| Friends and Neighbors, In this month's Capitol Update, I have included information about heading back to school, the federal health insurance exchanges, and an upcoming town hall to discuss the recent violence in Milwaukee. As always, I am available by email at rep.pasch@legis.wi.gov and by phone at (608)266-7671 or toll free at (888)534-0010. I hope you find this information helpful, and please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.  Sandy Pasch State Representative 10th Assembly District Implementation of the Affordable Care Act As you may know, the Affordable Care Act includes a requirement for all states to develop health insurance exchanges in order to make health care accessible and affordable for more people. Here in Wisconsin, these exchanges will open on October 1, and the requirement that everyone have health insurance coverage will begin on January 1, 2014. This means that anyone who currently doesn't have health insurance will have three months to find affordable coverage in the exchanges before incurring any penalties for not being covered. It is important to note that the Governor decided that beginning on January 1, 2014, BadgerCare will only cover individuals at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line and that anyone making more will have to go on to the health insurance exchanges. Currently, BadgerCare covers individuals living at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Line. Because of this change, many Wisconsinites are at risk of losing their current coverage and will need to enter the exchanges. Because of the Governor's decision to use the federal exchange system, rather than develop our own here in Wisconsin, we are reliant on the federal government for information about the exchanges. If you need health insurance or have concerns about your coverage, the best source of information is healthcare.gov, or you can feel free to contact my office at (608)266-7671. Gun Violence in Milwaukee The summer has been very violent here in Milwaukee. A few weeks ago, in response to the shootings, I sent an editorial to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which I wanted to share with you as well. "The past two weeks have been extremely violent in Milwaukee. We've had more than 25 shootings, one of which resulted in the death of 14-year-old Japhet Moore. Japhet was one of my young constituents, one of the 42 lives that Milwaukee has lost to gun violence this year. I went to his vigil and witnessed many tears, many cries of outrage and many calls for people to do better and do more. Japhet was just a boy. Our children are not supposed to die this young. What should we do? Do we need better gun laws? Yes. Do we need more police? Yes. But the need is so much more than that.Recently, I went to visit a community garden on N. 9th and W. Ring streets. Where there was once a vacant lot, there is now a garden where young people are taught to put their fingers in the soil, not on a gun. Andre Lee Ellis, the lead gardener, is a friend, a role model and a voice of hope in the neighborhood. The garden is growing vegetables and supporting community activities such as art programs for children. Their art is displayed along the planting boxes. Last winter, the garden hosted "The Twelve Days of Christmas," providing music, hot chocolate and gifts for neighborhood children. Ellis is creating the proverbial village necessary to raise a child. He told me he wants young men to know they don't have to die, that they can grow into men in their 50s. Because while the average life expectancy in our country is 79, many don't expect to make it to 30. The solutions to this tragic gun violence are not easy and need sustained attention, not just reactions to headlines. We must prioritize our hardworking families by ensuring the jobs we create pay living wages and by supporting necessary human services that help people every day. But the last two state budgets have done the opposite. An unfair tax break that benefits the richest; a rejection of the Affordable Care Act, which leaves thousands without even the most basic health care; and enormous cuts to public transportation, which would help connect workers with jobs; all have left families struggling to make ends meet. As I've been out knocking on doors in my Assembly district, I've seen firsthand that our state isn't investing in Milwaukee's residents. I talked with a constituent who was unfairly evicted by a predatory landlord and is now facing homelessness. Another worked for the same company for decades but was let go when she was injured on the job. She never received the worker's compensation she deserved. I have talked with constituents who are applying for jobs, but the only employers in their neighborhoods don't pay living wages. And I have talked with constituents who are afraid to be out in their street because of the gunshots they hear every day. We need to look at comprehensive solutions to these real problems that are affecting families everywhere. We need to support local businesses that want to employ our dislocated workers, we need to support initiatives that aim to keep our communities and children safer and we need to rebuild our neighborhoods by providing adequate resources to our public schools, our police and our neighborhood service agencies. Milwaukee has always been the economic engine for our state, and right now, its residents are struggling. If we want to stop the violence, we need to invest in our city and, just as important, in the people who live here." In the District Back To School September 3rd is the first day of the 2013-2014 school year and as kids head back to the classroom, I want to remind you to take extra care while driving in school zones and bus loading areas. Here are a few safety tips to remember for drivers and kids from Safe Kids USA: Here are some simple reminders for drivers: • Slow down and be especially alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones. • Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. • Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully. • Watch for children on and near the road in the morning and after school hours. • Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Put down your phone and don’t talk or text while driving. Reminders for your kids: • Children should cross the street with an adult until they are at least 10 years old. • Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. • Never run out into the streets or cross in between parked cars. • Make sure to always walk in front of the bus where the driver can see you. Labor Day As Labor Day approaches, many of us are preparing for a relaxing weekend with friends and family. However, we must remember that Labor Day is more than a day off or a time for vacations and cookouts. It is an occasion to honor Wisconsin’s economic backbone – its workers. In the late 1800s, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to earn enough to have a basic living. In many places, workers of all ages, particularly poor families and recent immigrants, faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with hardly any access to sanitary facilities and breaks. The ensuing energy and efforts of workers built this state and this nation into a land of opportunity. In remembering their hard-fought struggles, we are also compelled to renew our commitment to supporting working families across our state. Let us remember the teachers, snow plow drivers, sanitation workers, nurses, correctional officers and especially police officers and firefighters, who are providing vital services for all citizens of our state. And even though much damage has been done to hard-working families across our state over the last few years, we must and will – continue the fight to ensure that Wisconsin values are restored and preserved to reflect our priorities for future generations. Upcoming Town Hall In light of the recent violence in Milwaukee, members of the Milwaukee Legislative Caucus will be holding a town hall to hear from our constituents about the best ways to prevent future gun violence and gun related deaths. I hope you will join us to talk about this important topic. Town Hall on Gun Violence Tuesday, September 17th 5:00-7:00PM Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum 2620 W Center St, Milwaukee WI | |
No comments:
Post a Comment