Assembly Bill 31

This proposal was debated on the Assembly floor on 2/20 during a regular Assembly session:

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a state employee in a position that is covered under the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) is entitled to receive paid sick leave credits as part of his or her compensation under the state compensation plan, at the election of the employer, or pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. If a state employee does not use all of his or her sick leave credits during a calendar year, he or she may accumulate this unused sick leave from year to year in a sick leave account.

Generally, if a state employee terminates covered employment under the WRS and meets certain conditions related to age or years of employment, the employee’s accumulated unused sick leave may be converted, at his or her highest basic pay rate, to credits for the payment of postretirement health insurance premiums under a health insurance plan administered by the Group Insurance Board.

This bill provides that:

1. No member of the legislature may accumulate unused sick leave from year to year in his or her sick leave account for work performed as a member of the legislature during any term of office that begins after the bill’s effective date.

2. No supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or circuit court judge may accumulate unused sick leave from year to year in his or her sick leave account for work performed as a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or circuit court judge during any term of office that begins after the bill’s effective date.

3. No other state elected official, including a district attorney, may accumulate unused sick leave from year to year in his or her sick leave account for work performed during any term of office that begins after the bill’s effective date.

See the Bill Here

Hintz, Doyle and Budget

From the UW Oshkosh Advance Titan 2/19/07:

Governor shares budget with community leaders

Gov. Jim Doyle touted funding for education, economic growth and health care during a visit to Oshkosh on Friday. Doyle spoke to a crowd of about 70 invited guests — including Appleton mayor Tim Hanna, Oshkosh mayor William Castle, Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) and UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells — at C.R. Meyers and Sons, Co. and elaborated on some points in his 2007-09 biennial budget, which he proposed last Tuesday.

“Aside from all the numbers, (the budget) is really a statement of our values,” Doyle said.

The governor reaffirmed his “No. 1 priority” of education by outlining his plans for K-12 school programs and praised the quality of Wisconsin’s universities, which, in comparison, he said, are more affordable than some other Midwestern schools. But he also added that paying for tuition was a very tough expense.

“(The spike in tuition) is a phenomenon that has happened all across the United States,” he said. “Comparatively, we’re doing OK. We’re trying to make college more affordable.”

Doyle commended Wells for his efforts on an agenda to allow the most access and opportunities for young people. “Depending on what the Regents do with faculty salaries, the increase in tuition this year will probably be about 4 percent,” Doyle said. “But this budget calls for $44 million additional in financial aid — which will triple the amount of money we have in financial aid.”

Doyle also explained his plan for Wisconsin Covenant, which would make a promise to any eighth grader by the end of this school year to guarantee them a spot in a UW school with a financial package that their family can afford — if he or she maintains a B average throughout high school, participate in their community and take all the necessary courses needed for entry into higher education institutions.

“This is the beginning of higher education truly being linked with economic development,” Hintz said. Hintz gave credit to Doyle for coming up with ideas of funding. He also shared his own views on the increases in college tuition.

“When university students ask me why tuition went up, I say, ‘Your tuition went up because of Medicaid,’” Hintz said. “Low-income seniors apparently out-trump students, and we’re one of five states that fully funds Medicaid. The decision was made where they weren’t going to cut poor people out of the budget, so they put (the expenses) on the backs of students.”

The budget also has a $20 increase for vehicle registration and pledges health insurance to children through the BadgerCare program for $10 a month. Doyle said his budget was something that tobacco and oil companies wouldn’t like, but hard-working families would. He outlined his proposal for a tax increase for all non-ethanol fuel that enters Wisconsin and for tax increases on packs of cigarettes.

“My biggest reservation about (the cigarette tax) is that we’re dedicating revenue towards something that will decline in future years,” Hintz said. “And that’s how the state got itself in trouble in the ‘90s. What happens when you have a cigarette tax is you get additional revenue and a pretty accurate forecast for this year, and maybe it’ll stay for two to four years, but eventually it’ll decline if we invest some of that money into smoking cessation programs.”

See article here, by Adam Dziewiontkoski

See additional commentary on this story at www.foxpolitics.net by Jo Egelhoff by CLICKING HERE.

