The LARSON Report - July 22, 2011

Senator Chris Larson - 7th District, Milwaukee, WI

 GOP Legislators Delay, Deny Unemployment Benefit Extension
 Republicans Rush Through Redistricting Power Grab, Overrule Local Governments
 Republican Redistricting Process Shrouded in Secrecy
 Legal Challenges
 The Future of Redistricting in Wisconsin

GOP Legislators Delay, Deny Unemployment Benefit Extension
The Legislature went into extraordinary session earlier this week to vote on Senate Bill 147, legislation that would extend unemployment benefits to help Wisconsin's displaced workers while they continue looking for jobs during these tough economic times.

The simple legislative change proposed in Senate Bill 147 would have allowed Wisconsin to capture nearly $90 million from the federal government to extend unemployment benefits in the state. These funds would not need to be repaid to the federal government.

Unfortunately, while the Democratic legislators succeeded in pressuring Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald to schedule a vote on this important bill, the legislation is currently at a standstill due to infighting between Republicans in the Senate and the Assembly.

As a result of Republican legislators failing to work together to reach a consensus on this important legislation, tens of thousands of our fellow Wisconsinites who were knocked down by this economic crisis are left wondering if they will get the support they need to get back up on their feet again. Many of these individuals reside right here in our own community as Milwaukee County reported an unemployment rate of 8.4% in April of 2011.

It is shocking that Republican legislators rushed to push through redistricting legislation before the recall elections in order to save their own jobs, but are unwilling to move at the same speed for those that they are supposed to represent. Many are left asking if Republican legislators are more concerned about locking in partisan advantage than they are about the well-being of their constituents.

I encourage my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to place their responsibilities as elected officials above partisan politics, and call upon the Senate to return to the floor next week. Passing this legislation would help to ensure that our neighbors do not lose hope and financial stability while they are looking for jobs.

To view a copy of the letter that was sent by the Milwaukee Democratic Legislative Caucus to Majority Leader Fitzgerald requesting that he schedule a session day to take up this important legislation, go to:
http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/June11/0630/0630milwdemcaucus.pdf

Republicans Rush Through Redistricting Power Grab, Overrule Local Governments
Despite outcries from local government and growing constitutional concerns, Republican legislators hurriedly passed their redistricting maps that remained secret until recently.

Republican Redistricting Process Shrouded in Secrecy
Republican legislators began working on the new district maps months ago in secret and behind closed doors. The maps did not become available to the public until Friday, July 8. Further decreasing transparency, Republicans opted to fast-track their redistricting plan by scheduling a vote less than two weeks after the release of the new district maps, leaving little time for public input. Over the course of 10 days, Republicans perpetrated a power grab that will impact our communities for the next 10 years.

The Wisconsin State Legislature is required by Article IV, Section 3 of the Wisconsin Constitution to redraw Senate and Assembly districts every 10 years based upon the results of the federal census to ensure districts provide representational equality for all potential voters.

Wisconsin currently uses a legislative redistricting process, where the maps are drawn up by the majority parties in the Legislature, are voted on by the Senate and Assembly, and are then signed by the governor. If the Legislature cannot agree on a redistricting plan, as is usually the case when there is partisan balance, the judicial system steps in to finalize the new legislative districts. For the past 50 years, Wisconsin's elected officials have had to work together with bipartisan cooperation or leave the task of redistricting up to the courts. This will be the first time in 60 years that one political party will have complete control over the redistricting process.

The new district maps proposed by Republican legislators will likely have a profound effect on Wisconsin politics by making districts less competitive, placing the jobs of Republican incumbents ahead of the interests of Wisconsin voters. These maps will also increase partisanship across the state making Wisconsin even more polarized than it is now.

Republicans Overrule Local Governments on Redistricting, Costing Valuable Taxpayer Dollars
Rushing through the current redistricting proposal created by Republican legislators and the lawyers they hired with taxpayer dollars will have a detrimental impact on our local governments as well. Republicans have been so focused on passing redistricting legislation before the recall elections have concluded that they are acting before all local governments have even submitted their local ward redistricting maps.

The City of Milwaukee, for example, will be forced to change 55 of its 315 wards and nine of its 15 aldermanic district boundaries, as a result of the preemptive actions by Republicans on redistricting. These changes come after Milwaukee has already held four public hearings, participated in three public listening sessions, held two full-day public workshops for citizens to produce their own maps, and conducted countless informational briefings to individuals and activist groups. Milwaukee has also already spent over $40,000 for dedicated labor hours and administrative expenses related to the redistricting process.

There is no reason why the state should be moving at such a careless speed. Such actions will negate months of work by local officials, circumvent the open and transparent public hearing process, and waste additional taxpayer funds.

To view the map that illustrates the changes Milwaukee will be mandated to make, go to: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/eupdates/sen07/Milwaukee%20Redistricting%20Changes.pdf.

Legal Challenges
Given the concerns over the maps that were drafted by Republican legislators, it is likely that legal challenges will be filed citing constitutional grievances once the bill is signed into law by the governor and published. However, it is impossible to know what the outcome of such challenges would be.

To visit Senator Larson's website, go to:
www.senatorchrislarson.com