Top 3 reasons to support Yuri Rashkin for the 44th Assembly District

1. The right skills.

I bring people together. As a business person and a leader of community organizations, I know that we succeed by working together. For too long, Madison has been a place where good ideas go to die in the partisan machinery, and it needs to stop. Whether a union or a business association, success comes from teamwork and no one succeeds on their own. As a leader, I keep my eyes on the goal, while searching for ways to help others understand why joint success is good for all participants. No one wins by crushing an opponent. In the long term, we win by working together to achieve a successful outcome. By acknowledging that which we have in common, by bridging our differences, we build relationships, and commit to finding win-win outcomes.

I am a creative problem solver. From creating the Janesville Mile as a marketing tool to bring business to Janesville to the Janesville Area Creativity (JAC) Awards, I look for ways to bring the right result and recognize achievement. In solving a problem I try to:

• Look at the big picture 
• Maximize the number of people who would benefit from a change 
• Communicate good will and be transparent 

I listen to ideas of others. I don't have all the answers. Nobody does. But I know that there are smart people who have given a lot of thought to addressing the important problems that face all of us, and sometimes the best thing I can do is to listen and to make these ideas a reality. I have done this on the Janesville City Council and I will do this in the Assembly.

I ask questions. I ask a lot of questions. Because when we are asked to make important decisions, it is important to have as much information and different perspectives as possible. You can count on me to continue to ask questions and to come up with thoughtful and practical legislation in the Assembly.

I persevere until I succeed. We need someone in Madison who will know what is important and will continue to work hard until the right result is reached. Since my childhood when I spent many hours perfecting my skills as a musician, I understand that success does not come from merely wishing it were so. Success comes from a lot of hard work. I want to bring this quality to Madison.

2. Track record

I have been on the Janesville City Council for 4 years. Examine my track record of votes, decisions, initiatives and you will see that I am fiscally conservative when it comes to spending and I believe in preserving what we have. For instance, I opposed building a new ice arena, and I supported making improvements to the existing facility. The truth, I believe, is usually found in the middle and that is where you will find me.

I stand up for Janesville. These are no ordinary times and they call for leaders who will stand up and speak up. I spoke at protest rallies and wrote editorials objecting to Scott Walker's woefully inadequate policies. Being your representative, standing up to powerful bullies, is my fundamental duty, which I take very seriously.

3. Real world experience

Born in Moscow, Russia, I came to the United States as a refugee, a kid who did not speak any English. Since then I earned an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Utah and the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. I started and owned a business for nearly 10 years and have been self-employed for over 15 years. I volunteer for many different causes and groups in our community. I have been involved in organizing festivals and fundraisers, such as Music for Haiti, Janesville Area Creativity Awards and ArtsFest. I am also a member and past president of the Janesville Noon Lions.

I would be honored to have your vote.

If you are able, contribute to the campaign using this safe link.  https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/27978

My Platform - What I Believe In

1. Helping small businesses start and prosper - For nearly a decade I owned my own small business. I joined Forward Janesville and promoted my business by getting involved in my community and by joining a service club - Janesville Noon Lions. I worked hard to provide high quality customer service to my clients.  I know what it takes to run a small business and how important small businesses are to our economy, our communities, to our way of life.

2. Government's responsibility of helping the elderly - For the past 4+ years, I've been playing piano at nursing homes and retirement communities across Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, providing entertainment for the residents. I see first-hand how important quality care is, as well as the difference between facilities that are able to better take care of their residents and those that are struggling. I understand the importance of making sure that those in the later stage of life are able to enjoy it and have a meaningful existence.

3. Preserving local control of our communities - Serving on the Janesville City Council, I have seen the damage that Scott Walker's policies have brought to our local communities, taking control away from local governments, and inserting  themselves in the relationships between the city councils and our unions. I understand the importance of everyone working together to achieve the best possible result, because we get further by working together to achieve our goals instead of by telling others what to do. 

