CONTACT: Senator Tom Tiffany, 608-266-2509 and Representative Rob Hutton, 608-267-9836 LADYSMITH, Wis. – Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry held a public hearing on Senate Bill 395 in Ladysmith, WI. “The committee heard testimony from both experts and local residents that demonstrated that the Flambeau Mine was a successful mine. We also heard testimony attesting to the vast economic opportunity that lays right beneath our feet,” said Senator Tiffany. “Mining can be done safely, responsibly, and there is no better place to do it than in Wisconsin. It is time to repeal the arbitrary mining moratorium and provide opportunity

CONTACT: Evan Lukaske, (516) 661-0125 Rep. Mike Gallagher recklessly voted against funding disaster relief for the victims of Hurricane Harvey as part of a deal that also funds the government to avoid a shutdown and averts the economic crisis that would result from the United States defaulting on its debt obligations. “Rep. Mike Gallagher’s vote against relief for American families still reeling from Hurricane Harvey would be reckless and cruel on its own, but the fact that it was also a vote for a government shutdown and defaulting on America’s debt gives new meaning to the word irresponsible,” said DCCC Spokesperson

CONTACT: Tom McCarthy, DPI Communications Director, (608) 266-3559 MADISON — State Superintendent Tony Evers extended congratulations to 15 Wisconsin schools that were among 323 from 30 states named to the 2017 list of America’s Healthiest Schools. “These schools have worked to serve healthier meals and snacks, increase physical activity, offer high-quality physical and health education programs, and empower school leaders to become healthy role models,” Evers said. “Congratulations on receiving the National Healthy Schools Award.” The schools hail from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified, Fond du Lac, Howard-Suamico, Oregon, and Waukesha school districts. They are: • Bay View Middle School, Green

CONTACT: Dominic Holt, 608-257-1516, x 113; dominich@wcasa.org Madison – September 8, 2017 – The Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault denounces U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ announcement yesterday of the administration’s new direction on Title IX, concerning sexual violence in schools and on college campuses. “Secretary Betsy DeVos’ speech illustrates that the administration has fallen for sexual violence perpetrators’ and rape apologists’ faulty claims — long debunked by research — of rampant false accusations,” stated Pennie Meyers, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA). “Secretary DeVos’ apparent belief in rape myths underlies her misguided statement yesterday drawing false equivalence between

CONTACT: Jay Heck, 608-256-2686 (office), 608-512-9363 (cell) Last April, the Wisconsin Supreme Court embarrassed itself and every citizen of our state when it discussed in “open conference,” and then voted 5 to 2, to reject a timely, reasonable and needed proposal that would have established reasonable thresholds for recusal for elected municipal court judges, circuit court judges, state court of appeals judges and state Supreme Court justices in cases where they received campaign contributions from a defendant or plaintiff appearing before them, or were the beneficiaries of spending by an “outside” special interest group. We think this issue is far

CONTACT:  Brendan Conway (414) 937-3250 Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee County and MCTS submitted an updated grant to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) this week for funding for the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project. The nine-mile regional BRT will run from Milwaukee’s lakefront to Wauwatosa. The route connects major employment, education and recreation destinations through downtown Milwaukee, Marquette University, Milwaukee’s Near West Side, Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center. This first-of-its-kind project in Wisconsin will provide improved access to the region’s most vital, most traveled and most congested corridor. After receiving input at more than 60 public meetings, outreach events

CONTACT: Stephanie Wilson Miller, 608-267-8823 The public is invited to attend “Only Leaves Should Fall,” an annual falls prevention event on Tuesday, September 26 from10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club on 4619 Jenewein Road in Fitchburg. The Dane County Falls Prevention Task Force and Boys and Girls Club of Dane County are hosting the free event to give participants community resources and information about how to best prevent falls. At “Only Leaves Should Fall,” guests will learn about local falls-prevention programs and classes. Screenings and reviews for blood pressure, cognitive function, medication, balance, home safety, and urinary incontinence will be

CONTACT: Joe Fadness media@scottwalker.com  MADISON, WI. – Gov. Scott Walker traveled across Wisconsin this week welcoming students back to school and discussing how his budget will make record investments in our classrooms. The nearly $640 million investment is part of his budget – along with additional tax cuts for hard-working families – made possible by the bold conservative reforms Gov. Walker fought for to balance the state’s budget. Check out what they’re saying: From the Green Bay Press-Gazette: “Walker visited schools throughout the state Tuesday, to tour fab labs and speak with students and school officials about the proposed budget, which

CONTACT: Rob Henken President, Public Policy Forum 414-276-8240 414-708-4392 (cell) rhenken@publicpolicyforum.org MILWAUKEE – Friday, September 8, 2017 – Aggregate property taxes collected in the southeast Wisconsin region grew by 1.0% ($38 million) from 2016 to 2017, with no county in the region seeing an increase of more than 2.2% and three growing by less than a percentage point. Meanwhile, with property values continuing to rebound, the aggregate gross property tax rate for property owners in the region decreased from $22.60 per $1,000 of equalized value in 2016 to $22.11 in 2017 – the lowest level since 2012. Those findings are included