Appleton Common Council Member and Northeastern Wisconsin Business Leader Launches Bid for State Senate.

Appleton, WI] - Thursday, Alderperson Kristin (Dassler) Alfheim (District 11) announced her campaign to run for Wisconsin State Senate.

“Today, I am extremely excited to launch my campaign to represent the Greater Fox Valley in the State Senate,” said Alfheim. “In the past, this district has been represented by moderate, independent thought leaders, capable of creating relationships across the aisle to address the needs of our communities and state. I want to bring rational, balanced thought back to Senate District 19.”

Alderperson Alfheim has served on the HR/IT and Community Economic Development Committees as well as the Taskforce on Resiliency, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation. She earned the respect and support of Appleton City Staff and Council Members for being a direct communicator, capable of finding common ground on tenuous issues to move forward for the people of Appleton.

As a self-employed businessperson, Alfheim has been known nationally as a leader in the Insurance and Financial Services Industry, chairing national committees on Leadership, Women’s Advancement, and Advocacy, while locally helping clients one on one and in classroom settings navigate their retirement distribution plans.

In 2019 she served as President the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) in Wisconsin, advocating for common sense tax and insurance legislation for the good of her clients. Her leadership and advocacy skills were also utilized serving on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Wisconsin for many years, serving as an Ambassador to Former Congressman Reid Ribble and Congressman Mike Gallagher.

“I consider myself a fiscally astute Democrat,” said Alfheim. “I believe in equality, science and social justice. I also believe in fiscal accountability and reducing the tax burden on the middle class. With effort, both can be accomplished.”

New coverage reports expanding mental health resources for kids.

MADISON, Wis. — In case you missed it, Governor Tony Evers stood with students, teachers, parents, and mental health professionals at schools across Wisconsin this week to deliver $15 million in funding that will be used to expand mental health resources in nearly every school district.

During his State of the State address, Gov. Evers announced the “Get Kids Ahead” initiative —  a common sense solution that will increase funding, improve and expand mental health resources in schools, and make a difference for Wisconsin’s youth. As Gov. Evers told legislators during his address, “If the folks in this room want to have real conversations about our kids’ success and achievement, then start by fully funding our schools and making sure our kids can bring their full and best selves to the classroom and to their studies. If that’s not where we’re starting this conversation, then all you’re talking about is our kids barely getting by when we should be making sure kids can get ahead.”

Schools will be able to use the funding from Gov. Evers’ “Get Kids Ahead” initiative to provide direct mental healthcare, hire and support mental health navigators, provide mental health first aid and trauma-based care training, or provide family assistance programs. 

Read more below on how Gov. Evers is doing what’s best for our kids by expanding mental health resources in schools.

Fox 11: Schools across Wisconsin receive 'Get Kids Ahead' funds to improve mental health services

• “Nearly every school district in Wisconsin is receiving funds from the state to provide school-based mental health.”

WBAY: ‘Get Kids Ahead’ initiative awards schools money for mental health programming

• “Gov. Evers is on a mission to help every district in the state get to the same level as Omro. He said every public school district in the state had the option to receive at least $10 thousand for mental health programs.”

Oshkosh Northwestern: In Omro High School visit, Evers stresses overcoming record-high mental health issues

• “At a visit to Omro High School Wednesday, Gov. Tony Evers shared the news of a $25,000 grant to the School District of Omro. Connie Bernier, the district's director of pupil services, said the grant will help continue some of the current programs in place at the school.”

CBS 58: Gov. Evers awards $966K to MPS for school-based mental health initiatives

• “Gov. Evers stopped at Journey House in Milwaukee Wednesday to talk about mental health challenges experienced by kids after two years of the pandemic. Evers announced that through his new program, the Milwaukee Public School system will receive $966,000 -- money that will be used for school-based mental health initiatives.”

Seehafer News: Local School Districts Receiving Almost $200,000 for Mental Health Initiative

• “Six public school districts in Manitowoc County are receiving a combined $194,000 from the state for the purpose of Gov. Tony Evers’ Get Kids Ahead initiative.”

WEAU: Gov. Evers visits Northstar Middle School, speaks on student mental health

• “The “Get Kids Ahead” initiative is set to allocate $15 million to schools to combat mental health problems in children around the state.”

Republican Senator has voted against providing help five different times, often citing deficit concerns that don’t seem apparent when passing budget-busting tax favors.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisconsin-senate_s5.jpgJeff Smith writes about some of the most memorable highlights from the many committees he's served on during his first term as state senator.

