The Issues-local and larger.
The issues I address extend both within and beyond the scope of state senate duties. I believe it is important to share my overall views so that potential constituents can better understand who I am and how my perspectives may shape my approach to the various issues I will encounter while in session.
Voter Mobilization and Voting Rights Protections
I talk to our disenchanted and under-invited potential voters every day. It is my strong contention that our young people (under 40) need to be more readily engaged by personally inviting them into the process to exercise their most sacred American right. Those same rights must be vigorously protected at every turn. I intend to meet thousands of people before the next voting cycles to ask them, “what would bring you to the polls?” Voting rights for all must be adamantly protected and everyone must be invited.
Funding and Enhancing Public Education
The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WCPC- voucher program), which started statewide in 2013, has been linked to academic setbacks, instability in private schools, increased inequity, and significant financial strain on public schools and taxpayers. Record numbers of school referenda have been held in our state within the last two years because of the need to meet shortages in operational costs. If schools are lost, communities are lost.
Affordable Housing
Wisconsin is experiencing a significant shortage of affordable housing, especially for low-income and middle-income households. District 17, which is comprised of hardest-hit, large, rural areas, has high rates of cost-burdened renters and acutely limited inventory. Outdated and restrictive zoning codes that limit multifamily housing must be updated to meet the current demand. Other avenues to address this issue include tax credits to incentivize investments, low interest loan programs, and the encouragement of municipalities to assist in additional housing programs within their communities. Human security starts with a safe and decent place to live.
Immigration
I feel a strong and profound moral obligation to ensure that all people born on this planet are treated with dignity and a clear sense of purpose. Those who come to our country often do so to escape dire circumstances and to seek a better future for themselves and their families. Historically, our nation has been welcoming and has implemented sound policies to receive newcomers.
However, in recent decades, our politicians have shown an unwillingness to address this situation directly. They have failed to provide a fast track that meets our economic needs and aligns with the core values we hold as Americans. It is time for us to reaffirm our commitment to both compassion and practicality, ensuring that our policies reflect the ideals upon which our country was founded.
Healthcare Rights
When I was a young married person with limited income, Planned Parenthood was a crucial component of my healthcare. I faced a high-risk pregnancy, and my access to essential reproductive health services- protected by Roe v. Wade was deeply personal. Access to care without political interference or unrealistic timelines for critical procedures was essential for my well-being. This topic is a crucial component of healthcare for all Americans.
I firmly believe that scientific guidance and the privacy between a girl or woman and her doctor must be preserved, given the wide range of situations in which abortion may be a necessary intervention. Likewise, all persons must be given the right to healthcare, unequivocally.