LARSON REPORT
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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February 27, 2014
CONTACT ME
Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or opinions you might
have.
Office Phone: (608) 266-7505
Toll-free Phone: (800) 361-5487
Email:
Sen.Larson@legis.wi.gov
Mailing Address:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
Web Site:
Find Me on Facebook and Twitter:
COMMUNITY
EVENTS
Supporting our neighbors and being involved in our community is of the utmost importance. Some community events that might be of interest to you and your family are listed below.
It's a Major Deal!
Date: Now through Sat., March 1
Location: Milwaukee
Description:
Exciting and refreshing juried works from sophomore and junior students
representing all majors from MIAD's dynamic curriculum. This event is
free and open to the public.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MAP)
273 E. Erie Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Andy Warhol: 10
Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century
Date: Now through Sun., March 30
Location: Milwaukee
Description: Experience these brightly-colored creations,
featuring historical figures and renowned luminaries of Jewish culture
from various disciplines. This exhibit is open to the public Monday
through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Warhol's large-scale portraits allude to
the grandiosity associated with fame while establishing an intimacy
between subject and viewer. Bring family and friends to experience the
color and 'pop' of this unique suite of works. Guided tours are
available throughout the afternoon along with coloring and scavenger
activities for families.
CLICK HERE or call (414) 390-5730 for more information.
Jewish Museum
Milwaukee (MAP)
1360 N. Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Uncommon Folk: Traditions in American Art
Date: Now through Sun., May 4
Location:
This exhibition
features an unprecedented selection of American paintings, drawings,
sculptures, photographs, textiles, furniture, and decorative arts from
the Milwaukee Art Museum's world-class collection of folk and
self-taught art. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as American
art struggled to find its own voice separate from the classical European
style that dominated the art world, an authentically American artistic
expression was identified in the work of folk and self-taught artists.
CLICK HERE or call (414) 224-3200 for more information.
Milwaukee Art Museum (MAP)
700 N. Art Museum Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Body Worlds & The
Cycle of Life
Date: Now through Sun., June 15
Location: Milwaukee
Description:
BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life is the latest exhibition from physician
and pioneering anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens. At BODY WORLDS & The
Cycle of Life, you will see the body throughout the human life cycle and
across the arc of aging. More than 200 real human specimens preserved
through Dr. von Hagens' invention reveal the human body in all its
stages, across youth, growth, maturity, and advanced age, and in all its
conditions, from health to distress to disease.
CLICK HERE or call (414) 278-2702 for more information.
Milwaukee Public Museum (MAP)
800 W. Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
South Milwaukee Indoor Spring Market
Date: Sat., March 1 and Sat., April 26
Location: South Milwaukee
Description: The South Milwaukee Downtown Market is bringing back the popular Indoor Spring Market at South Milwaukee High School. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CLICK HERE for more information.
South Milwaukee High School (MAP)
801 15th Avenue
South Milwaukee, WI 53172
Milwaukee Art
Museum Free Admission
Date: Thurs., March 6 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Milwaukee
Description: Admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum is free for everyone on the first Thursday of every month. Admission includes access to the entire Museum; including special exhibitions, programs, and lectures. CLICK HERE for more information.
Milwaukee Art Museum (MAP)
700 N. Art Museum Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Thank You Thursday
at the Milwaukee Public Museum
Date: Thurs., March 6
Location: Milwaukee
Description: Milwaukee County residents receive free general admission to MPM on the first Thursday of every month through the Thank You Thursday program. Evening hours will also be extended until 8 p.m. on this day. Adult residents must present valid photo identification showing Milwaukee County residency to receive free admission, and children must be accompanied by an adult showing proof of residency to receive free admission. CLICK HERE for more information.
Milwaukee Public Museum (MAP)
800 W. Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
12th Annual Local
Farmer Open House
Date: Sat., March 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Milwaukee
Description: Know your farmer, know your food. Whether you are learning about Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) or have been a member for years, this is a great opportunity to talk with local farmers, learn about their growing practices and share options, and choose which farm is best for you. Short workshops on issues such as cooking from your CSA, will also be featured. This event is free and open to the public. CLICK HERE for more information.
