WEMTA Alert: Contact Your Legislators About State Treasurer Repeal

Next week is a critical one for the proposal to eliminate the state treasurer from the state constitution and add the lieutenant governor to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which administers the Common School Fund. 

The Senate Committee on Financial Services, Constitution and Federalism is holding a public hearing Tuesday, February 28 on Senate Joint Resolution 3, and the Assembly Committee on State Affairs, which held a public hearing on the proposal last week, will vote on Assembly Joint Resolution 2 on Wednesday, March 1. 

 WEMTA believes there are potential unintended consequences of SJR3/AJR2 that could put school library funding at risk.  We believe that replacing the State Treasurer with the Lieutenant Governor on the BCPL jeopardizes our founding fathers’ commitment to maintaining a constitutionally protected form of school library funding. As envisioned by our founding fathers, current BCPL Commissioners do not play a leading role in K-12 school funding or the state budget process—this makes them ideal custodians of the Common School Fund and helps protect the integrity of the fund.

Senate Public Hearing Details: February 28, 2:00 PM in 300 Southeast of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Assembly Committee Vote Details: March 1, 10:30 AM in 225 Northwest of the State Capitol. 

If you have concerns about this proposal, now is the time to contact your State Senator and State Representative, especially if they are a member of the Senate Committee on Financial Services,Constitution and Federalism or Assembly Committee on State Affairs. 

Senate Committee on Financial Services, Constitution and Federalism

Chair, Senator David Craig (R-28)

Telephone: (608) 266-5400

Email: Sen.Craig@legis.wisconsin.gov 

Counties: Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha

Vice-Chair, Senator Duey Stroebel (R-20)

Telephone: (608) 266-7513

Email: Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov

Counties: Calumet, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Washington, Ozaukee

Senator Daniel Feyen (R-18)

Telephone: (608)266-5300 

Email: Sen.Feyen@legis.wisconsin.gov

Counties: Winnebago, Fond du lac

Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-31)

Telephone: (608) 266-8546

Email: Sen.Vinehout@legis.wisconsin.gov

Counties: Pierce, Dunn, Pepin, Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson

Senator Fred Risser (D-26)

Telephone: (608) 266-1627

Email: Sen.Risser@legis.wisconsin.gov

Counties: Dane

Assembly Committee on State Affairs

Chair, Representative Rob Swearingen (R-34) 

Telephone: (608) 266-7141

Email: Rep.Swearingen@legis.wisconsin.gov

Counties: Vilas, Oneida, Forest, Florence 

Vice Chair, Representative Gary Tauchen (R-6)
Telephone: (608) 266-3097
Email: Rep.Tauchen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Shawano, Waupaca, Outagamie 

Representative John Jagler (R-37)
Telephone: (608) 266-9650
Email: Rep.Jagler@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Dane, Dodge, Jefferson 

Representative Andre Jacque (R-2)
Telephone: (608) 266-9870
Email: Rep.Jacque@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Brown, Manitowoc 

Representative Dan Knodl (R-24) 
Telephone: (608) 266-3796
Email: Rep.Knodl@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee 

Representative Joel Kleefisch (R-38)
Telephone: (608) 266-8551
Email: Rep.Kleefisch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Dane, Jefferson, Waukesha 

Representative Bob Gannon (R-58) 
Telephone: (608) 264-8486
Email: Rep.Gannon@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Washington 

Representative Rob Summerfield (R-67)
Telephone: (608) 266-1194
Email: Rep.Summerfield@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Dunn, Chippewa 

Representative Bob Kulp (R-69) 
Telephone: (608) 267-0280
Email: Rep.Kulp@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Clark, Marathon, Wood 

Representative Tyler Vorpagel (R-27) 
Telephone: (608) 266-8530
Email: Rep.Vorpagel@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Manitowoc, Sheboygan 

Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-8) 
Telephone: (608) 267-7669
Email: Rep.Zamarripa@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Milwaukee 

Representative Christine Sinicki (D-20)
Telephone: (608) 266-8588
Email: Rep.Sinicki@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Milwaukee 

Representative Tod Ohnstad (D-65)
Telephone: (608) 266-0455
Email: Rep.Ohnstad@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Kenosha 

Representative Dianne Hesselbein (D-79)
Telephone: (608) 266-5340
Email: Rep.Hesselbein@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: Dane 

Representative Steve Doyle (D-94)
Telephone: (608) 266-0631
Email: Rep.Doyle@legis.wisconsin.gov
Counties: La Crosse 


HOW DO I CONTACT MY LEGISLATOR?

The first step in contacting your legislator is knowing who your legislator is. The easiest way to do this is the tool found on the Legislature’s home page, at http://legis.wisconsin.gov. In the right-hand side of that page is a link that says Find My Legislators!  Type your address in the box below that link to get the names of your state representative and senator.

·    Phone.  You may leave a message for your legislator’s Capitol office or indicate your position on legislation through the toll free Legislative Hotline, at 1-800-362-9472.

·    E-mail. The e-mail addresses of members of the Wisconsin Legislature all have the same format. For members of the Assembly, the form is Rep.Jones@legis.wisconsin.gov; for members of the Senate, the form is Sen.Adams@legis.wisconsin.gov.