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Forward - June 2007 |
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Volume 85, No. 4 June 2007 Regular Features: In This Issue: In the past two years, we have developed new positions on two issues central to good governance in Wisconsin: Voting Rights and Energy Policy. These will be submitted to a member vote at Convention. We owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated leaders of these studies. Clearly, they reveal a wide potential for effective League action. We are able to lobby effectively for sound public policy with positions that are well-researched and well-considered, and that address the greater good of all Wisconsin residents. We speak from a consensus of our membership when we ask legislators to vote for or against legislation. The better informed we are as members, the stronger our voice in the state capitol. The thoughtful program recommendations of local Leagues for the coming biennium were very helpful. The state board considered these suggestions and selected two key areas in which we, as League members, need more information to be effective advocates. In response to requests for a health care study, the state board and Legislative Committee reviewed our position and realized how forward-thinking were the Leaguers of twenty years ago who crafted the wording we use to advocate on this topic. The board recommends no further study; rather, increased action through education of League members and the public. With articles in Forward and expert speakers at state League events, we will position LWVWI to respond quickly and effectively to new issues as they arise. Guided by our current position, we can support accessible, affordable, efficient health care for all. The board also recommends extending the voting rights study to cover election administration. As we inform and motivate voters, we must also monitor the statewide voter registration database; learn about alternative voting systems, equipment and election procedures; and continue to advocate for elections that are accessible to qualified voters. With new state and federal election laws, rapid changes in technology, and an increasingly diverse electorate, the League must be a leader in advocating for accurate, transparent elections. As League members, we see a need for a diverse commitment from citizens. Our study and advocacy strengthen our dedication to the basic tenets of democracy and a civil society, making voter registration drives and information campaigns more effective. We urge citizens not only to take the initiative to vote, but also to advocate for good policies, honest representatives and fair elections. Our work is important and everyone’s help is needed. Let us use Convention to recommitment to our mission. Back to top The Joyce Foundation supports excellent research and advocacy to reduce the influence of special interests and preserve representative government. As a grantee, LWVWI Education Fund is part of a network of organizations in a five-state Great Lakes region working to clean up politics at the state level. Some specific projects that the grant will cover are:
With this new opportunity comes a lot of work. If you have ideas for speakers or would like to help in the planning of these events, please contact me at the state office. I look forward to hearing from you!Back to top Back to top Indeed, June has spent her life being strong on others’ behalf. Studying and teaching midwifery in South Africa, she spent almost twenty years in direct service to poor, rural families suffering under the apartheid. For years she worked from a mobile clinic, a van that would drive to farms in the Zululand countryside. “I would head out in the morning,” she says, “and stay as long as there were patients to be seen.” Later, she would work from what was then considered a modern hospital, “which meant it had electricity and running water.” Making life as difficult as the omnipresent tuberculosis and poverty, she says, was apartheid. “There was no problem for us personally,” she says of herself and fellow aid workers, “because we were white. We were always treated very nicely.” But the suffering of the Africans put foreigners in a difficult position. Permits allowed foreigners to live in a designated area and work in a specified capacity. Any government critique “meant that they would tear up your visa, stamp your passport and send you home.” Therefore, June says, aid workers did not get involved politically. “It was frustrating,” she says, living in a situation in which protest meant departure and silence meant guilt. “It seemed to me we were not getting at the root causes of the oppression.” The double oppression of women, under apartheid and the social structure of the Zulu tribe, left a lasting impression. “That made a feminist out of me and an activist.” June returned to the United States to continue her nursing career and launch a life-long commitment to activism. She was uneasy at first in her new role. “It was a very different America than what I’d left. The first time I protested and went to vigils and rallies I felt a little uncomfortable.” It did not take long, though, to adjust. Through the League, she learned the legislative process and how to lobby effectively by contacting legislators. She joined church and community groups to address poverty, health care, women’s issues and, of course, apartheid. She spoke to anyone who would listen about South Africa. Today, she says, the situation has improved. The hospital she worked in is now a regional facility supporting research and patient care to combat AIDS and tuberculosis. But there is a backlog of unmet needs. “There is political freedom,” she says, but “there is certainly not economic equality and economic opportunities.” Poverty and health care also need addressing at home. Along with war, immigration and campaign finance reform, these issues claim June’s time and talents. The keys to successful advocacy, she says, are “to get informed and keep informed” and to network through organizations. Anything that can be accomplished will be done with collaborative support, she says, “nobody’s going to do it alone.” June Kjome was recently nominated for the LWVWI Meg McLane Award for Advocacy. The award recognizes groups or individuals working for positive policy changes in Wisconsin in honor of the dedicated work of LWV Fond du Lac member Meg McLane. Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the award fund through the state League at www.lwvwi.org or by check (payable to LWVWI Education Fund, please note ‘Meg McLane Fund’ in the memo. Back to top A1: Wisconsin has 10 of the total 538 votes. For more information on the Electoral College, visit the US NARA website at: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/. For information on a proposal to allow the states to elect the president without the electoral college, visit: http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/index.php. Back to top LWV Appleton Continuing study of mental health Back to top There are certain lending practices in recent years that cause concern for a variety of reasons. In some states there is existing legislation intended to regulate or even prohibit these lending practices. In other states and at the federal level of government there is ongoing discussion and some proposals to address the concerns about these lending practices. Lending practices are an important area of public policy because of the impact that lending and access to financing has on the ability of families and communities to build wealth. Building