FOR MORE STATE FUNDING.

DESPITE THE CURRENT COLD, WINTERS IN THE STATE BECOME THE FASTEST WARMING IN THE COUNTRY AND FOR SOME AID IN UKRAINE REMAINS THE MOST IN THE COUNTRY.

I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG AND WE HAVE CORY MASON ON THE DIRE NEED FOR MORE LOCAL FUNDING AND SPEAK ABOUT AID FOR UKRAINE AND THE NEXT IN SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH STATE SUPREME COURT INTERVIEWS WITH JUDGE MITCHELL.

IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR FEBRUARY 3.

CITY MAYORS ARE IMPLORING LEADERS TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING FOR MUNICIPALITIES KNOWN AS SHARED REVENUE.

RAI RAISIN -- THE RACINE MAYOR SAID NOW THE TIME TO FUND POLICE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

THE MAYOR JOINS US NOW.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> MY PLEASURE, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE EXPECT WHEN HE ROLLS OUT HIS TWO-YEAR BUDGET GOVERNOR TONY EVERS WILL PROPOSE SENDING 20-PERCENT OF THE STATE'S SALES TAX BACK TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN SHARED REVENUE.

WHEN YOU HEARD HIM ANNOUNCE THAT -- WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?

HAVE YOU DONE THE MATH?

WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR RACINE?

THE GOVERNOR'S SHOWN REAL LEADERSHIP.

WE HAD FUNDS TO LOCAL SERVICES FROZEN MORE THAN A DECADE.

FOR THE CITY OF RACINE WE GET LESS THAN A DECADE AGO AND THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN SERVICES WHEN COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE.

THE GOVERNOR COMMITTING THAT KIND OF A FUNDING SOURCE IN TERMS OF INCREASE AND ALSO ITS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN THE FUTURE OBVIOUSLY MYSELF AND MAYORS ARE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

>> HAVE YOU DONE THE MATH ON THAT AND WHAT THE NUMBERS MIGHT MEAN OR COULD MEAN?

>> THAT'S WHERE THE DETAILS WILL COME OUT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS HOW THE INCREASE WOULD BE BUT AN ADDITIONAL HALF BILLION BACK TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

HOW THAT'S DISTRIBUTED THROUGH CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNS AND COUNTRIES IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

A GENERATION AGO HALF WENT TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND KNEW WE GET 5% WITH NEED INVESTMENT.

>> Frederica: WHAT THAT HAS MEANT IN TERMS OF LOCAL SERVICES?

>> THERE'S REAL STRESS ON LOCAL SERVIC SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE COSTS GROUP 10%, 15% A YEAR IF REVENUES REMAIN FLAT IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE'S REAL TENSION BETWEEN GIVING WORKERS THE RAISES THEY DESERVE TO MAINTAIN THEM AND MAINTAIN SERVICES IF YOU HAVE BUDGETS FROM 10, 12, 15 YEARS AGO.

>> THERE'S THE LEVY LIMITS AND THE ONLY WAY UNDER THE LEGISLATIVELY IMPOSED LIMITS IS TO GO TO A REFERENDUM FOR TAX DOLLARS.

RACINE PROPOSED THIS BUT ARE YOU READY TO SUPPORT THAT.

>> WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS BUT THE RAISES ON THE TABLE EXCEED OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE TO PUT REAL OFFERS ON THE TABLE THOUGH BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAINTAIN A POLICE FORCE AND EMS AND FIRE FIGHTING FORCE.

IT'S AT A CRISIS POINT FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE RACINE.

WE KNOW THERE WERE DOZENS OF PUBLIC REFERENDUMS.

80% PASSED UNFORTUNATELY OURS WAS ONE THAT DIDN'T.

THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS GOING TO REFERENDUM OR GETTING THE STATE TO REINVEST IN ITS COMMITMENT TO FUNDING LOCAL SERVICES.

EVERYBODY AGREED FUNDING A POLICE WAS A PRIORITY.

