Let’s work together to reform our state’s tax code. We should all take credit for the fact that Wisconsin is finally out of the top ten worst taxed states, but the tax burden on our families is still too much. It’s too complex, it’s outdated and it needs a major overhaul. We can do better. Our tax code should generate the revenue we need but not do it by penalizing hard working middle class families and the businesses that employ them.
Let’s keep working together to address the one issue that isn’t talked about nearly enough - Wisconsin’s worker shortage and the growing crisis ahead. In each of the previous sessions, we have devoted additional resources to preparing the workforce of tomorrow. We know most job openings are primarily due to retirements.
In Wisconsin today about 15% of our population is 65 and older. But if you draw a line from Door County to the Mississippi, in less than 20 years, half the counties north of that line will have more than a third of their population past retirement age. And more than 11-percent of our state’s population will be over the age of 75.
The Department of Workforce Development projects the total average annual job openings through 2024 are close to one-hundred thousand. Let me repeat that: every year our state has 100-thousand jobs to fill.
Here’s another statistic we need to reflect on - we are only graduating less than 58,000 students a year from our high schools and not all of them stay here when they finish their schooling. We need to attract more bright and talented young people to our state and work even harder to give opportunities so that every student stays in the Badger State.
It’s clear Wisconsin needs more workers and these workers need the necessary training. One way to do that is to focus on populations that need a helping hand. People who are disabled, people who have been incarcerated, people who have substance abuse problems, folks who haven’t gotten a high school diploma.
If we are going to grow our state, we can’t afford to leave anyone behind. We are a compassionate state that will continue to help our citizens through difficult financial times. We can and should provide temporary help to get Wisconsinites back on their feet. But for many in Wisconsin, government dependence has become a way of life. We must work to get these individuals off of welfare and help them find a good paying job.
As you think about these serious challenges; reforming and reducing the tax burden, rewriting the school funding formula, addressing the transportation fund deficit, training more workers and the myriad of other challenges we will tackle, we must never forget that these problems have taken quite a while to grow to the point they are today so we won’t rush into any quick fixes. Just passing more well-meaning laws that don’t actually deal with the root problem isn’t our job; finding long-term solutions is the real reason we are here.
One of my favorite Presidents Calvin Coolidge once said, ‘You can display no greater wisdom than by resisting proposals for needless legislation…it is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.’
And for the folks we represent back home who are depending on us, I can assure them, government will not grow on our watch. We will kill bad bills and work hard to pass good, well thought out proposals to move our state forward.
So today, as we start our legislative work, I would like to issue a challenge to every elected official in this beautiful State Capitol. I challenge you to put aside what’s best for your own political career, and do what’s best for Wisconsin.
Instead of attacking one another and saying what shouldn’t be done, let’s work together to find what can be done. The political campaigns are over so it’s time to put aside our differences and the rigid ideologies some would ask us to maintain. We must stop the name calling and incessant hyperbole, and actually work together to solve the real issues facing our state’s future.
As Wisconsinites, I know we can look beyond our regional and political differences and find common ground. We do that every day.
Just this past weekend, our state celebrated a tremendous Packer victory over the Lions and the Badgers brought home another trophy with their win at the Cotton Bowl. We have much more to celebrate in Wisconsin because I’m certain the Packers will bring back the Lombardi trophy.
Our economy is growing: we have low unemployment, more people are working than ever before, and new businesses are opening their doors every day. These are historic times for Wisconsin and our country. Let’s make history ourselves, in this chamber, this session, by turning our big ideas into reality.
You are the leaders who have been called upon to move our state forward and create a better future for Wisconsin. Let’s get to work.
God bless you and God Bless the state of Wisconsin.”
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Election of Speaker Pro Tempore
Representative R. Brooks nominated Representative August for the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative Steineke asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the assembly recorded as voting for Representative August for Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. Granted
For Representative August – Allen, Anderson, August, Ballweg, Barca, Berceau, Bernier, Billings, Born, Bowen, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Brostoff, Considine, Crowley, Doyle, Duchow, Edming, Felzkowski, Fields, Gannon, Genrich, Goyke, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, Horlacher, Hutton, Jacque, Jagler, Jarchow, Katsma, Kerkman, Kessler, Kitchens, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kolste, Kooyenga, Kremer, Krug, Kuglitsch, Kulp, Loudenbeck, Macco, Mason, Meyers, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Nerison, Neylon, Novak, Nygren, Ohnstad, Ott, Petersen, Petryk, Pope, Pronschinske, Quinn, Riemer, Ripp, Rodriguez, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Sargent, Schraa, Shankland, Sinicki, Skowronski, Snyder, Spiros, Spreitzer, Stafsholt, Steffen, Steineke, Stuck, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tauchen, C. Taylor, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vorpagel, Vruwink, Wachs, Weatherston, Wichgers, Young, Zamarripa, Zepnick, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Representative August was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Election of Chief Clerk
Representative Swearingen nominated Patrick E. Fuller for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Session of the Legislature.
Representative C. Taylor seconded the nomination of Patrick E. Fuller for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the Speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative Steineke asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Patrick E. Fuller for Assembly Chief Clerk. Granted.