Our Reps and Our Budget

With the unveiling of the Joint Committee on Finance's $57.7 BILLION two year budget proposal, the JCF will be holding public hearings on the state budget in these six Wisconsin cities: Milwaukee, Green Bay, Rhinelander, DeForest, Prairie du Chien, and Chippewa Falls.

No Appleton, Menasha, Neenah, Oshkosh, or Fond du Lac.

Hopefully, as this advances, our state Assembly Reps and Senators will hold several informational and idea sessions. That will be challenge, as that would mean that they would need to have a basic understanding of a 1700+ page document, and be able to discuss this document. The least that they can do is hold a forum where they bring someone who does know what the budget entails.

But then again, if our representatives don't understand the budget they are to vote on, what are they doing?

The important thing is to see which representatives are going to follow through with their job - to be a voice for the citizens of the district that they represent.

How do they do this? By holding these informational and listening sessions with citizens back home, talking about what the budget proposal means, and bringing citizen concerns and ideas back to Madison.

For more information on the budget proposal, go here.

Kaufert and the Dental Clinic

Apparently according to the Appleton Post Crescent, Rep Dean Kaufert has "secured a grant of $75,000 for the Tri-County Dental Clinic".

I am curious what role Kaufert himself played, if any, as I would imagine the clinic applied for these services and was awarded a grant from a special one-time fund available for low-income dental services - of which Kaufert had little to do with.

$75,000 is always a nice addition to any service provider, and the Tri-County Dental Clinic is a great service to residents of the Fox Valley.

Here is what Kaufert had to say:

"There is strong demand for access to dental services in the Fox Valley and the Tri-County Dental Clinic does a superb job of meeting that need,” said Kaufert. “Good dental care upfront saves our health care system so much money down the road. This is a wise use of surplus funds.”The grant is designed to enhance dental access to low-income or uninsured residents of Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties.“I receive many calls from constituents searching for dental services in our area”, said Kaufert. “I make so many referrals to this clinic that I was glad I could secure some funding for their efforts.” see article here

What wasn't mentioned in the story was why the funds were available, and why Kaufert might be receiving so many phone calls.

The funds were made available to provide support to the extremely over-worked low-cost / free dental clinics throughout the state. These clinics provide care to low-income individuals unable to obtain care elsewhere.

Why is Kaufert receiving so many calls? Because these clinics are the only dental care option to everyone without insurance, and everyone with state or federal insurance (BadgerCare, etc). It is impossible to find a dentist that accepts state or federal insurance, which is a serious issue that Kaufert and the legislature fail to discuss.

Because of the great demand, these low-income clinics often have long waiting lists, and are only able to provide limited services - or in other words, they are not able to provide the full dental care needed by Wisconsin's low-income children and families.

The state either needs to greatly expand their funding for these programs and expand the number of these facilities, or they need to address the inadequacies of their dental care insurance program. With no low-income dental clinic and very limited options in Oshkosh, Gordon Hintz and Carol Owens should work hard to address this huge gap in government service.

Redistricting in 2010

Linked here is an informative (and short) piece from the Legislative Reference Bureau by Michael Keane on the redistricting process in Wisconsin and the US. Most notibly are the following:

-- Compactness. It is generally considered desirable for districts to be as compact as possible, that is, centered on an area, rather than made in irregular shapes that bring far-flung interests together in the same district.

This is interesting when looking at Carol Owen's 53rd Assembly District, which reaches North of Oshkosh, West past Omro, and down South to Waupan and East past Fond du Lac to the Far Side of Lake Winnebago. See her district here.

and...

-- The increasingly partisan atmosphere surrounding redistricting— and the charge of "partisan gerrymandering" creating districts that do not produce competitive elections—has resulted in calls for the redistricting task to be taken over by nonpartisan commissions. Two states, California and Ohio, have recently scheduled referenda on the subject.

If Wisconsin implemented nonpartisan commissions for redistricting, it could be for the state and federal seats. While it could be said that Wisconsin is not so bad, removing the responsibility from partisan officials and politicians, an opportunity is provided to engage citizens in civic participation in the government, as well as creating / maintaining districts that make sense and don't attempt to avoid political discourse.

