LWVMC in Greater Milwaukee Foundation Magazine
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF), the oldest and largest community foundation in Wisconsin, has been a generous funder of LWVMC for the past few years. The League is featured in the Winter 2025 issue of the Foundation's magazine. See page 13 at this link.
LWVMC President Peg Schrader commented, "I want to reiterate our organization's sincere gratitude for the support and guidance we have received from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. We view this partnership as critical to expanding the league's voter engagement efforts and to protecting our democracy." | Here are the working links to register for the events shown in the image above:
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LGBTQ+ Action Needed: AB 103 & SB 120
Wisconsin bills AB 103 and SB 120 address how public schools handle a student’s name and pronouns.
Names and pronouns are not just administrative details — they are central to how an individual student is recognized, respected, and able to be their authentic self in school.
You can still take action. Written testimony and direct contact with legislators remain important and can influence how these bills move forward.
Interested in joining or learning more? Contact Kaye Vance K.Vance@lwvmilwaukee.org or Mary Newby M.Newby@LWVMilwaukee.org
Progress isn’t always loud — but it is happening. And together, we keep it moving forward. |
To stay informed about legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community and track advocacy efforts, visit Fair Wisconsin’s Bills to Watch page:
https://fairwisconsin.com/bills-to-watch
To identify and contact your state legislators and relevant committee members, use MyVote Wisconsin:
https://myvote.wi.gov
Speaking up matters.
LGBTQ+ ... All Letters Matter!
|  | | LOCAL ACTION
Data Center Moratorium in City of Milwaukee - This item may be before the City’s Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee at their Jan 13 meeting. If so, I will be sending an Action Alert to LWVMC members who are City residents asking them to support the measure - based on an LWVUS Urban Policy position “...it is in the national interest to promote the well-being of America’s cities.” As reported in the Dec. 20th issue of Urban Milwaukee, Alderwoman Dimitrijevich’s proposal seeks “proactive standards and careful regulation” of data centers and is ”not anti-AI, anti-technology or anti-development.”
Report Back on County Resolutions - The two resolutions before the County Board on Dec 18, 2025 passed unanimously. The County is now on record to a) support data center accountability and transparency and b) to engage outside counsel on a contingency basis to initiate lawsuits against companies i) that engaged in practices resulting in contamination by PFAS and ii) that contribute to climate change - all to protect Milwaukee County residents from the negative effects of PFAS and climate change. Thanks to all who contacted their County Supervisor in support of the resolutions.
Nov. 22nd program, Addressing Climate Change in Milwaukee County - Video and Slides now available on our LWVMC website homepage, lwvmilwaukee.org. Please share with family and friends.
LOOKING AHEAD
Jan 24, 9-11am - LWVMC Climate Action Group, Planning for 2026. Members interested in addressing climate change, including all CAG Steering Committee members, will gather in person, location to be determined. Draft Agenda coming next week.
Feb 19, 6 pm - LWV Ozaukee and Washington Counties, Cedarburg Library--Protecting and Preserving our Great Lakes, hosted by their LWVOzWa Youth Vote Group. More info here.
| Natural Resources Committee Meeting - January 14
Please join the Natural Resources Committee on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Our next meeting will be held on January 14 at 6 p.m. by Zoom. We will address Carol Diggelman’s suggestions for local League programming about the pros and cons of energy choices in Wisconsin. There will be updates from key members tracking various natural resources issues in Wisconsin. Co-chairs are Carol Diggelman, Louise Petering, and Ann Batiza. Please feel free to contact us at a.batiza@lwvmilwaukee.org.
| Yes! Protest Rallies are Happening During the Winter
Why do protests matter?
Visible resistance is essential so the government and its supporters see the number of citizens who don’t agree with their actions. Nonviolent visible protest activity encourages those sitting on the sidelines to join in.
Here is the link to the listing of ongoing weekly protests: Protest Rallies | |
Seeking Protest Co-Chairs
We are looking for 2-3 people to work alongside Unite & Rise Protest Committee Chair Bridgit Hansen. Responsibilities include identifying protest opportunities, setting up and running protest sign-making parties, gathering League protestors at events and taking pictures. With more leaders we can participate in more events and draw more people into resisting the unconstitutional actions of the administration. | | |
- Are you creative, organized and collaborative?
- Do you have good communication skills for guiding participants and ensuring everyone feels included?
- Are you able to take photos with your phone that will reflect the groups’ spirit?
- Do you have the enthusiasm and commitment to bring people together around supporting our Constitution?
If so, please email Bridgit Hansen at b.hansen@lwvmilwaukee.org. Let’s talk! |  | Protest with Brookfield Resist
Saturday, January 10, 10:30-Noon
For this demonstration we will line up along W. Bluemound Rd between Reinders Dr and Thomas La. Sign up below for more detailed information.
Sign up for the “Signs of Fascism” display (see below) and protest alongside fellow League member Donna Spars.
Now that Santa and his reindeer are relaxing in the Bahamas, it’s time to start creating some good trouble again.
The administration is destroying America and betraying our values. The Supreme Court has the power to stand up to the lawlessness but has chosen instead to give the president the powers of a king. Congress refuses to do anything about it. Fortunately for us, we have the power to “Vote them out in 2026.” Let’s start reminding everyone that voting is their superpower.
You can participate in this event in one of several ways.
SIGN UP HERE |  | | A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOWS. | | Voter Registration Volunteers Needed!
