Citizen Action Weekend ’26 Newsletter, Friday, February 20th
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Your voice is needed more than ever.
Citizen Action members attend public hearing on Data Center Bills At State Capitol
Thanks to all the Citizen Action members and the public who attended the public hearing on data center bills at the Capitol this Tuesday.
Your voices are needed more than ever.
LISTEN to Citizen Action Northeast Organizing Cooperative member Jacob Toll who went to the State Capitol to support new legislation calling for a PAUSE on new Data Centers.
Sign and send a message to your state legislators urging them to support the Data Center Pause and the Utility Rate Cap Bills.
In the closing days of the legislative session, major decisions are being made on data centers. That is why we are urging you to send a quick email to your State Senator to support a Pause on Data Centers until adequate regulation and safeguards are in place, and the Utility Rate Cap Bill, which limits the cost of utilities based on the ability to pay.
We cannot let the CEOs of Big Tech and the Big Utilities make decisions for us that will have massive consequences for the already high costs of electricity and heat, the environment, and the urgent response to the climate crisis.
To provide the time for adequate planning and the creation of accountable standards, it is urgent that we pause the development of new large scale data centers until there is a full planning process which protects the public interest, and adequate safeguards are in place.
That is why we are urging you to contact your State Representative and State Senator and support the Data Center Pause Bill (LRB-6377 and LRB-6391).
We are also urging State Representatives and Senators to cosponsor the Utility Rate Cap Bill (Assembly Bill 785/Senate Bill 780) which guarantees electricity, heat, and cooling are truly affordable. By capping electricity and heating costs at an affordable percentage of household income, everyone regardless of their wealth or the age of their house or apartment will be guaranteed they can afford a vital necessity of life without sacrificing other necessities.
Urge State Legislators to co-sponsor Data Center Pause Bill and Utility Rate Cap Bill!
Sign and send a message to your state legislators urging them to support the Data Center Pause and the Utility Rate Cap Bills.
Join Us! For $20 Wage legislation introduction into the state legislature next Tuesday, February 24th, 11AM, State Capitol, Senate Parlor.
$20 Wage Capitol Media Event
Tuesday, February 24th, 11am
Senate Parlor, 2nd Floor
Citizen Action of Wisconsin is a member of the Living Wage Coalition in Wisconsin, which launched last September. Citizen Action and the Coalition began last Fall calling on State legislators to take up our demand for a living wage of $20/hour for all Wisconsin workers.
We’ve grown to include dozens of labor unions and politically-engaged organizations. We’re united around the basic proposition that all labor has dignity and no matter who you are or where you work, all workers deserve a living wage.
We’ve met with legislators representing Assembly and Senate districts all across the State, working to develop a group of political leaders committed to advancing this cause. Representative Angelina Cruz and Senator Kelda Roys have taken up the call as bill sponsors, joined by lead co-sponsors Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde and Senator Dora Drake.
Thanks to Representatives Cruz and Moore Omokunde and Senators Roys and Drake (and their excellent staffs) as well as coalition leaders Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Fighting Oligarchy, Our Wisconsin Revolution, United Food and Commercial Workers Local #1473, United Auto Workers Wisconsin CAP Council, Working Families Power, and MASH, the service and hospitality workers union, for advancing us to the point where we are introducing comprehensive living wage legislation.
Our bill would raise the floor to $20 per hour, index to inflation, reduce the tip penalty and increase the tipped minimum wage, and restore local control on wages policy.
We hope you will join us at the bill introduction on February 24th, 11am.
CAN’T MAKE IT? TAKE ACTION in support of a new Living Wage $20/hour bill being introduced next week in the State Legislature.
The Living Wage Coalition is built upon a previous generation of living wage activism in the Fight for Fifteen and a Union and carried it forward to today – the $15 per hour we began fighting for in November 2012 would be worth nearly $22 in 2026.
Milwaukee Transportation
Location: 303 E. Ward St.
8:30am: Breakfast served
Transportation leaves: 9:00am
Green Bay Transportation
Call to arrange a ride. Leaving early Tuesday morning. For more information, contact: g.degrave@citizenactionwi.org
TAKE ACTION in support of a new Living Wage $20/hour bill being introduced next week in the State Legislature.
Attend Fight for Our Lights: Milwaukee Town Hall on We Energies Rates, Tuesday, February 24th, 6pm
Milwaukee residents are fed up with sky-high utility bills. Are you worried about shutoffs? Behind on your bill? Tired of choosing between rent, food, medicine, and heat?
