http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wi-senate-swearing-in-s448.jpgLast week, the Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to raise the pay of public defenders and district attorneys. This step can help restore confidence in the Legislature’s ability to get the people’s work accomplished.

League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, other organizations, file amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court to require the state legislature to redraw the voting maps in time for the 2018 elections.

MADISON – The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin joined other organizations this week in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Gill v. Whitford, the case in which a federal district court ruled the Wisconsin Assembly districts unconstitutional based on partisan gerrymandering. The brief calls on the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court ruling which requires the state legislature to redraw the voting maps in time for the 2018 elections. The brief can be found here.

The amicus brief demonstrates how Wisconsin’s 2011 redistricting has resulted in legislation that is much more extreme than would be expected from a more typical shift in the majority from one party to another. By creating “safe districts” in which a particular party is assured of victory in elections, the gerrymandered districts insulate lawmakers from accountability to their constituents.

“We have seen a serious breakdown in the legislative process in recent years. We have seen a bill that appeared to be traceable back to the desire of one wealthy donor. We have seen cases where thousands of constituent calls and emails were simply ignored. This is running roughshod over democracy,” said Andrea Kaminski, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.

The brief demonstrates the ill effects of gerrymandering specifically on legislation related to government accountability, funding for public education and protection of our natural resources. The League holds positions in all of these areas and is active in the State Capitol working to pass policies that are responsive to the needs of the public.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisc-leaving-s5.jpgFamilies losing hope as Wisconsin suffers through another dismal jobs report.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisc-capitol-dome-s5.jpgHere is what happened in the Capitol last week as the Legislature finalized the state budget.