EVERYBODY AGREED ABOUT THAT.

THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR TO MAKE GOOD ON THE COMMITMENT THE GOVERNOR LAID OUT BEFORE US.

>> Frederica: HAVING SERVED IN THE LEGISLATURE YOURSELF WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION HOW THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY TO REACT.

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY PASS IT IN THE BIANNUAL BUDGET AND I DO KNOW IN CONVERSATIONS THE LEGISLATURE IS HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE MODEL ABOUT THE 20% SALES TAX GOING.

SO IF THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE AGREE ROUGHLY ON THE FRAMEWORK AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS NEGOTIATE WHAT THE DETAILS ARE I FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SHARING REVENUE THIS YEAR THAN I HAVE IN A LONG TIME.

>> Frederica: WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE NOW TO BUDGET WRITERS AT THE STATE CAPITAL?

>> IF YOU WANT SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

THEY KNOW THAT.

THE CITY OF RACINE AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE STATE NEED THE RESOURCES AND NEED THE STATE TO MAKE GOOD ON ITS COMMITMENT TO FULFILL IT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FUND LOCAL SERVICES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY EVERYBODY AGREES TO THAT AND I'M HOPING WITH THE NEW FRAMEWORK LAID OUT BY THE GOVERNOR UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP THE LEGISLATURE WILL FIND A MODEL WE CAN AGREE ON BUT THEY CAN'T KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FURTHER.

IT'S GETTING TO PROVIDING BASIC SERVICES IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE AND MANY OTHERS ALL OVER THE STATE.

>> Frederica: MAYOR CORY MASON.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU CAN WATCH THE GOVERNOR'S UPCOMING STATE BUDGET ADDRESS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15 AT 7:00 P.M. LIVE FROM THE STATE CAPITAL ON PBS WISCONSIN AND ON WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO.

ALSO ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STATE, TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE MIGHT BE FREEZING BUT FOR TWO WISCONSIN CITIES THE AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURE HAS INCREASED MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES.

NATHAN MORE.

>> WILL WILL AND GREEN BAY HAVE SEEN AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURES INCREASE BY 6.1 DEGREES AND 5.7 DEGREES SINCE 1970.

THAT MAKES MILWAUKEE THE SECOND FASTEST WARMING CITY AND GREEN BAY THE FIFTH.

PART OF THE CLIMBING TEMPERATURE COMES FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WHICH IS SEEING A DECLINE IN ICE COVERAGE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS.

HOWEVER, WISCONSIN'S COAST ISN'T THE ONLY AREA WITH QUICKLY RISING THERMOMETERS.

THE NORTHWEST HAS SEEN WARMER WINTER DAYS THAN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN A TREND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR DECADES.

WITH RISING TEMPERATURES COMES CONCERNS.

WINTER WAVES ARE MORE LIKELY TO CRASH TO SHORELINES SPEEDING UP EROSION AND DAMAGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND WARMER WEATHER WILL EVENTUALLY MEAN LESS SNOW HARMING WILDLIFE.

WITHOUT DRASTIC CHANGE WISCONSIN WILL WARM UP TO 8 DEGREES THIS CENTURY.

FOR "HERE & NOW", I'M NATHAN DENZEN.

>> Frederica: "HERE & NOW" THOUGH UKRAINE IS NO LONGER FRONT OF MIND THE WAR FROM RUSSIA'S INVASION NEARLY ONE YEAR AGO CONTINUES TO RAVAGE THE COUNTRY'S PEOPLE.

SOME WISCONSIN ITS REFUSE TO LET UP IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SEND AID OVERSEAS INCLUDING OUR NEXT GUEST WHO SENT MORE THAN $25 MILLION WORTH OF GOODS TO THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Frederica: DO YOU FIND THE WAR IS NO LONGER TOP OF MIND FOR AMERICANS.

