LARSON REPORT

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

March 14, 2013

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:

SenatorChrisLarson.com

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. 
 

Pinkalicious the Musical
Date: Now through Wed., March 27
Location: Milwaukee

Description: How much pink is too much pink? Pinkalicious Pinkerton will soon realize how much when she develops "pinkititis" from eating too many pink cupcakes and turns pink from head to toe. What starts off as a dream come true for the pink-loving enthusiast turns into a disaster as her hue goes a little too far. Will her broccoli-eating brother be able to help cure her before it is too late? Find out in this colorful musical adventure. This production is ideal for children ages 3 and older. Tickets range from $18 to $25. CLICK HERE or call (414) 267-2929 for more information.

First Stage Children's Theater (MAP)
929 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

A Raisin in the Sun
Date: Now through Sun., April 14
Location: Milwaukee

Description: One of the most powerful and beloved American plays ever written, A Raisin In the Sun tells the story of the Younger family’s struggle for dignity and a better life—and the backlash that erupts when they try to move beyond their oppressive Chicago tenement home. Set just before the dawn of the Civil Rights and Women’s Movement, A Raisin in the Sun demonstrates how a single family’s dreams can change the world. CLICK HERE or call (414) 224-9490 for more information.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater (MAP)
108 E. Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Storytime Smiles at the St. Francis Library
Date: Mon., March 18 through Wed., May 1

Location: St. Francis

Description: Start your child on the road to reading. The St. Francis Library is offering free storytimes for children this spring. Families can register now, in the Children’s Room or over the phone by calling (414) 481-7323. Your child will enjoy a combination of stories, fingerplays, flannel board stories, puppets, art projects, and more. Each storytime matches your child’s developmental level, attention span, and interests, to promote a love of literature. They are also a great time to meet new and old friends, and a special time for all who join in. Pajamarama (for ages 2-6) is scheduled for Monday nights from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Or join Preschool Storytime (for ages 3-6) on Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Two year-olds are invited to Toddler Time on Wednesdays from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., with an optional playtime afterward. All young children can play with their friends at Tot Time, which is held on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a brief storytime and playtime. CLICK HERE for more information, including a complete schedule of storytime events.

Oak Creek Community Center St. Patty's Dinner
Date: Sun., March 17 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Oak Creek

Description: The Oak Creek Community Center and the Oak Creek Lions Club will again host their annual St. Patty's dinner. The great tasting corn beef will be provided by Butcher Block. In addition to the dinner, raffles and entertainment will also be offered. Tickets are available at the Center and the Butcher Block Meat Market. Advance tickets are $8.50 while tickets at the door will cost $10. Tickets for kids 7-12 years will cost $6 and children 6 and under are free. CLICK HERE for more information about this event.

The Oak Creek Community Center (MAP)
8580 S. Howell Avenue
Oak Creek, WI 53154


Miller Lite Free Rides for St. Patrick's Day
Date: Sun., March 17 beginning at 6 p.m.

Location: Milwaukee County
Description: In partnership with the Milwaukee County Transit System and Beer Capitol Distribution, Miller Lite is providing free bus service for all Milwaukee County Transit System routes on St. Patty's Day. This service will be offered beginning at 6 p.m. and will last until the end of bus service for those routes. Route and schedule information is available by calling 1-800-FREE-RIDES (1-800-373-3743) or texting "FREERIDES" to 90464. CLICK HERE for additional information about this offering.

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny & Egg Hunt

Date: Sat., March 23

Location: South Milwaukee

Description: The Friends of Mill Pond & Oak Creek Watercourse (FOMP) and the South Milwaukee Lions will serve pancakes, sausage, applesauce, juice, and coffee in this event to benefit the FOMP and the South Milwaukee Lions. Neighbors over 13 pay $5. While children ages 5 to 13 pay $2 and children 4 and under are free. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run until 11 a.m. The egg hunt will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will involve candy.

Grobschmidt Senior Center (MAP)

2424 15th Avenue

South Milwaukee, WI 53172

2nd Annual Doggy Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Sat., March 23 from 9 a.m. to Noon
Location: Bay View

Description: Bring your pooch and join for this fun event featuring thousands of eggs with delicious doggy treats inside. Dogs must be on leash at all times. There is no open play at this event, however, there will be fun agility and training opportunities. Proceeds from the event will benefit Milwaukee Pets Alive. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 10 a.m. Proof of current rabies and distemper vaccines is required. Space is limited to the first 200 dogs to sign up. Cost is $10 for the first dog and $5 for 2nd or 3rd dog from the same family. CLICK HERE or call (414) 763-1304 for more information. 

Bay View BARK (MAP)

2209 S. 1st Street

Milwaukee, WI 53207

Dear Friend,

This week's report seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of specific provisions within Governor Walker's 2013-2015 Biennial Budget. Some of the provisions detailed include the creation of an independent charter school board, expansion of vouchers across the state, exempting certain companies from consumer protections, and re-igniting the war on Wisconsin women. Continue reading for more information on these and other important issues.

