CONTACT: Senator Chris Larson
608.266.7505

Milwaukee, WI – Senator Chris Larson released the following statement applauding Governor Tony Evers State of the State Address.

“While obstructionist Republican Legislators have attempted to stymie much of Governor Evers’ agenda, Democrats were still able to accomplish a lot in the last year. Using the power of his veto pen Governor Evers delivered on his promise to increase funding for K-12 education, which had been left drastically underfunded during Scott Walker’s time.

“Working together with the Governor, we cut taxes for middle-class families and began digging out of the infrastructure neglect from the last eight years. There is still more left to be done. We must address the epidemic of teen vaping in Wisconsin. We must reduce this growing health problem and I am very proud to be the lead Senate author of the bill that would ban vaping on K-12 campuses.

“We must also finally do something real about the growing student debt crisis. 64% of the 2018 Wisconsin graduating class averaged $32,000 in student debt. This is unsustainable and untenable. This debt represents a roadblock on the future economic development of our state and country. For too long Legislative Republicans have ignored student loan debt and done nothing. That has to change.

“Everyone in Wisconsin, whether they want to admit it or not, understands that our state is horribly gerrymandered. This is the reason why Wisconsin’s Republican legislators smugly ignore the will of the people on issues like marijuana legalization and universal background checks for all firearm purchases. Governor Evers is right to continue to highlight this problem because it is at the very heart of why our politics are so broken and dysfunctional. In 2011 Republicans rigged the game and they got away with it. We must pass redistricting reform now. Over 50 counties, representing nearly 80% of the state, have passed resolutions supporting non-partisan redistricting reform. It is time to listen to the people again.

“Whether it’s addressing water contamination, capping the cost of insulin, or closing the dark store loophole, we must move Wisconsin in a more fair and equitable direction.”

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