IT IS TIME TO BRING TRUE REPRESENTATION BACK TO THE 72ND
I AM READY FOR THE CHALLENGE, ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHANGE?
I am running for State Assembly because I believe the constituents of the 72nd deserve representation in Madison that is reflective of the true values and beliefs of our collective communities.
Now more than ever, we need leaders who will put partisan politics aside and work for the citizens of Wisconsin in a civil and responsive way that always puts people first. I am committed to being the true voice of the 72nd District and promise to bring your ideas and concerns to the table. It's time our voices are heard in Madison.
I have spent the last decade traveling to Madison to testify on issues impacting the 72nd district. I was there to speak up for teachers in 2011 when collective bargaining by state employees was attacked, and again years later when changes to prevailing wage legislation were being forced through our legislature to weaken labor unions across our state. I have testified independently and on behalf of environmental organizations on countless bad water bills that have worked their way through our legislature dismantling the proud conservation history we once held here in our beautiful state. I was also there to testify during the Lame Duck sessions that continued to rig our legislative system against what it was truly meant to be, a method of checks and balances.
Sadly, every trip had one thing in common. Our current representative completely ignored input, concerns, and requests from the constituents and put party politics, special interest groups and big money interests before his own people.
Currently, true representative government does not exist in the 72nd. It's time to change the face of who represents and fights for your interests.
LIST OF ISSUES
CLEAN WATER
I have spent the past decade fighting for clean water across this great state. Ground and surface water is a treasured resource and must be protected as such. High nitrate levels in drinking water and forever chemicals, such as PFAS, are contaminating our waters and spreading wildly. The effects of these chemicals can overload our lakes and streams with phosphorus, resulting in blue-green algae and E-coli outbreaks that can be dangerous to our health. These issues have been ignored by our legislators for far too long. It’s time to restore Wisconsin to the great conservation state it once was and protect our citizens and tourism industry by enacting proactive measures to protect our ground and surface waters from continued contamination.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
I wholeheartedly support women's right to contraception, abortion, fertility treatment, and their right to make independent choices about their individual reproductive health. The former law in Wisconsin, prior to the reversal of Roe vs Wade (Dobbs Decision) was appropriate and should be reinstated. These painful and difficult decisions should be made solely between women and their medical physicians with no interference from our government or pressure from religious organizations.
LIVABLE WAGE
The 2009 federally established minimum wage of $7.25 is not a livable wage in any district across Wisconsin. There are currently 30 states in the U.S. that have established a minimum wage higher than the federally established minimum. Unfortunately, Wisconsin is not one of them. I fully support raising the minimum wage so we can increase the economic prosperity of Wisconsinites and ensure all working-class individuals are earning a livable wage.
GUN OWNERSHIP
As a gun owner myself, I do not support taking guns away from law-abiding citizens, however, I do support common-sense gun legislation such as universal background checks by gun retailers, as well as waiting periods. I also support Red Flag laws which allow family members, coworkers, and others to petition the court to order the temporary removal of firearms from an individual's possession if they present a danger to themselves and/or others by evidence provided through their actions and words.
EDUCATION
As a former teacher, I know all too well how funding shortfalls, classroom sizes, and lack of support staff impact the overall success of our students and teacher morale within our public schools. Appropriate funding must be reinstated as well as recaptured from the financial vacuum caused by funding private school voucher programs. Taxpayer dollars must go back to funding our public school institutions as our first priority over funding for private school voucher programs.
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION
I support the full legalization of marijuana in the state of Wisconsin. Numerous states across the nation are already reaping the rewards of decriminalizing marijuana. The benefits include potential health benefits, decreasing the number of people who are incarcerated every year, and easing the backlogged court system while improving the economy. The legalization of marijuana will funnel more money into the economy, create more jobs and create new tax revenue that could be used to help fund mental health facilities.
STATEWIDE BROADBAND
In the age of advancing technology and the now daily necessity of having reliable internet access, it is unacceptable that our rural Wisconsin communities are being disregarded by broadband providers simply due to a low customer base and profit margins. The state of Wisconsin must address this issue to ensure broadband services for all our communities through legislation and potentially state-owned services.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
At a time when mental health issues and concerns are on the rise across our state, it was concerning to hear from constituents about the lack of knowledge and access to available mental health services. I support an increase in funding for mental health services and increased support for community resource centers. Providing access to services for students within our public schools is also of high priority. It is time to dissolve the stigma that is applied to mental health disorders and address them for what they are, health concerns, and provide care as necessary regardless of the diagnosis.
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
Wisconsin continues to be one of only 12 states in the U.S. to refuse federal support offered to expand Medicaid services to citizens. This is simply because the Republican-controlled legislature will not accept a program sponsored by a Democratic leader. Wisconsinites mental and physical health are declining because of partisan politics. Approximately 90,000 more Wisconsin residents would qualify for Badgercare health insurance if federal funds were accepted by the state legislature. Wisconsin citizens are dying while party politics play out in our state capitol.