Repro Rights Committee Op-Ed in Sunday's MJS Newspaper

Protecting and Preserving Our Great Lakes

Save the date for a Feb 19th trip to our sister organization LWV Ozaukee and Washington Counties presentation titled, “Protecting and Preserving Our Great Lakes.”  The event is hosted by the LWVOzWa Youth Vote Group and will take place at the Cedarburg Library at 6 p.m.  More info here. 

Poster Making Party with LWV and Unite & Rise 8.5!

Join us for a poster/sign making party on Saturday, February 7, from 10 AM - 12 PM at the Wauwatosa Library’s Firefly Room. All poster making supplies will be provided, along with light refreshments. Afterwards, head out to a peaceful protest or demonstration in the Milwaukee area. Bring your friends and family members!

Sign up link coming soon!

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

• 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!

We now have a Speakers Bureau for the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County!! 

As a LWVMC member, we welcome you to join the speaker roster.  We have prepared 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.

Do you have a topic about which you already give presentations related to voting/democracy or one of our advocacy positions?  

Please fill out this information form and we will contact you to follow up.

Outreach for speaking opportunities

You can help us get the word out about the LWVMC Speakers Bureau. Do you belong to another organization that has a monthly or an occasional speaker?  Think about your neighborhood association, school, church, even your book club.  

If you have questions or want additional information, please contact Mary Voelker at  SpeakersBureau@lwvmilwaukee.org.

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:

• 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. 

• 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.)

• The new $1,000/$2,000 deduction is intended to help reverse this trend. 

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.

Election Observers Needed

LWVWI is recruiting volunteers from across the state to serve as election observers for the April 7th Election. Volunteer election observers help ensure we have a fair election by watching for signs of voter disenfranchisement and intimidation, and by monitoring the way Wisconsin’s election laws and procedures are being applied. Even if you only have a couple of hours on Election Day, you can still make a difference. Sign up to be an election observer today!

Prepare for 2026 Elections, Starting Now

Women's Fund Events

New in 2026: Women's Fund Civic Breaks. A series of short virtual events on timely civic and policy topics pertinent to our community begins Thursday, Jan. 22, 12:30 to 1:00 pm on zoom. The first Civic Break will be hosted by Amanda Merkwae, Advocacy Director of ACLU of Wisconsin. Register here.

Laundry Nights. Held the last Monday of each month, these free Women's Fund events are described as welcoming gatherings "for open dialogue, shared learning, and collective growth. You leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected in a community of change-makers. If you’re passionate about fostering gender equity, we welcome you." This month’s host is Beth Odian, a WF board member and Partner at Michael Best.

Monday, January 26, 2026, 7 - 9 pm

Virtue Coffee & Valor Wine

1234 Milwaukee Avenue, South Milwaukee

Register here.

Webinar: How to Talk About the Value of Voting

A free webinar on Jan. 28, 1 pm CT, will address ways to engage people about the importance of voting. The event is sponsored by Nonprofit Vote, a nonpartisan organization, which helps nonprofit organizations help the people they serve find their civic voice. Registration and information here.

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.

• I pledge to organize with my neighbors, classmates, and coworkers.

• I pledge to defend our rights, our bodies, and our future.

• 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.