Doyle 2007 Budget Address

-- View Budget Address Video Here

-- Proposed Fee Increases and Tax Cuts

-- Audio Reactions to Budget Address

-- View Budget in Brief (93 pages)

-- Excellent Wisconsin Public Radio Recap by Shawn Johnson

Kaufert and UW Admissions

Diverse Reactions to U.W. Regents' Decision on Race and Income
Feb 12, 2007

From WBAY 2

State universities in Wisconsin will now have to consider race and income when deciding who to admit to their school. That was the unanimous decision Friday of the U.W. Board of Regents.

While the board of regents hopes to change the face of U.W. campuses across the state, apparently its decision won't do much at U.W.-Oshkosh, where race and income have been factors in the school's admission policy for several years.

"It's important for our students to be in a diverse environment, because when they leave this institution they'll be working in diverse workplaces," Petra Roter, U.W.-Oshkosh vice chancellor, said.

The only difference now is that all the public universities across the state will have to focus on diversity.

It's a factor that the board of regents says will come at the end after considering grades, test scores, difficult coursework, and community activities.

Opponents say making race a factor will only result in reverse discrimination.

"There's only so many slots, and when you give certain students unfair advantages over other students, that's going to leave someone out," State Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) said.

The Republican Assemblyman expects a fight -- even a push for a law banning consideration of race -- but as it stands now, the color of a student's skin and financial background matter to the university system.

Dean Kaufert on 4 yr old Kindergarten

Dean Kaufert on 4 yr old Kindergarten in the Milwaukee JS:

Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah), co-chairman of the (Senate Budget) committee, said he supported cuts to 4-year-old kindergarten. "I just worry about it being subsidized day care for certain children," he said

Analysis: Kaufert is attempting to align with the party talk that this is an un-needed taxpayer expense. This position likely comes from the idea that there is no immediate ascertainable benefits to business owners and those that fund election campaigns and hold influential community positions.

The 4 year old kindergarten program should be supported in Madison. This program is widely supported by teachers and school administrators, and those that work in the social service industry. The 4 year old kindergarten program provides educational and developmental programs to young children who may be in great need of these services to prepare them for the K-8 school day. Many children who participate will show gains in social behavior and educational success, as well as an improved school integration.

In many cases, the state can either provide the initial support needed to many children to prepare them for effective learning and participation in our society, or the state can pay for many of these students at a later date.

There is also discussion about this topic here.

Oshkosh News Cites 53-56

From community news service Oshkosh News and UW Oshkosh faculty member Miles Maguire:

Our primary emphasis remains local news, however, and so we have added a feed from a blog that focuses on the how Winnebago County is represented in the Wisconsin State Assembly. I'm not entirely sure of who the author of the blog is, but it is chockfull of useful information. Keep up the good work, whoever you are!

Are intestines and bones enough?

If Rep Carol Owens is seriously going to pursue her cell phone penalty bill, then she might as well seriously consider adding MP3 players:

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) - February 10, 2007 - About 40 tons of cow intestines and bones spilled onto a major highway after a truck driver became distracted by his digital music player and his semitrailer tipped over, officials said

Authorities closed parts of Interstate 43 for about two hours Thursday while the beef byproduct was cleaned up, said sheriff's Sgt. Blaine Spicer. The accident happened in the town of Mosel when 25-year-old Ryan Engle's truck veered off the road as he adjusted his MP3 player, Spicer said.

Engle, of Kenosha, was cited for inattentive driving and taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Spicer said.

The Oshkosh Neighbor Game

Who is the lucky winner?

Who's neighbors gave the most to the 54th Assembly race? See the following campaign contributor lists (Sch 1-A)

For Gordon Hintz, Visit the following:

1. Contributions from 10/24/06 - 12/15/06

2. Contributions from 8/29/06 - 10/23/06

3. Contributions from 7/1/06 - 8/28/06

4. Contributions prior to 7/1/06 (in 2006)


For Julie Pung Leshke, Visit the following:

1. Contributions from 10/24/06 - 12/15/06

2. Contributions from 8/29/06 - 10/23/06

3. Contributions from 7/1/06 - 8/28/06

4. Contributions prior to 7/1/06


To the winner......

