Citizen Action Weekend 2025 Newsletter, Friday, October 3rd
Citizen Action members organize support for a Wisconsin Climate Plan at the Capitol Climate March.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin was proud to co-sponsor the Wisconsin Climate March, where nearly 50 Citizen Action members from across the state attended to demand bold action. Citizen Action North Side Rising members who attended talked with hundreds of attendees about the importance of the Legislature passing the Climate Accountability Act.
We collected signatures in support of the legislation at the march. Together, Citizen Action members gathered over 200 signatures in support of the Climate Accountability Act.
The Climate Accountability Act would require Wisconsin’s first enforceable climate plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, align with the Paris goals, and direct the economic benefits of clean energy to communities statewide.
We currently have 41 co-sponsors and need 19 more to move this bill forward. Signing your name helps secure additional co-sponsors, showing legislators there is strong public support for Wisconsin’s first climate plan.
The march was MC’d by Citizen Action Climate coordinator Kat Klawes. Citizen Action North Side Rising member Albert Robbins shared his powerful firsthand account of recent flooding and why Wisconsin needs a real climate plan.
Citizen Action North Side Rising members meet to discuss challenges with housing and plan future organizing.
Citizen Action North Side Rising members meet this week in Milwaukee to discuss their challenges with housing. If you are interested in learning more about joining these members to help organize solutions, contact: Maletha.Jones@citizenactionwi.org
Read about organizing strategies people are implementing around the country.
Citizen Action members on the doors talking to voters about state legislation we are supporting.
Support Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging in Milwaukee County.
Milwaukee has secured nearly $15 million in federal funds to install EV chargers at 53 public sites across the county. The City’s Environmental Collaboration Office has proposed locations in public parking lots at libraries and parks, beginning with an initial 13 sites.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin is partnering with Our Future Milwaukee to share project information and provide community updates. Without action, Milwaukee could lose this once-in-a-generation investment in climate solutions, cleaner air, and equity. We need broad community voices to speak up for EV access that doesn’t just benefit homeowners but reaches renters and working families, too. This project is a step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting costs for residents, and ensuring no neighborhood is left behind in the transition to cleaner energy.
Take action: Email your Milwaukee County Supervisor today and urge them to support the EV Charging Project.
Join Citizen Action North Central Coop members in their effort to stop 3M’s industrial expansion into Wausau’s residential neighborhoods.
Make your voice heard for the October 7th meeting of the Wausau Economic Development Committee, at 5:15 pm.
The City of Wausau passed an Environmental Justice resolution in 2021 that, directly or indirectly, disallows this type of new industrial facility siting near residential yards and produce gardens in lower wealth neighborhoods – and other residential areas in the city. The City also unanimously passed a Climate Action Plan 18 months later, committing to creating a plan to get to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050 or sooner.
What exactly is going on? 1300 Cleveland Avenue is a 6.9-acre piece of city-owned land on Wausau’s southwest side in the Thomas Street neighborhood. Once the site of the Wausau Incubator, and formerly part of Connor Forest Industries, the property was rezoned from industrial to residential in 2018 because new industrial use and expansion in extreme proximity to residential properties is no longer considered appropriate and safe in this day and age. Several years ago, after community backlash over the industrial expansion plans submitted for 1300 Cleveland Avenue, 3M requested that the state assembly person speak for them at a city meeting to advocate for their expansion onto the residential property. In 2021, this controversial issue was covered extensively in Wausau Pilot & Review, “Despite backlash, 3M persists with Wausau expansion efforts.”
Take Action: Oppose any future industrial development at 1300 Clevelan Ave. in Wasuau
Submit your comments and opinion to the Economic Development Committee and Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Committee (SEEC) by submitting an email to the city clerk with the subject “1300 Cleveland Avenue.”
- Make clear to the clerk that you want your email shared with the entire Economic Development Committee AND Sustainability Committee.
- In the email, briefly explain why you personally oppose any future industrial land use or future industrial development at 1300 Cleveland Avenue, whether that future industrial development is from a private entity like 3M or for a government industrial facility.
- The clerk’s email that your email can be sent to is: kaitlyn.bernarde@ci.wausau.wi.us
Attend the October 7 meeting Wausau Economic Development Committee at 5:15 PM in City Council Chambers at City Hall (1st Floor) to provide your verbal opinion and public comment. Public comment is at the beginning of the meeting and citizens have up to 3 minutes each to provide comment. We can make a difference together, even when addressing powerful entities and polluters like 3M Company, or those in our government who will not readily heed the voice of justice or the voice of regular working and middle-class people!
For more information, contact: Joel.Lewis@citizenactionwi.org
Citizen Action Southeast Organizing Co-op Weekly Update
🏥 Medicaid Team – Wednesday, October 22 at 6 PM
We’re building momentum for health care justice! This week we went to the Washington Senior Center to talk about health care, and we’ll keep expanding the conversation. Join us at the Citizen Action office for our next meeting as we prepare for our November town hall.
🌍 Climate Team – Thursday, October 23, 6 PM
At our first Climate meeting, we had a strong discussion about public transportation and climate justice. We’ll be back together for our next meeting on Thursday, October 23 at 6 PM.
🚪 Canvassing
Canvassing is going strong! Each week we’re growing our movement, meeting neighbors, and bringing in new members. Come join the fun and make a difference.
To get more information about any of these events or to get involved with us, contact: Ruben.Aquino@citizenactionwi.org
Citizen Action in the News
This week Congressional Democrats took their first unified step of noncooperation with the consolidation of authoritarian power. They refused to give Democratic votes to pass a budget continuing resolution that did not address a massive increase in the price of health care.
In La Crosse Citizen Action took part in a rally in support of noncooperation.
See coverage from CBS TV 8 La Crosse. Also, Citizen Action Executive Director sat down for an interview with CBS 58 Milwaukee to explain why the rising cost of health care is at the center of the impasse over funding the government.
Listen to “Meeting the moment?” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We start with discussion of the new fighting spirit of Congressional Democrats, and the central role the health care cost crisis is playing in the impasse. Are Democrats finally learning how to resist an increasingly authoritarian president? We review the latest MU Law Poll and whether we agree with what veteran political journalist Craig Gilbert calls the Trump paradox, where despite low popularity, Trump 2.0 has been one of the most powerful presidencies in recent American history.
We welcome Heather DuBois Bourenane and Chris Hambach-Boyle from Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN) to discuss how the growing private, voucher school program is defunding Wisconsin’s public schools and how their Voucher Transparency Project is exposing the scheme and organizing people in defense of our public schools.
Listen to the show
Learn more about WPEN Voucher Transparency Project.
Social media post of the week
