Citizen Action Weekend 2025 Newsletter, Friday, April 18th
Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin!
SIGN UP to attend Citizen Action Capitol Lobby Day, Tuesday, May 27th
Attend Joint Finance Committee Public Hearings on the State budget in Hayward, Monday, April 28th and Wausau, Tuesday, April 29th!
We will be attending the final two Joint Finance Committee Public Hearings on the State budget and we need you! We are encouraging Citizen Action members from all over Wisconsin to join us and attend one of the final 2 hearings:
- Monday, April 28th: Hayward High School Auditorium 10320 Greenwood Lane Hayward. Contact: Jeremy.Gragert@citizenactionwi.org
- Tuesday, April 29th: Northcentral Technical College-Center for Health Sciences 1000 W. Campus Dr. Wausau. Contact: Joel.Lewis@citizenactionwi.org
Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin in attendance to testify about BadgerCare expansion, defending Medicaid from funding cuts, expanding postpartum coverage, and stopping unfair private insurance claim denials.
Can’t make it! Call your state legislators in support of expanding BadgerCare in the state budget. Call 1-800-362-9472.
Call Governor Tony Evers at 1 (608) 266-1212 and urge him to veto any state budget that does not include BadgerCare expansion.
Attend Citizen Action’s Annual Meeting, Saturday, May 3rd, 10am
End Utility Cut Offs: Support 2% of Income Utility Rate Cap.
Citizen Action members joined allies to protest utility cut offs in front of We Enegies on April 15th, the first day utilities can cut off power to families.
Wisconsin’s energy landscape is controlled by monopoly utility companies, which prioritize profits for shareholders over the needs of our communities. These corporations are raking in billions while leaving Wisconsin families to bear the financial burden.
The burden of these corporate profits falls squarely on Wisconsin families. On average, Wisconsin households spend 6% of their income on energy bills, but low-income families face an even greater strain, often exceeding 10% of their income just to cover utility costs.
For these reasons, we are leding a new campaign for a 2% of income utility rate cap. This cap would ensure that no household pays more than 2% of their income on energy costs, offering much-needed relief to families who are struggling under the weight of constant rate increases. By capping rates based on income, we can create a fairer system that protects Wisconsin’s most vulnerable residents from financial hardship.
Take Action in support of 2% of income utility cap.
Citizen Action Shows Up for Milwaukee County Climate Plan
Over 20 community members joined us for our Milwaukee County Climate Action 2050 event to learn more about the County’s bold plan to cut emissions, improve public health, and invest in cleaner, more equitable communities. Attendees heard directly from staff in the County Sustainability Office about what the plan means for public buildings, transportation, and long-term savings.
The event also included a powerful community conversation about the need for Milwaukee County to prioritize climate investments in Black and Brown neighborhoods that have faced the greatest burdens from pollution and underinvestment. Now, community members are turning out in support and urging the County Board to vote yes on April 24. Call or email your County Supervisor today and ask them to support the Climate Action 2050 Plan. View the explainer here.
Fighting For: A Constitutional Right to Clean Air and Water
On April 16, Wisconsin lawmakers introduced the Green Amendment, a bold proposal that would enshrine every person’s right to a clean and healthy environment directly into our state constitution. This effort is led by Representative Darrin Madison, Representative Angela Stroud, Senator Mark Spreitzer, Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin, and environmental champions across the state.
Citizen Action’s Climate Action Policy Coordinator, Kat Klawes, was at the Capitol for the announcement and met with lawmakers to advocate for climate policy that puts people first. Our communities deserve clean air, safe water, and a livable climate. The Green Amendment would make environmental rights legally enforceable and protected at the highest level.
Visit www.wigreenamendment.org to learn more, sign the petition, and stay engaged.
Join us, Friday, April 25th, 1pm for media event in Eau Claire, supporting the Climate Accountability Act, requiring Wisconsin meet climate targets.
Local lawmakers and leading social justice and environmental groups will discuss new legislation to hold the Legislature accountable for meeting international greenhouse gas reduction targets Friday, April 25th, 1pm at Eau Claire Outdoors, 225 N Barstow St.
Runaway climate change threatens our children’s future and the environment we love. This is the first legislation in Wisconsin to require concrete and comprehensive greenhouse gas reductions at the pace and scale required.
There is an overwhelming consensus of climate scientists that the best chance to avert runaway climate change is to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030. This is an achievable goal that will both limit climate change and reduce the crushing cost of electricity and heat for local residents.
The Climate Accountability Act, Assembly Bill 145, was introduced last month.
Speakers include:
- Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde
- Representative Christian Phelps
- Senator Jeff Smith (Invited)
- Kate Felton: Owner of Eau Claire Outdoors
- John Skoug, Citizen Action member from Osseo
- Robert Kraig, Executive Director, Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Citizen Action in the News
Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Show for the full hour to discuss how to respond to Trump’s flood the zone strategy, where there are too many rabbits behind too many hats to follow, and focus on what is the most important.
Robert is on Earl’s show every Wednesday from 9 AM to 10 AM on the statewide Civic Media Network.
Station list here.
This week was the start of utility shutoff season, after April 15 utilities can cut off lights and heat to residents who have fallen behind on the high energy bills. At the same time, the Trump regime has fired all of the federal workers who work to provide home energy assistance. Citizen Action’s North Side Rising Organizing Co-op staged a protest which garnered media attention.
See converge by Wisconsin Public Radio and CBS 58.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig joined Heather DuBois Bourenane from Wisconsin Public Education Network on UpNorthNews Radio to discuss the state budget and the need for Governor Evers to make more forceful use of his veto power.
Listen to “Corporate bosses cower under Trump” Battleground Wisconsin
The boss of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce (MMAC) says 99% of business leaders are “afraid to speak out” against Trump. We discuss why these big business cowards take no responsibility for the neo fascist political party they have supported and financed for their own benefit.
While the corporate elites cower, a Federal judge blocked the deportation of UW-Madison engineering students, one of the first victories against mass deportation of international students. The Milwaukee County Board moved to safeguard due process rights after the ICE arrest at Milwaukee County Courthouse. But one conservative County Supervisors abstains, fearing reprisals from the Trump regime.
As utility shutoff season commences in Wisconsin, we discuss the increasing concern about the future of home energy assistance, which had been disseminated by DOGE, and is so complicated only a third of those eligible in Wisconsin enroll. We preview state legislation being drafted to enact a 2% of income cap utility bills which will be far more effective in reducing the energy burden on hard pressed households.
We welcome State Representative Christian Phelps to discuss shameful Republican state legislation that would add many new hoops to jump through to qualify for Medicaid, forcing many to go without critical health care and long term care. The public reaction to this destructive bill prompted Republicans to put it on hold for the time being, yet another sign that the backlash against proposed national cuts to Medicaid to fund tax giveaways for the rich and the failure to enact BadgerCare Expansion are becoming third rails for the MAGA GOP.
Listen to the show.
Social media post of the week
