Weekly News from Your Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair

 

 

Republicans Cut $900 Million from Gov. Evers' Education Budget

 

We call Gov. Evers’ budget the People’s budget for a reason -- this administration had hours upon hours of conversations with Wisconsinites in every part of the state to hear what everyday working people needed from their government. We’ve learned that 73% of Wisconsinites support an increase in special education funding while 55% support increasing funding for K-12 education. Like Medicaid Expansion, supporting our kids is very popular in our state.

 

 

That’s why Gov. Evers proposed a $1.4 billion investment in education, including a much-needed $600 million investment in special education (which hasn’t seen a funding increase since 2009!). Gov. Evers knows that what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state. If we don’t give our kids the support and education they need now, we will pay the price in years to come. But that didn’t stop Republicans from slashing $900 million from Gov. Evers’ proposed education budget. They decided their tax breaks to the wealthiest people in our state were more important than the future of Wisconsin’s kids. Additionally, they cut Gov. Evers’ proposed special education investment by 84%. School districts around the state have had to foot the bill for the increasing cost of special education services, in turn forcing local property owners to raise their own taxes. Republicans are picking winners and losers with this budget, and it just isn’t fair.

 

 

In more appalling news from the Republican caucus, Sen. Chris Kapenga from Delafield has been doubling down on his belief that kids with disabilities don't belong in our public schools. What does it say about GOP priorities that their members don't even believe every Wisconsin kid deserves to be supported by the state? Republicans have said this is “the best [they] can do,” but we know that’s not the case. This fight isn’t over, and budget negotiations will continue until Wisconsin's kids get the support they deserve.

 

 

Join Project Battleground: WI Facebook Group!

 

Project Battleground: Wisconsin is a statewide Facebook group dedicated to electing Democrats up and down the ballot in 2019, 2020, and beyond! It’s a place for Wisconsinites to connect with each other, get updates on the 2020 election, find volunteer opportunities, and get breaking news alerts. It's one big 2020 organizing party for Wisconsinites!

 

 

 

Democrats Introduce Automatic Voter Registration

 

As part of their commitment to ensure every Wisconsin citizen can participate in our democracy without unnecessary barriers, Gov. Evers and legislative Democrats introduced legislation earlier this week that would automatically register eligible voters at the DMV when receiving a driver’s license. We should be making it easier for Wisconsinites to vote, not harder. Automatic voter registration is a no-brainer. Weekly News from Your Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair     Republicans Cut $900 Million from Gov. Evers' Education Budget   We call Gov. Evers’ budget the People’s budget for a reason -- this administration had hours upon hours of conversations with Wisconsinites in every part of the state to hear what everyday working people needed from their government. We’ve learned that 73% of Wisconsinites support an increase in special education funding while 55% support increasing funding for K-12 education. Like Medicaid Expansion, supporting our kids is very popular in our state.     That’s why Gov. Evers proposed a $1.4 billion investment in education, including a much-needed $600 million investment in special education (which hasn’t seen a funding increase since 2009!). Gov. Evers knows that what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state. If we don’t give our kids the support and education they need now, we will pay the price in years to come. But that didn’t stop Republicans from slashing $900 million from Gov. Evers’ proposed education budget. They decided their tax breaks to the wealthiest people in our state were more important than the future of Wisconsin’s kids. Additionally, they cut Gov. Evers’ proposed special education investment by 84%. School districts around the state have had to foot the bill for the increasing cost of special education services, in turn forcing local property owners to raise their own taxes. Republicans are picking winners and losers with this budget, and it just isn’t fair.     In more appalling news from the Republican caucus, Sen. Chris Kapenga from Delafield has been doubling down on his belief that kids with disabilities don't belong in our public schools. What does it say about GOP priorities that their members don't even believe every Wisconsin kid deserves to be supported by the state? Republicans have said this is “the best [they] can do,” but we know that’s not the case. This fight isn’t over, and budget negotiations will continue until Wisconsin's kids get the support they deserve.     Join Project Battleground: WI Facebook Group!   Project Battleground: Wisconsin is a statewide Facebook group dedicated to electing Democrats up and down the ballot in 2019, 2020, and beyond! It’s a place for Wisconsinites to connect with each other, get updates on the 2020 election, find volunteer opportunities, and get breaking news alerts. It's one big 2020 organizing party for Wisconsinites!       Democrats Introduce Automatic Voter Registration   As part of their commitment to ensure every Wisconsin citizen can participate in our democracy without unnecessary barriers, Gov. Evers and legislative Democrats introduced legislation earlier this week that would automatically register eligible voters at the DMV when receiving a driver’s license. We should be making it easier for Wisconsinites to vote, not harder. Automatic voter registration is a no-brainer.