Owen's St David's Day

From the Wisconsin State Journal:

Let the frivolous legislation begin

...St. David's Day. Never heard of it? You will if Assembly Joint Resolution 9, sponsored by Rep. Carol Owens, R-Oshkosh, makes it to the governor's desk. It turns out that like their Celtic cousins in Ireland, the Welsh love to sing and carouse a bit on the day of their patron saint, David. The day is celebrated by eating leek soup and remembering St. David's final words: "Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do."


See the bill here. This joint resolution calls for the Wisconsin Legislature to join with all Wisconsinites who revere their Welsh heritage in celebrating St. David's Day on March 1, 2007.

Welsh Doll pic from here

54th Spending Tops $225,000

From the Oshkosh Northwestern

Posted February 4, 2007

Campaign spending tops $225K in 54th district
By Bethany K. Warner of The Northwestern

More than $350,000 was spent this fall in the race to represent Oshkosh in the state Assembly, a number that was three times that of the next most expensive contest for the 54th Assembly District and likely offers a preview of things to come in 2008.

The candidates, Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, and Republican challenger Julie Pung Leschke spent more than $225,000, combined, in their election efforts, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state last week.

That amount doesn't include a barrage of advertisements and mailings by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, All Children Matter and other third party groups. Based on how much it cost him to do direct mail to voters, Hintz estimates that third party spending on Pung Leschke's behalf was close to $150,000, bringing the total cost of the campaign to nearly $375,000.

Third party groups that advertise on behalf of a candidate without endorsing the candidate — often in the form of attack ads — are not required to publicly disclose how much they spent on state races or how they are funded.

In 2004, when Hintz made an unsuccessful bid for the seat against Republican incumbent Gregg Underheim, spending in the race was just under $70,000 between the two of them. Green Party candidate Tony Palmeri spent just $1,285 that year.

The key force driving the increased spending by both the candidates and the outside groups was that the district, which represents most of Oshkosh, was one of only a few open seats in the state, said Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and because spending increases are a trend in politics.

"Political campaigns have an inflation rate all of their own. Whatever the inflation rate is for the rest of our economy, that bears no relationship to the inflation in politics," McCabe said. "We have a political arms race that's completely out of control. It's a very vivid illustration that shows why we need campaign finance reform."

Both Hintz and McCabe have advocated for full disclosure of who is paying for the third-party independent expenditures as one reform.

The amount of spending in the race wasn't surprising to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh political science professor Jim Simmons.

"I think this is just a long-term trend where parties raise and spend money and micro-target races," Simmons said.

McCabe, Simmons and Hintz agree that spending could be a big factor in the 2008 election as well.

"After an open seat, the second in line for a lot of resources who is someone defending their seat for the first time. The other side's probably going to throw a lot of money at it," Hintz said.

Additionally, Simmons said since 2008 is a presidential election year and the Fox Valley region will be contested, it could lead to more money being spent in this region as both parties try to propel their candidates to the statehouse and the White House.

Bethany K. Warner: (920) 426-6668 or bwarner@thenorthwestern.com.

Affordable Seat

Over $32 million was spent electing a governor in Wisconsin in 2006.

Ethics Reform Legislation

Sen. Lassa, Rep. Black: Announce New Bills to Block the "Revolving Door"

2/6/2007

Contact: Senator Julie Lassa (608) 266-3123

Representative Spencer Black (608) 266-7521

Madison–Legislation introduced today by State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Representative Spencer Black (D-Madison) would create stiff penalties for Wisconsin lawmakers and PSC commissioners who take jobs with special interests after leaving office.

The bills address the “revolving door” between government and special interests, which critics have decried as a major factor in government corruption.

“When legislators and regulators know they can count on receiving cushy jobs from the same corporations and groups they are supposed to oversee, people start to wonder whose interests they really represent,” Lassa said. “These bills send a clear message: When you do the people’s business, you need to serve the people’s interests.”

"Current state law places a one year waiting period on most former state officials who wish to become lobbyists,” Black said. “The law, however, exempts legislators. It shouldn't. It is wrong to have a person who is a legislator one day come back the next lobbying his or her former colleagues on behalf of a special interest."

The first of two companion bills prohibits any legislator from accepting a job as a lobbyist for 12 months after leaving office. Any position that involves communicating with the legislature or a regulatory body five or more days in any six month period for the purpose of influencing laws or regulations would be off limits. The bill establishes fines of up to $5,000 per offense and up to six months imprisonment.