Urban Ecology Center Riverside Park (MAP)
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Dear Wisconsin Neighbor,
The problems at Governor Walker's unaccountable jobs agency continue to grow. In the past we have heard about WEDC losing track of over $50 million in loans and the agency misusing credit cards to purchase items like iTunes gift cards, Badger tickets, and alcohol. Now, a recent report has shown that WEDC may be playing political favorites by targeting job creation efforts to Republican legislative districts. Continue reading for more about this and other important issues, such as the repeal of basic education standards and increasing economic security for Wisconsin workers.
Sincerely,
Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7
New Level of Corruption at WEDC?
Wisconsinites and legislators cannot deny the overwhelming problems at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) that grew out of insufficient accountability and transparency measures. However, a report released last week by Citizen Action of Wisconsin--a coalition committed to achieving social, economic, and environmental justice--shows a new level of corruption achieved by this failing public-private agency. It appears that Governor Walker's WEDC may have been heavily investing in jobs in Republican districts while leaving behind the workers located in districts with Democratic representation, including Milwaukee.
Below are some alarming statistics contained in the recent Citizen Action report:
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Republican Assembly districts have close to twice as many jobs projected as Democratic Assembly districts (86% more, or 389 more jobs projected on average).
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Republican leaders in the Assembly have a disproportionate number of jobs impacted in their districts.
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Republican Majority Leader Bill Kramer's district features jobs impacted at a rate over eight times higher than the average Republican district.
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Republican Speaker Robin Vos and Joint Finance Committee Co-Chair John Nygren have a disproportionate number of jobs impacted compared to both the average Republican and Democratic districts.
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While one Assembly district has over 6,000 jobs supposedly projected, 14 Assembly districts have none whatsoever.
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In 22 Assembly districts, WEDC claims to have impacted over 1,000 jobs, while 25 districts have less than 100 supposedly impacted.
The overwhelming majority in Wisconsin believe it is unacceptable for our state's job creation agency to be playing favorites. Wisconsinites and local businesses in every corner of the state are in need of jobs or support with economic efforts. We cannot afford to have WEDC be a tool for the Walker administration to reward its political allies. The taxpayers of Wisconsin deserve to know if their money is being used incorrectly, as is suggested with the statistics contained in this report. I hope this matter, in addition to the other problems previously uncovered at WEDC, is investigated in a future audit of the agency. Continue reading for more information about WEDC's other accountability and transparency issues.
Audits Show Problems Persist at WEDC
Job
creation is imperative as Wisconsin continues to lag behind its
neighbors and the nation ranking 37th in job creation. Yet Governor
Walker's Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has made our
economic development efforts a running joke across the country. The
people of Wisconsin are at their breaking point with this agency.
Republicans hastily-created WEDC--to replace the Wisconsin Department of
Commerce--and it has had persistent problems since its inception in
2011. These include circumventing Wisconsin's fair and competitive
bidding process and ignoring federal and state laws when giving out
grants. The final straw was losing track of over $50 million in loans,
including about $12 million that were overdue.
Unfortunately for taxpayers, it appears WEDC's problems have not been
relegated to the past. In fact, the revelations made in four audits of
the agency, particularly the report released in 2013, are nothing short
of shocking. Below are some problems that were mentioned in the WEDC
audit:
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Provided awards to ineligible recipients, for ineligible projects, and for ineligible amounts.
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Disregarded the law by not requiring grant and loan recipients to disclose their financial statements.
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Ignored requests to put policies in place for handling delinquent loans.
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Failed to put policies in place or track use of agency credit cards resulting in purchases of iTunes gift cards, Badger football tickets, and alcohol with taxpayer dollars.
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Mismanaged record-keeping preventing WEDC from assessing its effectiveness in creating jobs.
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Lacked transparency on staff compensation, staff fringe benefits, and gifts from businesses and other organizations with a financial interest in WEDC.
Click here to read more about WEDC's complete failure, which was
detailed in a past Larson Report.