The Library Outreach team is starting the year with several Voter Registration events in honor of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr holiday. We are organizing events that will be held in January at the following library locations:
- Washington Park
- Zablocki
- Mitchell Street
- Greendale
We are looking for volunteers to support some of these voter registration drives. Click here to find dates, times and locations for open slots. We are sure to be adding more as dates are confirmed, so check back often for new opportunities! |  | | Join the Observer Corp! Observe Local Government in Action!
The Observer Corp:
· Is a structured way for citizens to become involved in their community by observing and reporting on local government meetings.
· Promotes open, transparent, and accountable government.
· Educates the public about issues impacting their communities and their lives.
If you are:
· Interested in local government and/or the issues being discussed,
· Able to report and summarize proceedings in an objective, nonpartisan manner,
· A good listener, discreet and courteous,
JOIN US! Help ensure that the public and the League are aware of the decisions that impact us.
Observer Responsibilities:
· Commit to attending a Milwaukee City or County Committee meeting 1-2 times a month, in-person or virtually. (Most meetings are recorded.)
· Take notes and report back to the Observer Corp Chair. | The LWVMC Speakers Bureau is actively seeking members interested in speaking to community groups about voting, defending democracy, and our advocacy positions. Whether you’ve been heavily involved in our chapter or are brand new to the LWVMC, we invite you to consider becoming a speaker for the LWVMC Speakers Bureau. We have presentations about the League and its work around voting and defending democracy, and about the history of voting rights that we want to share widely within the community. Maybe you have a topic of civics education that you are passionate about and willing to share with others. We have training and support to prepare you!
Please contact Heather Godley at speakersbureau@lwvmilwaukee.org with your interest and/or your questions. |  | A New Tax Benefit for LWVMC Donations
A recent federal tax law change makes charitable giving more attractive. Starting in 2026 (for returns filed in 2027 and later years), taxpayers can deduct all or part of their charitable contributions, even if they don’t itemize but instead take the standard deduction. Single filers can deduct $1,000, and married couples filing jointly can deduct $2,000. To take advantage of this new benefit, contributions must be made in cash; donations in stock or other property will not count. Also, contributions to donor-advised funds and to private foundations will not count.To put this change – part of the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) – into context, let’s back up a little:
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Tax law enacted in 2017 significantly increased the standard deduction, causing many Americans (some experts say as many as 90% of all filers) to forgo itemizing expenses such as mortgage interest, property taxes, and charitable contributions because the standard deduction was higher. For 2026, for example, the standard deduction for single filers is $16,100 and, for married couples filing jointly, is $32,200. Many taxpayers aged 65 and older may take additional deductions.
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One effect has been that many people who previously contributed to charities stopped giving or reduced their giving – because doing so no longer benefited them from a tax perspective. (A temporary and small tax incentive to encourage charitable giving was in effect earlier this decade, but it expired after two years.)
This new deduction primarily benefits middle- and lower-income taxpayers – because they are the ones who typically take the standard deduction, rather than itemizing. Other provisions of the OBBBA could affect the charitable giving of those who itemize their deductions, high-income taxpayers, and corporations.
The LWVMC, a 501(c)(3) organization, thanks all of its donors for their generosity. Our goal here is to provide an overview of one new tax advantage but, because each person’s tax situation is different and we are not in the business of giving tax advice, we urge you to seek advice from a professional.
Final note: Did you make a gift in response to the LWVMC’s year-end 2025 appeal? If not, please do so by January 31 – any donation by that date will count toward our goal for that appeal, AND you may be able to take advantage of the new deduction opportunity described above. |  |  | | The deadline for filing nomination papers to run for local office was this week. After nomination papers are certified, our LWVMC Community Volunteers reach out to the municipal and school board clerks to identify the candidates that will be running for local offices. If there are more than two candidates for an office, there will be a primary election for that race. Our Community Volunteers have begun their vital work this week of contacting clerks to get the candidate names and contact information for races in the 2026 Spring Election. After candidate information is entered into the VOTE411 system, the tech team sends them letters of invitation to participate in the Voter Guide. Candidates answer questions about their candidacy that educate voters about their positions on issues before voters cast their ballots in the election.
VOTE411 is a great voter education tool for local elections where it can be difficult to know the candidates and what they stand for.
Watch for the 2026 Spring Election Online Voter Guide to be published on January 27! |  | | Organized by
The Women’s March
On January 20 at 2:00pm local time, we will walk out of work, school, and commerce because a Free America begins the moment we stop cooperating with fascism. | | | I refuse to accept raids, purges, surveillance, and fear as the new normal. I will help block the routines of power, support my community, and take action with courage and care.
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I pledge to organize with my neighbors, classmates, and coworkers.
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I pledge to defend our rights, our bodies, and our future.
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I pledge to help build the world we deserve—one where everyone eats, everyone belongs, and nobody is left behind.
This is a protest and a promise. I’m in.
PLEDGE | Long-term I-94 Construction May Affect Office Access
Prepare for road closures along east-west I-94 as a seven-year construction project begins in November. The construction will expand I-94 to four lanes in each direction, reconstruct the Hawley Road Interchange as a half-interchange, and reconstruct the 68th Street/70th Street Interchange, according to WisDOT. Drivers are advised to check the project's website and plan alternate routes. | Lots of Ways to Support Local Democracy and Your League. Thank You! | Follow us on Social Media! | You have received this message from the mailing list of League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. If you would prefer not to receive these emails in the future, go to the opt-out page and modify your privacy settings. You can also request to be removed from our database completely. | |