed to improve accountability at WEDC" |
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Action in the Coulee Region |
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Left Photo: I had a great time
visiting with businesses and community organizations that
support equality and promote stronger families and communities.
It was great to see folks at the Pride breakfast down at
Riverside Park in La Crosse.
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News Across the State |
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Green Bay Press Gazette: It's time to reform redistricting The next national census is only five years away. Ever since the last one, the Press-Gazette Media editorial board has been calling for a change in the way legislative and congressional boundaries are drawn in Wisconsin. -Read Full Article
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP lawmaker moves to have governor, not voters, pick school chief After an appeals court overruled Republican attempts to weaken the powers of the state's elected schools superintendent, a GOP lawmaker wants to let the governor choose the superintendent rather than voters. -Read Full Article
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Budget cuts might limit student jobs on UW campuses
With state budget cuts hitting University
of Wisconsin campuses, many students who rely on campus jobs may
have to look elsewhere for employment. The number of students
working on UW System campuses ballooned by 25% over the past
three years — in part because of new residence halls opening and
dining marketplaces expanding and changing their focus to
made-to-order entrées. -Read
Full Article Dairy operators and other agricultural users would be allowed to replace, rebuild or transfer high-capacity water wells without state approval under a recently introduced bill. Environmentalists are nervous that the legislation would remove important oversight and result in wasted groundwater protected under the public trust doctrine — a concern heightened last year when a judge ruled that the Department of Natural Resources failed to conduct an appropriate environmental review before issuing an approval. -Read Full Article
Wisconsin State Journal: Fetal tissue ban would have bigger impact on UW than budget cuts A state bill to ban the use of fetal tissue would more drastically affect UW-Madison than did the deep budget cuts lawmakers passed earlier this year, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Friday. If the bill becomes law, Blank said, it will force UW-Madison researchers who use fetal tissue to leave the state to continue their work, driving top faculty away from the university and badly harming its reputation. -Read Full Article
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Robin Vos keeps trying to gut open records law Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) has shown that he will make every effort to gut the state's open records law, no matter what the citizens of Wisconsin think, which raises the question of whether he is fit to represent the public's interests in the state Legislature. -Read Full Article
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Release of 2015-16 State Blue Books |
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Local Business of the Week! |
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I always enjoy visiting locally owned businesses throughout the
32nd Senate District and will be highlighting a different local
business in each e-update. This week's featured business is
Sunrise Orchards in
Gays, Mills!
Sunrise Orchards, Inc. was founded in 1913 and purchased by the Teach family in 1956. Over three generations have dedicated their lives to apple orchard harvesting. Today they grow around 125,000 bushels of apples annually. Fruit from Sunrise Orchards is sold both wholesale and retail throughout the continental United States. This August, co-owner Lynn
Teach passed away from a recent battle with cancer. Lynn
taught at Readstown Elementary and served on the North Crawford
School Board for sixteen years. Lynn was an active member in her
community and I know that she will be greatly missed. |
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Camp Your Way Through Fall Colors |
If you and your family enjoy fall colors and camping, there is still plenty of time to enjoy both! Travel Wisconsin recently highlighted the eleven best spots in Northern Wisconsin to go camping this fall. They also highlight the eleven great spots to go camping in Central Wisconsin and I am excited to see that Wildcat Mountain State Park is included in the list. You can also check out the Fall Color Report for real-time updates and details from the statewide network of foliage reporters. |
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Follow me on Instagram! |
I am excited to announce that you can now follow me on Instagram at SenShilling. This is a fun way you can follow me as I travel across Western Wisconsin and represent local families in our State Capitol.
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Local Business Milestones |
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Left Photo: The
Viroqua Food Co-op recently celebrated their
20 year anniversary! My family and I enjoyed the square dancing, music,
food, face painting and dunk tank. I want to thank them for
their support of local, healthy foods and all they do to support
the community. Congratulations and here's to the next 20 years!
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Wisconsin DNR Updates |
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Fall color
change reflects healthy forest diversity as different species
start to turn
Hunters looking to head out into the wetlands for the North Zone duck season should find good numbers of ducks when the season opens Sept. 26, according to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff. -Read Full Article
Natural
Resources Board to meet September 23 in Bowler
Public meetings
set for next steps in Lake Superior lake trout recovery efforts
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Recently Introduced Legislation |
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If you are interested in legislation that
is being introduced, the
Wisconsin
Legislative website posts bills as they are being introduced
in the Senate and Assembly. Check it out and stay informed!
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Calendar of Events |
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I apologize if any upcoming events in the area were left off. If you would like me to include an event in future e-updates, please email me the date, location and a website with details. |
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phone: 608.266.5490 email: sen.shilling@legis.wi.gov
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