WEDC's Poor Performance Affecting
Job Creation
In fact, WEDC's reported problems are likely impeding much-needed job
growth in Wisconsin. Their attempt at creating flexibilities within the
agency have actually created a free-for-all that has left even
prospective businesses confused about what programs are offered, the
qualifications for each program, and how to apply. While Republicans
failed to properly address this festering problem in 2013, Democrats
offered legislative initiatives to help put Wisconsin's job creation
agency on the right track. Some of the common sense provisions included
in these proposals are listed below and I hope they will be given proper
consideration before the Legislature concludes for the year:
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Comply with state laws by reporting criteria regarding claw back provisions, loan forgiveness, and how out-of-compliance loans will be handled.
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Restructure WEDC's Audit Committee, which will be required to oversee WEDC's compliance with state law and board directives. This committee will be required to meet monthly.
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Describe each program WEDC will pursue or plans to create, the amount of money this will cost, and how many companies or entities will participate in the program.
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Establish clear goals for each program, including the number of jobs to be created and provide benchmark indicators of success.
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Review every out-of-compliance contract since July 2011, the action taken, and the justification for it.
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Offer a comprehensive report on all jobs created to date since the creation of WEDC.
Change needs to happen, and now is the perfect time to pursue greater
accountability and transparency measures at WEDC. Losing track of
taxpayer dollars, especially during difficult economic times, is
unacceptable. Therefore, my colleagues and I will continue to push for
this good government legislation.
Radical Push to Gut Basic Education Standards
The
Senate Committee on Education is slated to take up a bill, Senate Bill
619, on Thursday, March 6 that would completely repeal Wisconsin's
Common Core Standards. Educational standards are supposed to cement our
children's learning foundation. However, if this partisan takeover
succeeds, the quality of our children's education will be in jeopardy as
these educational standards will be subject to change after each
election.
Wisconsin adopted the Common Core Standards (CCSS) in 2010 to measure state performance in mathematics and English language arts. The new standards are being used to replace the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam. Teachers, parents, experts, and community leaders all weighed in to help create the Common Core State Standards for English language arts, mathematics, and literacy in all subjects. Wisconsin is also currently participating in a multi-state project to develop new common standards for science.
Click here for more information about the Common Core State Standards.
Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, Wisconsin's state assessments will be based on the CCSS. While the authors of Senate Bill 619 reject these basic educational standards, they have been adopted by 45 states and have received bipartisan support nationwide as more rigorous standards are needed to help students prepare for the demands of our 21st century economy. Further, the support for the Common Core Standards remains overwhelming. Supporters include students, parents, educators, experts, community leaders, editorial boards, the University of Wisconsin System, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and even the conservative businesses group Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
Opposition to the standards looks like
a grassroots movement, but these opponents appear to be organized and
motivated by an array of extreme, Tea Party organizations with
multi-million dollar budgets and experience in mobilizing crowds and
lobbying lawmakers, including groups with deceptive names such as: The
Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, the Pioneer Institute,
Concerned Women for America, and FreedomWorks.
Click here to view a recent Cap Times article about the Common Core
debate.
Baselessly discarding the Common Core Standards would also have a negative impact on our children's curriculum. Instead, partisan politics would dictate if our children take up evolution, creationism, and climate change when addressing science standards. Whether or not such essential American topics as civil liberties, civil rights, genocide, religious history, and political movements would also be up for debate.
Legislative Democrats, some Republican legislators, and State Superintendent Tony Evers have raised concerns about attempts to get rid of the Common Core State Standards. According to Superintendent Evers, "We cannot go back to a time when our standards were a mile wide and an inch deep, leaving too many kids ill prepared for the demands of college and a career. We cannot pull the rug out from under thousands of kids, parents and educators who have spent the past three years working to reach these new, higher expectations that we have set for them. To do so would have deep and far reaching consequences for our kids, and for our state." I share these concerns and will oppose Senate Bill 619 in its current form if it reaches the Senate for a vote.
Stronger Economic Security in Retirement
Like many other states, Wisconsin is currently experiencing a retirement crisis. In fact, nearly 1.5 million Wisconsin workers do not have a retirement plan. Further, those that do have a plan are not always able to contribute the amount needed to cover their living expenses once retired. Therefore, my Democratic colleagues, Senator Dave Hansen and Representative Eric Genrich, have introduced legislation to provide Wisconsin workers a path to an economically secure retirement.
