• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Cullen joins advocacy group's state board

MADISON — Janesville School Board member Tim Cullen will become a member of the State Governing Board of Common Cause in Wisconsin, the organization has announced.

Common Cause calls itself the state’s largest non-partisan reform advocacy group.

Cullen is a former Democratic state senator. He was secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services under Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Cullen, a lifelong Janesville resident, is retired from Blue Cross Blue Shield after nearly 20 years of employment in several executive positions.

In a prepared statement, Cullen said he was joining the board because Wisconsin’s problems cannot be addressed “unless state government is freed from the influence of special interest campaign contributions and spending. The growing amount of campaign money and spending in Wisconsin politics is undermining the ability of the Legislature and the governor to take the decisive action we need to solve our state’s economic and other problems and challenges. Unless Wisconsin has clean and honest government, that government can’t serve the citizens of this state in the way they need and deserve to be served.”

Cullen is scheduled to join the board when it meets Thursday in Madison. Assembly Speaker-Elect Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, will speak at the meeting about the prospects for campaign finance reform during the 2009-2010 legislative session.