2018 | Week of May 21 | #1256

It’s time for some more good news—some from here in Wisconsin and some from the national level, but all difference-making in a good way.

First, I hope you at least vaguely remember that the Choose Life Wisconsin license plates have been available for sale since late October last year. The extra $25 per plate tax-deductible donation that buyers pay to get the plate goes to Choose Life Wisconsin, Inc., an organization whose sole purpose is to help Wisconsin’s valuable Pregnancy Resource Centers continue their lifesaving work in the Badger State by getting vital funding to them through the sale of the Choose Life license plates.

Wisconsin Family Council and our partner Pro-Life Wisconsin worked nearly 10 years to bring this project from a dream to reality—and this week, the last piece of the project begins in earnest. By the end of this past March, 594 valid Choose Life plates were on the road, which means a couple of weeks ago the state transferred to Choose Life Wisconsin, $14,850. That all by itself is good news—the number of plates sold and the amount of money. However, the best news is that this week, Dan Miller, Director of Pro-Life Wisconsin and Vice President of Choose Life Wisconsin and I, as president of Wisconsin Family Council and Choose Life Wisconsin, will be personally delivering checks to 8 pregnancy resource centers around the state! The checks range from $750 to $2000. How’s that for good news?

This is all we’ve ever wanted since we started working on this project. Now the money is flowing in—and we are getting it out as fast as we can. True to our word, 100% of the funds received from the sale of the plates is going to the pregnancy resource centers. Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Family Council have committed to covering the overhead and administrative costs for Choose Life Wisconsin.

DOT tells me we now have over 700 plates sold and that’s wonderful; but I hope this is just the beginning. Imagine how much life-saving, woman-helping work could be done if Choose Life Wisconsin had $75,000 or $100,000 to give to these on-the-ground pro-life service providers every year!  I’m hoping the good news on this matter is just beginning!  Want to be among the pro-life folks who are sporting this snazzy Choose Life plate?  Visit chooselifewisconsin.com or call 608-216-9930.

Moving on from strengthening, preserving and promoting life to doing the same for families. Governor Walker has always said if the state has more money than it needs for operations, then the money should be returned to the hard-working taxpayers. Well, the Governor is keeping his word. It’s an imperfect solution, but it is going to be good for families, at least this year.

Last Thursday the Governor officially announced the Child Tax Rebate, which provides eligible parents with minor children living at home the opportunity to claim a $100 per child tax rebate. Just visit childtaxrebate.wi.gov and complete one application per child between now and July 2, 2018.

The Governor also was the main push behind a Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which is now a reality from August 1 through August 5. This means no one who purchases school supplies in that time period will be charged sales tax on school supplies and clothes that cost less than $75 per item.  Included are computer supplies, where each item is $250 or less and even computers where each item is $750 or less.  At 5 and half percent, or more, we are talking some fairly serious money for families here!  Enjoy this good news!

At the federal level, we shift back to life. President Trump has instructed his administration to not give Title X money to organizations that refer for or perform abortions. Not since the Reagan administration has this been this policy for the millions and millions of dollars given through this federal funding stream. In Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood has been the only—and I mean only—organization that has ever gotten any of this taxpayer money. Well, those days are just about over. Now this money will go to qualified medical clinics that don’t refer for or perform abortions. Now that’s good news!

Good news items like this make a huge difference, and they come because all of us have worked together to advance the pro-life, pro-family cause. Let’s keep the good news coming!

This is Julaine Appling with Wisconsin Family Council, reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”