The Wisconsin Private Secure Retirement Act would create a private retirement system based on the best retirement system in the nation--the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). While the private funds invested by Wisconsinites would be held separately from those in the WRS, they would still be managed by State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), who has also managed the WRS so effectively. Additional components of the Wisconsin Private Secure Retirement Act are listed below:
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The private retirement system needs to be as similar as possible to the successful WRS
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Renowned SWIB would be in charge of managing the private retirement system
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Retirement funds will be paid out monthly to participants in the private retirement system once they reach retirement age
The WRS is an efficient and
sustainable retirement system, making it a stellar model for the rest of
the country and desirable to those in the private sector. According a
June 2012 study conducted by the Department of Administration, the
Department of Employee Trust Funds, and the Office of State Employment
Relations, the key to the system's success is that it is insulated from
large swings in annual contribution rates or funding levels due to the
plan’s unique cost-sharing and risk-sharing features.
These and other features have ensured that while other states have
pension systems that are floundering, Wisconsin's system has continued
to be a success for both participating retirees and taxpayers. As of
2013, the WRS was the only retirement system in the country that was
100% fully-funded, meaning that Wisconsin is in the position to pay
future retirees all their expected benefits. In contrast to Wisconsin,
the Pew Center reports that 34 state-run plans were below the 80% funded
threshold that experts say is the minimum for a healthy system.
Wisconsin's stable retirement system has also been beneficial to
taxpayers. Between 2002 and 2010 (statistics for 2011 and 2012 have yet
to be released), an average of 76% of funds come from investment
earnings, 13% from employee contributions, and only 11% from employer
contributions. This formula ensures that Wisconsin's taxpayers have one
of the lowest pension system costs in the nation.
It is now time to share the success of the WRS from the public sector to the private sector. This bill goes a long way to creating a retirement system for employees in the private sector that will provide them with peace of mind upon retirement. It also ensures that all Wisconsinites will have access to our world-class retirement system. I encourage my Republican colleagues to give this bill proper consideration this session.
Ask Chris
I often have neighbors contact me
looking for my perspective on various local and state issues. I very
much appreciate our neighbors' questions and want to dedicate a portion
of my newsletter to common questions that I hear to maintain an open
dialogue. Please continue reading for this week's question.
Q:
Is it normal for a public official to set up a secret email system or
for their staff to campaign during work hours?
A: In short, the answer to this question is "no." This behavior is not
normal. Government officials have salaries that are paid for with
taxpayer dollars. Therefore, they have a higher level or responsibility
associated with their jobs as they must ensure that they avoid campaign
activities while clocked in at work.
Below are some of the actions that Wisconsin legislators and their staff are prohibited from doing while at work. The also greatly apply to other public offices.
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Office Use--A legislator's public office, either in the capitol or their district, cannot be used to conduct campaign business.
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State Equipment Use--Equipment purchased by the state, such as computers, cannot be used for campaign purposes. The only exception is that campaign events can be noted on the legislator's schedule to ensure their calendar is current. However, calls to schedule campaign events should be done outside of the office and without the use of state time or resources.
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Telephone Calls--Telephone calls from a legislator's public office to their political campaign headquarters can only be charged to the state if the call was related to the official's public responsibilities or scheduling. All other calls must be charged elsewhere.
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Travel Cost Reimbursement--Legislators and staff may not be reimbursed by the state for the costs associated with attending a campaign event.
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Unsolicited Contact from Campaign Supporter--If a legislator receives an unsolicited contact from a potential campaign supporter at the legislator's state office, the legislator should redirect them by providing the contact information for their campaign office.
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Staff Campaign Activities--Legislative staff is not permitted to conduct campaign activity during work hours unless they take an unpaid lunch hour, were granted an unpaid leave of absence, or are using vacation time and have notified the chief clerk prior to conducting campaign work while on vacation.
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Legislative Mailings--Each legislative mailing must be directly related to the affairs of state government and must be approved by the chief clerk.
