Fix the Hoan!

Last year Wisconsin won a major grant of federal stimulus money for a high-speed rail link between Milwaukee and Madison. The enormous positive impact of this $810 million investment by Washington in our regional economy shouldn’t be underestimated. The money is unquestionably a financial win for Wisconsin taxpayers, but it does raise a question of priorities in Washington, D.C. for the thousands of commuters who drive back and forth across the Hoan Bridge daily.

However great the need for the rail link between Milwaukee and Madison, the need for real repairs, not just patches, to the Hoan Bridge is immediate.

It’s important that we fix our existing infrastructure and demonstrate responsible stewardship of our current assets, even if we do have another big new project on the schedule. Our officials did well in winning the federal rail money, but that project was considered before we knew extra netting must be hung under the bridge and that repair needs were urgent.

In light of recent developments, I appreciate that Congresswoman Gwen Moore has identified potential funds that might possibly be tapped for true redecking of the bridge.

Even with this possibility, it remains to be seen whether our state Department of Transportation (DOT) will admit that the roadbed of the Hoan, a heavily traveled roadway, needs to be reconstructed, not just patched up like any ground-level road. They need to understand that this needs to happen now, not years after the next gubernatorial administration, along with Milwaukee Manufacturers and Commerce (MMAC), decide what they think is the best thing to do with the Hoan.

Obviously WisDOT officials, the governor’s staff, and probably most MMAC members, do not use the Hoan daily in their commute to and from work. Maybe they should start listening to the thousands and thousands of drivers who do, every day, so they can get it right, now.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

Freeway construction update

The second year of I-94 work is in full swing as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reconstructs 35 miles of the main freeway and 17 interchanges from the state line north through the Mitchell Interchange. Here are summaries and previews of coming freeway changes for south shore residents.

Layton Avenue

The Layton Avenue bridge over I-94 was demolished mid-February and is being reconstructed. Layton Avenue from 13th to 20th streets, the I-94 West (northbound) exit to Layton Avenue, and the I-94 East (southbound) entrance ramp at Layton Avenue will reopen in fall 2010. The northbound entrance ramp to I-94 and southbound exit ramp to Layton Avenue will remain closed until the Mitchell Interchange is completed in late 2012. During these closures at Layton Avenue, motorists are encouraged to use College or Howard avenues with 27th Street or Howell Avenue.

Eastbound Airport Spur

The eastbound Airport Spur bridge over the freeway was demolished mid-March and is being reconstructed. The I-94 West (northbound) exit to the Airport Spur was closed until late June; motorists should exit at College Avenue, proceed east to Howell Avenue, then north to the airport.

I-94, Main Freeway

Construction is also occurring on the I-94 freeway lanes from College to Layton avenues, and on the I-94/I-43 freeway lanes from 13th Street to Howard Avenue. Motorists may notice they are traveling on the inside lanes of the I-94 main freeway in Milwaukee County, as crews work to build the new collector-distributor lanes and bridges. In late fall, traffic will be shifted to the new outside roadway and crews will swap work areas to reconstruct the inside lanes.

Other Ramps

Motorists will also notice lane closures on the I-894 East system ramp to I-94 West (northbound) as construction crews reconstruct that ramp. Additionally, the I-43/94 northbound exit ramp to Howard Avenue is closed until winter 2010.

More Info

WisDOT encourages you to visit the project website, plan94.org, for the latest information to help you plan ahead. You can also call the project hotline 24/7 at (262) 548-8721.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

2010 legislative session in review

The conclusion of the legislative session in Madison is a good opportunity to review accomplishments as well as focus on work yet to be done. As the 20th Assembly District representative, serving Cudahy, St. Francis and Milwaukee, I advanced legislation on a variety of issues.

As the chair of the Assembly Committee on Labor I worked to shield Wisconsin’s labor force from the broader economic downturn. I authored, and the legislature passed, Wisconsin’s Equal Pay Enforcement Act, protecting every employee in Wisconsin from workplace discrimination.

