Wisconsin is a good place to live and work. We want to keep it that way for our children and grandchildren. This quality of life relies on a network of effective public structures — schools, roads, bridges, the legal system, fire protection, health, sanitation, parks, culture, social services and public safety. These public structures are threatened by budget cuts and policies designed to reduce the scope of state and local government. IWF works with organizations and individuals statewide to inform and mobilize citizens in defense of the public sector services and infrastructure vital for family well-being and business success.
IWF organizing has three goals:
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Build popular awareness of and appreciation for the innumerable public structures that people depend on but often take for granted.
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Increase community awareness of the direct link between tax policy and the quality of public structures.
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Involve groups in local and state coalitions to press for adequate financial support of public structures as well as accountability for optimum performance by these structures.
National economist speaks at Wisconsin community forums
Dean Baker Co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research based in Washington DC predicted that the Housing Bubble would burst when most people were riding the wave and using their home value as an ATM. This economic prophet visited Wisconsin in September, 2011 to talk about the current economic slump. Baker spoke in Milwaukee, LaCrosse and Eau Claire to diverse groups about how the housing bubble exploded the economy and how substantial federal aid to states can heal the financial wounds. Read more…
IWF coordinates national meeting on the campaign for federal aid to support communities, schools and families in crisis
On July 13-14,2010 in Baltimore, Maryland, over 95 delegates from 23 states met to hear from national economic experts, pollsters and communications gurus to kickstart a grassroots organizing drive in support of extending federal recovery aid to communities throughout the United States. The participants included researchers, local officials, teacher union leaders, ministers, congregational organizers and community activists. The goal was to prepare for state-based efforts to generate active support for more federal funds to support vital services and systems.
What’s the message?
- Investment banks played monopoly with American pensions, home values and accumulated wealth losing over $15 trillion -- $50,000 for every man, woman and child in the United States.
- The 2009 Recovery Act injected over $800 billion into the economy through tax cuts, aid to communities and infrastructure investments protecting the U.S. from a full-fledged depression.
- The Recovery money runs out soon but the economy is still fragile. Without more federal aid, communities will fall off the funding cliff losing vital services causing a double-dip recession.
- More federal investment in communities is crucial and there are revenue options that would prevent a greater national deficit including a small tax on investment banks.
The conference, organized by IWF and funded by the Ford Foundation, also featured interactive training by Demos Public Works staff, where participants practiced using effective ways of talking about government and the economy to counter negative stereotypes about the public sector. The meeting concluded with an agreement by state groups to work together, share strategies and materials, and organize similar meetings in their state or region to organize others. Stay tuned for more information as Wisconsin groups put the ideas into motion.
For more information on issues and talking points, go to:
The economy www.cepr.net/index.php/data-bytes/jobs-bytes/jobs-2010-07
State revenue crises www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=711
Double dip recession robertreich.org/post/842116691/were-in-a-one-and-a-half-dip-recession
Talking about government www.demos.org/pubs/pw_topos_execsummary.pdf
Organizing for Federal Aid in 2011-
National expert jumpstarts Wisconsin effort to prevent cuts in public structures
Katherine McFate is a program officer for the Ford Foundation responsible for funding projects across the United States and internationally. She is also a public policy expert who met with Wisconsin community groups, local officials, state legislators and union leaders to discuss the coming state budget crisis when funding from the first federal stimulus bill ends this year. Ms. McFate presented a clear and frightening analysis that detailed the cause of the recession – high risk investment schemes that exploded in banks across the world – and the ongoing revenue crunch that threatens the stability of vital services in American communities. The only viable protection for state and local programs is a second package of recovery funding for cities, counties, school districts and colleges.
IWF organized workshops in Milwaukee and Madison for the McFate presentation 
to jumpstart a campaign to:
- let state residents know how the Recovery Act helped individuals, families, businesses and communities in 2009-2010
- mobilize support for Recovery Act II that provides funding for vital public systems and infrastructure to rebuild the economy and pave the way for long term prosperity.