4. The right of Wisconsin residents to cast a vote unrestrained - I place an extremely high value on the ability of voters and citizens to vote and to pick our government in the way that is free, accessible, and secure.  I was born and spent the first 13 years of my life in the Soviet Union. When my family and I came to the United States in 1988, we  came as refugees seeking the freedoms of democracy. The reforms instituted in Wisconsin in the last few months under the guise of fighting fraud, in reality have put in danger the ability of minorities, elderly, and the disabled to cast their 

votes. My parents uprooted their lives to give me an opportunity to participate in the democratic process, and I consider the ability to cast a vote vital to a well-functioning democracy. 

5. The right of unions to collectively bargain - The ability of people to negotiate for their wages and working conditions, are essential to a quality working place. As a member of Janesville City Council, I have spoken strongly in support of unions and voted in favor of several resolutions supporting collective bargaining. Wisconsin has been the home to the  union movement and our progressive heritage demands that we take a strong stance in protecting that which has been accomplished through much struggle. Unions improve the wages and quality of life for all working people--not just union members.

6. The government's responsibility of helping businesses create jobs - Throughout my time on the Janesville City Council, I have been involved in a number of initiatives that helped local businesses expand, and brought other businesses to our area. Janesville has been hit particularly hard because of the closure of the General Motors plant, but I am proud of how our community is making the transition to the future. I have stood up in support of private businesses, which are vital to our  economy--local, regional and beyond.

7. Universal access to quality healthcare - I believe that having access to all legal quality healthcare is not just a right; it is a necessity of the human condition.  When our health is at stake, we should be able to go to a healthcare provider that we chose and get the best care available.  As a self-employed professional, I saw my healthcare costs increase, until I was no longer able to afford health care coverage. 

8. Protecting the environment - In my work on the Janesville City Council and the Sustainable Janesville Committee, I have spoken strongly in support of protecting our environment, and supported the resolution making Janesville an eco-friendly 

community.  Over the last 4 years, Janesville has made a lot of changes in the way we handle waste and in how we use our landfill leading to improvements which will extend the life of our landfill. 

9. Importance of arts - As a professional artist and as the president of our local arts coalition  - United Arts Alliance - I am one of the strongest and most out-spoken advocates for the arts in our community. I recognize the value of the arts to our personal well-being and to our communities, to children and to adults. I created the Janesville Area Creativity awards, which is currently in their 2nd year, recognizing creativity in our area while raising funds for art projects in the Janesville area.

10. Value of quality public education - Scott Walker has worked hard to decimate public education in Wisconsin, and as a parent of a 5th grader, and as an actively involved member of our community, I see first-hand the opportunities that are being lost in Janesville schools. Protecting the ability of our children to get a quality education at public schools is crucial to the success of  our children and the success of our society.

11. Danger of money to politics and policy - Through a series of decisions on the state level, as well as by the Supreme Court, our democracy is in real danger of being sold to the highest bidder. I was fortunate to run for a local office that did not require a massive fund-raising operation. Now, that I am running for a position in the State Assembly,  I find myself in the reality where much of any serious candidate's time is spent raising money, instead of working to improve the  community or even campaign.  Our dependence and fear of big money is locking us into a cycle of an ever-escalating arms race where the best person for the job may never get the chance to serve.  This reality is doing all of us a disservice and it has to change. 

12. Transparency in government - While on the council, I have spearheaded several changes to ensure greater transparency in the council's proceedings. As a direct result of my efforts, every public meeting of the council, as well as study sessions, are now broadcast on the Internet, which was not the case previously. I believe in what Justice Louis Brandeis said, that "Sunshine is the best disinfectant" - if the public is given the chance to see the government proceedings, it will at the same time create an important opportunity for questions to be asked, while showing that the process is open and accessible to the public.

13. Involvement in community - I have served as president of the Janesville Toastmasters, Janesville Noon Lions and United Arts Alliance. I volunteer in our schools and perform regularly at charitable events. My entire career of public service was done with no monetary compensation.  At the same time, I disagree with those who say that serving on the council is a thankless job.  I have a strong sense of gratitude to my community, which I made my home, and which allowed me to get involved and to continue to make such a difference in making Janesville a better place to live, work, and play.