While Republicans Plan to Raise Taxes on Working Wisconsinites

MADISON, Wis. – This week, President Biden announced his budget for Fiscal Year 2023 which will reduce our country’s deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade, advance safety and security at home and around the world, and make the investments needed to build a better America. The budget will also impose a new Billionaire Minimum Income Tax on the top .01 percent of Americans, to ensure that the wealthiest in this country pay their fair share and alleviate pressure on working families.

Meanwhile, Republicans have embraced Senator Ron Johnson and Rick Scott’s GOP agenda to raise taxes on 32% of Wisconsinites and sunset Social Security and Medicare in five years.

“While Republicans like Ron Johnson have spent years cozying up to billionaires and rigging the tax code to provide breaks to himself and his biggest donors, President Biden and Democrats are working to lower costs for working families by simply asking the wealthy to pay their fair share,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler. “The difference couldn’t be more clear: while Democrats are laser-focused on lowering costs for working families, the Republican Party is running on an agenda that would hike taxes on 32% of our state and gut health care protections for those living with pre-existing conditions.”

While even Senator Scott himself cannot defend his own GOP plan to raise taxes on over half of Americans and sunset the Social Security and Medicaid programs Wisconsinites rely on, President Biden’s Billionaire Minimum Income Tax would level the playing field and ensure equitable taxes for the wealthiest in our country – only applying to the top one-one hundredth of one percent (0.01 percent) of American households.

For a full breakdown of President Biden’s Billionaire Minimum Income Tax, see HERE.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/kristin-lyerly-md-commitment-s450.jpgGreen Bay Physician and HealthCare activist takes on Ron Johnson’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away protections for pre-existing conditions from Wisconsinites.

2015: Kleefisch-Walker Administration Slashed $250 Million From UW System

MADISON, Wis. - A couple of years after the Walker-Kleefisch administration’s storied $800 million cuts from K-12 education in 2011, they decided it was time to slash funding for the University of Wisconsin System.

Rebecca Kleefisch supported the 2015 budget that cut funding from the UW System by $250 million. This reduction in funding led to professors losing their jobs, cuts in student employment hours, and insufficient mentoring through advisors for students.

This cut is only slightly smaller than the original budget proposal that even Republican lawmakers thought went too far.

The UW System plays a critical role in Wisconsin’s economy, with 40,000 employees and more than 165,000 students across the state. According to a study from 2018, the university system has a $24 billion overall economic impact on Wisconsin and generates or supports nearly 167,000 jobs. Investing in quality, affordable higher education for Wisconsinites is the right thing to do for our kids and for our economy.

Unlike Rebecca Kleefisch, Governor Evers has increased the state’s investment in the UW System. Just this year, the governor announced $25 million to support tuition freezes for the next two years and $5 million to increase campus mental health services.

“Rebecca Kleefisch is clearly not supportive of Wisconsin students,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “The Walker-Kleefisch administration slashed funding to public education in Wisconsin, from K-12 to the college level. The University of Wisconsin System is a crucial part of Wisconsin’s continued economic success — if we want our schools to be funded and our students to thrive, we need to re-elect Gov. Evers in 2022.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wi-senate-swearing-in-s5.jpgJeff Smith writes about the origin of his mobile office hours known as “Stop & Talks.” It’s always been important to be accessible to the people you are elected to serve and he's glad to be hosting more of Stop & Talks now that the weather is warming up!

2011: $800 Million Cut From K-12 Learning

MADISON, Wis. - With local school board elections a little over a week away, Rebecca Kleefisch is once again trying to bring her radical brand of politics to the classroom by  handpicking local school board candidates. All week, WisDems will be showing how the Walker-Kleefisch administration drastically defunded Wisconsin’s public schools and wreaked havoc on our state’s education system.

It all started with the first Walker-Kleefisch budget, which made the biggest cuts to public education in Wisconsin’s history.

In 2011 alone, the administration cut over $800 million from public education in Wisconsin and limited localities' abilities to collect revenue in order to make up the difference.

Under Kleefisch’s war on schools: teachers couldn’t afford to buy supplies, slowing graduation rates caused Wisconsin’s schools to drop seven spots nationally, the achievement gap between Black and white students graduating high school was the highest in the nation, and Wisconsin had a historic teacher shortage.

Since taking office, Governor Evers has worked hard to make Wisconsin’s schools stronger and better than they were four years ago. Gov. Evers has increased funding for schools by restoring the state’s two-thirds funding commitment and signing the first special education funding increase in over a decade. He’s also investing money to recruit and train high-quality teachers in schools across the state. Today, our K-12 schools are now ranked eighth in the nation.

