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Farrow Sworn-in to the Wisconsin State Senate
On Friday, December 14th, I was sworn-in to the Wisconsin State Senate and will be serving out the remainder of the term of former Senator Rich Zipperer, who resigned from office early this past summer. My swearing in ceremony took place 10 days after I won an uncontested special election on December 4th.
The ceremony took place in the State Senate chamber of the Wisconsin State Capitol. I took the oath of office surrounded by my friends and family. I had the honor to have the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Shirley Abrahamson preside over my swearing-in. It happens that she also swore-in my mother, former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow, when she was elected to the State Senate in 1989.
2013-2014 Committee Appointments
Earlier this month Senate Majority
Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) appointed me to serve on
the following Senate standing committees for the 2013-2014
Legislative Session:
Committee on Government Operations,
Public Works, and Telecommunications (Chairman) Committee on Education
(Vice-Chairman) Committee on Judiciary and Labor
I have also been appointed to serve on
the Joint Legislative Council, Joint Survey Committee on
Retirement Systems, and the State Fair Park Board.
After what can only be called a tumultuous two years in
Wisconsin politics, the 101st Legislature is now charged
with the task of governing under new reforms while also
setting a new agenda that must be as bold and forward
thinking as the previous legislature’s. I am optimistic
about the opportunity that is before us as a state, and I
look forward to pursuing an agenda that will build upon the
reforms that were enacted last session.
It is no secret that the number one agenda item for me, and
for Governor Walker, is to develop an environment that
creates jobs and promotes economic expansion throughout
Wisconsin. The first proposal to be considered must be the
implementation of an iron mining bill that will streamline
the permitting process, allowing the State of Wisconsin to
compete with our neighbors in Minnesota & Michigan in the
mining industry. Such reform would bring a renewed
commitment to manufacturing and bolster our state’s economy
for generations to come.
One specific agenda item is very high on my list of things
to achieve. As a Republican member of the legislature it is
my goal to hold the line on taxes and to protect the
taxpayers of our state from over burdensome tax policy. Now
that Republicans hold control in the Assembly, the Senate
and the Governor’s office, it is now a priority to provide
tax relief to our citizens in the form of an income tax cut
across all income levels. Our citizens have made sacrifices
to improve the budget crisis our state has faced and
continues to be burdened by ever increasing taxes by the
President and his allies in Congress. Now is the time to
provide our taxpayers with a meaningful reward.
In addition, we must set an agenda that helps fill the jobs
of today while also focusing on the job skills of tomorrow.
Because of a lingering national recession and a decade of
ignoring our workforce’s needs, we must make a commitment to
workforce development that starts with education, continues
with on the job training and prepares all workers to fill
current and future positions. I am hopeful that Wisconsin
can lift itself out of this economic downturn and when we
do, it will be highly trained workers that return us to an
era of prosperity and growth.
Education reform must also be a key agenda item for this
legislative session. In my estimation, a pro-growth/pro-jobs
agenda goes hand-in-hand with a forward thinking education
reform agenda. These two agenda items must co-exist in order
for any positive changes to occur. I am not naïve enough to
believe that pursuing changes to education will be easy to
achieve, but I am convinced that any proposal aimed and
shaking up the status quo will have the support of the
people of Wisconsin. We will see if the powerful education
bureaucracy in Wisconsin will continue to hold back progress
or be a willing partner in the discussions that will produce
better educational opportunities for our children.
This legislature has the opportunity to bring forth change
that will revitalize the State of Wisconsin for years to
come. Over the course of the next two years, it is my goal
to be a strong voice for reform and gather thoughtful and
principled ideas from my constituents, community leaders and
fellow legislators that will be important in driving the
debate here in Wisconsin. It is time to usher in an era of
honest debate and innovative solutions.
A New Session Brings Renewed Focus
Walker Outlines Agenda in State of the State
On Tuesday night Governor Walker relayed an optimistic and bold vision for the future of our state. After achieving major goals during the last legislative session, including passing a balanced budget, eliminating a $3.6 billion deficit and lowering our unemployment rate. Governor Walker is focused on pursuing effective legislation that will create economic expansion, cut income taxes, and once again bring balance to our fiscal state.
As the Governor stated throughout his speech, we are turning things around, heading in the right direction and moving Wisconsin forward. I commend the Governor for outlining an agenda dedicated to creating jobs, developing our workforce, transforming education, and investing in our infrastructure.
I am excited to work with Governor Walker and
my colleagues on pursuing challenging and thoughtful
regulatory reforms, transforming our educational system,
creating additional educational opportunities by expanding
the choice program and implementing an iron ore mining bill
that will create jobs for a generation of Wisconsin
workers.
Please feel free to contact my office with any thoughts or questions you may have. It is a pleasure serving you in the State Senate.
Regards,
