Mandatory Minimums: Do they deter crime?

This week the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 220 which aims to introduce mandatory minimum sentences for felons who have been out of prison for five years or less and commit another "violent crime" while in possession of a gun. This "tough on crime" bill is easy to sell to constituents, but will it actually make our streets safer?

We already have punishment for a felon carrying a gun, up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Current law leaves punishment to the discretion of the judge who is privy to specific details. Additionally, covers crimes such as certain food, drug, or household item tampering, mental abuse of a child and arson that, while terrible crimes in their own right, have nothing to do with gun violence. Third, the bill will cost to between $100,000 and $250,000 per inmate for an additional three to eight years behind bars. Finally, this bill isn't supported by data. Instead, it includes a "sunset" in 2020, meaning even the authors don't know if it will work. 

So, whey aren't we spending money on what we do know will work? Racine, formerly Wisconsin's murder capital, converted foreclosed homes in high crime neighborhoods into Community Organized Policing Houses and using these and other efforts have reduced violent crime by 70%. Check out my full guest column on my Facebook Page.

Gov. Walker blames President Obama for murdered police officers

On September 3rd I released a statement expressing my deep discomfort with Governor Walker's recent claim that "in the last six years under President Obama, we've seen a rise in anti-police rhetoric" and his criticism of the current tone in America that fixates on "racial division." I wholeheartedly agree that tone needs to change. First and foremost, Governor Walker needs to tone down his own rhetoric and the hypocrisy that comes with it. Using these police shootings for political gain is not upstanding or right, and I have called on Governor Walker to issue an immediate apology to the families of fallen officers for politicizing their loss and to the American public for taking his rhetoric too far.

Energy assistance update, site changes

Three Milwaukee locations for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) are closing as the program transitions to new sites. This is an excellent resource for Milwaukee county residents who qualify to receive a one-time annual payment to make heating and electric bills more affordable.

The Social Development Commission (SDC) is closing WHEAP locations at 2968 South Chase Ave. on August 21, 2015, 6848 Teutonia Ave. on September 11, 2015 and 4040 North Richards St. on September 30, 2015. New locations will open under UMOS at 2701 South Chase Ave and Community Advocates at 4906 W. Fond du Lac Ave. and 728 N. James Lovell St. All new locations will serve WHEAP applicants beginning October 1.

Gwen Moore stands her ground

My friend and colleague Representative Gwen Moore is not apologizing for saying that Republican presidential hopeful Governor Scott Walker is "tightening the noose, literally, around African Americans"-- nor should she. Moore stands by her statement and I stand by her. Congresswoman Moore is a staunch fighter for our community and she should be commended for speaking the truth.

"I'm not going to apologize for making those comments, and let me tell you why. I have a long history with Scott Walker, obviously, and I have seen a trend of his to double down on racial polarization in order to feed red meat to his base," Moore said in an interview, with The Hill. Click here to read the entire interview.

Community Events:

 Video of the Week:

Click the video above to see my back to school edition of Taylor Talks! 

This is an official government communication from Sen. Lena C. Taylor. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, click here to send me an email to unsubscribe.