Sincerely,

Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7

Charter Schools: Separate and Unequal

As you may know, the 2011-2013 Biennial Budget passed by Republicans and signed by Governor Walker gutted $1.6 billion in funding for our local public schools while also funneling money into private voucher schools. With the introduction of Governor Walker's second budget, it appears the trend to devalue our children's need for a quality education is continuing. Not only does the newly introduced budget provide a 0% increase in revenue limit growth, but it also continues to divert money to an unaccountable, unproven voucher experiment. This time around, the budget also tries to create a voucher 2.0 program by altering the existing format of our charter schools to make them more closely resemble their voucher school counterparts. Continue reading for more information about the proposed changes to Wisconsin's charter and voucher school programs.

Implications of Creating a Charter School Board

While many Wisconsinites are aware of the proposed expansion of voucher schools in Wisconsin, the same cannot be said of plans to further privatize education in our state by creating a Charter School Oversight Board (CSOB), which would be attached to Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction (DPI), but ultimately act independently.

Under Governor Walker's budget, school boards could convert all of the public schools within the district to charter schools. Further, should the area school board opt to convert all schools into charter schools, all students in the district could be forced to attend them. Likewise, parents and teachers in the district would have no say about the decision. Being forced to attend charter schools created under this plan rather than a traditional school or a charter school run under the guidance of DPI should be concerning to parents for several reasons. Not only will the Board creating these charter schools be controlled by a one-party majority, but it will also face little public scrutiny, can opt to ignore the local school board, and will have sole discretion over the charter school's budget, curriculum, and personnel policies and decisions.

The Board created would be comprised of the state superintendent and 10 other members--two appointed by the superintendent, two by the governor, and six by the leaders of the Senate and Assembly. Given that the Legislature and the Governor's office are currently controlled by one party, that will allow the majority Republican members to dictate charter school policy.

Additionally, the CSOB would not be subject to any direct oversight by the Legislature, or the local school district. As a result, this new Board would be able to establish policies and standards without the public scrutiny of the rule-making process to which other agencies, including DPI, are currently subject. Such a provision also limits the input of parents and local government to craft educational policy that represents the needs and values of that community and those neighbors.

Finally, as stated in Governor Walker's budget, all new independent charter schools must be established by contract and operated by a charter school governing board. The charter school operators are then granted sole discretion over the charter school’s budget, curriculum, and personnel policies and decisions. One such personnel policy granted is that DPI will be required to grant a charter school teaching license to any person who has a bachelor's degree and demonstrates that he or she is proficient in the subject they intend to teach. The individual need not have had any teaching experience or experience with kids in general. Once they are granted a license, it is valid for three years and may be renewed.

While it may seem that school districts statewide will have the choice to go charter or not, Governor Walker sought to eliminate this local control option, as well. According to the budget text, approval for new, independent charter schools will be needed from home districts, unless the district meets the criteria of having two schools within the district with bad report card grades. In that case, the creation of CSOB will automatically be triggered, despite any voiced objections from the school board. While charter schools have become a valuable option for families across Wisconsin, it is something that should have oversight from those providing the funding--neighborhood taxpayers. Likewise, the creation of an independent charter school board should also be put before community members. Unfortunately, Governor Walker's budget, as it stands, does neither.

How Voucher and Neighborhood Schools Compare

With the introduction of Governor Walker's 2013-2015 Biennial Budget, our local public schools once again were dealt a devastating blow. Under the governor's budget, private voucher schools will not only be allowed to expand across the state, but they will also see a $73 million increase in funding and spending authority. This means up to a $1,400 per-pupil funding increase for the 25,000 students in voucher schools. In this very same budget, 870,000 Wisconsin children were ignored when a $0 revenue growth limit was instituted in their public neighborhood schools. As we look to protect the opportunities available to our K-12 students, we should also ensure that the choices we are offering are quality, transparent options that will help guarantee all our children are receiving the best education possible.

One choice that still requires vast improvement is Wisconsin's voucher schools. Not only do these schools lack the same accountability and transparency measures as their public school counterparts, but it appears we may be investing substantial taxpayer dollars in a choice that has not been proven to be any better for our children than our traditional neighborhood schools.

The issue of poor accountability and lack of transparency measures in voucher schools has been discussed since I was nine years old. Despite Governor Walker's repeated promises to finally bring accountability and transparency to all schools receiving taxpayer dollars--including voucher schools--he has yet to follow through. Children, parents, and taxpayers deserve to have basic accountability measures in place for all schools receiving public funds.
 