Because ensuring the solvency of the state’s unemployment insurance fund is vital to our economic security, I authored Assembly Bill 5-2009 Wisconsin Act 1-to extend emergency benefits for those affected by job loss.

My colleagues and I passed reforms reining in the pay-day lending industry to help borrowers break the debt-cycle; we reduced the profitability for lenders of trading bad debt.

To help reduce administrative costs in the public sector, I worked with Mayor Barrett to pass legislation to streamline the hiring process for city of Milwaukee civil service; Milwaukee had been the only municipality in the state subject to a 100-year-old statute which required costly extra hoops in the hiring process.

At the request of veterans in our district, I introduced Assembly Bill 752 to provide a geographic residency requirement for members of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Board. We also passed Senate Bill 627, creating a women veterans license plate, which will raise funds for Wisconsin veterans.

Working with the Humane Society, we passed a bill to require a bittering agent be added to antifreeze; I’m very pleased to say the bill was signed into law May 18. At no cost to the taxpayer, the bill will protect hundreds of our pets from sickness and death due to accidental antifreeze ingestion each year.

Despite our accomplishments, it is important to remember there is still much to do; elected officials should maintain focus on protecting the existing quality jobs on which communities rely, while working to create new ones and bring this economy back to full employment.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

The Voter Protection Act

April 22 was the last major floor period of this two-year state Legislative session. On this final day, the state Senate decided to finish their business before the Assembly even started their session. That means that all bills not yet passed in the Senate are now “dead,” until they can be reintroduced in January 2011. The Wisconsin Voter Protection Act (VPA) was one such bill, and will not pass in the 2009-10 Legislature.

The VPA is centered on a few main components. The bill would modernize our voter registration system by using secure data-sharing technology. This provision has been tarred and feathered in talk radio’s echo chamber in an irresponsible and misleading way. The fact is, improved uses of technology directed by the VPA would bolster voter protections, streamline inefficient methods of voter registration, and make sure our list of eligible voters is as accurate as possible.

The VPA would allow the forwarding of Department of Transportation (DOT) information to the Government Accountability Board (GAB), which would cross-reference the voter registration list to prevent the registration of ineligible voters. Adding these additional cross-checks will make the ballot box more secure. The bill further protects elections by specifically prohibiting polling places from being located anywhere that would give an advantage to a political party. And, municipal clerks’ offices must still staff polling places.

These cross-checks would enhance the security of voter files. The VPA would also allow voters to use 21st-century technology with online registration. All of these provisions would allow increased access to registration and voting for eligible citizens, while protecting the security of the process.

The VPA would streamline absentee voting, including the adoption of required federal standards for our military personnel. Absentee registration would take place via an opt-in process whereby a voter must request to be placed on the permanent absentee ballot list. The U.S. Post Office would be prohibited from forwarding absentee ballots or delivering them to an old address if someone has filed change-of-address or forwarding request cards. Finally, the VPA proposes to increase penalties for voter fraud and voter suppression.

There’s been a great deal of unnecessary political rhetoric and, I think, fear-mongering about this bill. From my reading of it, ballot security and protecting citizens’ rights are really what it is about.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

Job creation is priority

The most important thing we can do in the state Legislature is to pursue policies that get Wisconsin back on firm economic ground. That means doing everything we can to make sure there is a good paying job for everyone who is looking for work.

We have taken important steps toward that goal in the Legislature. The 2009-11 state budget we passed last year included over $200 million worth of tax incentives designed to attract, keep, and expand business in our state. The results really speak for themselves:

• Republic Airways will be keeping 800 jobs in Oak Creek and move 800 new jobs to the region this year.
• Mercury Marine is staying in Fond du Lac, saving 850 manufacturing jobs and adding several hundred more to the area.
• Enzymatic Therapy in Green Bay is moving their Utah plant to Wisconsin and consolidating all their operations in Green Bay-saving 280 jobs and creating 100 additional positions.
• Rapid Diagnostek and VitalMedix, two of Minnesota’s most promising biotechnology startups, left Minnesota and have relocated to Wisconsin. In fact, about 20 biotech firms are expanding or relocating to Wisconsin.

