Absentee Ballots Available for Nov. 6 Election

Ballots are available for City of Stevens Point residents who wish to vote early for the November 6 General Election.

Voters have two options for voting absentee. The first is to submit a written request/application to receive an absentee ballot through the mail. Requests to receive an absentee ballot by mail must be received by the Clerk’s office no later than 5:00 p.m. Thursday, November 1. The completed ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day, November 6, in order for it to be counted.

The second option is to vote at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall, 1515 Strongs Avenue, between October 22 and November 2.

Stevens Point City Clerk John Moe reminds individuals who have not already registered to vote and those who have either moved or changed their name that they will need to re-register before they will be allowed to vote. Applications for absentee ballots and voter registration are available at the Clerk’s office and here on the City’s web site.

Please note that there are exceptions for military voters and indefinitely confined electors. City of Stevens Point voters can contact the Clerk’s office at 715-346-1569 for more information.

Senator Kohl to be in Stevens Point September 26

U.S. Senator Herb Kohl’s Regional Representative, Bryce Luchterhand, will be in Stevens Point on Wednesday, Sept. 26 to meet with constituents from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Po. Co. Public Library, 1001 Main St., in the Rotary Room. No appointment necessary.

Meet & Greet Senator Lassa and actress Tyne Daly today

Actress Tyne Daly, a Wisconsin native who starred in the 1980s television series “Cagney & Lacey,” is scheduled to appear in central Wisconsin today in support of President Barack Obama’s re-election effort, according to a campaign news release issued today.

The “Obama for America Heartland Tour 2012: Moving the Middle Class Forward” is scheduled to include the following central Wisconsin stops:

• 9:15 a.m. — Meet and Greet with Tyne Daly at the Daily Grind Coffee & Tea, 236 S. Central Ave., Marshfield

• 11:45 a.m. — Meet and Greet with Sen. Julie Lassa and Tyne Daly at Pfiffner Park, 1100 Crosby Ave., Stevens Point

• 2 p.m. — Meet and Greet with Tyne Daly at Robinson Park at 1150 17th St. N., Wisconsin Rapids

• 4:45 p.m. — Meet and Greet with Tyne Daly at Columbia County Democratic Office, 216 W. Wisconsin St., Portage

• 6:15 p.m. — Meet and Greet with Rep. Fred Clark and Tyne Daly, Coffee Bean Connection, 701 Oak St., Baraboo

Remember to Vote Tuesday, August 14

Remember to Vote Tuesday, August 14. Polls are open in the City of Stevens Point from 7:00 am – 8:00 pm. Voters in Districts 2 and 3 must follow detours to get their polling places.

Absentee Ballots Available for Primary

Ballots are available for City of Stevens Point residents who wish to vote early for the August 14 Partisan Primary.

Voters have two options for voting absentee. The first is to vote at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall, 1515 Strongs Avenue, now through Friday, August 10.

The second option is to submit a written request/application to receive an absentee ballot through the mail. Requests to receive an absentee ballot by mail must be received by the Clerk’s office no later than 5:00 p.m. Thursday, August 9. The completed ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day in order for it to be counted.

City Clerk John Moe reminds individuals who have not already registered to vote or those who have either moved or changed their name will need to re-register before they will be allowed to vote.

Applications for absentee ballots, voter registration forms, voter district maps, a sample ballot, and more information is available at the Clerk’s office and on the City’s website.

See a Sample Ballot

There are exceptions for military voters and indefinitely confined electors.

Contact the Clerk’s office at 715-346-1569 for more information.

Get More Voting Information

Representative Krug Tours Heartland Farms with Governor Walker

Colburn, WI — Today Representative Scott Krug welcomed Governor Scott Walker to the 72nd Assembly District to tour Heartland Farms in Adams County; one of 23 counties that has been designated by the United States Department of Agriculture as a natural disaster area due to the drought.

“I am thankful Governor Walker came to the 72nd Assembly district to talk with my constituents and see the conditions first hand. Farmers have consistently been telling me the conditions have steadily worsened as the season has progressed,” Representative Krug said. “This drought will have a long term impact on the livelihood for our state and community for years to come and am therefore appreciative that Governor Walker has coordinated the drought relief efforts for the state with the United States Department of Agriculture.”

The following counties received the natural disaster area designation by the USDA: Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, Lafayette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. This designation authorizes farmers affected by the drought to be eligible for low interest emergency loans.

For more information and resources for farmers during the drought emergency, please visit http://farmertofarmer.uwex.edu/, www.ready.wi.gov or call Representative Krug’s office toll free at (888) 529-0072 or email Rep.Krug@legis.wisconsin.gov

Lassa Calls for Hearing on WEDC Report

Madison – A plan for the use of tax credits submitted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) doesn’t give the legislature enough information to protect taxpayers, according to Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point).

Lassa wrote to the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee today asking them to hold a hearing on the plan to deploy $25 million in economic development credits. The statute authorizing the tax credits requires WEDC to submit a plan for their use to JFC for its approval. “I think it is clear that the Legislature intended something far more detailed than the document the corporation has submitted,” she wrote.

