Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, As an Iowa County voter, I had the opportunity in November  2020 to vote on the non-binding redistricting referendum. My vote informed the State Legislature of my demand that fair maps be drawn this year instead of gerrymandered ones, as was done in 2011. It passed overwhelmingly in my county with 73.8 percent in favor. Statewide results were similar at 67.9 percent. The people have spoken, but we need to make sure the legislators are listening and hold them to take action to provide fair maps that will in turn provide fair elections. Voters must choose their representatives rather than the other way around. Now is the time to make our voices heard again by presenting our concerns directly to the People’s Map Commission which is charged by Governor Tony Evers with drawing new redistricting maps using a nonpartisan process. The commission is holding hearings throughout Wisconsin to get input from the public. The virtual hearing here in the 2nd Congressional District will be held on March 11. If you want to help put an end to gerrymandering, please make your views known to the commission. For information about the People’s Map Commission, how to submit written comments, or how to attend the virtual hearing, go to the Commission’s website  govstatus.egov.com/peoplesmaps. Please don’t miss this opportunity to play a part in the redistricting  process.  State legislators represent you. They must listen and carry out the will of their constituents. Thank you, Claudia Looze Highland   Dear editor, Your vote will be counted, but will it count? Over the past few years, 55 counties throughout the state, representing over 80 percent of the people of Wisconsin, have overwhelmingly passed resolutions or referenda supporting nonpartisan redistricting. In the face of strong public support to end gerrymandering, Governor Tony Evers created the People’s Map Commission to draw new district maps, free of political considerations, maps that accurately and fairly represent our state. The members of the commission, appointed by a panel of three retired judges, represent all areas of the state and reflect the diversity of Wisconsin’s population.  Political party officials, elected representatives and lobbyists were deliberately excluded from serving on the commission. In addition, the commission was instructed to be transparent in its operation and to solicit input from citizens throughout the state as well as from nonpartisan experts in the technical aspects of map making. The commission’s map will be submitted to the legislature for approval. So far, so good. But the leadership of the legislative majority will be presenting a very different map for legislative approval. Since it worked for them before, they are likely to follow the same process they employed for the last redistricting in 2011 - a redistricting map drafted in secret, with almost no public input, by private attorneys using past election results to create gerrymandered maps that give advantage to Republican legislative candidates. What is the probable fate of the two opposing maps? The governor will submit the People’s Map Commission’s map to the legislature where it will be turned down. The legislative majority will in turn pass their own map, only to have it vetoed by the governor. However, the veto will stand because they do not have a veto-proof majority. It will then be up to the courts to decide which map becomes law.  What can you do about this situation? The People’s Map Commission will be here in the 2nd Congressional District on March 11 to hold a virtual public hearing. You can participate in the virtual hearing or submit written comments by going to their website govstatus.egov.com/peoplesmaps. The more input they get from the public the stronger their case in court. If you want your vote to count, you need to get involved now. Allen Pincus Barneveld   Dear editor, The board of the River Valley School District Endowment recently compiled the results of the matching grant challenge we extended during the first semester of this very challenging school year. In October the board received a $10,000 anonymous challenge match, with the stipulation that the funds be used district wide for tools and assistance related to teaching virtually during the pandemic. Community supporters went beyond the match for a total of $23,025, which was awarded in November and January. Teachers who requested and received these stipends were very grateful for the support shown to them by the community through the endowment.  We are thankful to our community members who helped us meet and exceed our goal: Jerry and Mary Lou Baryenbruch, Gigi La Budde and Michael Whaley, Bob and Jane Elmer, Grace Stanton, Dale Koehler, Monte Hottmann, Rosemarie and Gary Zimmer, Donna and Bradley Mulholland, Pamela’s Fine Jewelry, Henry and Judith Ferstl, Teresa Lins, Ethan and Janet Erdman, Jack and Kay Taylor, Howard and Michelle Orcutt, Quinn and Natasha Peterson, Brian Krey, Prem Meats, James and Maureen O’Neill, Paul Zillgitt and Patrice Peltier, John and Wendy Dunagan, Wes and Karen Halverson, Jacqueline and Nicholas Luther, Steven and Jill VonBoeckman, Matthew and Vicki Beglinger, Baxter and Suanne Gutknecht, Alan and Mary Zimmerman, Jan von Stein, Tom and Soni Kraemer, Tom Peck, Barb Pratt, Spring Green Vision Center, Ringbrothers LLC, The Kraemer Company, Jean Alt, The Peoples Community Bank, Hottmann Plumbing, Jewell Associates, Paul and Julie Kardatzke, Jennifer Labatt, Rose Ellen Schneider, Sara Young and John Christensen, Steve and Bridget Roberts (in memory of Duane Bark), Dale and Judy Hottmann, Dick and Kim Cates, DASHIR Management Services, James and Michaeleen Everson, Christa Iausly, and Dawn Ingham. We are now opening our 7th annual grant cycle to River Valley teachers, encouraging them to pursue creative and innovative programs, projects and experiences for our students. These grants will be awarded in April, for implementation during the 2021-22 school year. Since our annual fall fundraiser at the River Valley Homecoming was cancelled due to the pandemic, we welcome all additions to the endowment. Donations can be made by check mailed to RV Schools Endowment at 660 W. Daley St., Spring Green, WI 53588 or by credit card directly to our account at the Madison Community Foundation using the “Donate” button found on the link listed below. Lastly, please review some of the outstanding projects your donations have funded on the RVSD website under the RVSD Endowment link. https://www.rvschools.org/family-community/rvsde.cfm Thank you to all of our supporters! RVSD Endowment Board Members Jean Alt, Tom Gloudeman, Brian Krey, Nancy Baenen,  Joe Gorman, Mike McDermott, Lisa Brown, Fred Iausly, Bryan Quigley, Loren Glasbrenner, Jennifer Kraemer and Kay Lynn Taylor ITS ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN