At Issue
Rep. Ward meets with constituents on funding issue
State Rep. David Ward (R-Fort Atkinson) met with constituents who
were concerned about the need for state funding for civil legal
services.
Ward has served in the State Assembly since 1992 and was just
appointed to the powerful, budget-writing Joint Finance Committee. The
committee spends several months reviewing the governor's 2000-page
budget bill and making changes to programs' funding levels in the
proposal.
Ward has assisted a local group, People Against Domestic Abuse.
Members of the group met with Ward to discuss the need for civil legal
services funding and the impact the funding has at the local level. The
group explained that the civil legal services assistance the group
received in real estate transactions and negotiations with funding
sources led to the transitional housing units the area now has for
victims of domestic violence.
"I understand these legal services are not only important in solving
day-to-day civil legal needs of low-income citizens," Ward said, "but
they also have an impact on service organizations within our
community."
Ward pointed out that the state's budget is tight and that this
proposal will have to be weighed with the many other funding proposals
that are requested from groups throughout the state. "It will be
important to develop bipartisan support on the civil legal services
initiative," he said.
"Constituents coming forward and explaining the importance of these
programs to their legislators is the best way to get a proposal in the
budget bill," Ward advised.
If you are interested in contacting your legislators about state
funding for civil legal services, address your correspondence to:
Senate - all correspondence
P.O. Box 7882, Madison,
WI 53707-7882
Assembly - Representatives A-L
P.O. Box 8952, Madison,
WI 53707-8952
Assembly - Representatives M-Z
P.O. Box 8953, Madison,
WI 53707-8953
Wisconsin
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