The second bill prohibits members of the state Public Service Commission from being employed by any person or group subject to PSC regulation for a year after leaving the commission. Along with PSC commissioners, executive assistants and division administrators would be subject to the law, which carries fines of $5,000 per offense and up to six months in prison.

"The Legislature just took a big step to strengthen our ethics law. This bill would further improve efforts to reclaim our once proud Wisconsin tradition of good government," Black said.

"Last November, the voters made it very clear that they’re tired of special interests having a stranglehold on their government, and they want something done about it,” Lassa said. “I hope my colleagues from both parties will answer that call and support these two important provisions.”

From Wispolitics

pic from WI Legislature Site

WPR State Legislature Review

Listen to the Monday, February 5 review of Wisconsin politics on Wisconsin Public Radio with Joy Cardin. Click here for audio. Program is approximately 55 minutes.



To download program, visit www.wpr.org/cardin/




Joy Cardin, pic from here

No need for Rep Owen's DWT law

JS Online Editorial: No need for DWT law - driving while talking

Driving and talking on a cell phone can be risky. But given other distractions and the benefits of cell phones on the road, it doesn't make sense to ban them or single them out for special enforcement. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Posted: Feb. 3, 2007

When Dennis Hughes climbs behind the wheel, he makes sure his cell phone is off. And it stays off until he gets to where he's going. That makes sense, right? After all, just the other day, there was that guy in the blue SUV ahead of you, his cell phone pressed to his ear, blabbing away, not paying attention to his driving. At least that's how it seemed.

There oughta be a law, you say?

Well, not so fast. First off, you should know that Hughes is the chief of safety policy analysis for the state Department of Transportation. But you should also know that despite his job title and his personal feelings about cell phones, Hughes does not think people should be prohibited from using them while driving.

And neither do we. At least not without a lot more information and further studies conclusively showing that cell phones are causing more accidents than other distractions.

As Hughes notes, talking on cell phones is only one of many things distracting drivers, and, so far, he has not seen any "good data" to suggest that phones pose more of a problem on Wisconsin roads than other distractions to warrant a ban or other regulations. In fact, he and others say other distractions are more common.

What's more, there already is a state law against inattentive driving, whether the driver is weaving across lanes or, worse, the center line because he or she is talking on a cell phone, reading a book, eating a cheeseburger or, yes, shaving or applying makeup.

We do believe that inexperienced young drivers should not be allowed to talk on cell phones while driving, and we have supported a proposal by Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) to ban drivers younger than 18 from doing so. Statistics show that inexperienced younger drivers are more susceptible to distractions, which is why the state already imposes restrictions on them.

After trying unsuccessfully in the past to get a statewide ban on cell phone use by all drivers, Rep. Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh) is proposing a law to create penalties for using a cell phone if it contributes to an accident. Last year, Glendale directed police officers to ticket drivers talking on cell phones if they are involved in an accident or stopped for another violation.

We supported that measure because we thought it would provide a useful test. City Attorney John Fuchs says no such tickets have been issued yet, adding that the ordinance is very new. At the very least, Owens should wait and see how this law works.

Based on comments from State Patrol officers, we believe the law Owens proposes would be impractical to enforce because it can be difficult to determine beyond a doubt that use of the phone contributed to the accident or whether the driver was even on the phone at the moment he or she lost control of the vehicle.

A far better alternative would be to update the current law on inattentive driving to address the many distractions now posed by changing technology.

Other law enforcement officials - including two members of the State Patrol with whom we spoke, Maj. Dennis Lonsdorf, state director of transportation safety, and Casey Perry, executive director of the Wisconsin Troopers Association - don't think it's a good idea to single out cell phones.

They point out that while some drivers abuse cell phones - troopers annually issue about 9,600 violations for all forms of inattentive driving - cell phones also make roads safer by allowing responsible motorists to quickly alert law enforcement to emergencies and traffic hazards. That includes everything from drunken and reckless drivers to accidents, stranded motorists and debris in the road.