wealth is critical to community growth. The League has no position addressing convenience lenders. In fact, economic issues are not really dealt with at all. The need for money is implicit in some positions like the ones on human needs. However, it is the wealth-building aspect that is not covered and leaves a hole. In response to this gap, LWV Milwaukee County studied payday loans, car title loans, refund anticipation loans and their variations. We had the benefit of a City of Milwaukee Task Force study of convenient lending in which two League members actively participated. We also did considerable research to obtain the most recent data, academic studies and actions by other local areas. Payday loans are small ($200 to $1,000), short term and secured by a postdated check from the borrower. Payday lending has grown from a handful of stores in 1990 to an estimated 25,000 stores in 2005. In 2005, payday lending was a $28 billion business in the United States. The typical payday borrower pays $793 for a $325 loan. Nationally, in 2005, borrowers paid an estimated $4.2 billion in interest charges and fees. The annual percentage rate (APR) of payday loans ranges from about 350% to over 1,000%. The interest rates and fees increase exponentially if the loan is not paid within the initial loan period and must be rolled over. In Wisconsin, in 2005, borrowers paid an estimated $124 million in fees and interest. That money does not help grow the local economy. Car title loans are short term, high-interest loans, secured by the borrower’s car title. The typical loan is $350. The value of the cars securing the loans is always higher than the loan amount. Interest rates across the states range from about 200% to 800%. There is no comprehensive data available on how many car title lenders there are in states that allow them. The car title loan business in California is estimated to be $20 million a year. If the loan cannot be repaid in the two to four week loan period, it must be rolled over into another loan which increases the APR. Car title loans are made with no consideration of the ability to pay back. The car dealer requires the clear title to the car and sometimes even requires a spare set of keys to ease repossession. Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) are very new, short-term loans made by tax preparers based on the estimated or calculated refund the taxpayer is likely to receive. Each RAL costs from $30 to $125 in loan fees. Some tax preparers charge a separate fee of $25 just to cut the loan check. The effective APR can range from 40% to over 500%. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) estimate about 9.6 million taxpayers spent $960 million in loan fees plus over $100 million in other fees on RALs in 2005. In 2005, there was a 22% drop in the use of RALs from 2004. On the other hand, the industry now makes pay stub loans and holiday loans. These new loans are also based on an estimated tax return but are made in November or December. They come due before the end of January when taxpayers would have received their W-2 forms. Because of the continuing uncertainty of the actual refund, the taxpayer must roll over this loan for another. The irony is that for RALs and their variations, taxpayers pay to borrow their own money. RALs target working families. Over 60% of all RAL borrowers are Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) customers despite the fact that EITC customers make up only 17% of taxpayers, according to IRS data. The NCLC and CFA estimate that 5.9 million working poor families spent over $600 million in RAL fees in order to get their tax refund money in two weeks or less. These families spent another $885 million in tax preparation fees which they could have saved by going to free tax preparation programs. Our tax money is paying for EITC grants. The Milwaukee County chapter arrived at consensus at our May 7 annual meeting. We support a tracking system to insure borrowers do not over commit themselves and insure a downward spiral through rollovers or concurrent payday loans. We also believe that, in addition to local support, action is needed at the state and federal levels. Right now, experts from our study are working to see new legislation passed in Madison. The League can use this study in a variety of ways. Local Leagues could survey these practices in their own community using the materials and process already developed by LWV Milwaukee County. If interest grows, members could propose a study to develop a position on the state level. And of course, individuals can always contact their representatives to suggest that these practices be better regulated through state legislation. The best of the documents used in the study and the final consensus wording are online at http://lwvmilwaukee.org/local_study.html. For more information on the study or current action, please contact study chair Dorothy Dean at . Back to top Representative Spencer Black and Senator Mark Miller have authored a major legislative initiative to combat global warming. The Wisconsin Safe Climate Act (introduced as Senate Bill 81 and Assembly Bill 157) is similar to last November’s landmark California green house gas reduction law, which established the first comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction program in the United States. The goals of SB81/AB157 would allow Wisconsin to help reduce global temperatures:
The Wisconsin Safe Climate Act aims to protect resources for Wisconsin’s future generations. Continuing climate change would be detrimental to myriad native plants and animals in Wisconsin, causing major problems for agriculture and forestry. Climate change is also linked to numerous public health risks: recent summers have testified to an increase in violent weather systems and vicious heat waves, while nations around the globe have witnessed an increase in the spread of disease and famine. Also at state in Wisconsin is a stable, sustainable economy. Carbon emitting, old technology coal-fired power plants are a set up for economic crisis when faced with emission standards and sustainable technology. Consumers will save by addressing this problem now, and Wisconsin is uniquely positioned to profit with strong biotech and biofuel industries. Current levels of public support for sound environmental policy in Wisconsin have not been seen since 1997’s mining moratorium legislation. Earlier this year in Wisconsin, Governor Jim Doyle announced the creation of a Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming, a committee charged with evaluating state and local solutions to global warming. Supporters are hopeful that the attitude shift will force action at the federal level as well. Meanwhile, local action is taking place through the League. LWV Ozaukee County hosted Ryan Schyver, a speaker from a Wisconsin group that has been trained and authorized to present Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” along with information on SB81/AB157. For more information on the presentations, contact Ryan at . If your League is hosting an event on global warming, please share the details at www.solvewisconsinglobalwarming.org to reach a wider audience of concerned citizens. Finally, if you will be in or near Madison on September 11, 2007, please plan to attend the public hearing on the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act at the Capitol. For more information, contact the state League office. Back to top Back to top Friday, June 15 Saturday, June 16 Back to top Geraldine Jennings, LWV Whitewater, drove through a blizzard to lobby her representatives.
