HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2017 (51) Resolution No. 51 (2017)
ST. 0NT'`rt`' RESOLUTION TO ALLOW "UNITED TO AMEND"
— "�`� � �; �' REFERENDUM QUESTION ON APRIL 2018 BALLOT FOR ST.
CROIX COUNTY VOTERS
1 WHEREAS,the State of Wisconsin has a tradition of open government and non-partisan local
2 elections, as well as campaign finance rules that have managed and mitigated the influence of money on
3 those elections; and
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5 WHEREAS,the County has an interest in maintaining that tradition and the resident driven
6 elections it allows; and
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8 WHEREAS,on January 10, 2010, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme
9 Court overturned a century of precedent by ruling that corporate spending on elections cannot be
10 limited under the First Amendment; and
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12 WHEREAS,granting constitutional rights to corporations and unions is counter to the purpose of
13 our democracy and has wide-ranging impacts upon our economy and society; and
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15 WHEREAS,granting constitutional rights to corporations favors large corporations over small
16 ones, and favors all corporations and all wealthy interest over citizens who cannot afford the corporate
17 rights of limited liability, legal protections, and tax deductions; and
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19 WHEREAS,the constitutional right to speak freely should not be determined by the available
20 finances of the speaker or their power and status in society; and
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22 WHEREAS,corporate money is property, not speech. A house or a car does not have
23 constitutionally protected speech. Money is just another form of property. Property is constitutionally
24 protected. Property's right to free speech is not; and
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26 WHEREAS,such ruling gives corporations and the wealthy undue political influence; and
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28 WHEREAS,democracy can only properly function when human beings have equal
29 representation and access to their elected officials; and
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31 WHEREAS,countless municipalities nationwide and 95 Wisconsin communities including the
32 Village of Spring Valley, and Dunn, Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties have overwhelmingly passed
33 referenda or resolutions signaling broad support for reversing the Citizens United court ruling.
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35 NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,that the St Croix County Board of Supervisors authorizes
36 the following advisory referendum to be placed on the April 3, 2018 ballot:
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38 "Shall the County of St Croix adopt the following resolution?
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40 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,that "We the People" of the County of St Croix, Wisconsin, seek to
41 reclaim democracy from the expansion of corporate personhood rights and the corrupting influence of
42 unregulated political contributions and spending. We stand with communities across the country to
43 support passage of an amendment to the United States Constitution stating:
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45 1. Only human beings are endowed with constitutional rights—not corporations, unions, nonprofits or
46 other artificial entities, and
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48 2. Money is not speech, and therefore regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent
49 to limiting speech."
Legal—Fiscal—Administrative Approvals:
Legal Note:
Fiscal Impact: Minimal fiscal impact to the County related to ballot printing costs per Cindy
Campbell, County Clerk
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10/18/17 Administration Committee APPROVED
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RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jill Ann Berke, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Shaela Leibfried, Supervisor
AYES: Roy Sjoberg, Tammy Moothedan, Jill Ann Berke, Shaela Leibfried
EXCUSED: Scottie Ard
Vote Confirmation.
Roy jobc�"g, up&� v7 '0r l g�l20/201.7
SL Croix County Board of Supervisors Action:
Roll Call -Vote Requirement— None
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RESULT: ADOPTED [15 TO 3]
MOVER: Daniel Hansen, Supervisor
SECONDER: Dave Ostness, Vice Chair
AYES: Babbitt, Sjoberg, Moothedan, Nelson, Berke, Ostness, Larson, Hansen, Ard,
Peterson, Anderson, Achterhof, Leibfried, Peavey, Matter
NAYS: Ryan S. Sicard, Tom Coulter, Bob Long
ABSTAIN: Andy Brinkman
This Resolution was Adopted by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on November 7, 2017
Cindy Campbell, County Clerk