The tides of change are upon us this summer. Therefore, this week's newsletter will focus on change in a number of areas including the State Senate, higher education,Wisconsin's natural landscape, and more.
As usual, please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or opinions you may have about our community or our state.
Sincerely,
Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7
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The official vote canvass in Racine showed that John Lehman beat incumbent Van Wanggaard by 834 votes, or 1.2%. Following the official vote canvass, Wanggaard requested a recount this past Friday.
As required by law, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board issued an order this past Monday requiring the Racine County Board of Canvassers to start its recount at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 20. All of the 21st Senate District is located within Racine County. The canvassing board is required to complete the canvass and submit results to the Board within 13 calendar days of the Board’s order. Because that date lands on Sunday, July 1, the deadline for completing the recount will be Monday, July 2. While it would be unusual, the county’s recount determination may be appealed to circuit court within five business days. If no appeal is filed, the Board will certify the results of the 21st Senate District Recall Election after the appeal deadline has expired. The recount is expected to cost Wanggaard's campaign $5 for each of the 137 wards for a total of $685. Taxpayers will then be responsible for all additional costs incurred during the course of the recount.
I look forward to working with legislators on both sides of the aisle and hope that Senate Republicans recognize the need to accept the election results so that Legislative activities can resume. We have been presented with a valuable opportunity to experience true compromise, or both sides reaching a middle ground. A number of legislators have started requesting that the governor call a special session to address the areas of greatest concern in our state. It is my hope that through committee work and this potential special session, that we will be able to work together to get Wisconsin moving forward again.
Wisconsin has been blessed with smooth transitions of power and I am confident that Republican Senate leaders will step aside to allow a renewed balance in Wisconsin government.
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it was decided that students at state colleges will once again see their tuition increased. With a vote of 17-1, the Regents approved UW System President Kevin Reilly’s recommended 5.5% tuition hike for the 2012-2013 school year. This tuition hike will affect all of the systems 13 4-year universities and 13 2-year colleges. Further, students should expect to see their annual tuition increase by $250 for 2-year colleges, $328-422 for 4-year universities, and nearly $700 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For the first time in Wisconsin's history, tuition and fees for in-state students will exceed $10,000.
The recent biennial budget cut approximately $315 million from higher education, shifting even more of the financial burden to students and their parents. UW System President Kevin Reilly suggested that such drastic cuts have created financial havoc for the system and without this tuition hike there would be larger and fewer classes making it take longer for students to obtain a degree while paying more in the process. The steep tuition hike is only projected to make up for about one-third of the budget cuts.
The rising cost of tuition is creating a significant hurdle for Wisconsin's youth seeking to continue their studies at an institution for higher learning. The changing trend of lowering state funding and rising tuition plays a significant role in increasing student debt for technical college or university graduates, or can even deter prospective students from attending such an institution all together. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, U.S. student loan debt reached $1 trillion this year, with UW-Milwaukee students averaging around $29,000 in debt upon graduating.
Obtaining some form of higher education is becoming more expected of Wisconsin's workers. Therefore, it is important that Wisconsin is able to provide its future workers with affordable education. Regrettably, at 26%, Wisconsin is below the national average of 28% for the number of college degree holders. If Wisconsin is unable to build and preserve an educated, skilled workforce, it could have devastating long-term consequences on the overall economic health of our state.
As a member of the UW Taskforce for Restructuring, I will be working hard to help make sure that our colleges remain renowned, world-class institutions. It is essential that our state continues to support its first-rate universities in order to attract the brightest students to Wisconsin, as this will help encourage businesses to relocate to our state to create jobs. We need to stop looking at funding education as a frivolous expense, and instead view it for what it really is--an important investment that will undeniably create a stronger, more prosperous future for all of Wisconsin.
Next Community Meeting
I encourage you to stop by my next town hall listening session. I will be hosting this community meeting with Rep. Jon Richards and Alderman Nik Kovac on Milwaukee's East Side at the Urban Ecology Center on Thursday, June 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a great opportunity to discuss any concerns you might have about our community with us and your fellow neighbors.
Urban Ecology Center (MAP)
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211
A special thank you to everyone that attended the Milwaukee Bike Tour, Mobile Listening Session, and Oak Creek Town Hall meeting. It was encouraging to see so many of our neighbors stop by to share their thoughts on a wide variety of community and state issues. The thoughtful comments and questions are greatly appreciated. Hearing your perspective on issues that will have a significant impact on our community is crucial as we work together to get Wisconsin moving forward.
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Office Phone: (608) 266-7505
Toll-free Phone: (800) 361-5487
Email:
Sen.Larson@legis.wi.gov
Mailing Address:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
Web Site:
SenatorChrisLarson.com
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