Mike's Priorities

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>> Defend Our Democracy

Republicans in the Legislature have been attacking and undermining our democracy and the fabric of what holds us together as a state. Mike has fought for the right to vote, securing our election equipment and protecting election workers, ending partisan gerrymandering, and stopping the purposeful spread of disinformation.

 

Republican attacks on institutions Wisconsinites hold dear, like the University of Wisconsin, the DNR, and public schools set us back, not forward. Meanwhile, our schools, crumbling roads, low wages, environment, and basic needs all get neglected.

 

>> Protect Our Basic Rights

 

Public Education

A strong public education in good and safe public schools with well-paid educators is the bedrock of our state and a right of every Wisconsinite. Mike's Mom was a public school teacher. Mike's wife teaches at UW Law School. And Mike has taught graduate classes in public health at UW-Milwaukee. Mike has two children in Verona public schools.

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Healthcare

Everyone has the right to affordable and high-quality healthcare, but not every Wisconsinite has access to it. This is especially true in Wisconsin's rural areas.

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Mike was proud to work for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold when he voted for the Affordable Care Act, which expanded coverage to millions, and protects people from insurance company discrimination. Unfortunately, Republicans in Wisconsin have actively thwarted the success of the Affordable Care Act and play with people’s health for political gain. 

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Mike has been a leading advocate in the Legislature for fully expanding BadgerCare to cover tens of thousands more Wisconsinites and capture our federal tax dollars. 

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Mike will never quit on guaranteeing every Wisconsinite has access to affordable and high-quality healthcare and health coverage.

 

Women

Women’s rights and reproductive freedom, especially the right to abortion, get Mike's full and unconditional support. Mike is a member of Men4Choice, founded by a friend of his, because it shouldn't just be on women to fight for their basic rights. Mike has also been an ally to women on improving maternal care, expanding paid leave, and guaranteeing equal pay for women. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, the clock was turned back to an 1849 state law outlawing abortions in Wisconsin. Thankfully, a court decision has put that law on hold, but we must codify the right to abortion in state law.

 

Contraception access is under threat too. Mike authored a bill to require insurers to cover permanent contraception procedures, including vasectomies and tubal ligations. Mike also cosponsored a bill authored by our State Senator, Dianne Hesselbein, which guarantees access to contraception.

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Women of the 80th District have an ally in Mike listening to them and representing them.

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LGBTQ+ Rights

Mike has always been an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and his two siblings and sister-in-law who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. In the Assembly, he has opposed Republicans' efforts to force educators to misgender and deadname transgender students, and limit their participation in extracurricular activities. Those efforts compromise the safety of those students. Marriage equality should be written into state law, and we should remove the unenforceable definition of marriage "between one man and one woman" from our State Constitution. Conversion therapy should be permanently banned.

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Common Sense Gun Control

The gun violence seen across our state and country in homes and on streets,

and in grocery stores, houses of worship, and schools threatens our right to

assemble, worship, and learn freely and without fear. The Second Amendment

should not trample the First Amendment. We must urgently implement common

sense gun control measures to save lives. Mike supports banning the sale of

assault weapons; requiring a universal background check, license, training, and

waiting period to purchase any firearm; selling a trigger lock with every gun;

adding fingerprint access and tracking technology to every gun; banning

guns in schools and other government buildings and polling locations; banning

the sale of ghost guns and 3D printing of firearms; and more. 

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Workers

Wisconsin's public workers, like Mike's wife who is a state employee, had their rights systematically stripped away by Scott Walker and Republicans in the State Legislature. Our public workers should have the right to collectively bargain so that they are well-paid, their benefits are strong, they have protection from discrimination, and they are safe on the job. Private sector workers who want to organize have been under attack with a new Republican-backed "Right to Work" law and a slew of efforts to make them less safe, allow for discrimination, and cut their pay and benefits. Mike will never waiver in his solidarity with Wisconsin workers, and they can count on Mike to always have their back.

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Housing

Far too many of our neighbors and school children struggle with housing insecurity and bouts of homelessness. Mike is an expert on housing policy and wants Wisconsin to transform how we guarantee everyone has access to affordable, quality, and stable shelter.

 

As a member of the County Board, Mike created a program to guarantee access to legal counsel for people facing an eviction and fought for it to be funded properly. Mike also supported significant investment in housing navigation and case management to help people find and stay in an affordable home. Mike has served on the Dane County Housing Authority and helped it secure $3 million in county funding to improve the quality of its housing and allow for future investments in more affordable housing.

