Early Vote Review by GAB
Elections and participation in them are core activities of the League. The WI Accountability Board (GAB) is asking for input.
Some of the issues on which the GAB is asking for citizen input are: early vote review, options for early vote, and the 5 year plan for GAB election.
The hearing will be held July 23 with the site to be deterimned. Please feel free to write to the GAB about this subject.
New Supreme Court Ruling an Important Step In Reform
Any citizen who appears in court has a right to a fair and impartial hearing. But campaign spending in recent Wisconsin and other states have left that impartiality in doubt.
Will the judge deliver justice based on the law or on who makes the largest campaign gift?
On June 8 the Supremem Coourt delivered a decision about how much influence special interests will have. The Court ruled that heavy campaign financing will lead to recusal of the judge.
In Wisconsin, there is progress toward these reforms:
- The State Justices unanimously approved public financing of Judicial campaigns,
- The state Government Accountability Board unanimously approved a reule requiring special interest groups to report all campaign advertising
- The LWV Education fund along with the Wis. Democracy Campaign and Common Cause in Wisconsin have asked the court to establish rules for recusal
These changes, some of which are in the form of bills before the State Legislature, will restore public confidence in Wisconsin's progressive tradition of elections and justice.
Report From the LWVMC Natural Resources Committee
Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming,
Executive Order 191
The Governor's Task Force on Global Warming (GTFGW) is developing policy options that may reduce green house gas emissions. There are six working groups, each of which have developed a Policy Template using committee members and public comment.
The work groups are
- Conservation and Energy Efficiency,
- Transportation, Carbon Tax/Cap and Trade,
- Electric Generation and Supply, Forestry and Agriculture and Industry.
Ad-hoc groups handle issues that cross boundaries including Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal, Co-Generation, and Sustainability. The Policy Templates can be found at the following website Development of Policy Templates will be an ongoing process.
During the LWVMCNR Committee meeting on January 28, 2008, the Templates were reviewed and discussed and the many members of each work group were identified. Future regulations and legislation may come from the ideas generated by the working groups. Evidently through this process many specific protocols and endpoints may be developed for all GHG emitting entities. This is an attempt to fairly establish GHG reduction goals for all sectors of the WI economy public and private.
Mission
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
League's State Study on Election Administration
Protecting the rights of voters to have their votes count the same as anyone else's votes is part of the League's on-going activity. The State League has been studying the complex issue of Election Administration. The Project of Election Law @ Mortiz at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law has completed an important study on election administration in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. From Registration to Recounts: The Elections Ecosystems of Five Midwestern States , (202 pages in a pdf file) can be read here online or downloaded for reading on your own computer. The study is important because it is using the most recent, available data. It is copyright 2007 and was released in December 2007.
These two very short articles are a good summary of the election administration in Wisconsin.
The League of Women Voters of MIlwaukee County is actively working with the State League to insure fair and open elections.
Water Quality Issues in SE Wisconsin & the League's Position
After 2 years of meetings, the SE Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission issued its
Water Quality Management Plan Update. With approval from the required governmental bodies this update will become part of the overall plan.
This is a critical piece of a future of cleaner water. The Milwaukee County League's Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Dr. Jennifer Runquist, developed a set of concerns based on adopted League positions. These follow a summary of the plan.
Revised League Position on Energy
After much discussion and work the State League adopted a Revised Policy on Energy The Milwaukee County League's Natural Resources Committee was responsible for organizing and refining the new position. This important issue has serious consequences for us, our children and grandchildren, or, as the Native People say: "unto the 7th generation". The policy is sensible and workable. You can use this policy when talking with State Legislators.
Connect the Dots to Campaign Finance Reform
There is a new web site that lets you see the sources of campaign contributions and cross match them with legislators' votes. The League has long advocated campaign finance reform. This new site MapLight gives us a new, powerful tool. Right now it is flooded with visitors. Wait for odd hours or for a few days and try it again if you find it too busy. This is an amazing use of the web. There is a 6 minute presentation on how it works and the different kinds of cross-referencing you can do.
