In the 2017-19 Budget which we passed in September, we eliminated the state portion of the property tax.  Every homeowner will see a "0" on their tax bills this Christmas.  My opponents mocked the idea during my 2014 run for senate.  However, I think homeowners across Racine and Kenosha Counties welcome the tax break.

On Thursday, December 7th Jabari Parker of the Milwaukee Bucks was at the Racine County Zoo to meet with their newest and very tall addition, Jabari the Masai giraffe.  The name Jabari means “Brave” in Swahili. Jabari the giraffe is quickly settling into his new surroundings while Jabari Parker is making a speedy recovery from his injury back in February.

I was a zoo board member for 15 years, so it was awesome that I could help to make the introduction of Jabari Parker and Jabari the giraffe.  Jabari even painted Parker a keepsake painting as a memory of their day at the zoo!

On Tuesday, I was unanimously elected as Caucus Chairman by my Republican senate colleagues. I had been serving as vice-chairman of the caucus in each of the last two sessions. The position was recently vacated by Sheila Harsdorf who resigned her senate seat when Governor Walker appointed her as the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.  I’m looking forward to continue working with each of our members to advance our shared conservative Republican agenda in this new role.

 

On Friday, December 8th Governor Walker signed eight crime and victim protection bills singed into law, including three that I co-authored.  The signing took place at the Lakeside C.O.P. House in Mount Pleasant.  Among the bills signed, which I co-authored were:

Senate Bill 202 – prohibits an adult from allowing underage drinking on property the adult owns and occupies or property the adult occupies and controls.

Assembly Bill 390 – provides that a person's knowledge that his or her operating privilege is revoked is not an element of the offense of operating after revocation (OAR).

Senate Bill 300 - makes it a crime for individuals to solicit sexually explicit material from underaged individuals. If an individual solicits sexually explicit material and believes the person is under 18, the individual is generally guilty of a Class I felony, which carries a penalty of 3.5 years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $10,000.

On Thursday, December 15th the Wisconsin Department of Transportation hosted an Open House at the Mount Pleasant Village Hall in order to provide information with constituents in and around the Kenosha and Racine County area affected by the freeway, frontage road and development roads.

On Wednesday, December 13th the 3rd and 4th grade classes from Union Grove Christian School toured the Capitol.  Fine group of students!