>> THE DEATH IS NO LONGER A NEWS TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

WE'RE USED TO HEARING ABOUT DYING AND CHILDREN ARE DYING BORN AND UNBORN AND IT'S NOT IN THE NEWS ANYMORE.

HOWEVER, I SEE THERE'S BIG AW AWAKENING IN THE PEOPLE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS TOUCHING THE QUESTION WHICH WORLD DO WE WANT TO SEE WHERE DO WE GO WITH ALL THAT IS IN FRONT OF US?

WHAT WILL BE THE FUTURE.

IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS SHOCK AND HUMANITARIAN EFFORT GIVEN TO UKRAINE JUST FROM LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND BIGGER ORGANIZATIONS AND GENERALLY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE HELPED SO MUCH.

IT'S TRUE AT THIS POINT A LITTLE BIT WE ARE SHIFTING TO THE -- THERE'S A CONTRAST, RIGHT.

PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE DONE AND FINISHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND YET IT GOES ON AND RIGHT NOW WE ALL FEEL IN UKRAINE WE FEEL DEEP LET'S SAY FOCUS.

WE'LL GO ON UNTIL THE WAR IS GOING TO BE OVER AND THERE'LL BE A VICTORY.

>> Frederica: WHAT YOUR HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN UKRAINE ABOUT THE CONDITIONS NOW.

>> CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW ARE QUITE SEVERE.

IT'S WINTER AND OUR COUNTRY'S LIVING ON 30% ENERGY SUPPLY.

SOME PARTS OF KYIV ARE STRUGGLING, OUR CAPITAL, RIGHT NOW ARE STRUGGLING WITH HEAT AND ELECTRICITY.

EVERY CITY HAS A PARTICULAR SCHEDULE WHEN THEY CAN HAVE ELECTRICITY WHICH MEANS YOU'RE ONLY LIMITED TO A CERTAIN TIME TO PREPARE YOUR FOOD AND IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE ELDER PEOPLE OR CHILDREN THERE'S SMALL YOUNG BABIES, THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT.

VERY DIFFICULT, VERY HARD RIGHT NOW.

>> Frederica: YOUR ORGANIZATION SENDS MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF DONATED GOODS EVERYTHING FROM CLOTHES AND FOOD TO BLANKETS BUT IT SEEMS IMPORTANTLY MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND THESE ARE IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF GOODS AS WE POINTED OUT YOUR SENDING.

HOW ARE THESE MEDICAL SUPPLIES BEING USED?

>> SO ONCE WE SHIP EVERYTHING TO UKRAINE AND WE WORK OUT OF THE WAREHOUSE IN THE TWIN CITIES.

I HAVE A BIG GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS A LONG TIME AGO OR THOSE THAT CAME THROUGH THE PROGRAM FOR YOU AND THEY HAVE A VERY GREAT DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY WAY TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY.

ONCE EVERYTHING IS STACK IN BIG PALLETS, WE SEND THOSE TO NEW JERSEY TO A GREAT COMPANY WE WORK WITH AND IT'S SHIPPED TO WARSAW AND TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY I'M FROM I'M A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES BUT I WAS IMMIGRATED 21 YEARS AGO AND CHALICE OF MERCY EXISTED FOR 15 YEARS OF MY AMERICAN LIFE.

ONCE IT REACHES THE DESTINATION WE HAVE TEAMS FROM HOSPITAL AND MOBILE CLINICS THAT SAVE LIVES ON THE SPOT RIGHT THERE AND WOUNDED PEOPLE AND SOLDIERS ARE SO VAST TIMES JUST A SMALL CLINIC RECEIVES ABOUT 100 WOUNDED SOLDIERS A DAY AND IT'S GOING TO BE A SEVERE SURGERY, SERIOUS MATTERS.

WE COLLECT EVERYTHING REQUESTED AND WE GO TO THE FRONT LINES AND BRING THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES OR THEY GET IT FROM THE WAREHOUSE WE DISTRIBUTE FROM.

>> >> Frederica: WHY DO YOU WORK SO HARD TO DO THIS?