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Posting Online--Legislators and their staff may use state resources to create, post information to, or maintain state-supported Web or social networking sites to communicate for legislative purposes. This includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. However, state resources cannot be used to create, post information to, or maintain Web or social networking sites for campaign or business purposes.
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Linking to Campaign Web Sites--Legislators are not allowed to create a Web link that directs visitors on the legislator's state Web page to the legislator's campaign Web page.
As you can see, the Legislature has a number of safeguards in place to ensure that campaign activities are kept separate from state office activities. These policies help protect the integrity of each legislative office to ensure that legislators are focused on working for the people of their community. It is important that the state of Wisconsin maintains these safeguards on behalf of taxpayers statewide.
Did You Know...?
You may be aware that the 2014 Sochi Olympics recently held its closing ceremony. But did you know that Wisconsin has a history of producing medal-winning speed skaters?
According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, between 1976 and 2002, speed skaters born and raised in Wisconsin state won 13 Olympic medals. Further, Madison's Eric Heiden made history when he won five gold medals in at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.
Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Jump Rope For Heart
Last
Friday, I had the honor of attending the 35th Anniversary Celebration of
Jump Rope For Heart in Milwaukee. As you may know, the program was
founded in 1978 at our very own Riverside University High School by
physical education teacher Jean Barkow. Over the past 35 years, this
program has helped the American Heart Association raise millions of
dollars to help combat heart disease and increase awareness about a
healthier life style for our children. Today, more than 28,000
elementary schools across the country take place in the program every
year.
In 1978, Jean Barkow was looking for ways to promote physical fitness to
the public while providing a fundraising opportunity for her students.
She wanted a physical activity that appealed to girls as well as boys
and would be fun and easy to supervise. The first "Jump-Rope-athon"
brought out 216 students who wanted to participate and secure monetary
pledges from family and friends for each minute they could jump rope.
That first event raised a total of $2,032 for the American Heart
Association. After spreading her idea to the American Alliance for
Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, her idea took off and
has become the largest charitable fundraising activity in the world.
Since 1978, this event has raised over $750 million for this noble
cause.
It was incredible to see so many supporters of Miss Barkow at this
year's event and the profound impact she has had on so many young
children throughout her career was evident. I was honored to celebrate
this momentous day with Jean Barkow, Riverside University High School,
the American Heart Association, and fellow community members.
Click here to learn more about the annual Jump Rope for Heart Event.
Sign the Marriage Equality Petition Today!
My
Democratic colleagues and I introduced a proposal that would remove
Wisconsin's ban on marriage equality. The support for this legislation
has been overwhelming. After being in circulation for two weeks, the
Marriage Equality Wisconsin Petition has already garnered over 22,000 signatures. If you have not yet signed the petition
located at
www.MarriageEqualityWI.com, you
still have time to join our Wisconsin neighbors in supporting the
proposal to remove Wisconsin's ban on marriage equality. If you have
already signed, please encourage your family, friends and neighbors to
do so as well. Continue reading for more information about the details
of this marriage equality proposal.
In 2006, Wisconsin adopted a constitutional amendment banning marriage
equality for all in our state. This amendment has prevented many
Wisconsinites from being able to partake in the ultimate expression of
love and commitment--Marriage. Further, it has left many couples and
their families vulnerable to intolerance and undue hardship.
As Wisconsinites, we share the same core values. We believe in freedom,
equality, and justice for all. According to an October 2013 Marquette
University Law School Poll, the majority of Wisconsinites (53%) now
support the freedom to marry. Further, 17 states and the District of
Columbia have already paved the way to fairness by protecting marriage
equality. It is time that Wisconsin follows suit.
Senator Tim Carpenter and Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, along with
other Wisconsin legislative Democrats, have introduced a proposal that
would remove our current constitutional ban on marriage equality. Our
gay and lesbian family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends
deserve to be treated fairly in comparison to every other Wisconsinite.
Let us support them in their goal to spend each and every day married to
the person they love.
The current legislative session is slated to end in April. We encourage
our Republican colleagues to join us in taking this positive step
forward by removing the marriage equality ban before we finish for the
year.
Click here if you would like to sign the petition in support of
legislation that would remove Wisconsin's ban on marriage equality.
