|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
Getting the lead out No amount of lead is safe
for our children. When we know that 8.6% of Milwaukee children tested had
high lead blood levels and that there are over 70,000 plus lead laterals in
Milwaukee, we know the solution: get the lead out. This past week, Wisconsin’s business lobby
came out against my bill SB 48 which would allow
municipal water utilities to bill ratepayers to replace lead service lines
between houses and water mains. This is absurd. This bill has received wide
bipartisan support and will make it easier to fund lead replacement projects.
I know WMC wants healthy businesses, but we cannot have a healthy economy if
we don’t have a healthy community, and allowing our children and community to
drink toxic water is hurting our future.
Frankly, I was surprised
that President Trump was able to summon the courage to come to Wisconsin
after being scared away by protestors last time. Trump talked about Buy
America and Hire America, but this is coming from a man who’s known for the
catchphrase “you’re fired.” If Trump wants us to buy America and hire
America, he should take a look in the mirror and hold himself to his own
standards. How many Trump brand products do you think are made in America,
and how many more foreign workers does his family employ than Americans? He
can talk all he wants, but the hard working people of Wisconsin won’t buy it
until they see him walk the walk. JFC finishes sixth and
final public hearing I had the privilege of
traveling the state with the Joint Finance Committee the past few weeks to
listen to concerns about the budget. We held the final three public hearings
this week in Spooner, Ellsworth, and Marinette. I am delighted at the turnout
we received and the passionate civic engagement from people like you. I heard
people voice their views on important issues like retirement, drug treatment,
agriculture, conservation, disability rights, education, and many more. The
public hearings are over, but there’s still a chance to voice your concerns
at a town hall on Monday April 24th
at Mill Road Library from 5:30-7pm! The Joint Committee on
Finance will now make changes to the budget and vote on the final proposal before
sending it to the Legislature. Republicans want
Constitutional Convention Republicans have been eager lately to vote on a
Constitutional Convention that would allow them to change our nation’s
founding document. You heard that right. We know the Republicans want to roll
back our progress and take us back in time, but 1787 seems a bit extreme. But
this is what they call for when proposing a Constitutional Convention. A
Constitutional Convention would re-open our entire constitution to influence
by special interests. This could very well upset 200 years of legal precedent
that has formed the legal backbone of the civil rights movement in America.
We need to limit the hyper-partisanship of our nation by listening to the
needs of the American people rather than Republican legislators thirsty for
even more power.
I became a legislator to
change our justice system after being a lawyer in it for under a decade. My next legislative
installment, the Fresh Start Package, is a part of my continued effort to
create that change. My bills are set to include voter rights restoration for
reentering citizens, mandated notifications of these rights being restored, a
cleanup of unnecessary, discriminatory information from CCAP, uniform
collateral consequences of convictions, and certificates of qualified
employment so that when you get out of prison, you can show the skills that
you’ve developed. When people talk about
reentering citizens, they often talk about giving “second chances.” Candidly,
I don’t like the phrase. People shouldn’t be limited to two chances. None of
us would be where we are today if we had been given just two chances. With
that in mind, I hope you’ll join me in opening your arms to reentering
citizens and allow them the fresh start they deserve.
97% of scientists agree
that global temperatures are rising and that climate change poses a serious
threat to humanity. Let’s be real for a minute – when have 97% of a group of
people agreed on anything? Climate change is a problem that affects
each and every one of us. When sea levels rise, droughts intensify, and
natural disasters become more common, our water and food resources become
endangered. Whether your community is underwater or the farms that feed your
family are dried up, you can guarantee that climate change will affect you. Republicans, meanwhile,
have a different “take” on climate change (that it’s not real). Republicans
have always had a nasty history of promoting big business interests over the
health of our communities, but Trump has taken this to a new low. Trump’s
proposed budget slashes the Environmental Protection Agency’s spending
by 31% and cuts 15,000 jobs from the agency. Thanks to these cuts,
the EPA plans to eliminate two programs aimed at preventing children’s exposure to
leaded paint. Apparently Trump is fine with a few kids getting
lead poisoning so long as he can give the wealthy tax breaks. Trump has also
signed an executive order effectively killing
President Obama’s climate change efforts. But if he doesn’t want his
Mar-a-Lago resort underwater in a few years, Trump should get on board with
combating climate change. This Saturday April 22nd
is Earth Day. Earth Day is a day for all of us to remember our responsibility
to our planet and leave it in better condition than we received it. If you’re
wondering how to do your part, this Saturday,
April 22nd I’m hosting
a community neighborhood clean-up day! We’ll take on the W. Hampton
Ave. to W. Villard Ave. blocks as well as the N. Green Bay Ave to N. 24th St
blocks from 9am to 12pm! When our water, our air, and our soil are
clean and healthy, so are our communities. The planet we leave our great
grandchildren will be our most important legacy. Senator Taylor looking for
interns! Are you interested in learning
more about the legislative process in Wisconsin? Do you want to know more
about current issues and become more involved in the political process? Would
you like to give back to your community? Senator Lena Taylor is
seeking qualified individuals for internships in her Madison and Milwaukee
offices. Internships are unpaid and focus on policy, communications, or casework.
Send a cover letter and resume to Courtney Beyer (Courtney.Beyer@legis.wisconsin.gov)
if applying to intern in Madison, or Revelle Williams (Revelle.Williams@legis.wisconsin.gov)
if applying to the Milwaukee office. |
|
|
||||
|
|
Quote
of the Week: “This is a tough game. You can't be intimidated. You can't be
frightened.” -Representative Maxine Waters 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. |
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
.png)
.png)