In fact, Perry and Lonsdorf say that when drivers using cell phones alert law enforcement to a drunken driver, oftentimes the dispatcher will suggest the drivers stay on their cell phones behind the vehicle to help a state trooper or sheriff's deputy pinpoint the location.

In short, both said the advantages of cell phones for drivers outweigh the disadvantages, a position we have long taken on this admittedly controversial issue.

Some safety experts say that if drivers have to use their phone for something important, such as reporting an accident, they should pull over to the side of the road. But Lonsdorf says the State Patrol doesn't recommend doing that on busy highways or freeways because that can pose an even greater risk

This, of course, does not mean that talking on a cell phone does not take at least some of a driver's concentration off the road. Common sense tells us yes, and most studies back that up. And we would certainly agree that as cell phones become more common, they are undoubtedly being abused by a growing number of drivers who use the phones for prolonged, clearly non-critical conversations. Some firms have even told their employees not to conduct business on their cell phones while driving.

Four states - New York was the first - and the District of Columbia have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. The results have been mixed. After the first year in New York, many drivers went back to using hand-held phones. Some studies indicate that talking on a hands-free phone is just as risky because the driver is concentrating on the conversation rather than the road.

Furthermore, some research shows that talking on a phone is not even the most dangerous distraction. A study last year, conducted in part by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, found that cell phones were the most common distraction but by no means the most dangerous.

Reaching for a moving object increased the risk of a crash nine times while talking on a cell phone increased the risk only three times. Eating, drinking, grooming, adjusting music or audio controls and reading all were riskier than talking on a phone.

All the more reason not to single out cell phones. Rather, update the existing inattentive driving law to, among other things, identify which electronic devices are safe to use in a car. Legislators are attempting to do that, and it should be the priority.

For more information, go to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Web site at www.aaafoundation.org and the Federal Highway Administration Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov

Student Speech Protection

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Hintz Should Initiate Student Speech Protection
- from http://talktotony.blogspot.com/

In 2006 the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the Seventh Circuit's decision in Hosty vs. Carter, meaning that college administrators in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana can legally censor student speech.


Six state legislatures have responded by passing laws protecting college student speech; Wisconsin is not one of them.

The latest move to protect student speech is in the state of Washington, where Democratic Rep. Dave Upthegrove has brought forward House Bill 1307. The Bill would protect college and high school students against censorship, and would make it illegal for administrations to fire a media adviser who refused to censor students.

A spokesperson for the Student Press Law Center told the Associated Press that Upthegrove's bill "would be the most comprehensive student-press bill in the country at this point."

Recently elected 54th district state representative Gordon Hintz was appointed to the Assembly's Committee on Colleges and Universities. Especially since he represents a university town and received substantial student support in the 2006 elections, Hintz is in a great position to initiate legislation to protect student speech and restore Wisconsin's reputation for guarding civil liberties. Gordon can be emailed at Rep.Hintz@legis.wisconsin.gov.



Tony Palmeri and Rep Spencer Black - pic from here


See original post here

Teaching Hmong History in Schools

From the Oshkosh Northwestern, Jan 26, 2007

Lawmakers propose requirement to teach about Hmong (Northwestern staff & wire services)

State lawmakers on Thursday proposed requiring schools to teach about the Hmong people, saying suspicion of the new immigrants could be eased by an understanding of their past as U.S. allies in the Vietnam War. The bill, backed by a group of Assembly Democrats, is identical to one proposed in April 2005 that died when lawmakers adjourned last year. Sponsors said racial tensions rekindled by this month's homicide of a Hmong hunter could build support for passage this year.

More than 600 Hmong residents packed into the Assembly parlor to support the bill, having arrived in eight busloads from as far Oshkosh, Green Bay, Eau Claire and other communities. The plan would require school boards to come up with programs to teach about the Hmong in history classes, including their role as allies of the United States in the Vietnam War and why they left Southeast Asia. It would be up to school officials to determine how extensive the education would be.

Chiaxah Vang, refugee employment specialist at Advocap Inc. in Oshkosh, said the act would help the public learn more about Hmong history and the Hmong culture and how the Hmong helped the United States. Vang said there is a history of misunderstanding about Hmong history and culture.

"The Hmong people are not immigrants," Vang said. "We are refugees because we were oppressed by the Communists after the war and had to flee our land. That's why we are here and not because we saw America as a land of opportunity."...

