Citizen Action Weekend 2025 Newsletter, Friday, December 19th
Happy Holidays. See you in 2026!
Donate/Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Important Progressive Tax Package introduced in the State Legislature
Wednesday, Citizen Action joined state legislators at the Capitol to release a three bill package that transforms how we fund K-12 schools and other public goods in Wisconsin.
If enacted, Wisconsin would become the first state to fund K-12 schools primarily through a progressive income tax, leading to a 44% reduction in the median Wisconsin property tax bill.
The ground breaking legislation replaces the current unequal system with a higher income tax on the highest earning individuals and corporations. It is a restoration of basic fairness, progressive income taxation, and fair government in Wisconsin.
The legislation also proposes restoring Wisconsin’s estate tax for estates valued higher than $5M and creating a new local option income tax. These tools provide new, fairer options to raise revenue at the state and local levels.
Call your state legislators and urge them to co-sponsor. 1-800-362-9472
We discuss the tax bills on the new Battleground Wisconsin Podcast. Listen here.
Citizen Action North Side Rising helps hundreds receive funding for home energy upgrades in Milwaukee.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin has reached 250+ Milwaukeeans with straightforward, practical help on Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for home energy upgrades. Through community presentations, one-on-one support, and neighborhood outreach, we help people understand what they qualify for, connect to trusted programs and contractors, and get through the steps needed to access rebates and improvements.
For many households, the IRA can mean real money on the table. Many homes can receive around $10,000 to insulate and weatherize, cutting drafts, improving comfort, and lowering monthly energy bills. That matters in Milwaukee, where too many families, especially Black and brown families and low-income households, pay a higher share of their income just to keep the heat on and the lights running. Reducing energy waste in older homes is one of the fastest ways to lower energy burden and make homes healthier and safer.
This work also connects directly to our utility justice agenda, including our push for a 2% rate cap and stronger protections against shutoffs. Weatherization helps, but it is not enough when corporate utilities keep raising rates and sticking families with the costs of expensive, dirty energy projects. That is why our Housing Resources Team, a 12-member team, is out in the community doing outreach and helping neighbors take the next step, while we keep organizing for the policy changes that make energy affordable for everyone.
Milwaukee Area members meet to plan $20 Wage campaign in 2026.
A group of Milwaukee area members met this Tuesday night to start a team of leaders who want to organize public and legislative support for $20 Minimum Wage legislation soon to be introduced in the State Legislature.
To learn more about how you could join the new MKE area team, contact: Maletha.Jones@citizenactionwi.org
Citizen Action members now have plans to start teams in Green Bay/Fox Valley, Wausau/Stevens Point, Eau Claire, and La Crosse area. For more information about joining a team or starting one in your area of Wisconsin, contact: Matt.Brusky@citizenactionwi.org
Learn more about legislation and take action by sending brief email of support to your state legislators.
Join Citizen Action Statewide Healthcare Action Team: Next meeting, January 6th, 7pm
Citizen Action Southeast Organizing Co-op Weekly Update
Dear Citizen Action members and friends,
As we head toward the end of the year, our organizing continues to build strength and direction across the Southeast region. Here’s what’s new this week:
🏥 Health Care Team
Our Health Care Team continues to grow following a strong recent meeting. We’re building momentum toward our Health Care Town Hall on January 31, and we’re inviting more members to help shape and support this important event.
🌿 Climate Team – Next Meeting in January
The Climate Team is growing and preparing for our next meeting in January. We’re continuing to organize around clean energy, public transportation, and utility justice — new members are encouraged to join.
🤝 Movement Politics Team
We’re excited to continue building our Movement Politics Team, focused on strengthening independent political power and supporting people-powered change. More opportunities to get involved are coming soon.
For more information or to get involved, contact ruben.aquino@citizenactionwi.org or call/text 414-377-2995
Attend Main Street Alliance Day of Action at the State Capitol
Citizen Action of Wisconsin is proud to co-sponsor Main Street Alliance’s Day of Action at the State Capitol, January 20, 2026 and we are inviting you to attend.
Main Street Cares: A Day of Action, bringing together 100+ small business owners and allies from across Wisconsin to stand up for policies that support both local businesses and working families.
Together, we’ll advocate for:
- Passing a BadgerCare Public Option and Expanding post-partum Medicaid coverage for new moms.
- Guaranteed paid family and medical leave
- Fully funded childcare that works for families and employers
- A fairer system that makes it easier to start and run a small business
The day starts at Garver Feed Mill, an MSA member business, with opening remarks from Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, a champion of care economy investments.Then we’ll head to the Capitol to meet directly with lawmakers and statewide officials—bringing real Main Street stories straight to the people in power.
This Day of Action is powered by an incredible coalition, including Family Friendly Wisconsin, 9 to 5, WECAN, WPEN, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Mother Forward, Motherhood for Good, and the Wisconsin Hemp Farmers and Manufacturers Association.
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on WIZM Radio La Crosse for the full hour to discuss data centers, energy costs, the latest in the health care fight, and more.
Citizen Action’s new Driftless Area Organizer, Aron Newberry, was quoted in a CBS TV 8 La Crosse news story on the Wisconsin impact of the massive cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies that take effect on January 1.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Jeff Santos radio show to discuss the difference between running on an “affordability message” and on real proposals that will improve the lives of working families.
Citizen Action’s Deputy Director, Matt Brusky was interviewed by CBS 58 TV in Milwaukee about the closing of UW-Milwaukee’s Institute of World Affairs after 65 years. The program connected students to global issues, brought speakers to campus and introduced K–12 students to international policy.
UWM closed the institute on December 16, saying it was not financially sustainable. The university says the move will save about $200,000 a year.” Brusky said, “$200,000? It just blows my mind. The short sightedness of whoever decided this.”
Listen to “Interview with State Rep. Angelina Cruz: Fighting for promised public school funding” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We start with an analysis of the latest health care melodrama in D.C., where four House Republicans unexpectedly broke ranks, joining Democrats in forcing a vote on the renewal of ACA subsidies. Speaker Johnson will not hold the required vote until January. But even if it passes in the House, it will face an almost certain filibuster in the Senate. Meanwhile millions of Americans will lose healthcare coverage, and those who decide to pay skyrocketing premiums will be forced to cut back on other basics.
We welcome State Representative Angelina Cruz to discuss the budget bait and switch on special education funding. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) announced that the state will fail to meet the 42% special education reimbursement promised in the recent state budget., and by elected leaders of both parties when they celebrated the budget “compromise.” Rep. Cruz tells us about new legislation to ensure all schools get special education funding they were promised
Following Rep. Cruz, we discuss a new three bill package that transforms how Wisconsin funds K-12 schools and other public goods in Wisconsin. If enacted, Wisconsin would become the first state to fund K-12 schools primarily through a progressive income tax, leading to a 44% reduction in the median Wisconsin property tax bill. Another bill restores Wisconsin’s estate tax for estates valued higher than $14M and creates a new local option income tax on people who make $1M a year or more. These tools provide new, fairer options to raise revenue at the state and local levels, and begin the long process of unwinding record levels of income and wealth inequality,
We also talk about this week’s highly publicized trial of Judge Hannah Dugan Trial in Milwaukee, data center opponents launch a recall effort against Port Washington Mayor, and the “Monsters of the Midway” threaten to move to Indiana, the latest move in their failing (but on-going) campaign to shake down Illinois for unneeded public subsidies at the expense of schools, health care, and other public priorities. So far Illinois elected leaders are holding firm, in stark contrast to Wisconsin’s bipartisan cave into the Brewers billionaire owner last year.
Listen to the show
