I continue to be extremely busy and thoroughly enjoy the time I have spent in the State Assembly. I have heard from many of you on a variety of issues. I appreciate the time you have taken to share your opinions with me.

Here is a synopsis of some of the issues that I have been dealing with since the last article:

Return Local Authority on Gun Control:

I am a co-sponsor of a bill authored by Senator Boyle (D-Superior) and Senator Jauch (D-Poplar) which would repeal a 1995 state law that bans communities from enacting gun laws more stringent than the state's.

The recent shooting of our neighbor, Shaina Davenport, and the shooting at Littleton, CO illustrate the need for smarter controls on guns, especially when it comes to the availability to children. This bill allows local communities the option of creating stricter controls.

This bill is supported by all of MadisonŐs state representatives and Senator Fred Risser (D-Madison) as well as Attorney General James Doyle.

Although recent events have focused the nation's attention on gun control I am not confident that with the current make-up of the legislature that this bill will succeed. I am hopeful that, at the very least, it will create spirited debate as we continue to try to find answers to this very complex problem.

Taxpayers Alliance Exposed:

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance officially states that it is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that provides consulting on tax issues to public officials, the news media, and various groups.

In the five months that I have been in the State Assembly, this organization has clearly offered only a partisan bent to their analysis. I believe itŐs time that the people of Wisconsin realize that the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance is not looking out for them, but rather for the special interests of the Republican Party. To demonstrate the Republican leanings of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, I researched five years of campaign contributions for the 15 people who sit on their Board of Directors. Of the $137,000 these 15 people donated to campaigns, over $134,000 went to Republican candidates, or 98% of total contributions.

The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance also seems to share a close relationship to the overtly partisan organization, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Six members (40%) of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance's board are past or current board members of WMC, including three past chairs of WMC.

Now when newspapers and politicians use analysis provided by the Taxpayers Alliance they can no longer claim that the group is non-partisan. It is my hope that a truly non-profit, non-partisan organization like the state's Fiscal Bureau will be created to provide true objective information to the public.

The Budget Process:

The governor's proposed budget continues to move slowly through the legislature. The Joint Committee on Finance is currently deliberating the proposed budget. Once the Committee is finished it will go to the Assembly and then to the Senate for debate. After both houses have passed their rendition it will be sent to a conference committee to iron out the differences. Finally it will be sent to the governor where he will most likely utilize his line item veto authority.

If you have any specific issues or concerns regarding the budget please feel free to contact my office.

Democrats Gain One in Special Election:

In January Republican Assemblyman Tom Ourada resigned his seat in the 35th district, which includes the Tomahawk, Merrill and Antigo area of Wisconsin. A special election was called for the seat this past April.

The governor called a special election for the seat which had never been held by a Democrat. With a lot of hard work by the candidate, Sarah Waukau, and a team of volunteers, the Democrats took over the seat by only 214 votes. I personally spent a great deal of time working on this race, as the best chance to get progressive reform through the legislature is by electing like-minded individuals.

This is an important step in the Democrats taking back control of the Assembly, which is currently held with a five vote majority by the Republicans. I mentioned in the last issue that I would share more information on the prison issue bills that I have introduced. Because of space constraints I will update you as the bills progress. In the meantime feel free to call with any questions.

I wish you all a happy and safe summer. Again, please feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns you may have regarding state government.

-State Representative Mark Pocan


Back to the July/August Table of Contents