25 new participants selected from a very competitive pool of applicants from across the state. Institute's goal is to increase the number of women community leaders who are actively involved in the public policy process.

MADISON – The Wisconsin Women’s Network (WWN) today announced the start of its sixth Policy Institute and the selection of 25 new participants. The Policy Institute is an intersectional advocacy training and leadership development program that teaches women how to be advocates in their communities. Throughout the four-month program, participants learn how to navigate Wisconsin’s legislative process in order to advance legislation to improve the lives of women and girls in Wisconsin.

For the 2017-18 Institute, participants were selected from a very competitive pool of applicants from across the state. The WWN is thrilled that the following women will participate this year: Gina Walkington of Bristol; Cyrena Martin of Brown Deer; Rachel Westenberg of Green Bay; Dawn Ankney of Kenosha; Jenna Gormel, Jill Hoiting, Kadijha Marquardt-Davis, Carol Martell, and Amanda Meloy of Madison; Ellen Pawley of Menomonee Falls; Jane Mahoney of Menomonie; Mary Criss, Linda Garcia Barnard, Gwen Mcgee, Shauntay Nelson, Krisjon Olson, Molly Schuld, and Bianca Williams of Milwaukee; Karen Tredwell of Pewaukee; Annie Knudson of Phillips; Libby Holte of Sheboygan; Lindsey Purl of Sparta; Charisse Daniels of Watertown; Kimberly Carrigan of Wauwatosa; and Ingrid Constalie of Westby.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/affordablecareact-s5.jpg“Minnesota vs Wisconsin 2018” analysis finds consumer premiums and out of pocket costs much larger and rising in Wisconsin, costs vary widely by region in both states.

Public hearing Tuesday on LAB’s WEDC audit highlighted similar concerns to two prior reports.

MADISON – The Joint Legislative Audit Committee (“Audit Committee”) held a public hearing Tuesday on the results of the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB)’s audit of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (report 17-9).

State Representatives Melissa Sargent (D-Madison) and Terese Berceau (D-Madison), members of the Audit Committee, expressed concern about the audit results and the WEDC’s continued trouble executing contracts, verifying job numbers, and complying with state statutes.

“If it feels like déjà vu to Wisconsin taxpayers, that’s because it is,” said Berceau. “WEDC should be able to account for what they’ve done with the dollars they’ve been given, but they aren’t able to, and they’ve been asked to on three separate occasions. We still have an agency that can’t tell taxpayers what they’re getting for their investment.”

The LAB’s 2017 WEDC audit reviewed Tuesday was the third audit since WEDC’s inception in 2011. The 17-9 report highlighted the WEDC’s inability to substantiate job creation and retention claims or effectively execute contracts pursuant to Wisconsin law, and failure to comply with statutory requirements for tax credit recipients to verify job creation and retention numbers.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/foxconn-deal-s5.jpgWEDC has the new responsibility of overseeing the $3 billion contract for the Foxconn deal despite a very troublesome history watching over Wisconsin’s economic development efforts while tracking job creation, administering loans and verifying their work.

Sen. Lena Taylor of Milwaukee questions new Parole Commission Chairman Daniel J. Gabler's objectivity in post.

MADISON – The Republican members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety voted last week to confirm Daniel Gabler as chairman of the Parole Commission. Chairman Gabler is responsible for the parole applications of 3,000 individuals, known as old law inmates, who were convicted prior to the 1998 Truth-in-Sentencing law.

“In light of the testimony we heard months ago during the public hearing, I am disappointed that my GOP colleagues voted to confirm Mr. Gabler,” said Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee).

“’The worst of the worst’, ‘killers and rapists,’ that’s how Mr. Gabler chose to paint the people under the old law whose applications he would be considering. It’s challenging to me that we are confirming a man with the biases he demonstrated during his hearing and who quotes such misinformation.”

Senator Taylor noted the existing backlogs in hearing parole applications, and Mr. Gabler’s failure to address the Parole Commission size reduction approved during the 2017-2019 biannual state budget.

“Mr. Gabler never stood up and said, enough is enough – we need to act on this backlog. The fact that Mr. Gabler never addressed how the staff reductions will hurt the ability of the commission to do its work is troubling.”

Senator Taylor also expressed concerns over the lack of programming offered to incarcerated citizens.

“I think we all agree that people need a plan for when they are released. The issue is the lack of programming and training that is available in our institutions. When a condition of parole is participation in programming, we need to make sure that it is available.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/healthcare2-s5.jpgCandidate for Governor Mike McCabe talks about getting everyone in Wisconsin access to high-quality and affordable medical insurance.