In addition, the Assembly followed up these measures this year with the New Market Jobs Credits Bill. This bill, which passed by a vote of 93-1, is modeled on a successful federal program that has already encouraged more than $8.3 billion in investments to finance manufacturing ventures, grocery-anchored retail centers, health care facilities, and mixed-use real estate projects in hard-hit urban and rural areas. Data show that every $1 of foregone tax revenues under this program leverages about $12 of private investment in distressed communities.

There is much more to do. Job creation will continue to be my highest priority as we move forward in the remaining months of the legislative session. Working families are the foundation of our state’s economy; our recovery will not be complete until everyone who needs a job can find one. We in the Legislature must continue to act as quickly as possible to provide relief to aid workers and job creators.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

Geographically balancing veterans’ representation

As a state representative I’ve several times nominated a highly qualified Milwaukee veteran to sit on the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) board. The nominations received no response from the governor’s office. I checked to see who from this area was already serving, but found no DVA board members from the greater Milwaukee area.

That led me to look at the historical makeup of the board. I discovered only one Milwaukee County veteran appointed to the board since 1991. Waukesha and Green Bay, home to the third- and fourth-largest veterans’ populations, have had only had one board representative since the end of the Vietnam War. Other regions, like the Fox Valley, have seen equally long droughts.

State law only specifies that the seven DVA board members must have seen active duty, two in Vietnam. Though brief, the spirit of the law is important as a guide for the executive appointment power, to ensure the DVA board is a representative body. However, since large swaths of the state’s veterans population have been underrepresented, many state veterans have started to feel disenfranchised by the DVA board. They’re uneasy about its ability to represent the interests of all Wisconsin veterans, since currently four DVA board members live in Dane County, and the rest in western and northern Wisconsin.

I decided to spell out the spirit of the law more clearly. I have introduced Assembly Bill 752, requiring geographic representation on the DVA board. State veterans groups, including the American Legion, AMVETS, and Purple Heart Veterans, strongly support this change.

The fix is simple and logical: my bill divides the state veterans population into seven districts of about 65,000 veterans each. The bill requires each member of the seven-seat board to represent one of those districts. The governor retains the power to appoint members, and the bill won’t replace any current, confirmed board members. It also requires that the districts be redrawn every 10 years if their population has changed.

All of our state’s veterans deserve to know their concerns are being weighed fairly in the DVA boardroom.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov.

New appliance rebate program

Last year, the “Cash for Clunkers” program had people rushing to car lots to exchange their vehicles for more fuel-efficient versions. It was a program that helped families save money and supported American jobs at a critical time, all while doing something good for our environment.

Now, there’s a new program with a similar goal-only this time, we’re talking appliances instead of cars.

The federal government recently approved the Wisconsin State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. The state was awarded nearly $5.5 million for consumer rebates, and cash-back rewards started Jan. 1.

This means that, if your family is in the market for a new furnace or boiler, you could qualify for a $200 rebate. You could also get a rebate of $100 for washers, $75 for refrigerators, and $25 for dishwashers. Several other appliances will qualify for cash-back rewards too, though clothes dryers and stoves won’t count because they aren’t Energy Star rated.

In order to get your rebate, you’ll need to fill out an application within 30 days of your purchase, attach a copy of your receipt and send those materials to the address on the application form. You should get a rebate check in the mail within six to eight weeks.

This new program will help you and your family make valuable improvements in your home. It will save you money when you buy your appliances, and also in the long run, as you save on energy bills. At the same time, “Cash for Appliances” will also boost retail sales, and in turn, support businesses and employees.

Since I took office last year, it’s been my top priority to set our state on a path to recovery and future success. If we’re going to build up this economy, we must support Wisconsin families, business owners, and workers. This rebate program will go a long way toward helping all three groups. Two hundred dollars off a furnace or $75 off a fridge means a lot to a family budget-and the collective benefit of this program could mean a lot for Wisconsin businesses and the state’s overall economic outlook. More program info at focusonenergy.com.