In addition to widespread concerns over the lack of accountability and transparency in Wisconsin's voucher schools, this program also comes at a substantial cost to taxpayers. In 2010, state law compelled Milwaukee Public Schools to levy over $50 million in taxes to subsidize the private and religious schools making up the voucher program, which amounts to 17% of the total Milwaukee Public Schools tax levy. This financial burden increased the financial responsibility of taxpayers in 2012 to 22.6% of the total Milwaukee Public Schools tax levy.

In truth, Milwaukee taxpayers are now being billed for both the largest school district in the state, Milwaukee Public Schools, AND the fourth largest, which is what the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program has grown to be with 22,400 students in the last school year. The tax levy for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program already exceeds the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District by nearly $10 million and is expected to exceed Milwaukee Area Technical College’s in the next few years.

Unfortunately, by increasing the funding for Wisconsin's voucher schools we are doubling down on a failed system. For those looking to get the most precise snapshot of just how voucher school students are performing compared to their public school counterparts, they should look at data recently collected by the Department of Public Instruction. This data analyzes how all voucher and public school students in 4th, 8th and 10th grade performed in reading, math and science during the 2010-2011 school year. According to the data, Milwaukee Public School students outperformed voucher students in eight out of nine categories.
 

The Milwaukee Shepard Express also recently compiled information to compare Wisconsin's voucher schools to their Milwaukee Public School counterparts. Through data provided by the Public Policy Form Research Brief, February 2013; Department of Public Instruction; Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau; and the University of Arkansas School Choice Demonstration Project, they were able to create the comparison chart illustrated below.

It is clear that Wisconsin has to institute greater accountability and transparency measures in order to honestly examine whether the additional cost of this program is worth it to taxpayers, especially before it considers expansion. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in learning more about Wisconsin's voucher program and whether or not it is truly a better option for Wisconsin's children and future workers.

Exempting Predatory Corporations at Expense of Consumers

While the budget is meant to be a purely fiscal document, a number of concerning non-fiscal policy items appear to have been sneaked in by Governor Walker before passing off the document to the Joint Committee on Finance. Despite bipartisan opposition to the stand alone "rent-to-own" bill last session, an identical provision has been added to the 2013-2015 Biennial Budget. The proposal seeks to exempt predatory rent-to-own corporations from the popular Wisconsin Consumer Act. Additionally, such businesses would also no longer have to provide disclosure of the high cost transactions to consumers.

Under rent-to-own programs, consumers who may not otherwise qualify for a credit purchase can rent a desired item with the potential to eventually own it. However, unlike with a credit transaction, the lender does not consider the borrower's ability to pay, charges three- to four-times the value of the item in rental fees, and does not disclose the true cost of the rental or eventual purchased item. For example, a consumer, after realizing they do not qualify for a credit card, could decide to rent a TV instead of buying it right away. They may sign a contract to rent the TV at a rate of $10 per week for 78 weeks prior to paying off the item in order to own it. As a result, they will end up paying a total of $780, even though the actual retail price of that TV is approximately $220, meaning this Wisconsinite was required to pay $560 above the retail price, which equals a 228% annual interest rate.

These predatory lenders follow a business model to grow at the expense of those in poverty that they target. Predatory lenders, such as some rent-to-own providers, often seek out young and inexperienced customers who have jobs, but also have little in savings and damaged credit. Included in this population are members of our armed forces.

The Department of Defense published a report on the rent to own industry after it was discovered that the industry was heavily targeting military service members by positioning their stores in close proximity to military bases and using advertising that attempted to associate themselves with the military. Following the release of the report, Holly Petraeus with the Office of Servicemember Affairs within the U.S. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, was quoted saying the following about current rent-to-own centers: "[A] lot of local rip-off artists know that, if a military customer is going to move away, that person is not going to have the time or the money to come back and go after them in small claims court. So they can pretty much rip them off with impunity..."
 

Such shady business practices have frequently been condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike. Not only were past attempts to weaken existing laws governing rent-to-own centers vetoed by Republican Governor Scott McCallum and Democratic Governor Jim Doyle, but Republican Senator Glenn Grothman, who represents one of the most conservative Senate districts in the state and is a member of the Joint Committee on Finance, was even quoted as saying: "I'm in general not in favor of policy in the budget. I'm particularly concerned when the policy seems designed to help what I would describe as a sleazy industry that preys on the poor by giving them contracts that no mathematically literate person would sign."

Clearly preventing passage of this provision is something on which we all can agree. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in opposing this measure that sacrifices those seeking to realize the "American Dream" by joining the middle class at the expense of undeserved profits.
 

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: I heard that legislation was recently introduced that could impact a women's right to choose. Is this true?

A: This past Friday, Senator Grothman and and Representative Jacque circulated a co-sponsorship memo for LRB 1420, legislation that could impact a woman's right to choose.