14. Creativity - As someone who came to Janesville from outside of the area, I believe that I have a special appreciation for what Janesville and Wisconsin have to offer. In my effort to promote Janesville, I created a TV program called "Discover 

Janesville",  featuring interviews with those volunteering and making a positive difference in Janesville. My program, which won numerous awards, was shown on the local public access channel, posted on YouTube and even available at the Janesville Gazette website. Concurrently with producing and hosting "Discover Janesville", I created a singular plan to market our downtown business corridor, which I called The Janesville Mile. This idea was embraced by the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, which produced The Janesville Mile maps, now available throughout the downtown area.  The Janesville Mile is also featured in the official guide to Janesville, and features its own arts festival called Art Infusion.

Christmas Day Attack by Janesville Gazette

On the day when families gather together to celebrate the birth of Prince of Peace, Janesville Gazette chose to unleash its strongest attack to date on local residents looking to make a difference.  Using the story about local candidates' party affiliation as the premise for its criticism, Gazette went on to highlight candidates active in the Democratic party and asked the question it seemingly asks every year: is it appropriate for local office holders to hold a position with a political party.

To begin with, this question is wrong to be asked since the Gazette is ignoring the fact that the community has already said "Yes" when it elected Sam Liebert to Janesville City Council in April of this year.  Councilmember Liebert, who worked for the Obama administration in Washington DC and did not hide this fact, incidentally did not get Gazette's endorsement for apparently lacking experience in politics.

Moreover, it is appropriate for any person to be a member of any political party.  We live in a democracy, and this type of involvement serves to provides more information for the voters about candidate's values, and should be taken into consideration together with other factors, such as whether a person has a criminal record, what they do for a living, what has their involvement in the community been, and so on.  Belonging to a political party is simply one more piece of the puzzle.  Not the kind of headline that sells newspapers, but it's a fact.

Then again, reality is far more complex than the story in the Gazette portrays.  For instance, Councilman Liebert and myself are both members of the Democratic Party, yet we have disagreed on a number of issues that have come before the council, including the perennial issue in Janesville - sidewalks.  That's because issues before the City Council for the most part have nothing to do with party politics.  Putting this type of factual information in the story would have shown the complexities of serving the public, something that Gazette evidently can't handle or just doesn't want readers to worry about.  After all, there's a story to be told about how inappropriate it is for people to belong to a political party and then run for a local office, and how the community should be worried about this.  Facts? Well, they just slow down this train of justice.  

Personally, I find it frustrating that Gazette chose to attack me by using a quote from a fellow Councilmember, herself running for re-election, to describe my remark as "blatant partisanship".  Was I contacted for a response?  Not at all.  I found out about this story same way as everybody else - by reading about it on the Gazette's website.  Clearly this story was in the making for sometime, and I anticipate an editorial sanctifying the conclusions drawn in this article to come out shortly.

Either way, thank goodness for the technology we have available to us, for it allows me to write my own response to the Gazette and post it here, on my blog, regardless of whether the Gazette includes a response from either myself or Kevin Murray - another local public official same as me accused by the Gazette of using local office as "springboards" for higher office - and not given a chance to respond.

For those curious as to why I referred to the Wheel Tax passed by the council as the Walker Tax, and voted against it, it is because Governor Scott Walker cut state shared revenue to Janesville by $864,000, of which about half a million dollars will be recouped with the new tax.  I opposed this tax because it is Governor's way of shifting the blame for his irresponsible policies to local governments.  I do not support it, and will not stand for it.

Finally, if the Gazette was truly concerned about the fact that so many of the candidates for local offices belong to political parties, it could have highlighted the fact that in these turbulent times, so many of our outstanding young men and women - from business owners to government employees - are stepping up and taking leadership roles in our communities by getting involved in political parties (nothing wrong with that) and by running for local elected offices. That would've been a positive story for a holiday edition.  Oh well, may be next year.