AFL-CIO

 

On January 7, 2019, Tony Evers will be sworn into office as Wisconsin’s 46^th Governor. Mandela Barnes will be sworn in as Lieutenant Governor. Josh Kaul will be sworn in as Attorney General and Sarah Godlewski will be sworn in as State Treasurer. Congratulations to our newly elected leaders!

Gov. Evers, Lt. Gov. Barnes, AG Kaul, and Treasurer Godlewski, all endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, ran on a vision of creating a better Wisconsin for working families. We look forward to working with the Evers Administration to lift up working people by raising wages, restoring worker rights, strengthening our public schools, investing in roads, bridges, and infrastructure, and protecting affordable health care for all.

In 2019, Gov. Evers will get to work rebuilding Wisconsin’s middle class. The best way to strengthen our middle class is to strengthen the voice of working people. Strengthening collective bargaining rights in all sectors levels the playing field for workers and brings balance to our economy.

The activism of working families played a major role in electing new leaders for Wisconsin. Together, we knocked on doors, made phone calls and had thousands of conversations about the need for change in Wisconsin. The backbone and unique advantage of our Labor 2018 campaign is that working people trust our unions. Voters trust unions as a vital source of political information. We earned that trust and built on it, mobilizing our members to the polls.  

Thank you for your work in lifting up the voices of working families in our democracy. Together, we will hold politicians accountable to working people in order to continue the fight for social and economic justice for all people.

In Solidarity,

Stephanie Bloomingdale, President

Dennis Delie, Secretary-Treasurer

Weekly News from Your Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair                  2018: A Year to Remember     What a year it’s been! I can't stress this enough -- we Wisconsin Democrats have come a long way. We started out 2018 with a bang by electing Patty Schachtner to the state Senate (a 17 point flip for that district). A few months later, we sent Judge Rebecca Dallet to the Supreme Court -- the first time a non-incumbent liberal justice had been elected in decades. And of course, in November, we won every statewide race on the ballot, re-elected our Senator Tammy Baldwin and even flipped an Assembly seat once held by Scott Walker!     As 2018 comes to a close, I can’t help but be humbled by the work and dedication of our Wisconsin Democratic family. After shocking losses in 2016, many thought Wisconsin would be a red state for the foreseeable future. Pundits said our Senator Tammy Baldwin could lose and that Scott Walker’s re-election was a given. But you didn’t give up hope. You believed a better future for our state was possible. In the months leading up to November, you put in the hard work to make it happen, whether you knocked doors, made phone calls, chipped in a few dollars, called your legislators, or even ran for office. Our Party owes its strength to the energy of our grassroots organizers and activists. You helped make it happen, and I couldn't be more appreciative.     In 2019, Wisconsin will begin a new chapter as we inaugurate a new slate of Democratic leadership. With Tony Evers as Governor, Mandela Barnes as Lt. Governor, Josh Kaul as Attorney General, Sarah Godlewski as Treasurer and Doug La Follette as Secretary of State, we will finally have the ability to lead with our Wisconsin values. After 8 years of Scott Walker’s “divide and conquer” politics, we will treat each other with respect and reach our hands across the aisle to get work done. We will focus on issues we know are affecting everyday Wisconsinites -- health care costs, education funding and deteriorating road quality. We’ll make sure everyone has a seat at the table as we build a better future for Wisconsin together.      This holiday season, I feel hopeful and grateful. Hopeful because our Democratic leadership has an exciting opportunity before them to make real change for the people of Wisconsin. And grateful for your hard work that got us to where we are today. We won’t be slowing down in 2019. Wisconsinites will have the opportunity to elect an independent justice to the Supreme Court in April, and if we’re successful, we'll be one step closer to finally eliminating conservatives’ majority on the court. There will be many important local races, from Madison and Milwaukee mayor to school board races across the state. And of course, Republicans in power will need to be held accountable. In these final days of 2018, I hope you’ll step back and appreciate all the good we've done this year, and what a difference the Wisconsin Democratic family has made. Whether you’re with family or friends, I hope you are able to find some peace and warmth this holiday season. We have much to be grateful for, and much to look forward to. -Chair Martha Laning