You can also encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to show their
support by printing a petition and circulating it throughout your
community or across the state.
Click here to download or print the PDF for the Marriage Equality
Wisconsin Petition.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have
regarding this marriage equality proposal.
Support the Higher Ed, Lower Debt Bill
Exponential increases in tuition and
fees coupled with challenging economic times over the years have made it
nearly impossible for students to work their way through school, as was
commonplace in the past. In fact, nearly 40 million Americans now hold
over $1.2 trillion in student loan debt nationally.
Wisconsin's Student Debt Crisis
Unfortunately, Wisconsin currently ranks 10th in the nation for number
of college students with debt, with 67% of graduates from four-year
schools having loans to repay. According to the U.S. Federal Reserve
System there are 753,000 Wisconsin residents with federal student loan
debt (this does not include those with private student loan debt).
Further, college tuition costs have doubled over the last 12 years and
Wisconsin's student loan borrowers have an average debt of $22,400. It
is estimated that Wisconsin residents paying student loans from
obtaining a bachelor's degree are currently paying an average of $388
per month for about 18.7 years.
Student debt is the only kind of household debt that continued to rise
through the Great Recession, and is now the second largest consumer debt
in our country, more than credit cards or auto loans. Having this money
tied up in debt is a huge drain on our already struggling Wisconsin
economy as the money spent on student loans could instead be spent on
cars, new homes, and at local businesses in our communities.
Some issues related to student loans
can only be dealt with at the federal level. Unfortunately, Congress'
current partisan gridlock leaves little hope for real relief for student
loan borrowers in the near future. We cannot wait for Congress to act.
It is time for innovative, common sense solutions that will provide real
relief for Wisconsin's student loan borrowers.
Therefore, I am asking that the Wisconsin State Legislature passes the
Higher Ed, Lower Debt bill, authored by Senator Dave Hansen and
Representative Cory Mason, which would do the following:
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Allow Wisconsin's student loan borrowers to deduct their student loan payments from their income tax, resulting in annual tax savings of approximately $172 for the typical borrower or as much as $392.
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Enable Wisconsin's student loan borrowers to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates, putting potentially hundreds of dollars back in their pockets and into Wisconsin's economy annually. For example, a borrower with an interest rate of 6.8% and the average University of Wisconsin graduate's loan debt of $27,000 who could lower their interest rate to 4% could save over $40 per month. That would put nearly $500 back in their family's pocket over the course of a year.
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Provide students and parents with detailed information about student loans, the best and worst private lenders, and ensure that students receive loan counseling so that Wisconsin's student loan borrowers can make informed financial decisions about student loans.
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Ensure data is collected and tracked about student loan debt in Wisconsin to help policymakers and the public better understand the depth and breadth of the debt crisis in our state.
As you can see, this legislation offers common sense solutions for real savings on behalf of Wisconsinites managing student loan debt. I hope legislative Republicans will see the economic value of moving forward with such a proposal. Therefore, I encourage them to join me in supporting the Higher Ed, Lower Debt bill. Wisconsinites cannot afford to wait any longer for more affordable college education and decreasing their debt burden.
Sign the Higher Ed, Lower Debt Petition
If you would like to see the Higher
Ed, Lower Debt bill become law, I encourage you to sign onto the Higher
Ed, Lower Debt petition. The petition states the following:
I support the Higher Ed, Lower Debt bill authored by Sen. Hansen and
Rep. Mason. It is a positive step forward in making higher education
more affordable in Wisconsin and frees up money for Wisconsinites to
spend in local communities and our state.
I also encourage you to tell your family, friends, and neighbors to join
you in taking action. The more Wisconsinites that advocate for the bill,
the more likely it is to pass.
Take the 2013-2014 Neighborhood Survey
I created a survey for the 2013-2014
Legislative Session asking about various issues that are important to
our community and our state. The input of neighbors is greatly
appreciated. My staff and I will be working hard to deliver as many
surveys door to door as possible. In addition, I
have also made this survey available online.
Click here to download and print a copy of this survey, which you can
return to my office via mail, email, or fax upon completion.
Click here to save a stamp and take the survey online.
I look forward to hearing your views on these important issues!