Progressive Thinking

We need to build a brighter future for working families, seniors, small-business owners and family farms in Wisconsin. The wealthy and corporations have had enough tax relief.

LA CROSSE, WI - Wisconsin families are working harder than ever. But many are finding that no matter how much they sacrifice or how many hours they put in, they live every day on the verge of economic and financial insecurity. The burden of rising student loan debt, the outsourcing of jobs, and the ever increasing costs of health insurance and child care are making it difficult for families to get ahead.

Despite these challenges, we know a path to success, and we don’t have to look far for solutions. It starts with restoring tax fairness for the middle class, closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, and eliminating tax breaks for corporations that lay off workers and ship jobs out of state.

Gov. Tony Evers has made it clear that his state budget will include real tax relief for hardworking families by rolling back Republican tax giveaways to millionaires and corporations. At a time when infant care costs more than tuition at a University of Wisconsin school, Republicans continue to defend tax giveaways for corporations that don’t pay a single dollar in income taxes.

Think about that for a second: Corporations can claim a tax credit that isn’t tied to job creation, and they pay nothing in income taxes. These are the same corporations that rely on Wisconsin’s workforce, roads, hospitals and community services. Yet this credit lets them avoid their fair share of investments in our state.

Another loophole that has plagued municipalities of all sizes across the state is the dark store loophole. This loophole allows large corporate retailers to shift their tax liability onto Main Street businesses and local homeowners. It’s one of the reasons we saw a jump in property taxes last year.

Gov. Evers has vowed to close this loophole in his budget and prioritize tax fairness for seniors and working families.

Our economy works best when we level the playing field, strengthen communities, support local businesses and expand economic opportunities.

As we seek to build a brighter future for everyone in our state, Democrats are focused on the important issues at hand: sustainable tax relief for working families, seniors, small-business owners and family farms. It’s refreshing to be in a new era with a governor who is listening to the people and working to make our state a place where the next generation wants to live, work and raise a family.

Wisconsin residents made it clear they are tired of divide and conquer politics, but Republican leaders chose to ignore them.

MADISON - At a young age, we’re taught about good sportsmanship. Win or lose, you shake hands with your opponent and tell them ‘good game.’

Within a day of victory, Gov.-elect Tony Evers reached out to Republican leaders in the Senate and Assembly, extending an olive branch with a genuine sincerity to put the election in the rear view mirror, find common ground and get to work for the people of Wisconsin.

Rather than be gracious in defeat, Republicans responded with sweeping proposals to consolidate more power, eliminate checks and balances, and restrict access to voting in future elections.

On November 6th, Wisconsin residents made it clear they are tired of divide and conquer tactics and want to see positive change. Yet despite overwhelming public opposition, Republicans continued their pursuit to weaken the incoming administration in an overnight marathon session while the rest of the state was sleeping.

This is the kind of cynical politics and antics that are harming our country.

584 dairy farms have shut down their operations this year. Wisconsin roads and bridges are among the worst in the nation. And Wisconsin schools are grappling with years of state funding cuts. Why on earth are Republicans more focused with clinging to power than working to solve these issues?

While Gov. Walker had an opportunity to show true leadership by accepting his defeat and vetoing these bills, he continued his legacy of division and signed them into law.

Instead of bringing our state together to support student, families, and seniors, Gov. Walker and Republican leaders have chosen to cement their record of bad sportsmanship and complete disregard for the democratic process.

Crumbling roads, deteriorating highways and structurally unsafe bridges have created headaches for Wisconsin drivers.

MADISON, WI – Senator Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) offered the weekly Democratic radio address today.

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here.

A written transcript of the address is below:

“Hi, I’m State Senator Jennifer Shilling with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.

“As the summer travel season continues, so have the headaches for Wisconsin drivers.

“Crumbling roads, deteriorating highways and structurally unsafe bridges have created a dangerous situation.

“After eight years of Republican budgeting, Wisconsin has over 2,800 bridges that need repairs and our roads are among the worst in the nation.

“Even the Republican chair of the state’s budget committee admitted that “The roads in Illinois are better than in Wisconsin.”

“Rather than delaying projects and laying off workers, Democrats are pushing to prioritize community safety and expand economic opportunities across our state.

“We’re proud to stand with the overwhelming majority of Wisconsin workers, families and businesses who want a responsible, long-term funding solution to repair our crumbling roads and improve transportation safety.

