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Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > August 13, 2008
Referendum will call for affordable health care
Published August 13, 2008 - BizTimes Daily
Activists believe they have collected enough signatures to require that an advisory referendum calling for affordable health care be placed on the ballots in the Nov. 4 election in South Milwaukee and Oak Creek.
Signatures from more than 3,500 South Milwaukee and Oak Creek residents calling for the referendum were delivered to the two city halls Tuesday.
The advisory referendum will ask, "Shall the state legislature enact health care reform legislation by December 31st, 2009, that guarantees to every Wisconsin resident affordable coverage as good as what is provided to state legislators?"
Representatives from Citizen Action, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, the Firefighters and local citizens including a small-business owner spoke at an event to commemorate the referendum Tuesday.
Local educators took the lead in gathering signatures in both communities.
"That over 3,500 South Milwaukee and Oak Creek voters signed referendum petitions shows the overwhelming support for health care reform in the area," said Robert Kraig, director of program for Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
The signatures must be certified by the city governments, and the referenda will then be placed on the ballot, Kraig said.
According to a state law passed in 1911 during Wisconsin's Progressive Era, a referendum can be placed on the ballot if the signatures from 15 percent or more of the voters from the previous governor's race are collected, Kraig said.
The same state law is being used to place a binding referendum calling for employers in the City of Milwaukee to provide paid sick days for their employees.
The south suburban area was targeted for the affordable health care referendum because the 21st District Assembly seat is being contested there, Kraig said. Incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Honadel is being challenged by Democrat Glen Brower.
