Groups urge new governor and legislature to take action on reform

January 14, 2003

Governor James Doyle
State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702

Dear Governor Doyle:

We are writing to urge you to provide forceful leadership to ensure that major political reforms - including real campaign finance reform - are enacted in the early days of the new legislative session. As a newly elected governor, you have an opportunity to work with the new legislature to make a clean break from practices that have brought scandal to the State Capitol, and we believe you should seize that opportunity at the earliest possible date.

Public confidence in the political process and our public institutions has been shaken, and we believe restoring the public's faith in the honesty and integrity of our state government needs to be the first order of business. Without prompt and decisive action on political reform, we fear that a cloud will continue to hang over the Capitol and actions on the many other pressing issues facing Wisconsin will be suspect in the eyes of ordinary citizens.

Specifically, we call on you to support and actively promote campaign finance reform legislation at least as strong or stronger than last session's Senate Bill 104. Further, if campaign finance laws are to be effective, they have to be enforced. So it is also critical to reform the enforcement agencies that oversee campaign finance laws and the state ethics code. We believe that the state Elections Board and Ethics Board both should be nonpartisan citizen boards with an independent source of funding providing enough resources to investigate possible violations and take effective enforcement action.

We ask you to support these much-needed reforms and use the power of your position - including the authority to call the legislature into special session if necessary - to make sure these measures are promptly approved and signed into law.

AARP
American Lung Association of Wisconsin
American Association of University Women - WI
Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups
Center for Public Representation
League of Wisconsin Municipalities
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
Lutheran Office for Public Policy - WI
Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin
United Cerebral Palsy of Wisconsin
United Council of UW Students
WI Assoc. of School District Administrators
Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
WI Council on Developmental Disabilities
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Wisconsin Federation of Teachers
Wisconsin Homecare Organization
Wisconsin Interfaith Impact
Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group
Wisconsin Retired Educators Association
1000 Friends of Wisconsin

Letter to Legislature

January 14, 2003

TO: All Legislators

We are writing to urge you to enact major political reforms - including real campaign finance reform - in the early days of the new legislative session. This legislature has an opportunity to make a clean break from practices that have brought scandal to the State Capitol, and we believe you should seize that opportunity at the earliest possible date.

Public confidence in the political process and our public institutions has been shaken, and we believe restoring the public's faith in the honesty and integrity of our state government needs to be the first order of business. Without prompt and decisive action on political reform, we fear that a cloud will continue to hang over the Capitol and the legislature's actions on the many other pressing issues facing Wisconsin will be suspect in the eyes of ordinary citizens.

Specifically, we call on you to move quickly to approve campaign finance reform legislation at least as strong or stronger than last session's Senate Bill 104. Further, if campaign finance laws are to be effective, they have to be enforced. So it is also critical to reform the enforcement agencies that oversee campaign finance laws and the state ethics code. We believe that the state Elections Board and Ethics Board both should be nonpartisan citizen boards with an independent source of funding providing enough resources to investigate possible violations and take effective enforcement action.

We ask you to support these much-needed reforms and use the power of your position to make sure these measures are scheduled for debate and advanced promptly through the legislative process.

Letter to Governor Doyle

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Posted: January 15, 2003 GROUPS URGE NEW GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE TO TAKE ACTION ON REFORM Letter to Governor Doyle • Letter to Legislature
	January 14, 2003 Governor James Doyle State Capitol Madison, WI 53702 Dear Governor Doyle: We are writing to urge you to provide forceful leadership to ensure that major political reforms - including real campaign finance reform - are enacted in the early days of the new legislative session. As a newly elected governor, you have an opportunity to work with the new legislature to make a clean break from practices that have brought scandal to the State Capitol, and we believe you should seize that opportunity at the earliest possible date. Public confidence in the political process and our public institutions has been shaken, and we believe restoring the public's faith in the honesty and integrity of our state government needs to be the first order of business. Without prompt and decisive action on political reform, we fear that a cloud will continue to hang over the Capitol and actions on the many other pressing issues facing Wisconsin will be suspect in the eyes of ordinary citizens. Specifically, we call on you to support and actively promote campaign finance reform legislation at least as strong or stronger than last session's Senate Bill 104. Further, if campaign finance laws are to be effective, they have to be enforced. So it is also critical to reform the enforcement agencies that oversee campaign finance laws and the state ethics code. We believe that the state Elections Board and Ethics Board both should be nonpartisan citizen boards with an independent source of funding providing enough resources to investigate possible violations and take effective enforcement action. We ask you to support these much-needed reforms and use the power of your position - including the authority to call the legislature into special session if necessary - to make sure these measures are promptly approved and signed into law. AARP American Lung Association of Wisconsin American Association of University Women - WI Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups Center for Public Representation League of Wisconsin Municipalities League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Lutheran Office for Public Policy - WI Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin United Cerebral Palsy of Wisconsin United Council of UW Students WI Assoc. of School District Administrators Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy Wisconsin Council on Children and Families WI Council on Developmental Disabilities Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Wisconsin Federation of Teachers Wisconsin Homecare Organization Wisconsin Interfaith Impact Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group Wisconsin Retired Educators Association 1000 Friends of Wisconsin Letter to Legislature January 14, 2003 TO: All Legislators We are writing to urge you to enact major political reforms - including real campaign finance reform - in the early days of the new legislative session. This legislature has an opportunity to make a clean break from practices that have brought scandal to the State Capitol, and we believe you should seize that opportunity at the earliest possible date. Public confidence in the political process and our public institutions has been shaken, and we believe restoring the public's faith in the honesty and integrity of our state government needs to be the first order of business. Without prompt and decisive action on political reform, we fear that a cloud will continue to hang over the Capitol and the legislature's actions on the many other pressing issues facing Wisconsin will be suspect in the eyes of ordinary citizens. Specifically, we call on you to move quickly to approve campaign finance reform legislation at least as strong or stronger than last session's Senate Bill 104. Further, if campaign finance laws are to be effective, they have to be enforced. So it is also critical to reform the enforcement agencies that oversee campaign finance laws and the state ethics code. We believe that the state Elections Board and Ethics Board both should be nonpartisan citizen boards with an independent source of funding providing enough resources to investigate possible violations and take effective enforcement action. We ask you to support these much-needed reforms and use the power of your position to make sure these measures are scheduled for debate and advanced promptly through the legislative process. AARP American Lung Association of Wisconsin American Association of University Women - WI Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups Center for Public Representation League of Wisconsin Municipalities League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Lutheran Office for Public Policy - WI Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin United Cerebral Palsy of Wisconsin United Council of UW Students WI Assoc. of School District Administrators Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy Wisconsin Council on Children and Families WI Council on Developmental Disabilities Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Wisconsin Federation of Teachers Wisconsin Homecare Organization Wisconsin Interfaith Impact Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group Wisconsin Retired Educators Association 1000 Friends of Wisconsin Letter to Governor Doyle Back • Search • Subscribe •