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Official Government
Communication
Dear Friend,
Welcome to my
email newsletter. There is a lot happening at the State Capitol and it is
my hope that this email will help you stay in touch with your government.
As your Senator, I truly believe in public service. If there is anything
my office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us.
Here to serve,
Sen. Lena
Taylor
4th District
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All hat
and no cattle
This week we learned that Milwaukee
County Sheriff David Clarke will no t be Cabinet Secretary for
Homeland Security as previously predicted. While it is good news that we will
not be handing over the reins of protecting 300 million Americans to a man
who has had four people die in his care including a newborn, the danger of
Trump placing Clarke in his administration is far from over. President-Elect
Trump is expected to reward Sheriff Clarke with some sort of position in his
administration. This is unacceptable. Our Sheriff has consistently proven
that he is all hat and no cattle. From saying Black Lives Matter was the new
KKK, to inciting violence on election day, to utterly failing at his current
job as County Sheriff, Clarke has consistently proven he is not adequate for
his current job, let alone one on a national scale. Clarke cannot be given
more power when he can’t properly take care of the people he’s responsible
for now.
De-escalation training promising
Too many live s have been lost to officer involved
shootings. We must do better by our communities. We must work to keep
interactions between the police and the public remain safe for both parties
involved. While many ideas have been floated about how to best improve
community police relations, I highly recommend law enforcement agencies
implement de-escalation training. With this training, we could avoid
unnecessary uses of firearms and save lives. If law enforcement officers want
citizens to trust them, they must implement policies that are good for the
community. De-escalation training is a good place to start.
Nurses now
at Hills
Over the last year, more
disturbing news about Lincoln Hills has been released.  One such piece of news was the incorrect distribution of
medication at the center, which led to one boy being hospitalized. However,
unlike other stories that have come out of Lincoln Hills, this one does have
a resolution; the facility will now have licensed nurses distribute
medication instead of guards. I’ve been pushing for this action for months to
make this change happen, and while it should have been implemented ages ago,
I am glad to see it in place now.
Wisconsin
maps struck down
A win isn’t a wi n if you cheat. I think this should go without
saying. You can’t proclaim yourself the true winner if you rig the game in
your favor: for someone to truly win, they must do it fair and square. This
is a lesson children understand. However, as recently ruled by a federal
court, it is not one that the Republican Party of Wisconsin thinks applies to
them. The court struck down redistricting maps, declaring the maps were drawn
to favor Republicans across the state, turning 34 competitive districts into five.
This is not winning fairly; this is shifting the rules to favor you. While we
have reclaimed a victory with these maps being declared unconstitutional,
it’s crucial we speak out against gerrymandering in the future. Cheating to
win isn’t winning. I hope with this decision that the Republican Party of
Wisconsin finally learns that crucial lesson.
Coffee
with the Senator
From voicing your concerns
about proposed bills to representing yo ur best interests, my job
as a senator is to serve my constituents. To do that to the best of my
ability, I need to hear from you. During my time as Senator, I’ve heard from
over thirty thousand people about how I can represent them in the Senate.
Feedback is critical to doing my job and I encourage everyone to get in
contact with me if there’s an issue I need to know about. I can be reached by
phone, email, and mail. My contact information can be found on my website.
However, if you would like to speak with me in person, please feel free to
drop by my upcoming community event, Coffee with the Senator this December 15th
from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM at the Tri City Bank Community Room. I’m happy to
speak with you about your concerns.
Weekly
call to action: Lobby Day
Within three ye ars of being released, 30% of WI inmates will
end up back behind bars. When we incarcerate someone a second time, it means
we failed. Crime doesn’t pay; it costs. We spend over $30,000 per prisoner
every year. Last June, I was appointed to the Recidivism Reduction Committee,
a legislative study committee that brought fellow legislators and members of
the public together to brainstorm solutions to reduce recidivism. While we
are currently working on proactive solutions and bills to help those exiting
corrections, there are ways you can help as well. This Black History month, I
hope you’ll join me in walking the walk to ensure others have a more
successful reentry after prison. The Legislative Black caucus will be featuring
a separate issue each week this February. We will focus on criminal justice
reform the fourth week of the month and on February 28th we will hold a lobby
day at the State Capitol. Like the saying goes, “To err is human, to forgive
is divine.” All of us are capable of making mistakes. We’re all capable of
forgiveness, too. Let’s show that to those who are trying to improve their
lives.
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Upcoming Events
Coffee With the Senator
Thursday, December 15th
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
Tri City
Bank Community Room (Lower Level) - 4295 W. Bradley Rd. Brown Deer WI 53209
Come speak to the Senator about your
questions and concerns.
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