May 6, 2008

 

Jauch to Hold Press Conference and Listening Session
with Lac Courte Oreilles Members Friday

 

Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) will hold a press conference and listening session Friday, May 9 at the office of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe in Hayward.  Senator Jauch will highlight $80,000 in annual funding he obtained in the budget for tribal law enforcement on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation.  He will also meet with tribal members to discuss issues of concern and legislative priorities. 

Lac Courte Oreilles’ law enforcement program was funded through the Federal Community Oriented Policing Program (COPS).  Reductions in Federal funding put the law enforcement program in jeopardy.  Without the additional state funding, Sawyer County officials would have had to extend law enforcement services and require additional property tax dollars for Sawyer County residents.

Senator Jauch and Representative Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing) worked together in response to a joint request for law enforcement help from Lac Courte Oreilles and Sawyer County.  Through Jauch’s membership on the budget writing committee, he introduced a motion for the funding.  The motion, which passed on a 16-0 vote, designated $80,000 annually from tribal gaming revenues to be allocated to the Tribal law enforcement account.

The press conference and listening session will be at 10:00 AM on May 9 in Hayward at the Lac Courte Oreilles offices, Peter Larson Room, 13394 West Trepania Road.