Join us for a Utility Justice Town Hall to demand lower bills and real accountability from We Energies.
Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Cooperative Update: When Plans Change, Organizing Continues.
A few weeks ago, we set out to host the first of six Governor’s Forums across Wisconsin, right here in the Driftless Region. However, as organizing goes, plans evolve. Citizen Action is consolidating all gubernatorial forums into one statewide virtual event to maximize reach and impact across Wisconsin. That forum’s date will be announced next week.
Also, we will have more information soon about more informal, yet in depth, conversations with individual Governor candidates about our organizing and their campaigns when they are in our region and available.
But here’s what we gained in starting to plan for the forum: (1) We learned which venues in La Crosse can support large-scale events. (2) We built relationships with local media contacts who are now familiar with our work. (3) And most importantly, we all worked closely together to plan, thanks William, Wyatt, and Rebecca.
Thank you Pastor Laura and Michelle at First Congregational UCC for their partnership throughout the planning process. Also thanks to the speakers who agreed to participate. Your willingness to show up is important to you building our power to win.
Now, we’re pivoting. With spring elections approaching, we’re supporting our endorsed school board and county board candidates. After the elections, I’ll be exploring a new opportunity that came out of this process: partnering with faith communities to talk about how healthcare and climate action align with their missions.
Want to get involved? We’re organizing phone banks and door knocking shifts to support our endorsed school board and county board candidates over the next month. Email me at aron.newberry@citizenactionwi.org to sign up or learn more. Let’s win these races together.
I’m also planning a spring social event. Something outside at a park, no actions, just building camaraderie in what’s shaping up to be a busy year. I’m thinking in May, maybe June.
Organizing isn’t about one event. It’s about building relationships, learning, adapting, and showing up. The Driftless Region is ready. Let’s keep going
Citizen Action North Central Health Care Action Team Meeting, Thursday, February 26th, 6pm
The North Central Health Care Action Team (NC HCAT) is the newest action team in the region. The goal of our group is to advocate for the BadgerCare Public Option Bill, first and foremost. We are in an exciting time, because the Democratic candidates for Governor support this bill more so than their predecessors ever have.
Public pressure will be the difference between passing this or continuing to live under the current system. Now, we need the people throughout the State that care about this, to speak up and share their stories in an effort to get this bill passed.
We also have a Hospital Accountability Bill, that we continue to advocate for. The North Central Health Care Action Team meets on the 4th Thursday of every month, at 6 pm on Zoom. It does not matter where you live in the NC region, if you care about these issues, there is a place for you on the Health Care Action Team.
You can join the meeting next week Thursday. Please contact Organizer Joel Lewis at 715-551-2525 or email him at joel.lewis@citizenactionwi.org, to RSVP.
If you have interest in the statewide Health Care Action Team, you can join their monthly meetings here. Contact Health Care for All Director Kristie Tweed at 608-317-1331 or email her at kristie.tweed@citizenactionwi.org.
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Northeast Wisconsin Co-Op Organizer Garnet De Grave was interviewed in a story on the affordability crisis on WBAY (ABC) TV 2 Green Bay/Fox Cities.
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Jeff Santos Show to discuss the latest in the fight for democracy.
Listen here. (Robert’s interview at the 2 hour 5 minute mark of the video).
Listen to“Remembering Jesse Jackson, Postpartum Medicaid victory, $20 Wage Legislation launch, and data centers public hearing” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
We remember Jesse Jackson for carrying the torch for the multi-racial working class long after the hopes of the Civil Rights Era faded, his prophetic oratory which still speaks to us today, and his special connection to Wisconsin.
We highlight the victory for health care access for mothers, children, and women with a higher risk of breast cancer, Boss Vos finally relents to significant pressure from the public and other Republicans and allows a vote on postpartum Medicaid and cost-free breast cancer screening bills.
We welcome Peter Rickman, president of the MASH union to discuss the new $20 Wage bill that will be introduced next week, Tuesday, at 11AM, at the State Capitol, Senate Parlor.
Robert educates us on an important lawsuit against Trump’s climate-denying EPA by health and climate groups over the dangerous repeal of rule supporting climate protections.
We discuss an important public hearing held this week for four Data Center bills. Citizen Action members joined dozens of community leaders and data center activists who want a pause on new construction and sensible public accountability for future data centers.
Listen to the show.
We urge our listeners to call your state Legislators 1-800-362-9472 and tell them to co-sponsor Data Center Pause and Utility Rate Cap Bills.