For Patrick E. Fuller − Allen, Anderson, August, Ballweg, Barca, Berceau, Bernier, Billings, Born, Bowen, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Brostoff, Considine, Crowley, Doyle, Duchow, Edming, Felzkowski, Fields, Gannon, Genrich, Goyke, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, Horlacher, Hutton, Jacque, Jagler, Jarchow, Katsma, Kerkman, Kessler, Kitchens, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kolste, Kooyenga, Kremer, Krug, Kuglitsch, Kulp, Loudenbeck, Macco, Mason, Meyers, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Nerison, Neylon, Novak, Nygren, Ohnstad, Ott, Petersen, Petryk, Pope, Pronschinske, Quinn, Riemer, Ripp, Rodriguez, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Sargent, Schraa, Shankland, Sinicki, Skowronski, Snyder, Spiros, Spreitzer, Stafsholt, Steffen, Steineke, Stuck, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tauchen, C. Taylor, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vorpagel, Vruwink, Wachs, Weatherston, Wichgers, Young, Zamarripa, Zepnick, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Patrick E. Fuller was elected Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Election of Sergeant-at-Arms
Representative Jagler nominated Anne Tonnon Byers for the position of Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representative Meyers seconded the nomination of Anne Tonnon Byers for the position of Sergeant-At-Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the Speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative Steineke asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Anne Tonnon Byers for Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms. Granted.
For Anne Tonnon Byers: Representatives Allen, Anderson, August, Ballweg, Barca, Berceau, Bernier, Billings, Born, Bowen, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Brostoff, Considine, Crowley, Doyle, Duchow, Edming, Felzkowski, Fields, Gannon, Genrich, Goyke, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, Horlacher, Hutton, Jacque, Jagler, Jarchow, Katsma, Kerkman, Kessler, Kitchens, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kolste, Kooyenga, Kremer, Krug, Kuglitsch, Kulp, Loudenbeck, Macco, Mason, Meyers, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Nerison, Neylon, Novak, Nygren, Ohnstad, Ott, Petersen, Petryk, Pope, Pronschinske, Quinn, Riemer, Ripp, Rodriguez, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Sargent, Schraa, Shankland, Sinicki, Skowronski, Snyder, Spiros, Spreitzer, Stafsholt, Steffen, Steineke, Stuck, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tauchen, C. Taylor, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vorpagel, Vruwink, Wachs, Weatherston, Wichgers, Young, Zamarripa, Zepnick, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Anne Tonnon Byers was elected Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Third Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Communications
December 30, 2016
Patrick Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Fuller:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (2), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Republican Caucus: Majority Leader: Jim Steineke
Assistant Majority Leader: Rob Brooks
Majority Caucus Chair: Dan Knodl
Majority Caucus Vice-Chair: Romaine Quinn
Majority Caucus Secretary: Jessie Rodriguez
Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Samantha Kerkman
Sincerely,
Dan Knodl
Republican Caucus Chair
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December 29, 2016
Patrick Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Fuller:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (2), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Democratic Caucus: Minority Leader: Peter Barca
Assistant Minority Leader: Diane Hesselbein
Minority Caucus Chair: Mark Spreitzer
Minority Caucus Vice-Chair: Steve Doyle
Minority Caucus Secretary: Beth Meyers
Minority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Christine Sinicki
Sincerely,
Mark Spreitzer
Democratic Caucus Chair
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November 23, 2016
Patrick Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Fuller:
The Office of the Assembly Chief Clerk has requested the Wisconsin Elections Commission provide the statutory deadline on which the legislature may act to ensure that a proposed constitutional amendment can be placed on the ballot for the April 4, 2017 spring election. The legislature must complete action on a proposed constitutional amendment no later than Tuesday, January 24, 2017.
By statute all proposed constitutional amendments and any other measure or question that it is to be submitted to a vote of the people shall be filed with the official or agency responsible for preparing the ballots for the election no later than 70 days prior to the election at which the amendment, measure or question will appear on the ballot. Wis. Stat. § 8.37. Tuesday, January 24, 2017 is 70 days before the April 4, 2017 spring election. In order for the legislative action to be filed in our office, it is sufficient for the chief clerks to notify our office by e-mail that the legislature passed the resolution no later than Tuesday, January 24, 2017. It is not necessary that we receive the signed resolution by the close of business on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.
In order to facilitate preparation for the April 2017 spring election, I suggest sponsoring legislators contact the office of the Attorney General to make arrangements for the preparation of the explanatory statement required by Wis. Stat. § 10.01 (2)(c). The explanatory statement is published in the paper by the county clerk immediately before the election. It is also posted at the polling place on Election Day. Please make the appropriate arrangements to ensure that this information is communicated to the members of the legislature. If you or any member of the legislature has a question, please contact me at 608-266-0136 or ask to speak to an Elections Specialists.
Michael Haas
Wisconsin Elections Committee
Interim Administrator
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Seat Assignments
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (4), for the 2017-2018 Legislative Session in the Assembly Chamber, democrat members will be seated on the east (door) side of the center aisle. Republican members will be seated in the seats on the west (window) side of the center aisle and in seats numbered 85, 86, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95. Speaker Vos will occupy seat number 4. Seat number 58 will remain vacant.