In Madison, tenants are more than 50% of the people who live here . . .  so this probably affects someone you know.

There Republican landlords are at it again, a few of them are writing bills to benefit themselves and have come up with a bill that we learned about late last week, got a bill number late yesterday afternoon and will have two hearings and one vote on Wednesday!  They are fast-tracking this to the extreme - so much so that we haven't had time to figure out what the entire bill does.  Here's the press release that we got out late last night . . . 

 http://www.forwardlookout.com/2012/02/wisconsin-tenants-about-to-get-screwed/14241

The bill essentially does the following:
• Eliminating double damages, court costs and reasonable attorney fees for failure to return security deposit or disclose repair issues—a tenant can only get actual damages.
• Preventing tenants from reporting concerns to a building inspector or elected official until they notify the landlord in writing and give the landlord time to make repairs.
• Allowing landlords to use illegal contract provisions without consequences.
• Allowing the landlord take property left behind.
• Eliminating the right of local cities and counties to prohibit landlords from evicting under certain circumstances (i.e. over Christmas)
• Mandating double daily rent if a tenant stays past the end date of a 5 or 14 day notice or the end of the lease and allowing landlords to collect a tenant’s rent after they have fallen behind and still seek an eviction, even if the tenant is paid in full.

AND MORE . . .

Hearings at 11 and 2:05 on Wednesday.  If you can't make it, sign our petitions (sends emails to the Housing Committees and Sponsors).

The Wisconsin Alliance for Tenants’ Rights urges those who wish to learn more about these bills to find us on Facebook, sign our online petitions, and contact their legislators immediately. For more information, visit wisconsinalliancefortenantsrights.blogspot.com.


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If life were a thing money could buy, the rich would live and poor would die. - Widespread Panic (Arlene)

Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe. - Frederick Douglas

In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.- Confucius