>> IT'S MY COUNTRY AND MY HEART IS SUFFERING WITH THE PEOPLE.

IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO SEE WHAT UKRAINE IS GOING THROUGH.

IT'S A HAPPY COUNTRY AND HAPPY PEOPLE.

PEOPLE THAT ARE HARD WORKING WHICH JUST DESIRE TO HAVE OUR OWN -- TO CONTINUE OUR FUTURE WITHOUT HAVING THIS COMMUNISTIC SOCIALISTIC IDEOLOGIES AND IT'S SO MUCH IN MY HEART BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THE TIME WHEN THE SOVIET UNION FELL AND IT WAS STILL IN THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.

IT'S A GOOD THING.

AND NOW THERE'S NO DOUBT ANY MORE BECAUSE UKRAINE AND LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY, UKRAINE ALWAYS HAS BEEN SUBJECT OF WAR AND VERY SOON WILL BE THE ANNIVERSARY AND PARTIAL INVASION HAPPENED NINE YEARS BUT BEFORE THAT WAS 100 YEARS WHICH STARTED FROM THE MAN MADE FAMINE AND THE REVOLUTION AND THE 10 MILLION PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF STARVATION.

WE WOULDN'T SUBMIT TO THE RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM AND SO MUCH WITHIN ME AND TOUCHES ME TO HAVE MY COUNTRY TO BREAKTHROUGH FROM THAT SILK THREAD WHICH WE HAVE BEEN TIED TO THE RED DRAGON'S TAIL.

>> Frederica: WE LEAVE IT THERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, VALENTYNA PAVSYUKOVA.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Frederica: IT'S FEBRUARY AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THE STATE AND COUNTRY ARE REALIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF WISCONSIN'S SUPREME COURT RACE THIS SPRING.

THERE ARE FOUR CANDIDATES RUNNING AND THE PRIMARY ELECTION FEBRUARY 21 WILL DETERMINE WHICH TWO ADVANCE TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN APRIL.

"HERE & NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ CONTINUES THE INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK WITH EVERETT MITCHELL A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE.

GIVE ME A SENSE OF YOUR JUDICIARY PHILOSOPHY.

>> FOR THE MOST PART IT'S ROOTED IN TWO PIECES.

ONE IT'S UNDERSTANDING OF A LIVING DOCUMENT SO THE WAY WE VIEW THE CONSTITUTION IS LOOKING AT IT TO EXPAND AND COVER THE CURRENT ISSUES WE DO AND THE CURRENT ISSUES WE'LL ENCOUNTER AS A FUTURE GENERATION AND I THINK THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN FOR THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE EXPAND THAT AND THERE'S TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE A BIFOCAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE CONSTITUTION BUT DON'T LET IT STOP YOU FROM EXPAND FROM THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR STATE MOVING FORWARD.

AS A LIVING CONSTITUTION PERSPECTIVE AS A JUDGE THAT ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY WHEN MAKING DECISION IMPACT EVERY DAY WISCONSI WISCONSINITES.

>> WHEN A STRICT CONSTITUTIONALIST WILL SAY THAT ALLOWS TO YOU INTERPRET HOW YOU RESPOND.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> WE HAVE A BUNCH OF AMENDMENTS THAT ALLOWED FOR THEM TO EXPAND THE KIND OF THINGS WOMEN VOTING OR ENSLAVED PEOPLE BEING FREE OR VOTING RIGHTS.

IT DIDN'T ENVISION THAT.

IF WE ONLY REFLECTED ON STRAIGHT CONSTITUTIONALISM YOU DON'T ALLOW THOSE THINGS THAT EVOLVED AND MEET THE NEEDS.

IT'S NOT DISREGARDING IT'S EMBRACING WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THE CONSTITUTION MET AND WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE AMENDMENTS TO GIVE ACCESS TO THINGS THE ORIGINAL INTENT AND ORIGINAL FRAMERS DID NOT GIVE ACCESS TO.