State By State Analysis of the Economy for Women
The Institute for Women's Policy Research in Washington, DC, has released a paper on "Best and Worst State Economies for Women". Wisconsin rates a "C". You can
download the entire 28 page report here. Right-click on the title of the report (underlined) and choose "save".
Because women are the parents who usually are the caretakers for children, the economy has a more severe impact impact on women and their families.
Mission / Service / Impact
The League of Women Voters Milwaukee County makes democracy work. The League is an effective education and advocacy organization working on issues of importance to Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin and the entire country.
The League of Women Voters is a national organization of women and men with chapters in all 50 states. For more than 80 years the League has provided thoroughly researched information to voters and has taken strong stands on the issues of the day. The League is a respected, nonpartisan organization focusing on issues, voter education and issue advocacy.
We invite you to take a look at our newsletters to see what we have been doing in the past couple years. You will see that the League has been active at the local, state and national levels of government. The League has taken stands on issues like campaign finance reform, civil liberties, nondiscrimination, affordable childcare and healthcare, the right to privacy in reproductive health, mental health parity, stewardship of natural resources, and land use reform. Above all the League strives to provide voters with the facts they need to make informed decisions. You can certainly help by volunteering a little time to the work of the League. |
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Latest News
Become a Statewide Deputy Registrar
The most fundamental participation in our democracy is voting. You can help people exercise this right.
A new rule by the Government Accountability Board makes it possible for any qualified voter in the state to become a deputy registrar to register voters. No matter where you live, you can register voters from any part of the state. This means that the Milwaukee County League has started registering new citizens at the naturalization cerimonies held at the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee. For more information or to sign up for training, contact us
info@lwvmilwaukee.org
Wisconsin League approves Milwaukee County League's Predatory Lending Recommendations
At the annual meeting, June 7, of the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, the Predatory Lending Policy Recommendations were approved. This means that the League can now lobby when predatory lending bills are introduced in the Legislature. For a copy of the recommendations please Click Here or see the May/June issue of League Lines
April 22 Equal Pay Day Shows Women Still Lagging
Women now earn 77 cents for every $1 men earn. The Equal Pay Act was passed by Congress 40 years ago. Here are 2 recent, short reports on pay equity from the Institute for Women's Policy Research:
1. The Gender Wage Ratio
2. Still A Man's Labor Market: The Long-Term Earnings Gap
National Study of Immigration Policy -- Resources
The National League has compiled study materials for use with the national immigration policy study. It is a complex issue with ramifications from the federal to the local community level.
League Members Deputized
More than 20 League of Women Voters of MIlwaukee County members attended trainig to become State Deputy Voter Registrars. All were sworn in after the pilot training on February 16, 2008. These Leaguers can now register voters anywhere in the State of Wisconsin. Want more information? info@lwvmilwaukee.org
Hot New Video on Resources
This 20 minute video called, "The Story of Stuff" is even being mentioned positively by ZDNet, a business-oriented email newsletter. Click here Find out the true cost of the stuff you buy in people and resources. The video is designed to be interactive so you can move from chapter to chapter in the order you want. If you have slow web connection leave a message for "info" (upper right corner of this page) for a CD. The video is freely distributable.
Nov. 5, League President Writes Wisconsin Chief Justice on Redistricting
The League has spent years studying the issues involved in legislative redistricting. The League has a long history of advocating for better procedures and has been involved in litigation on redistricting.
Click Here to read the entire letter.
Housing Trust Fund Gets 21 Requests for $2.5 million
The Housing Trust Fund in the City of MIlwaukee received 21 requests for funds by the deadline. That amounts to $2.5 million in housing for low & moderate income families. The League was one of the sponsors of the effort to establish the fund. League members showed up (in the rain) on a Saturday to help build a cardboard condo across the street from Milwaukee's City Hall.
State League Concurs with Local Study on Payday Lending
At the State League convention in Green Bay earlier this summer, the other League chapters in the state concured with the the Milwaukee County chapter against payday lending. practices. Also included were car title loans, refund anticiaption loans and their relatives.
August 2006
Read the questions put to the Chairman of Wisconsin's Public Service Commission by the League -- along with his answers.
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