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Candidate Profile:
Julie M. Lassa
Office:
U.S. Representative District 7
Party:
Democrat
Address:
PO Box 112 ,
Stevens Point WI 54482
Phone:
(715) 344-8222
Related websites:
Campaign Finance
Opponents:
Sean Duffy
Gary Kauther
Dan Mielke
Don Raihala
Campaign Web site:
www.julielassa.com/
Biography
From candidate Web site
Julie Lassa is running for Congress to be a fresh new voice for Wisconsin families and to change the way Washington does business. Julie grew up on a dairy farm in northern Portage County, where her parents still farm today. As the oldest of three children Julie learned the importance of hard work, the value of a dollar, and that honesty and integrity are a necessity. Those are the same values that Julie and her husband John are teaching their two daughters growing up in Stevens Point.
Julie was elected to the State Assembly in 1998 serving until 2003 when she won a special election to the State Senate. At 39 years old, Julie has built an impressive record working for middle class families and standing up to special interests. In the legislature she has focused on enhancing job creation, promoting small business, strengthening educational opportunities, and protecting children. Julie has a well-earned reputation for staying in close touch with the people of her district and working across party lines to find common sense solutions.
Even before her service in the state legislature, Julie understood the important role that small businesses play in Wisconsin’s economy. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point she worked as Executive Director of the Plover Area Business Association. In that role she worked closely with local small business owners to promote the greater Plover area.
That’s why Julie has been a champion for Wisconsin small businesses in the legislature. She is also a member of the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance, Portage County Business Council and Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
As the Chair of the Senate Economic Development committee Julie recently wrote the Wisconsin C.O.R.E. Jobs Act – an omnibus job creation package that was signed into law to help put Wisconsin back on the road to economic recovery. C.O.R.E., which stands for Connecting Opportunity, Research and Entrepreneurship, contains nearly twenty provisions that will help retain and grow existing businesses and assist entrepreneurs to build new small businesses to create good paying jobs right here in Wisconsin. She also wrote a new law to pool the state’s allotment of unused federal Recovery Zone Facility Bonds which has the potential of creating 600 new green energy jobs in central Wisconsin as well as spurring new job growth around the state. Recognizing the importance of agriculture to Wisconsin and the need to provide consumers and school children with healthy fresh foods, Julie authored the laws that created the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin and Farm to School programs.
Julie has been an advocate for fiscal reform in government having written the law to create the Fraud, Waste and Mismanagement Hotline to identify and eliminate wasteful spending. She has authored legislation to require greater transparency and accountability in government through regular performance and management audits of government agencies and reform of the state’s contracting practices through the Truth in State Contracting Act. She also wrote a proposal to close the revolving door between former government officials and special interests.
Julie has been recognized for her work on promoting the safety and health of children having written new laws to help identify and correct hearing impairments in children. She also wrote the BPA-Free Kids Act that bans this toxic chemical from baby bottles and sippy cups sold in Wisconsin. She has also worked to protect children from abuse and neglect including strengthening penalties for child sex predators.
In the State Senate, Julie chairs the Committee on Economic Development and serves on the Committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief and Revenue, and the Joint Committee on Finance.
Julie and her family live in Stevens Point. She attended Stevens Point Area Senior High and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is married to John Moe and together they have two daughters.
Wisconsin Public Radio & Television coverage
Listen to Julie Lassa on Joy Cardin
Watch Julie Lassa on Here & Now
Related Wisconsin News Headlines
Health care, economy drive race to fill Obey's seat (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Duffy brings ‘six reasons’ campaign to library (Rhinelander Daily News)
Sean Duffy has big cash lead in 7th District race; Julie Lassa catching up (Wausau Daily Herald)
7th District candidates report campaign fundraising (Marshfield News Herald)