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, so if there's anything my office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us.
In Service,
Senator Lena Taylor
Wisconsin's 4th Senate District
Juvenile Corrections Study Committee
Senator Taylor attended the fourth Act 185 Juvenile Corrections Study Committee to discuss and recommend possible locations for the new Type 1 juvenile corrections facilities. Current data and key issues were considered while also keeping positive youth development, family engagement, and successful transitions into the community as top priorities for the locations of these facilities. Factors such as space and security needs, proximity to the populations they will serve, and best practices for secure custody were also taken into consideration by the committee members before locations were decided on. After reviewing the current juvenile population data and the site options available to the state, the committee narrowed the sites for consideration. Recommendations for locations are set to be finalized at the October 16th meeting. To view previous meetings of the committee, go to http://www.wiseye.org and search for the Juvenile Corrections Study Committee.
Housing and Community Development
On Tuesday, Senator Taylor met with a community leader to discuss ways to increase home-ownership for Milwaukee residents. The discussion centered on a variety of options to prepare and support individuals in purchasing their first home. Last year, a study by the Urban Institute found that in 17 U.S. cities it was cheaper to own a home than to rent. In fact, in some of those cities home buyers could save more than 3 percent of their incomes. More recently, a study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum projected that households could afford to spend up to 30 percent of their income on rent, to include the cost of utilities. The study revealed that in Wisconsin nearly 47% of renters are considered rent burdened. It further indicated that the county with the highest rate of rent-burdened households was Langlade County, where 55.8 percent of renters pay more than 30 percent of their incomes on rent. Milwaukee had the second-highest rate of rent-burdened households at 52.9 percent. Milwaukee is the only county in the state where the majority (50.6 percent) of residences are rentals. Therefore, this discussion was timely and necessary.
Wisconsin State Capitol
Milwaukee's Third Ward
Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit
On Friday, Senator Taylor’s office participated in the 2018 Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit. Held on both Friday October 5th and Saturday October 6th, the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative and Social Development Commission, along with Mayor Tom Barrett, are hosting the 13th Annual Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit at the Greater New Birth Campus. The organizers provide a strategic approach to support fatherhood and family restoration efforts.The use of a social action strategy to strengthen the community's response to issues confronting fathers has been very successful. Our office provided information and gathered feedback on the 2018 Legislative Council Study Committee on Child Placement and Support. Additional resources offered at the summit included job training, education, health screenings, family court services and much more. Each year thousands of attendees walk away with valuable information and tools needed to successfully parent and assist their families and communities.
HBCU and Tribal College Fair
This weekend, Senator Taylor and HBCU United Milwaukee is hosting the Second Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal College Fair. Held on Saturday, October 6th, from 10 am to 3 pm at Vincent High School, your invited to bring your students, youth or family to talk with over 30 representatives from our participating institutions. Wisconsin is home to two Tribal Colleges, College of Menominee Nation located in Keshena, Wisconsin and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, in Hayward, Wisconsin. There are more than 100 HBCU’s throughout the country. Many of these educational institutions have served Native American and African-American students for more than 150 years. Prior to the civil war, higher education opportunities were virtually nonexistent for nearly all black Americans. HBCU’s were created to meet the educational needs of the newly freed black population. These schools have remained a strong presence on the educational landscape and many Wisconsinites are alumni of these proud establishments.
Students and parents that attend will have the opportunity to attend workshops on everything from financial aid to requirements needed to play NCAA sports. Some schools will be offering conditional admission letters during the fair and there will be opportunities to win covered application fees for the HBCU Common Application, that will allow them to apply to 53 HBCU’s with one college application. Last year roughly 3000 students attended this event, so get there early!
Legislative Season for Housekeeping
Even with a robust schedule of Study Committees and district meetings, this week began Sen. Taylor’s work to review her legislative agenda, prioritize bills she is interested in pursuing, and fine tuning office procedures to ensure maximum constituent responsiveness. A lot goes into managing the office’s weekly calendar, scheduling events, planning legislative visits, and the follow-up on assignments. The next few months will be dedicated to office streamlining of procedures and getting ready for the upcoming year!
Intern Spotlight: Lawrence Li
This week’s intern spotlight is on Lawrence Li, a native of Beijing, China and one of Senator Taylor’s policy interns. Lawrence is a senior graduating in the spring with a dual degree in Sociology and Philosophy. After graduation, Lawrence is looking forward to attending law school. Having previously interned at a law office, he is a big fan of legal research, which is why the position of policy intern was so intriguing to him. Aside from this, Lawrence wanted to learn more about the legislature and Senator Taylor’s work to reform the criminal justice system. The biggest thing Lawrence wants to gain during his time with the office is the opportunity to enhance his research and communication skills.
When Lawrence isn’t at the Capitol, you can find him exploring the shops of State Street or planning his next travel adventure. Also an avid photographer, he says that one of his favorite things about Madison is the location. Citing the surrounding nature and proximity to both lakes, while still being in a big city, he says can’t be beat. We are very lucky to have Lawrence in our office this semester, working hard and sharing his interests with our team!
Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative
HBCU Fair
Policy Intern, Lawrence Li
Community Action Alerts
Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit
Today, Friday October 5th and tomorrow, Saturday October 6th, the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative and Social Development Commission, along with Mayor Tom Barrett, host the 13th Annual Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit held at the Greater New Birth Church Christian Campus.
The two day event is meant to bring fathers and future fathers together to identify solutions and resources to better their knowledge and be positive role models in their families’ lives.
The public is invited to the 2018 Bride’s Walk Against Domestic Violence – sponsored by UMOS Latina Resource Center – taking place Saturday at the UMOS Latina Resource Center, 802 W. Historic Mitchell St.
The event will be on Saturday, October 6, 2018, with registration at 10 a.m. The walk begins at the UMOS Latina Resource Center and ends at the UMOS Headquarters at 2701 S. Chase Ave. Walk in white to send the message that it is in our homes and in our most intimate and personal relationships where individuals are too often abused or killed in domestic violence incidents.
For more information please call (414) 386 -6508.
The 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival
The 10th Annual Milwaukee Film Festival has arrived! More than 300 films, dozens of special guests, seven world premieres, parties for days—this one’s got it all. This year, we’re celebrating a decade of bringing the community together through film.
Join us October 18 to November 1, 2018 as we screen more than 300 films, engage with dozens of filmmakers, host tons of events, and spark countless conversations among friends and film buffs in the community.
Some of the most critically acclaimed films shown at the Milwaukee Film Festival in years past are available online.
Quote of The Week “How we deal with survivors who come forward right now is unacceptable. And the way we deal with this, unfortunately, allows for the continued darkness of this culture to exist. Your brilliance shining light onto this, speaking your truth, is nothing short of heroic.” -Senator Cory Booker on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