Here's the link to the Gazette story: http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2011/dec/25/republican-or-democrat-its-not-supposed-matter-loc/

Merry Christmas and Go Packers!

Yuri Rashkin for State Assembly - Yuri Listens

Check out the latest video featuring people's comments on my candidacy.  As I look to represent the 44th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly, I am so fortunate to have such great supporters!  Once you watch the video, please consider contributing to the campaign by clicking on this link:

https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/27978

Political Free Speech Activity Information for Janesville, WI

If you are involved or have any questions about gathering signatures for recall Walker/Kleefisch petitions in Janesville, please check out this information produced by Janesville City Manager's office and Janesville City Attorney's office upon my request.

 "With various staff members receiving questions from the public regarding the use of public property for recall election petitions drives and other political activities, the City Manager’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office would like to share the following information. Should you receive any questions from a citizen, please use the information below as a guide. If you have questions not addressed in this information, please contact the Attorney’s Office at 755-3155 or the City Manager’s Office at 755-3177 for clarification.

1.    Signing or collecting recall petition signatures is considered a political free speech activity and is protected by the Bill of Rights. By law, political free speech activities are generally allowed on public property, but not on all public property.

2.    Citizens may sign and collect petition signatures on certain public property, such as city parks; city-owned terrace areas; sidewalks; public parking lots; or outdoor public building areas (such as in front of the Police Services building or in front of the Municipal Building).

3.    While political free speech activities are allowed on public property, individuals may not disrupt normal business. They may not block a sidewalk; block ingress or egress to driveways or buildings; litter; engage in disorderly conduct or fight. The police non-emergency number (757-2244) should be called if these disorderly activities are taking place.

4.    The City of Janesville does not allow political free speech activities inside city-owned buildings. Also, the Hedberg Library does not allow political free speech activities anywhere on its premises.


UPDATE: 4.    The City of Janesville, including Hedberg Public Library, does not allow political free speech activities inside city-owned buildings. Political free speech activities may take place outside of buildings provided the activity does not disrupt normal business.

5.    The City of Janesville is not the governing authority for recall elections. Individuals looking for information on the recall petition process should contact the Government Accountability Board, as they are responsible for the operation of recall elections. http://gab.wi.gov/ 608-266-8005

6.    The City of Janesville does not have petitions available for individuals to sign. Individuals looking to sign a recall petition should perform a google search to find information or contact the political organization involved in the recall.

7.    Political free speech activities are not a right on private property and may only occur on private property with permission of the private property's owner, tenant or lessee. If activities are taking place without permission and after being asked to leave, any unwelcome person would be considered to be trespassing. The police non-emergency number (757-2244) should be called if someone is trespassing."

Podcast of interview with WCLO Tim Bremel

This morning I joined Tim Bremel in the studios of WCLO to talk about several issues facing City Council and our community.  Check out the podcast here: http://wclo.com/podcasts/your-talk-show/2011/nov/07/city-council-member-yuri-rashkin/

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm running to represent the 44th District in the State Assembly!

For Immediate Release: October 3, 2011
Contact: Friends of Yuri at (608) 754-2424 RashkinforAssembly@gmail.com

View video of the announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ql8l2pr1h0

Janesville Councilman Yuri Rashkin Announces Candidacy for the 44^th Assembly District

JANESVILLE – Janesville Councilman Yuri Rashkin today announced he will run to represent the 44^th Assembly District in the State Assembly.  The popular, two-term councilman will not seek re-election to the City Council in April 2012, and will focus his efforts on unseating the incumbent Assembly Representative Joe Knilans (R) in 2012 elections.

“I am running for the State Assembly, so that together we can restore respect for the working men and women of Wisconsin. Respect for our teachers, for local control of our communities, and even for the basic right to vote.  Restore respect for Wisconsin,” said Rashkin.  “Joe Knilans has been nothing but a rubberstamp for Scott Walker, someone who turned his back on those who worked with him at the GM plant, and who ignored demands of his constituents to stand up to Scott Walker.”