 

In the State Assembly, Mike is a thought leader on housing policy and serves on the Housing Committee. His first speech in the Assembly was about zoning process and substance. He introduced a bill to allow local governments to do rent control and inclusionary zoning.

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Mike has worked tirelessly to combat Republican efforts to criminalize homelessness and divest in communities. Mike led the charge against a Republican bill to criminalize homelessness and defund homeless services. 

 

>> Invest In Our Communities

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Public Schools

Republicans in the Legislature have intentionally caused Wisconsin’s education ratings to slip, and parents’ confidence in schools to degrade. We must urgently turn that around.

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Mike does not support sending taxpayer funds to unaccountable private Choice schools. These schools drain resources directly from our public schools. Underfunding our schools causes districts to ask voters for operating budget increases via referendum. Voters in some districts approve, and some don't. This causes the haves to have more, and the have nots to have even less. Education outcomes should be equitable across the state.

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Mike has talked with educators and school board members across the 80th District, and hears their deep concern about state funding. This is especially true in the under-funding of special education. The state currently funds about 30% of the cost of special education. Mike supports the state funding 100% of special education costs. Every kid should have an equal opportunity to learn.

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Students and educators also struggle more now with mental health than even just a few years ago. Mike supports legislation to invest more into school-based mental health.

 

Educators should not be subject to conspiratorial attacks on the hard work they are doing in classrooms. They deserve our respect, and Mike does not support legislation that degrades their value.

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Our schools must also be safe from violence and guns. Mike supports common sense gun control measures to ensure that students and teachers can be in school without worry. Mike doesn't think parents should have to give kids two hugs before school--one for today and one for "What if?"

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Mike will continue to be a champion for educators and students in the State Assembly and actively work to protect and improve our schools.

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Broadband

The lack of access to affordable broadband Internet service is one of the top issues facing Wisconsinites and our economy. Every Wisconsinite has a right to access information and virtual tools that are vital to wellbeing, school, business, and social and family connection. Our state should guarantee that access.

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Mike supported the creation and work of the Dane County Broadband Task Force, but it can be only so successful without significant state support and resources that he will continue to fight for in the Assembly.

 

Help Working Families Succeed

Mike is a leader in the State Assembly in helping working families succeed. Mike is the lead author of legislation to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, which helps working parents make ends meet.

 

He's also the lead author of an increase to the Homestead Credit, which helps people afford to pay the mortgage and rent.

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He supports increasing paid family leave, and equal pay for women. 

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Mike worked with Republicans in the Legislature and Governor Evers to pass an increase of the Child and Dependent Care Credit, which helps working parents afford childcare and home healthcare for adult dependents. Mike will work to make that Credit refundable so it helps even more working parents.

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Environmental Stewardship

Wisconsinites are feeling the effects of our changing climate with more frequent severe weather events, and necessary changes in agriculture practice. We must work to ensure our planet will be safe for the next generation and their kids too. There is no question about these changes, and they’re an urgent call to action.

 

Mike and his wife drive an American-made hybrid fuel-efficient vehicle, installed solar panels, replaced their furnace and air conditioner and windows with energy efficient models, and compost their food waste into their moderately-successful vegetable garden. They achieved their goal of nearly erasing their family’s carbon footprint. Protecting our environment requires action by every one of us, and Mike supports expanding incentives for us all to be part of the solution.

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Mike strongly supported adoption of Dane County’s Climate Action Plan as a member of the County Board, and supports similar statewide efforts, because every level of government must be focused on this issue.

 

Mike has also heard from many voters across the 80th District about water quality and drinking water problems, including contaminated wells, phosphate runoff, and PFAS. Mike is a cosponsor of legislation that guarantees access to safe drinking water, and a package of bills to address PFAS.

 

As an owner of a small business, the Biergarten at Olbrich Park in Madison, Mike loves to think about the potential our state parks have to be spaces Wisconsinites can enjoy. Many of them are in sad disrepair after Republican neglect. As a member of the County Board, Mike supported efforts to purchase land in the 80th District for preservation, including sponsoring a resolution to purchase the farm where the Badger Mill Creek and Sugar River meet to improve runoff management and return the land to natural parkland. Mike also supported expanding access to Dane County Parks by people with disabilities, and supported a $400,000 investment in improving the Ice Age Trail corridor through Verona.