Under current law, if a minor child dies as a result of another person's wrongful act, the child's relative or guardian may file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages. This bill would expand the definition of a
“deceased minor” to conform with conception being the legal starting point of personhood. Currently this definition only includes a child that would be viable on its own or one that has already been born. This expanded definition would also be applied to cases where a minor child dies as a result of medical malpractice.

If this bill were to pass, there are several negative consequences that could result for women and physicians. First, under this proposal, a woman could opt to terminate a pregnancy and later she or a family member of the fetus could take legal action and sue the physician for medical malpractice. This attempt to circumvent a constitutionally protected right could create significant risk for our medical professionals that provide women a wide range of health care services.

Another potential problem is that this proposal leaves the door open for the father of a fetus to sue if the woman opts to terminate the pregnancy, even if the pregnancy occurred as a result of rape or incest. As this legislation is written, the man, as father of the child, would be legally entitled to sue the woman, even if she is a victim of sexual assault, for wrongful death of the child.

In addition, a woman could also be taken to court for experiencing a miscarriage if a family member of the child feels that she may be responsible for the miscarriage, even if it was simply an unfortunate event. While there is often nothing that could have been done to prevent a miscarriage, it might be easy for a distraught family member to place the blame on the woman carrying the fetus. Overall, more than 10% of pregnancies end in miscarriage in the United States, and 1 to 2 percent of couples have more than three miscarriages in a row, known as recurrent miscarriages.

Finally, facilities that perform embryonic research or assist couples struggling with infertility by performing procedures, such as In Vitro Fertilization, could also be inadvertently impacted by this proposal. For example, the In Vitro process usually requires multiple embryos to be created, but ultimately no more than four are implanted into the woman. As a result, a family member of the excess embryos created as a contingency could opt to sue if the facility destroys the unused embryos. 

As you can see, while the authors of this bill may not have intended to limit a woman's right to choose, including in cases of rape or incest, or enable individuals to take legal action regarding a miscarriage, a physician assisting a patient, or a facility helping a struggling couple, this proposal has some unintended consequences. I will do what I can to alert my colleagues on both sides of the aisle of the issues with this bill and hope they will join me in opposing it should it reach the Senate floor for a vote.

 

Did You Know...?

Snow activities have become ingrained into Wisconsin's culture. But did you know that in the winter of 2009, UW-Madison students attempted make history by setting the record for the largest (most populous) snowball fight?

On December 9, 2012, students took advantage of a rare snow day by congregating on Bascom Hill to participate in this fun-filled winter event. Students battled for nearly an hour, but were unfortunately unable to break the existing Guinness World Record, which is a 3,700-people snowball fight held at Michigan Technological University in 2006.
 

March is Red Cross Month

March is not only Women's History Month, but it is also Red Cross Month. The holiday began in 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed March to be Red Cross Month to honor the efforts of the Red Cross and its volunteers. This has now become a tradition each year since, including by current president, Barack Obama.

The Red Cross was created on May 21, 1881, in Washington, D.C. by Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances. Barton developed the concept after hearing of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. When she returned home, Barton campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention to protect those injured in war. The American Red Cross' charter, which remains in effect today, sets forth the purposes of the organization as giving relief to and serving as a medium of communication between members of the American armed forces and their families and providing national and international disaster relief and mitigation.

Today, this premier humanitarian organization provides many services, but is best known for blood collection, processing, and distribution. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. is in need of blood. The American Red Cross is crucial to helping these individuals, which may include car accident victims, new mothers, and sickle cell anemia and cancer sufferers, as 40% of our nation's blood supply is provided by this organization. The American Red Cross is equally as well-known for providing aid to support people and communities affected by disasters in the United States and across the world. In fact, each year the American Red Cross provides assistance in around 70,000 disasters in the U.S. Such disasters range from home-destroying fires to wide scale tragedies, such as Super Storm Sandy.

If you would like to lend your assistance to the American Red Cross, there are many ways you can help. The American Red Cross is actively seeking blood and platelet donations to be used to help those in medical need and to facilitate in medical research. If blood donation is not an option for you, there are many volunteer positions such as helping at a donation center or teaching a class offered by the American Red Cross.

Click here more information about the American Red Cross, including how to volunteer.

 

Take My Survey Online

I recently mailed out a newsletter district wide. This newsletter not only provided an update on a variety of important legislative issues, but it also featured a survey. The short survey provides me with a way to learn more about you and gives you the opportunity to share your thoughts on how to move Wisconsin forward together.

This survey was distributed by mail in my district wide newsletter titled Neighborhood News and has also been made available online.

Click here to save a stamp and take the Neighborhood News Survey online.

I look forward to tackling difficult but important issues with the governor and Republican legislators. However, such efforts will only succeed if as fellow badgers we dig deep and work together to create a brighter future for our family, friends, and neighbors. I look forward to hearing your feedback so I can represent you and our community as we endeavor to renew the Wisconsin spirit.