Welcome to my e-newsletter. I will use this to update you on issues in the Capitol and around the state, as well as events taking place in our community. I hope you find it interesting and informative. As always, don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance or just to share your thoughts.
Wisconsin's New Governor, Other Constitutional Officers Take the Oath of Office
We all know how contentious, heated and, in some cases, nasty political campaigns can get. However, when the campaigns are over and all of the votes have been counted, we pride ourselves on a smooth and peaceful transition of power. We witnessed a great example of this on Monday, January 7, at the State Capitol in Madison. Five former Governors, from both parties, were on hand to witness new Governor Tony Evers, along with Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Attorney General Josh Kaul, and State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski take the oath of office for the first time Secretary of State Doug La Follette sworn in for another term. Regardless of who you voted for, we can all be proud of the respect and dignity with which we hand over the reins of power. As we begin a new legislative session, I hope that we will all continue forward in that spirit to do what is best for our state and our constituents.
Governor Evers Appoints Barca Revenue Secretary
Governor Tony Evers has appointed State Rep. Peter Barca of Kenosha to serve as Secretary of the Department of Revenue. I wish Peter well and am confident that he will do a great job. While we don't have a date, there will be a special election to fill his seat sometime this spring.
Tackling Elder Fraud, Wage Theft and Homelessness Among My Top Priorities this Session
As we begin 2019, we usher in a new legislative session in the State Capitol. A new session provides us with fresh opportunities to push for legislation that wasn’t passed in previous sessions and a chance to take a look at new issues, as well. I’ve got several issues – some that I’ve tackled in the past, some that have popped up since last session – that will be priorities for me over the next two years.
Scams and financial abuse targeting seniors and other vulnerable people is a serious, growing problem that I will focus on once again this session. Seniors are one of fraudsters’ favorite targets, for a number of reasons. I will be re-introducing legislation to better allow victims to recover any loses from these scams and, ideally, to prevent them from occurring in the first place. The bill has gained bipartisan support in the past, as well as the endorsement of AARP. I’m optimistic that both parties will come together this session to get something done. You can find out more about elder fraud at: http://www.napsa-now.org/policy-advocacy/exploitation/
I’ve been working to address the issue of wage theft for a number of years now. Wage theft occurs when workers don’t receive their legally or contractually promised wages, and this can take many forms. Studies show that this costs workers billions of dollars every year and results in millions or billions more in lost tax revenue to local, state and federal governments, as well. It also puts fair, well-meaning employers at a disadvantage. A number of states have taken action to address this growing problem. I will again be introducing legislation to add Wisconsin to that list and ensure that hard working men and women of Wisconsin actually receive every penny that they earn. To learn more about wage theft, visit: http://www.wagetheft.org/faq/
Last month, the bipartisan Wisconsin Interagency Council on Homelessness issued a thirty page report on the findings of their study on homelessness in Wisconsin, as well as an action plan for addressing the issue. The report and plan have been applauded by advocates and lawmakers from both parties, all over the state. I believe this is an issue that we need to get to work on right away. To that end, I have written a letter to the new Governor, Tony Evers, as well as the co-chairs of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, suggesting that they included some or all of the action items from the report in their upcoming state budget proposals. This is a critical problem facing all parts of the state, and it’s an area that we can work across the aisle to solve. The letter was co-signed by my legislative colleagues from both parties, and this session, I will continue to press for solutions to our state’s homelessness problem. You can read the report at: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOA/ICH.aspx
Locally, we have activist doing great work to address the issue of homelessness. It was recently announced that Karen Kempinen and Rev. Jonathan Barker will be recognized at the Gateway Technical College Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration for their work with low-income through the Grace Lutheran Welcome Center.
Committees
This session I'll be serving on the following committees and councils
No responsibility that I have directly affects the lives of the average person, or gives me as much satisfaction, as that of constituent services. These can come in many different forms. Some people contact me because there is a problem with their unemployment benefits; it could be a delay in receiving a tax refund; or maybe someone is having difficulty in getting a state-issued occupational license. These are sometime simple fixes. Then there are more complex problems: things like health care issues; disputes with utility or insurance companies; or problems with a mortgage lender. Whatever the issue is, big or small, I am happy to help or point you in the right direction.
State Senator Bob Wirch 127 South, State Capitol PO Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707-7882 (608)267-8979 or (888)769-4724 sen.wirch@legis.wisconsin.gov||
Upcoming Community Events