Chris Sinicki is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 20th state Assembly District, which includes southern Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, the airport, and other parts of the south side. Her website is chrissinicki.net and she can be reached at (888) 534-0020 or rep.sinicki@legis.wi.gov

Labor history added to state curricula

Season’s greetings! I’m pleased to announce that Dec. 10, Governor Doyle signed into law Assembly Bill 172 (AB 172), the Labor History Instruction Bill. The bill, which I coauthored with Senator Hanson (D-Green Bay) and Representative Jorgensen (D-Fort Atkinson), adds the history of organized labor to Wisconsin’s model academic standards for social studies. This means that soon every student who graduates from a Wisconsin school will know how important the labor movement was in creating some of the most basic workplace rights that Wisconsin families enjoy today.

Current law requires each school board to provide an instructional program designed to give pupils knowledge of state, national, and world history. AB 172 ensures that a unit on labor history be included in these social studies courses.

Any piece of legislation that gets signed into law represents the work of dozens of people both in and outside of the state Legislature. I want to single out one person in particular, Ken Germanson, a resident of a Bay View and the 20th Assembly District. Ken has been working on this bill for more than a decade and was absolutely instrumental in its passage.  »Read more

Puppy mill prohibition law goes to governor

On Oct. 27, the state Assembly unanimously approved Assembly Bill 250 requiring licensure of dog breeders in order to regulate those bad actors selling dogs from what are known as “puppy mills.” The state Senate unanimously agreed and sent AB 250 to Governor Doyle to sign into law.

Finally, after years of thwarted efforts, the state now has a licensing program for dog breeding and selling under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). With certain exceptions, all dog breeders and dealers must now be licensed. Among other important provisions, the law will define a “dog breeder” as a person who sells 25 or more dogs in a year that the person has bred and raised.  »Read more

Adding protection for first responders

Firefighters, police, and correctional officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe. The heroic efforts of those who fought the fire at Patrick Cudahy last Fourth of July weekend are the best example we have-their work saved lives and livelihoods, and served as a widely admired model for disaster response.

As a state legislator and chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, I consider it my responsibility to protect these first responders and their families from liabilities like work discrimination, unsafe working conditions, or undue medical liability. For this reason, Senator Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa) and I are offering a bill that seeks to address this last issue, in terms of illnesses contracted in the line of duty. No police officer or firefighter should be denied benefits should they lose their ability to work because of an infectious disease contracted in the line of duty.  »Read more

Bills to keep an eye on

As the autumn legislative session progresses, I’m optimistic about passage of key bills to aid the economy and position our state to attract businesses. As chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, these are my chief priorities.

I support current efforts to spur growth in industries like sustainable energy development. Senate Bill 185, for example, will bolster wind-powered energy development. By encouraging energy innovation like wind turbine installation, we can reduce carbon emissions and energy bills while creating good jobs. I’m proud of my colleagues for working on this bipartisan bill, which all agree will benefit Wisconsin’s citizens. This bill has passed both the Assembly and Senate, and at time of writing, awaits Governor Doyle’s signature into law.  »Read more

Mayoral takeover of MPS a bad idea

Ah, September. Cool weather, changing leaves, football, and back to school. Before I had the great honor of serving as your state representative, I served on the Milwaukee school board for eight years. Even then, public education was facing challenges: low student achievement, declining attendance, decreasing enrollment, increasing state and federal mandates, and rising costs.

The problems facing public education have been blamed on many sources: unions, lack of parental involvement, the school board. Now, high-level officials are proposing to take over MPS. This proposal would take control out of the hands of you, the voter, and turn it over to a board appointed by the mayor.

For Milwaukee residents, a significant chunk of the property tax bill is levied on behalf of the public schools. Our taxes pay for the facilities, salaries, and attendant costs of operating the state’s largest and most complex school district. As a property tax payer, I oppose the loss of representation that a mayoral takeover of the school district represents.  »Read more

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