“Rebecca Kleefisch isn’t interested in lifting up local schools — she wants to use kids as political pawns in her battle for power,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “In 2011, her administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars to public education and passed legislation that resulted in a historic teacher shortage and widened achievement gaps. Today, her message is the same: Rebecca Kleefisch will defund public schools in Wisconsin.”

Kleefisch, Nicholson, and Ramthun All Support Banning Abortions With No Exceptions, Would Let 1849 Ban Stay If Roe Is Overturned

MADISON, Wis. - Access to health care is on the ballot in 2022, and if any of the candidates in the Republican primary become governor, Wisconsin could see an 1849 ban on abortion go into effect.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today that Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, and Tim Ramthun all “want to ban most abortions and say they do not want to create exceptions for rape and incest.”

If Roe vs. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court, Wisconsin could turn back the clock to 1849 with legislation that made most abortions illegal.

Kleefisch already has a record of radical work against abortion access from her time as lieutenant governor, when she helped take away critical reproductive health care services from Wisconsinites. She also has agreed that survivors of rape should “turn lemons into lemonade.”

During his last failed campaign, Nicholson received a perfect “100 percent” rating from the group Pro-Life Wisconsin, with Nicholson promising to support all of their demands, including banning abortion “in all cases,” with no exceptions for rape, incest, or when a mother’s life is in jeopardy.

And last but not least, Ramthun once voted against a bill banning abortion in Wisconsin because it wasn’t extreme enough.

It’s not just abortion that’s at stake - these candidates’ extreme agenda for our health care could outlaw forms of contraception, jeopardize fertility treatments like IVF, and strip access to basic health care for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites, including cancer screenings, birth control, and STD testing and treatment.

Access to abortion is one of the clearest contrasts between the Republican candidates and  Governor Evers, who wants to make it easy to safely access an abortion and has stood as a strong line of defense against bills that attack reproductive rights.

Read more about how Republicans want to roll back reproductive rights in Wisconsin below.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin candidates for governor offer sharp differences on abortion as Supreme Court weighs the future of the procedure

Abortion could wind up as a central issue in the race for governor.

The U.S. Supreme Court this summer will decide whether to keep in place the Roe v. Wade decision. A ruling overturning it could immediately reinstate Wisconsin's 19th-century law banning almost all abortions.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said he believes abortion should be easily accessible. His Republican opponents want to ban most abortions and say they do not want to create exceptions for rape and incest.

The issue offers one of the starkest differences between Evers and his opponents.

[...]

The Republicans running for governor — former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, management consultant Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun — don’t want to create additional exceptions if Wisconsin’s abortion ban is reinstated.

"I would see no change and I would be happy that we would be protecting the unborn," Kleefisch said when asked if she would want to create exemptions from an abortion ban for rape, incest or the health of a woman.

Nicholson struck a similar tone.

"Whatever legislation moves the ball forward and protecting more innocent life, I'm for it. And so I'm not looking to add exceptions to anything," he said in an interview.

Ramthun in a campaign video said he opposed any exceptions to an abortion ban.

“I am hardcore, 100% pro-life without exceptions,” he said.

“Every child conceived should not have to pay — should not have to pay — for the sins of their parents. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a right we should all have from conception to the day we stop breathing and go to the lord and everywhere in between.”

[...]

Evers would likely veto any new limits while his opponents would welcome them.

Texas recently adopted a law that limits abortion when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, around six weeks. Prosecutors and other government officials can’t enforce the ban, but private individuals can receive bounties if they sue doctors who perform abortions and those who help women obtain them.

The law was set up that way to make it harder to bring a lawsuit to block the ban. The approach has worked in that the ban has gone into place even though it is at odds with Roe and other court decisions.

Kleefisch and Nicholson said they supported banning abortion at six weeks but not the provision that allows private citizens to bring lawsuits.

[...]

Ramthun in February joined about two dozen other Republican lawmakers in co-sponsoring a Texas-style bill that would allow private citizens to sue doctors who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The bill never made it to the floor of the Assembly or Senate before the legislative session ended this month.

Evers has broadly supported abortion rights. When he first ran for governor in 2018, Evers said if abortion were banned in Wisconsin, he would pardon doctors who performed the procedure. He said then that he would veto legislation to ban abortion after six weeks.

During his time in office, Evers has vetoed legislation that would ban abortions based on sex, reduce government funding for organizations that offer abortion services and give lifetime prison sentences to doctors if they do not provide medical care to babies who are born after attempted abortions. Evers has said Wisconsin already has laws in place to ensure doctors who don’t provide medical care are prosecuted.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again today: as long as I'm governor, I will veto any legislation that turns back the clock on reproductive rights in this state — and that's a promise,” Evers said in a written statement he issued in December when he vetoed abortion restrictions.

[...]