Dear Friends and Neighbors,
A flurry of bills have made their way to the Governor's desk since my last update. As you'll see, we've had some wins in the 1st Senate District, but we've also had some head-scratching disappointments as well. For example, the Governor vetoed middle class tax cuts for the third time - even though the proposals met his own definition of "middle class." The Governor also vetoed one of my election integrity bills and my clean water legislation. These issues are not going away, and I will continue to push them forward.
Nevertheless, I was also able to get positive results for Northeast Wisconsin on other important issues, such as empowering our disabled citizens, protecting election "whistleblowers," and providing relief to local taxpayers burdened by unequal financial standards for landfills.
I appreciate the trust you have placed in me to be your voice in the Wisconsin State Senate. This Summer, I look forward to seeing you at community meetings, listening sessions, events, and parades throughout our beautiful 1st Senate District. As always, feel free to contact me; your input is vital for me to represent our area as effectively as possible.
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Evers Strikes Out for Wisconsin Taxpayers
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Thirteen years of prudent GOP fiscal management handed Gov. Evers a state budget surplus of over $3 billion. Unfortunately, the Governor struck out for Wisconsin taxpayers after vetoing our middle class tax cuts for the third time. This broad-based plan would have cut taxes by over $2 billion for middle class Wisconsin individuals and families coping with the skyrocketing cost of living. It would also have eliminated income taxes for 93 percent of retired seniors 65 years of age and over - many of whom are on fixed incomes and have been hit especially hard by the Democrats' "Bidenflation." Unfortunately, Gov. Evers chose to grow the government budget at the expense of the family budget.
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On Your Side of the Governor's Desk
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I'm pleased to report that several of my legislative initiatives that reached the Governor's desk have been signed into law:
The 'Keep the Polls Open' Act signed into law (Assembly Bill 298)
My "Keep the Polls Open Act" will prevent a repeat of polling site closures in the City of Green Bay in 2020, when officials closed all but two polling places at the eleventh hour with little to no public notice, disenfranchising many citizens who did not know where to vote.
Election Integrity and Poll Worker Whistleblower Protection (Senate Bills 291, 822)
My initiative protecting election officials who report fraud, and supporting community volunteers who run elections, was signed into law as part of a broader elections measure. These provisions became especially important after the Green Bay City Clerk was pressured to alter lawful election procedures during the 2020 elections in order to cater to the desires of the Green Bay mayor and an out-of-state political consultant.
ABLE Accounts signed into law (Senate Bills 668, 122)
My initiative to empower individuals with disabilities was included in an update of state financial regulations signed into law last week. Wisconsin will now have its own program for Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) tax-exempt savings accounts, which help cover the cost of services that help those with physical and cognitive challenges live full, independent lives.
Relief for Local Taxpayers (Senate Bill 624)
Local taxpayers will now be freed from the burden of higher costs for unreasonable financial standards for municipal landfills, compared to private facilities, under legislation recently signed into law. Treating public facilities equally will free municipal taxpayers from bearing the burden of unnecessary costs associated with bonds, letters of credit, or escrow accounts, which are not borne by for-profit entities.
At the same time, Gov. Evers inexplicably turned his back on secure elections and clean water:
Evers Denies Nonpartisan Election Integrity Protections (Assembly Bill 570)
Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s elections remain vulnerable to fraud, coercion, incomplete absentee ballots and conflicted poll workers due to Gov. Evers’ recent veto of my election integrity legislation. The state also risks a repeat of 2020, when special voting deputies were denied entry into residential care facilities, effectively disenfranchising legal voters who lived there. It’s shameful that the Governor refused to protect the legal voting rights of our senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals, as recommended by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Questions about the integrity of our elections have resulted from uneven interpretations of state election law. Given the recent radical Dane County Circuit Court decision allowing anything on an absentee ballot - and the Governor’s unwillingness to sign this bill to rectify it - those concerns will grow louder than ever.
Evers Chooses Trial Lawyers Over Clean Water (Senate Bill 52)
Gov. Evers chose trial lawyers over clean water and small businesses by vetoing my legislation promoting voluntary incentives and strategies for reducing the impacts of road salt on Wisconsin’s lakes, streams, and drinking water. Fear of slip-and-fall lawsuits are the biggest reason for over salting. But the Governor's trial lawyer campaign donors could not stomach the idea of protecting a small business trying to do the right thing by protecting our freshwater resources. That’s one less target they can shakedown for cash in a frivolous lawsuit, so they put the veto pen in the Governor’s hand.
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Autism Acceptance Day at the State Capitol
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I was very pleased to participate in Autism Acceptance Day at the State Capitol last week with the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin. The 2021-23 state budget included my motion increasing the reimbursement rate for the autism treatment code that gets billed the most under Medicaid. Wisconsin children - from rural families especially - should not have to wait to access autism treatment.
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Welcome Notre Dame of De Pere!
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Had a great visit at the Capitol last week with students from the Notre Dame School of De Pere! The group had to move up their tour due to the snowy weather that day, but we had a very good discussion in the Senate Chambers, and the students asked fantastic questions.
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I recently toured the construction site of the new Appleton Library and had a great meeting with Library Director Colleen Rortvedt, Don Hietpas, President of the Friends of the Appleton Library, and Common Council President Alderperson Katie Van Zeeland on the project and its impact on community development.
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