As a member of Janesville City Council, Rashkin spearheaded efforts to increase government transparency, fought unnecessary projects and expenditures, and initiated dialogue between Janesville and Beloit City Councils.  In March, 2011 when Governor Walker spoke at Forward Janesville annual dinner, Rashkin who was present at the event, walked outside and joined the protesters as Scott Walker was about to speak.  “I stood up and objected to Governor Walker because I strongly oppose his policies and his undemocratic, exclusionary approach to governance.  Vilifying teachers and public employees, while passing legislation that seeks to destroy collective bargaining and public education, hurts our local businesses and leaves Wisconsin at the mercy of out-of-state interests.  This is no way to move Wisconsin forward or create jobs.”

As a member of Janesville community, Rashkin is the past president of Janesville Noon Lions, Janesville Toastmasters and is the current president of United Arts Alliance.  Rashkin created the Janesville Mile marketing concept for downtown Janesville, and hosted award-winning Discover Janesville TV program.

“I believe that whether it is the working men and women coming together to form a union, downtown businesses working together as part of the Janesville Mile, or Janesville and Beloit city councils sitting at the table discussing how we can better and more efficiently serve our residents, it is by working together that we move forward, and that is what Wisconsin is all about,” Rashkin said.  “We believe in fair pay and a secure retirement; that resources we contribute to our community should be used wisely, and that our environment should be treasured, for the enjoyment of all. That's what I believe, and it's what I'll bring to our state government. “

Rashkin and his campaign committee - “Friends of Yuri” - invites the public to stop and visit with the candidate at Janesville institution – the Italian House – on Sunday, October 16 from 4 – 6 pm. 

For more information, see www.YuriRashkin.com and follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

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Relevancy Of Hard Times Or How Do We Handle Adversity?

This morning, Gazette ran what I consider to be a well-written and balanced story, discussing whether financial and personal adversity faced by our leaders is relevant information for the voters, which I strongly feel it is.  Voters, and I consider myself to be one, deserve to know who we are voting for.  When a person chooses to be in the spotlight that comes with public service, a greater amount of scrutiny is to be expected.  At the same time, I do not believe that being divorced, losing a house or filing bankruptcy, should make one ineligible to serve in public office.  Provided laws are being followed, that's what elections are for - to determine who is and is not eligible to serve the public.

We live in the world that is full of volatility, and fair amount of it is beyond our control.  If you have an adjustable rate mortgage that is fixed for a few years, but when the time comes up for you to refinance, you are no longer eligible for the products available in the market, or if a company decides to outsource its jobs to overseas, all someone affected by this calamity can hope for is that tomorrow is better than today.  

The really important questions are how do we handle the obstacles that come our way and what have we learned?  Do we walk away, shuttered by a failure and never try again, or do we dust ourselves off and move forward?   This is a particularly relevant question for our political leaders because voters need to know how leader handles a difficult situation.  Will he or she hide the facts or will they level with the voters, confident in the voters' ability to understand the situation?  Can a leader handle one of the hardest challenges of public office - transparency - or will this person instead obfuscate and cover up?  

As I mentioned to Tim Bremel this morning on WCLO, to me this is old news because my bankruptcy became final two years ago and I moved out of the house that apparently will be sold in a few days, over two years ago as well.  The reason I moved out was because I was not comfortable living in a place that I was not paying for.  It was a difficult decision because a lot of effort and money was spent to make that house a home, but you have to look facts in the face, and act accordingly.  I feel proud that since that difficult time, I went back to school and got my master's degree in mass communication from UW - Whitewater, bought a house with my finance and am about to begin teaching at a college.  

