Educational / Legislative Updates

Scholarship Funds

The income for the scholarships comes from the 50/50 raffle. Each recipient is given $600 and arestudents at UW-L, Western Technical College, and an area high school on a rotating basis.


Update of WREA Chapter Presidents and Regional Directors

Zoom Meeting

Peggy Green gave a short update on the Zoom meeting on December 5:

o In 2011, WREA purchased a condo at 6405 Century Avenue, Middleton, Suite 201, as its main office. With the purchase came a mortgage to free up funds for other projects for members. (e.g., pension protection, no future dues increase, support of Educator Rising Program).

o The main source of revenue is dues income. With members aging, the number of

deceased is increasing with not enough members replacing them.

o WREA members recently received a letter asking for a donation to help pay off that mortgage, hence “Burn the Mortgage.”

o It is hoped to raise $200,000 by March 1, 2024, to pay off the remaining balance of the mortgage.

o Donations, whether big or small, will help achieve this goal.

o WREA is your organization. Help provide more services and move into the future on a stronger footing.

o Additional notes are the following:

▪ On December 14th there will be a “fireside chat.”

▪ You must sign in to “Voter Voice” on the website.

▪ One-Hour Travel Company will be sharing information in the future.

▪ The spring WREA regional meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in

the Johnson Creek area. This is open to all members, officers, and committee reps.


Nomination Committee

Carol Carlson gave an update from this committee.


Jerry Berns explained the “Succession Planning and Leadership” form.

o LAREA is a vibrant organization because of its mission and leadership.

o The Nomination Committee recognizes that within LAREA there is a huge pool of talent and individuals willing and able to take on leadership roles.

o Are you that person who enjoys a challenge and is willing to serve in a leadership role?

o Can you recommend someone you know who has leadership potential now or in the future?

o Please consider putting your skills and talents to good use to keep LAREA strong.

Following are the committees that make up LAREA. For information about the responsibilities, please contact one of the Board of Directors.

o Audit

o Bylaws

o Communications

o Community Services

o Courtesy/Memorial

o Historian

o Legislative

o Meeting Coordination

o Membership

o Nominations

o Program

o Public Education Outreach

o Publicity/WREA Bulletin

o Scholarship/WREA Foundation Liaison

o Webminder




Reminder to pay LAREA and WREA dues to Mary Ann Ekern.

Remember that WREA and LAREA are strong together. Joining WREA

strengthens the foundation of our retirement system.


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Please Vote!
For online ballot go to: myvote.wi.gov
You can find help with absentee ballots, location of your polling place, early in-person voting, and knowing exactly what is on your local ballot.  Note: If you do not already have an ID on file, you will need to upload a picture of ID (driver license or page in passport with photo). This is easy: take a photo on your phone and then attach it to request. All this and more at: myvote.wi.gov

Check with your municipality for voting times.  

Questions? call 608-789-7510 (press 5).

WREA website (click here to be directed there) May 2023


Joint Finance Committee Meetings

Margaret Wood shared her AARP meeting with us. The Joint Finance Committee met in four places throughout the state, and Margaret went to the one in Wisconsin Dells.

Issues for consideration are 1) the caregiver tax credit, 2) expansion of family medical leave, and 3) expansion of Broadband.

There were 1,384 citizens who testified and 30 hours of testimony. The Joint Finance Committee is considering starting from scratch.May 2022

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May 2022 - ADRC (Adult Disabilities Resource Center)


Margaret Wood shared what is going on with the ADRC, an organization that all seniors should know about. (If you are not subscribed to their monthly newspaper Senior News, you need to contact them. It is full of what is available to seniors as well as recipes and information from various venues in the area.) She told of “Walking on Wednesday”; people interested meet at Riverside Park. ADRC also can help with dementia care, brain check-up days, and is useful as a resource guide.


In addition, Margaret mentioned the website seniorplanet.org which has exercises and hobbies for seniors. It is yet another resource that is available for our welfares.

The La Crosse Parks and Rec has their May to August booklet available, as well.


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Governor Evers included $1.6 billion for public education based on comments made at the many public hearings held throughout the state.  Public comments included these critical needs in our public schools: mental health supports, supplies, human resources, personal protective equipment, technology, broadband, food services, and resources to combat potential learning loss.

In late May, the Joint Finance Committee met and stripped many of Governor Evers' proposals from his budget.  The JFC approved $128 million (less than 10% of the Evers' proposal) in increased funding for schools, advanced a $86 million increase for special education, and set aside $350 million in a Budget Stabilization Fund for the second year of the budget.  The U.S. Department of Education confirmed that the JFC's budget action would jeopardize Wisconsin's ability to receive $1.5 billion in COVID-19 federal funds for education.  JFC made some adjustments to the sources of funding for education to qualify for the federal funds but in no way funded education to cover present public education needs.

Governor Evers and new State Superintendent Jill Underly are hoping that the JFC and legislators will re-visit school financing in a special meeting called by Governor Evers for July 27 but legislators have never agreed to do the work requested in special sessions called by Gov. Evers to date.

The Wisconsin Policy Forum has pointed out that Wisconsin has fallen below the national average in per-pupil spending and has lagged behind the nation when it comes to K-12 spending increases for more than a decade.

Margaret Wood
Legislative Chair


State Superintendent Statement
State Superintendent Jill Underly issued the following statement today regarding inaction by the Wisconsin State Legislature to provide additional support and resources to Wisconsin’s public schools, students, and educators.

“As school districts work to return to face-to-face instruction, the threat of the Delta variant rages. Children under age 12, the majority of our school population, still cannot be vaccinated. Yet, instead of finding ways to help schools do the important work needed to help students recover academically, the legislature has ignored them. Our legislative leaders point to one-time federal grants provided by Congress as a solution. Make no mistake, this money comes with significant strings attached and does not meet the needs of our students, educators, or their communities. The legislature is telling districts that despite a record budget surplus, they are not going to get the assistance they need.

“Schools will make tough choices in the years ahead because of this legislature’s short-sightedness. But they don’t have to. The state is still sitting on a record surplus thanks to Governor Tony Evers. I encourage every Wisconsin school district administrator, board of education president, and every parent to contact their legislators and detail every item that will be cut from our public school budgets. Describe for them the individuals who will lose their jobs, the facility repairs that will go undone, the bus routes that will go unmanned, the classrooms that will go without substitute teachers, and the enrichment programs your community is proud of that will go away. All of these decisions translate into fewer opportunities for our kids. They need to hear how that impacts your life.

“To find your state elected officials, you can use the Wisconsin Legislature’s public website. And if they don’t answer your phone calls, call them again, or email them for an explanation.”


Please Vote!
For online ballot go to: myvote.wi.gov
You can find help with absentee ballots, location of your polling place, early in-person voting, and knowing exactly what is on your local ballot.  Note: If you do not already have an ID on file, you will need to upload a picture of ID (driver license or page in passport with photo). This is easy: take a photo on your phone and then attach it to request. All this and more at: myvote.wi.gov

Check with your municipality for voting times.  

Questions? call 608-789-7510 (press 5).
WREA website (click here to be directed there)