Clare McArdle is Chair of the LWVWI Legislative Committee, sponsors of Legislative Day.
Sally Phelps, LWV Dane County, reads up on the issues before meeting with legislators. We hope can plan to join us next time for Legislative Day 2009! Click here for more photos and information from Legislative Day. Back to top The LWVWI Legislative Committee has been visible throughout the state this past year, participating in budget hearings and other state government public meetings. While our focus has been on Campaign Finance Reform, Energy and Government Financing, we were also very involved (and influential) in the eventual passage of an Ethics bill which goes into effect August 1. Each committee member closely follows a specific area in which the League has positions, and we report and/or take action each month on topics as varied as keeping Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes and requiring compassionate care for rape victims. Our state study of electric energy policy has kept us especially busy on matters of environmental concern. We recommended six candidates, hoping to influence the governor’s choice of Public Service Commission appointees. We are working with coalitions to pass the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act, and we are keeping a close eye on the Wisconsin Legislative Council deliberations on nuclear power plants. We are also following-up on the contacts made with legislators at Legislative Day last April. We encourage you to visit the Legislative Action page to sign up to receive action alerts adn to read our advocacy agenda, letters from LWVWI to Governor Doyle and statements on current legislative issues. You are welcome to use these materials to keep your representatives apprised of the League’s influence among their constituents. We request that you let us know when you follow through on an action alert so that we can collect accurate data on League activity. Our committee is poised to take action on Voter ID, Campaign Finance, Clean Elections, Public Schools funding, and Health and Social Welfare funding. A summary of our positions on bills is available on the Ethics Board website. On the homepage, click “Lobbying in Wisconsin”, then “What are they lobbying about? Search by: Bill”. Choose League of Women Voters of Wisconsin to find the many Assembly and Senate Bills your Legislative Committee has acted on this session. Back to top It’s easy. I’ve done it. When you draft or rewrite your will or estate plan, remember the state League and specify that your legacy goes to the tax-deductible LWVWI Education Fund. For more information on planned giving, talk to your attorney or contact the state League office by phone at 608-256-0827 or by email. The state Board will be proud to list you in our Annual Report as a member of the League’s Legacy Circle; or, if you’d prefer, you may remain an anonymous benefactor of the League's mission of voter service and civic involvement. -Nancy Moore, LWVWI State Board Back to top |
roots are in educating and supporting people in exercising their right to vote, in the 87 years since our founding we have expanded our vision to include other issues and advocacy.
recipient of a generous two-year grant from the Joyce Foundation to be used to collaborate with other civic organizations to educate advocacy leaders and the public about issues related to money and politics. These issues include: campaign finance reform; government openness and ethics; fair and competitive elections; an independent judiciary; media reform and informed citizen participation. 
June Kjome knew of the League early on in her career as an activist. “I always admired them,” she says, “because they seemed to be so knowledgeable about the government and the issues…. They are strong powerful women - my kind.”
Almost 40 League members met in Madison on April 11 to learn about pressing issues facing the Wisconsin legislature and to lobby their representatives for positive change.
League members visited 22 offices, meeting directly with seven Senators or Representatives and the staff of 15 other legislators. Legislative Day attendees reported strong support in the legislature for school funding and health care reform and for increased financial support of the University of Wisconsin.
Legislative Day reports also made clear that many legislators are undecided on or unfamiliar with policy developments regarding abstinence only education funding and global warming. All of our Support the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund with a tax-deductible donation.
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