>> JUSTICE LOUIS BUTLER WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE COURT.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM HIM AND WHAT PREPARED YOU FOR THIS RACE FOR YOU?

>> I SPENT TIME THINKING -- FIRST, HE'S ENDORSED ME AND I LISTEN TO HIM AND LEARNED FROM HIM AND TALKED TO HIM WHAT THINGS HE WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY AND AS A JUDICIAL CAREER I SPENT TIME IN THINGS INVESTING MAKING HEARTS MATTER AND LISTENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOCUSSED ON THE RIGHT MESSAGING IN COMMUNITIES AND BEING TRANSPARENT WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE, HAVING CONVERSATION THE THINGS THAT EN -- INCARCERATES MINDS AND CULTURES ALLOWS ME TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATION.

JUSTICE BUTLER WAS DEALING WITH THE DARKENED SKINS AND TONES.

I'VE HELPED MANY MEMBERS FOR YEARS UNDERSTANDING ALL HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED WITH THIS.

ANY TIME THEY WANT TO SCARE MAJORITY WHITE INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY DARKER SKIN AND IT SENDS PEOPLE BACK TO THE '80s AND '90'S WHEN THEY WERE PROGRAMMED TO THINK OF YOUNG BLACK MEN AS DANGEROUS.

IT'S EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WE HAVE A CHOICE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET THAT CONTINUE TO RUIN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS OR LISTEN TO WHO PEOPLE ARE AND REPRESENT YOUR PARTICULAR INTEREST.

>> YOU COMPARE WHAT JUSTICE BUTLER WENT THROUGH AS THE LAST SENATE RACE WITH MENDELA BARNES AND WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THAT?

>> YOU GO BACK TO THE PERCEPTION OF WHAT MAKES YOU DANGEROUS AND AFRAID AND PEOPLE WILL MAKE THAT UP.

IT'S UP TO WISCONSINITES AND ALL PEOPLE TO SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THESE KINDS OF IMAGES TO DETER US FROM UNDERSTANDING WHO PEOPLE ARE.

LISTENING TO THEIR IDEAS AND CONCERNS AND MAKING OUR DECISIONS BASED ON THAT.

I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT.

I THINK WATCHING THE MENDELA RACE IS A REMINDER THESE ATTACKS ARE STILL OUT THERE BUT I ALSO SAY THE SAME ABOUT WISCONSIN, WE ELECTED OBAMA TWICE.

SO THE NARRATIVE CAN BE BROKEN BECAUSE WE BROKE IT TWICE.

AND WE BROKE IT TO ELECT OUR FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND WISCONSIN WAS THE ONES THAT GAVE HIM THE VICTORY TWICE.

WE HAVE THE HISTORY AND WE HAVE A HISTORY OF BEING PROGRESSIVE ON IDEAS AND USING CHARACTER OPPOSED TO COLOR TO DEFINE WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE.

>> ARE YOU RUNNING AGAINST THEM IN THE PRIMARY OR TRYING TO DISTINGUISH YOURSELVES AS THE TWO LIBERALS VERSUS CONSERVATIVES.

>> WHAT DEFINES ME IS WE'LL HAVE VALUES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND FORMER PROSECUTORS ELECTED AS JUDGE COMMITTED TO THE RULE OF LAW AND WHAT DIFFERENTIATES ME BETWEEN THEM IS THE LEADERSHIP ON AND OFF THE BENCH.

RATHER USING MY VOICE AND MY POWER OF THE BLACK ROLE TO TAKE HANDCUFFS OFF CHILDREN TO MAKE IT MORE FAIR OR RULES TO REMOVE CCAP AND REMOVE PEOPLE CHARGED AND THEN DISMISSED OR EVICTIONS DISMISSED.

IN FACT I JUST FOUND U.W.

LAW SCHOOL HAS AN APP TO ALLOW PEOPLE MORE EASILY GET THE CHARGES THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF OFF THEIR RECORD AND PEOPLE HAVE EASIER ACCESS BUT AND IF NOT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE RELIEF TO WISCONSINITE.