It is my hope that with the Gazette bringing this issue up and me speaking candidly about it, more people will be able to look this kind of adversity square in the eye and handle it without letting it destroy lives.  We went from living in the world where a person worked at the same job until retirement, to a world where you had a job until you found a better one, to a world where you hang on to a job for dear life and hope not to lose it, even if it means spending hours each day driving there and back, seeing your pay cut and being vilified by politicians.  As these realities change, we need to adjust what it is that we value most and what our priorities are.  

I know that many in Janesville and beyond are well familiar with what I went through, not just because it was so extensively covered by the Gazette and WCLO, but because so many people have been affected by the same powerful economic forces and have also paid the high price of starting over.   I believe that this experience, it made me a better public servant and hopefully a more compassionate human being.  And if I can help those struggling with financial and personal difficulties by sharing my story and by taking some stigma out of it, then I feel that I'm helping do my part in moving our community forward.  

Yuri Rashkin

For highlights of my interview this morning, please check out the following:  

Rashkin comments on personal finances (WCLO News Features)

Janesville Gazette story by Anna Marie Lux

Anna Marie Lux of Janesville Gazette wrote a very nice story about me playing piano for silent movies. Here are some excerpts:

"Key performer: Piano player does the talking in "silent" films

He is best known as a Janesville City Council member But professionally, he plays and teaches piano. Recently, he began doing something he has wanted to do for years. He plays live piano to the showing of three classic Chaplin films: "Easy Street," "The Immigrant" and "The Adventurer," all made in 1917.
Rashkin takes his show on the road, mostly to senior-living centers.
"I express my thoughts through my fingers," Rashkin explained.
He might slip into strains from "The Titanic" during scenes of Chaplin aboard an immigrant ship. Or he might pound out a few chords of Pink Floyd's "Money," when the little tramp can't find his wallet. Rashkin estimates that he plays a couple dozen familiar songs during the hour-long performance. The rest is improvisation.
He knows the power at his fingertips.
"I feel like a conductor," the 36-year-old said. "The movie can go in any direction I choose. I can make it a happy moment or a serious moment."
He has been enjoying Chaplin films ever since he was a boy growing up in a Jewish family in Moscow. A family friend played piano to the silent films, which were unlike anything the child had seen in the Soviet era.
"The movies were made with a different mindset," Rashkin said. "They had no message and no ideological bent. They were just people being goofy."
His parents wanted their son to have special skills, so they sent him to music school. His first instrument was the violin. The upright bass.
At 13, Rashkin and his family came to the United States as refugees. The former Soviet Union had a policy of national reunification, which sometimes allowed family members to move to be with relatives.
"My parents wanted to protect me and my brother from having to serve in the Soviet Army and to give their children the best opportunities they could," Rashkin said.
His uncle arranged for a Jewish relief agency to send his parents an invitation from Israel. His parents put together the detailed paperwork, got approvals and left. They departed Moscow in 1988 and landed in Austria. Then, they boarded a train that took them across the Alps to Italy. Later, they flew to Salt Lake City, where Rashkin's uncle lived.
Today, in addition to his silent-film program, he plays a hundred melodies during an hour-long show called "Songs You Know and Love." In addition, Rashkin is music director for contemporary worship at Luther Memorial Church, Delavan.
"During the interview, I told them that I was Jewish, but they said it didn't matter." Rashkin says.
He leads a praise band called the Back Row and helps with other musical needs, especially during non-traditional services. Rashkin also plays in The Ritual, a Janesville-based funk-rock-soul band.
He has an undergraduate degree in musical composition and just finished his master's degree in mass communication at UW-Whitewater. He begins teaching at Madison Media Institute in the fall."

Thank you Janesville Farmers Market!

Few days ago I guest hosted Janesville Farmers Market Report, broadcast weekly on JATV.  I had a blast talking to fellow Janesvillians and highlighting the market vendors.  Huge thanks to Andy K., who as a JATV volunteer, produces, records and edits weekly program of excellent quality.  After a stressful day, watch Janesville Farmers Market Report and on Saturday mornings please visit the market.
     

Janesville Farmer's Market Report August 6, 2011 - YouTube