Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, March 19th

March 19, 2021

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, March 19th

Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, March 19th

Lit drop Sunday March 21st in La Crosse

Come together with volunteers from OWR to help support La Crosse’s progressive candidates! We will be meeting at the South Community Library parking lot to grab some walking lists and literature to help inform voters about their council candidates!
We will be delivering lit — no door knocking required. Learn More

Write “Friends cards” for Annie Baumann
La Crosse School Board candidate Annie Baumann is looking for volunteers to write postcards to their friends in La Crosse. If you know voters in La Crosse you can make a huge difference!
Visit Annie’s Campaign Facebook page to learn more

Listening Sessions

Listening Session with La Crosse mayoral candidate Mitch Reynolds

La Crosse residents are invited to a very special event! On Sunday March 21st at 6:00 PM Citizen Action of Wisconsin will be hosting a listening session with Citizen Action endorsed candidate Mitch Reynolds for Mayor. This will be your chance to let Mitch know what you think the biggest issues facing La Crosse are. What can Mitch do once elected to make La Crosse a more progressive and inclusive city?

Please join us March 21st at 6:00 PM to make your voice heard! Use this link to RSVP and a Zoom link and invitation will be sent to your email. We are looking forward to hearing from you Sunday March 21st

Listening session with Senator Pfaff, Rep Billings and Rep Doyle
Driftless Voters, March 22nd you are invited to join your statewide, elected leaders for a virtual listening session. This will be your chance to ask questions about issues that matter to you such as healthcare, climate change, rural broadband, COVID, cannabis legalization, and so much more!

Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska), Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) and Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska) will share updates from the state capitol and welcome input from their constituents during the listening session, which be held via Zoom from 4:30 to 6 p.m. March 22.

Registration is required to attend this event. Individuals may RSVP by visiting https://bit.ly/3rmFnPZ. Pfaff’s office will distribute the link to the listening session via email on March 22. Participants are asked to submit their questions in the space provided on the Google form.

If you would like to speak with your representatives but are not able to attend this session, or you wish to have a more personal meeting, that is OK. Citizen Action of Wisconsin will be scheduling virtual lobby visits in the coming days and weeks to help promote Governor Evers 2021-2022 state budget. Keep an eye open for calls to action in the near future!

Endorsed Candidates and Volunteer Opportunities

Southeast Wisconsin Co-Op:

Join Southeast Wisconsin Co-Op members in volunteering for our endorsed school board candidates! Sign up for a phone or text bank, canvass or a no-contact LIT drop, by following this link: https://linktr.ee/bcerda01 If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Cerda, SEWI Co-Op Organizer,[email protected].

North Central Organizing Co-op:

Rick Cveykus for Wisconsin Court of Appeals – District III

Rick has spent his professional life helping others, and he truly cares about all of us. District III covers the northern 36 counties of Wisconsin. Here’s a summary from Rick:

“I am running because I think it is central that we have judges that are steady, studied, and take politics out of the courtroom. By steady I mean they must treat every single litigant with respect and common decency. These arguments are about people’s liberty and livelihood. We need a Judge that understands the law and knows how to apply it to the facts in front of them. Most importantly, we need Judges that take politics out of the Courtroom. I shouldn’t be able to guess which way a judge will come down based upon who gave them their last campaign contribution. A decision should only be made based on who presents the best legal argument every single time. My philosophy is simple – follow the law and the constitution, respect precedent, and when necessary, use smart, common-sense go judgment to ensure a legal and fair result under the law. Don’t try to achieve an agenda, like all the big-money contributors want them to do, but instead, just be a good Wisconsin judge.”

You can learn more about Rick Cveykus here. Learn about some volunteer opportunities here.

Nic Bisgrove for Wausau School Board

Nic is a proud father, whose life revolves around his children and doing what’s best for them. He has worked in financial services, management, and for/with community organizations, and these experiences help to make him a good fit for the Wausau School Board. Here is a brief statement from Nic about his desire to serve:

“I know that I’m not going to agree with everyone 100% of the time, and that’s OK. I will be the voice that brings people together. To get things done in the best interest of the students, teachers and community. I can’t change what has already happened. However, like my motto “Learn from the past. Act for the future” I hope to be the positive change that we need going forward.” You can learn more about Nic here. If you would like to volunteer doing lit drops or other possible ways, check out this event.

Kay Gruling for Wausau School Board

Education is essential to a child’s well-being and development. Therefore, it is important that school board members have the skills and qualities to support the school administration, educators, support staff, and students to ensure success for all. Kay Gruling has a strong background in education in a variety of settings, has had significant involvement in the Wausau School District for over two decades (including two children who graduated from Wausau West), and has participated in substantial engagement in our community for 33 years.

Kay has experience working with a team and in a business setting. She has medical expertise and problem-solving abilities as a family physician provided her with the skills, qualifications, and background necessary to be an effective board member. She is passionate about education, our community, and our Kids! She has the skills and qualifications to make a difference.

Kay for Kids! If you would like to do lit drops for the campaign, or seek other opportunities to help the campaign, join the Spring canvass that has been organized by the Marathon County Democratic Party. Learn more about these Spring canvasses here.