THOSE ACTIONS AND VALUES DIFFERENTIATE ME FROM THE REST OF THE FIELD BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM IS FAIR AND NONE OF THIS STUFF I'M GOING TO BE FAIR BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR AND THERE'S INEQUALITY BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM BUT IT'S OUR JUDGE TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE RECEIVE DUE RECEIVE IN A FAIR AND BALANCED WAY AND WE'RE NOT REPEATING A SYSTEM THAT SOMETIMES CAN OPPRESS AND HURT THOSE IN FRONT OF US.

>> ONE PHRASE THAT GETS TOSSED AROUND IS JUDICIAL ACTIVISM.

WHAT'S THAT MEAN TO YOU?

DOES IT HAVE A MEANING MOST CAN AGREE ON?

>> I THINK IT MEANS JUDGES ARE INVOLVING THEMSELVES IN CREATING LEGISLATION FROM THE BENCH.

THEY'RE NOT JUST FOLLOWING THE RULE OF LAW BUT ACTUALLY TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE IN THEIR RULINGS TO IMPACT DECISIONS BEING MADE.

AN EXAMPLE OF ACTIVISM IN SOME WAYS IS THE ROLE OF OVERTURNING ROE BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING AND ASKING FOR THE WHAT THE WORLD WAS NOT ASKING FOR.

IT WAS A CONSERVATIVE GROUP -- IT WAS CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISM SO IT'S CREATING LEGISLATION FROM YOUR DECISION WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING.

IN MANY WAYS IF ANYBODY'S EVER BEEN A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE YOU'RE ALWAYS ASKED TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR WHICH THERE'S NO ANSWERS IN STATUTE OR CASE LOAD SO YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN CREATING FAIRNESS.

YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN CREATING JUST OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TO BE ACTIVE IN THE TO MAKE REFORMS AND TO MAKE YOU'RE COMMUNITY BETTER.

IN MANY WAYS IT'S A POLITICAL TERM THAT'S MEANT TO DISTRACT US FROM THE ROLES EVERYDAY JUDGES DO BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS CLEARLY DEFINED WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND RULE DECISIONS.

>> THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SUPREME COURT DECISIONS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.

ARE YOU GETTING THE SENSE FROM PEOPLE THEY UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE WISCONSIN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RACE?

>> A LOT OF WISCONSINITES ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION AND RENT AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET A CARTON OF EGGS NOW?

YOU USED TO GET THEM FOR 99 CENTS AND THOSE DAYS ARE GONE.

THE EVERYDAY STRUGGLED WISCONSINITES ARE FACING IS WHAT I HEARD THROUGHOUT THE FACE IS SUCKING UP THE ENERGY.

AS WE TURN TO FEBRUARY IT WILL GIVE MORE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY HOW DOES THIS MATTER TO ME.

IF A CAMPAIGN IS EFFECTIVE AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN MANY PLACES UNDERSTANDING COURT SYSTEMS HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT IN YOUR LIFE.

HOW?

YOU FELT IT IN NOVEMBER.

HOW'S IT IMPACT YOU?

YOU FEEL IT WITH INCARCERATION AND HOW IT IMPACTS YOU AND THE SUPREME COURT IS LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE COMMUNITIES.

TRANSLATING THE NEED FOR HAVING PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD OF ISSUES AS SO MANY WISCONSINITES FEEL IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE RACE IS IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT.

>> Frederica: NEXT WEEK ON OUR PROGRAM WE SPEAK WITH SUPREME COURT CANDIDATE JUDGE JENNIFER DORREL.

YOU CAN SEE ALL THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE FOUR CANDIDATES ON OUR NEWS PAGE AND FOR THIS AND OTHER ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PBS WISCONSIN.org AND CLICK ON THE NEWS TAG.

THAT'S THE PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.

I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.