State Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein
Press Release

Rep. Hesselbein: Scott Walker Ignores the Real State of our State in Annual Address

Walker has turned a blind eye to problems facing our veterans, our working families, and our infrastructure

Madison – Assistant Assembly Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) released the following statement reacting to Governor Walker’s 2017 State of the State Address before a joint session of the Wisconsin State Legislature:

“With Governor Walker beginning his seventh year in office, it is clear the state of our state is not as strong as it should be and that there is much more lawmakers should be doing to unleash the full potential of our state’s workforce. Walker and Republican leaders have failed to lead on the state’s biggest challenges and have continually chosen to put the power of lobbyists and capitol insiders above the needs of working families in Wisconsin.

“We begin the new year with the governor’s own administration in disarray. In recent weeks we have seen the state’s transportation secretary and veteran’s affairs secretary leave their job amidst reports of gross neglect and political infighting. How can the governor stand before the taxpayers of this state and pretend like none of these problems, which he is solely responsible for, currently exist?

“Our roads are terrible and the governor’s only solution has been to max out the state’s credit card with irresponsible borrowing.  Our state’s economy continues to sputter and poverty across the state has reached a thirty year high. Tens of millions of taxpayer dollars are flowing to the wealthiest 1% in our state while our middle class languishes. This is all a result of Governor Walker’s misguided priorities.

“Legislative Democrats will lead the way this year in offering an alternative agenda that will work for Wisconsin families. Our agenda will prioritize helping middle class Wisconsinites and ensure they are getting a fair deal. We will work to invest in our public schools and the UW-System – which provides Wisconsin families and students with a great return on their investment. We will prioritize tax breaks for the middle class, not millionaires, and we will propose legislation that will ensure our state’s senior citizens can enjoy their retirement with independence and affordable healthcare. Finally, we will work to honor and protect the dignity of our state’s aging veterans who deserve the best care possible from state leaders. There is much work to do in 2017 and I can assure you it will be Wisconsin Democrats working on the people’s agenda in the State Legislature.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Recent Press Releases by State Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein

Governor Evers Demonstrates Strong Leadership During 2025 Budget Address

In stark contrast to President Donald Trump gutting federal funding for programs that support all people, creating economic uncertainty, and launching our nation into new chaos every day, Governor Evers, a steadfast leader in Wisconsin, delivered his 2025 Budget Address with a clear and responsible plan to uplift working people and provide certainty for Wisconsinites throughout our state.

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us