Tricia Zunker for School Board

Tricia Zunker was born and raised in the Wausau area. Her legal background, and over a decade of experience being a law professor, have taught her what it’s like to be in a classroom as an educator. Her childhood, and the fact that she currently has a child in the Wausau School District, gives her first-hand experience as to what issues the district is facing, and how to work with the school board and community stakeholders to resolve those issues. Tricia’s accomplishments are many, and we are very grateful that she has stepped up to seek re-election to the Wausau Board of Education. To learn more about Tricia or to see about how you can help, go here. Here is a link to the Spring Canvass where you can volunteer for this, and other campaigns in Marathon County/Wausau.

Joel Knutson for Town of Crescent Chairperson

Joel is new to the political scene as a candidate, but he has been very active in his community for a long time. He volunteers his time for a variety of positive organizations in the area. He has always been dedicated to the work of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, so we were excited to learn that he had stepped up to run to serve on his Town Board. You can learn more about Joel here, and reach out to him personally to see if there is a way for you to help his campaign.

Nate Fiene for Weston Village Board

Nate Fiene is running for re-election to the Weston Village Board. Here is a statement from Nate on his desire to continue serving: “Weston is my home and I love it dearly. I come from a law enforcement and educator family. The values of honor, integrity, honesty, hard work, and fairness have been instilled in me from an early age and I live them every day. Now, more than ever, we need these values at the table of local government. I am a man of faith, and in my faith, the scripture tells us that God is a god of mercy and justice; it further quotes Christ that whatever we do to the least of us we do to Him. Building a Weston that expands justice, tolerance, and practices servant-based leadership is what I believe is needed to be even greater than it is today. Our infrastructure is crumbling and will be rebuilt. We are in the process of doing that now. Our police force is among the best in the State, yet I still voted to purchase and equip body cameras. Local government belongs to the People and so I held Open Door Meetings until covid hit and will do so again. The good of the people is the highest law. I seek that in my hometown, day in and day out. I am exceedingly humbled by Citizen Action’s endorsement.”

You can learn more about Nate, or contact the campaign here. This is the best way to find volunteer opportunities as well.

Chrysa Ostenso for Ladysmith School Board

Chrysa is seeking re-election to the Ladysmith School Board. She is a founding member of the Citizen Action of WI North Central Organizing Co-op and has served on their Steering Committee for 4 years! She lives in one of the more rural communities and counties within our Co-op region. She and her husband run a business in Ladysmith, and do great work in their community. Chrysa cares deeply about our public schools and working to make them a great place for kids to learn and for professionals to work. You can learn more about Chrysa here, and reach out to her personally to see about how you could help with the campaign.

Northeastern Organizing Co-op:

Michael Beradsley for Oshkosh City Council:
LIT drop! April 3rd, Oshkosh

Ryan Sorenson for Sheboygan Mayor:
Open VPB Call anytime
Link to OpenVP
Script for Ryan Sorenson Calls

This year, Wisconsin has a chance to pass BadgerCare expansion with a public option, make prescription drugs more affordable, support caregivers, invest in small businesses, and guarantee that every family can get access to quality, affordable child care. But we need you to help make that happen!

Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Main Street Alliance-WI for our first ever joint virtual lobby day! On March 30th from 9-11am via Zoom, you can come and hear from great speakers, including our allies in the state legislature, learn about the key issues that will define the state budget fight, and find out how you can use your voice to impact critical state policy. Then you can head out to hold your own virtual constituent lobby meetings with your state legislators! The Joint Finance Committee, which oversees the budget process in Wisconsin, will likely kick off their hearings in April so it is critical that we reach policy makers NOW on these important issues.After you sign up to participate in our lobby day, please be on the lookout for a phone call or email from a Citizen Action Organizer who can help you set up your lobby meetings. You will also receive a packet of information to help you prepare for your meetings and the Zoom link to the March 30th 9am training. Register here!

Citizen Action’s Executive Director Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Radio Show for the full hour to discuss the historic bill to protect the right to organize (the PRO Act) which passed the House last week and is now in the U.S. Senate. Listen here.

Battleground Wisconsin Podcast: “Avoiding target fixation on the filibuster…so we don’t crash”

We weigh in on two national issues, first the horrific shootings in Georgia that appear to be yet another hate crime against the AAPI community, and the looming battle over the Senate filibuster and the future of the Democratic agenda. We discuss Speaker Vos’s declaration this week that the Legislation will reject the very popular plan to accept available federal money to expand BadgerCare, turning down $1.6 billion dollars supercharged by the rescue package, denying health care to the working poor during and pandemic. Is Vos serious with dozens of potentially vulnerable Republican state legislators weigh their fate heading into redistricting or it a bluff? Vos also plays scrooge yet again, declaring the Assembly is not willing to suspend a one week waiting period for unemployment benefits despite 100% federal funding in the rescue package. In yet another embarrassment, Legislative Republicans shamefully “honor” racist demagogue Rush Limbaugh while refusing to honor Black History Month. In other news, Foxconn, the white elephant of Racine County, says they might make electric cars… or maybe a monorail. Will they ever make anything that Donald Trump and Scott Walker promised in return for billions of state money?