Lassa wrote that JFC can’t fulfill its responsibilities to protect taxpayers’ investment in job creation unless it receives “a much more robust indication of WEDC’s plans for the use of tax credits.”

She criticized the report as lacking specific goals or action steps to achieve them. “The letter talks about ends and objectives (which are already stated in statutes), but nothing about how they will be achieved, and thus isn’t actually a plan,” she wrote.

Lassa said the lack of detail is especially distressing because much of the information is contained in WEDC’s internal planning documents. “As a WEDC board member, I am aware that such details exist,” she wrote. “The absence of actual planning details in the WEDC passive review request suggests, at minimum, a lack of sufficient respect for the responsibility of the Committee to protect the interests of taxpayers by ensuring the efficient and effective use of tax dollars.”

“In creating WEDC, the Legislature gave this quasi-private organization wide latitude in the use of both tax dollars and tax credits,” Lassa wrote. “To prevent the kinds of problems that this model has encountered in other states, it is essential that the Legislature employ those opportunities it does have to exercise its responsibility to oversee these public resources, and that we insist on receiving the detailed information we require to perform that duty. I do not believe the Committee can fulfill its responsibilities with the report WEDC has submitted.”

Senator Lassa to Chair Economic Development Committee, Join Building Commission

Madison – Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) today announced her committee assignments given the new Democratic majority in the State Senate. Lassa will chair the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Biotechnology, serve on the powerful State Building Commission, as well as serve on two other committees devoted to various aspects of job creation and workforce development.

“These assignments reflect my ongoing commitment to helping improve Wisconsin’s economy and putting our citizens back to work,” Lassa said. “The hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers in our state can’t continue to wait for the legislature to take meaningful action to address our state’s woeful job performance. We need to get to work immediately to promote the good paying, family supporting jobs Wisconsin needs.”

Lassa will also serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Job Training, Technical Colleges and Workforce Development, and as a member of the Committee on Job Creation, Energy and Utilities, and Rural Affairs.

“The responsibilities of these committees reflect the fact that job creation is a complex issue,” she said. “We need to be focused not just on the business sector, but on job training and education, infrastructure, and making sure that all parts of our state see economic growth, not just Madison and Milwaukee. We must also recognize the importance of entrepreneurs and small businesses, which are where the lion’s share of new jobs will be created.”

The Building Commission is a committee that oversees the planning, improvement, major maintenance and renovation of state facilities, as well as coordinates the state’s building program in determining which projects will receive funding in the biennial budget.

Drought Emergency Area Covers Entire 24th Senate District

Madison – The entire 24th State Senate District is included in the drought emergency area declared by the governor yesterday, making local farmers eligible for help amid continuing dry conditions, according to State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point).

Adams, Jackson, Monroe, Portage, Waushara and Wood counties were among 42 counties included in Governor Walker’s emergency declaration. During a state of emergency, the Department of Natural Resources can expedite requests from farmers to divert water from streams and lakes for irrigation. The DNR must inspect the waterway within 72 hours of the request to determine if the diversion will harm fish or wildlife.

“Agriculture is a vital part of our area economy, and farm operations large and small are being hit hard by the lack of rain we’ve had this summer,” Lassa said. “I encourage local farmers to contact DATCP’s Wisconsin Farm Center at 1-800-942-2474 if they are in need of assistance. The Farm Center staff can provide information about help they may be eligible for, such as finding feed, financial planning assistance and credit mediation.”

“It’s also important to report crop losses to the U.S. Farm Service Agency, because the information will be used to determine our area’s eligibility for a federal disaster area declaration,” Lassa said. “If the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture declares a disaster area here, farmers would be eligible for emergency loans and other federal assistance.”

The Wisconsin FSA office can be reached at 608-662-4422.

Lassa Named “Friend of Family Medicine”

Madison— The Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians (WAPF) has recognized State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) as a “Friend of Family Medicine” for the 2011-12 legislative session.

“The WAFP appreciates your leadership and our 2,500 members applaud your efforts to enhance the quality of primary care in Wisconsin,” said WAFP President Bradford Meyers, M.D., in a letter announcing the award.

Lassa cosponsored a number of WAFP-supported bills this session, including efforts to create a tax incentive for employee wellness programs and removing discriminatory language regarding individuals with mental disabilities from state statutes.

“The WAFP feels your overall body of work during the recent legislative session exemplified our mission and illustrated a keen awareness of legislative issues important to family physicians practicing in Wisconsin,” Meyers wrote.

“I truly appreciated the opportunity to work with the WAPF and other health care organizations to pass legislation that promotes the delivery of affordable, quality health care to all Wisconsin residents,” Lassa said in accepting the award. “It’s an honor to receive this award, and I look forward to working with you in the future to continue to strengthen patient safety and improve health care delivery,” she said.

The WAFP is the largest physician specialty professional group in Wisconsin. The mission of the WAFP is to promote excellence in health care and to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin through the advancement of the art and science of Family Medicine, the specialty of Family Medicine and the professional growth of Family Medicine physicians. At the end of each two-year legislative session, the WAFP identifies an exclusive group of lawmakers for their exceptional work to promote effective health care policy and recognizes them with its “Friend of Family Medicine” award.