“If you’ve noticed how bad our roads have become, then you know it’s time to #JustFixIt and build toward a brighter future.

“Thank you.”

June is Dairy Month, and we need to thank all the hardworking dairy producers, milk processors, and local farm families that make Wisconsin “America’s Dairyland.”

LA CROSSE, WI - I don’t know about you, but my family always enjoys the month of June. Not just because school is out, but because June is Dairy Month in Wisconsin!

It’s a time for us to celebrate all of our hardworking dairy producers, milk processors, and local farm families that make Wisconsin “America’s Dairyland.”

Over the past month, you may have taken advantage of the family-friendly activities, including parades, cheese tastings, and my favorite – dairy breakfasts on the farm.

These events highlight the importance of our farming heritage and are a great way to learn more about where our food comes from. This month also serves as a reminder to ask ourselves how we can better support local farmers and strengthen our communities.

Years of Republican policies that favor large corporations over smaller family farms and drive down milk prices are having detrimental impacts on our local communities.

Wisconsin has been losing dairy farms at an alarming rate – roughly 1.5 farms lost every day since 2011 – and our state has led the Midwest region in farm bankruptcies in 7 of the past 8 years.

Over the past few months I have listened to local farmers about the economic issues affecting them and the struggles they face with volatile markets. The reckless trade war imposed by President Trump is undermining our economic potential, adding more strain on family farms, and having a devastating impact on our local communities.

In the legislature, Democrats have championed successful initiatives like Farm to School and the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program. We’ve fought to expand health care access, invest in broadband infrastructure and protect funding for UW-Extension agents who work one-on-one with area farmers.

By promoting financial security and expanding economic opportunities, we can support Wisconsin’s family farmers and ensure everyone can enjoy healthy, affordable and locally-grown food options.

I want to thank the families in La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon and Crawford counties and all across the state for opening their farms to the public and hosting delicious and nutritious breakfasts. Their dedication to farming does not go unnoticed and I look forward to continued discussions on how to improve the lives of Wisconsin farmers.

Sunday is Earth Day. For our children and grandchildren to enjoy the same opportunities we have, we need to safeguard access to clean water, land and air and prevent special interests from taking unfair advantage of our environment on every day.

LA CROSSE, WI - It is hard not to celebrate Earth Day without a sense of pride. It was, after all, founded by former Wisconsin Governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson. Created as a day for Americans to recognize environmental issues and promote conservation, the first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970.

Nelson paved the way for some of the most important environmental protections in Wisconsin and ushered in a new era of progressive stewardship. At a time when few would listen, he knew that our environment was something to be treasured and not taken for granted.

After seeing public frustration over dilapidated state parks, the exploitation of public resources by private industry, and the unchecked pollution of waterways, Nelson took decisive action. As Governor, he created the Department of Natural Resources, established a Youth Conservation Corps, and funded the Outdoor Recreation Action Program to preserve land for public parks and wilderness areas.

A visionary of his time, Nelson knew that economic prosperity didn’t have to come at the expense of our clean air, land and water. Unfortunately, a recent report revealed that Wisconsin has dropped as a leader in conservation and many fear our proud history of environmental stewardship is in jeopardy.

Years of Republican policies that roll back environmental protections are having a detrimental impact on our communities and creating an unfair balance between the rights of the public and special interests. Republicans have tipped the scale for corporations at the expense of local residents and communities. Nowhere is this imbalance more obvious than the Republican giveaway to Foxconn, which exempts the corporation from state environmental protections, increases air pollution, and diverts up to 7 million gallons of water a day from Lake Michigan.

Republicans also eliminated vital wetlands protections, increased flooding risks, and compromised water quality. After back-to-back summers of severe flooding across the state, communities need wetlands more than ever to absorb excess flood waters and protect public safety.

With warmer temperatures and summer just around the corner, people from all over will travel to our state parks and beaches to enjoy the scenic outdoors. From hunting and fishing to tourism and recreation, Wisconsin’s unique natural beauty is a major driving force behind the success of local communities and sustainable economic opportunities for families. Simply put, clean water, land and air are essential to our way of life.

For our children and grandchildren to enjoy the same opportunities we have, we need to safeguard access to clean water, land and air and prevent special interests from taking unfair advantage of our environment. This Earth Day, Democrats want to continue Gaylord Nelson’s legacy. Together, we can protect our quality of life, stop the degradation of our environment and advance policies that ensure a better future for everyone.