State Sen. Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, said she supports the act and the recognition of the sacrifices Hmong fighters made to support American troops during the Vietnam War.

"I really do believe there needs to be education about these people who have integrated into our culture," Roessler said. "They fought communism and they were our helpers, friends and comrades. We have welcomed them in … and offered them a nation and community without the daily threat of pain and death."

Wisconsin, Minnesota and California are home to the largest populations of Hmong, an ethnic minority from Southeast Asia. Many Hmong fought alongside the U.S. in a so-called secret war against communists in Laos during the Vietnam War and later fled to avoid government persecution. Lawmakers said 50,000 Hmong live in Wisconsin.

Lawmakers said the death of Cha Vang, whose body was found Jan. 6 in a wildlife refuge near Green Bay, raised concerns among some in the Hmong community that the killing was retaliation for earlier hunting-related incidents. Two years ago, a Hmong deer hunter shot six white hunters to death after being accused of trespassing in the Wisconsin woods. He said the whites shouted racial epithets at him and opened fire first. He is serving life sentences. A white hunter was charged last week for Cha Vang's death.

"We felt this issue now has some urgency," said Rep. Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee. "The fear and apprehension felt by our fellow Hmong citizens makes it important that we retell the important role they played in the Vietnam War."

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said the bill could help foster more appreciation for the Hmong people and that it will get his support. "The contributions of the Hmong people to the United States during the Vietnam War have long gone unrecognized, and this legislation will give children the opportunity to learn about this rich history," Hintz said in a statement.

Rep. Donna Seidel, D-Wausau and the bill's lead sponsor, said the conflict has undermined Wisconsin's tradition of tolerance. "There are still some who view the Hmong community with suspicion," she said. "We can change this with education."

The bill faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Assembly, where some oppose state mandates on schools. It would also need approval in the Democratic-controlled Senate and by Gov. Jim Doyle to become law.

Northwestern reporters Aldrich M. Tan and Jeff Bollier contributed to this story. Click here to go to the story at the Northwestern.

Analysis - This should be included in a history discussion about Vietnam, at the very least once in a K-12 education. I am uncertain if the process necessitates a law.

Couldn't DPI introduce a requirement that all 6th grade History classes include a section on Hmong history? Couldn't DPI require the local districts develop their own plan to incorporate Hmong history into their curriculum?

DPI (Department of Public Instruction) would seem to be the office that addresses educational issues. I am not sure what process would occur if a law were passed in the legislature. Would they simply pass it over to DPI anyway?

Regardless of which route is taken, it is an important issue to address. It is equally important to include the Hmong community in the decision-making process. Schools and local Hmong Service agencies should take the lead and initiate an educational partnership, taking advantage of existing resources - such as bringing the Hmong new year celebration to the schools and using this as an avenue for teaching Hmong history.

17 Year Olds to Vote Proposal

From the Wisconsin State Journal, Monday, FEB 5, 2007

Wisconsin would become one of a handful of states allowing some 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections, under a bill introduced by a Madison lawmaker. The proposal would allow 17-year-olds who would turn 18 by the date of the general election to vote in the primary. If passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle, the bill would go to a statewide referendum in November 2008. Ratification by voters would make the bill law on Jan. 1, 2009.

"It's good public policy," said Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, the bill's sponsor. "It gives those young people participating in the process a chance to participate in the entire election cycle."

But Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, called the idea "ridiculous."
"I think it's crazy. It's ridiculous. Seventeen-year-olds are juveniles," Fitzgerald said. "The premise is flawed, and it makes absolutely no sense to me."

The bill is scheduled for a hearing Feb. 13 before the Senate Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs Committee. Rep. Terry Musser, R-Black River Falls, said he expects to sponsor the bill in the Assembly.

"If there's a 17-year-old who's that interested in voting, why not?" Musser said.

It's unclear exactly how many potential voters the bill would affect, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. But according to the U.S. Census Bureau there were 81,270 17-year-olds in Wisconsin in 2005.

Because Wisconsin's fall statewide primary is held in September, just weeks before the general election, bill sponsors said only a portion of the state's 17-year-olds would be affected during each election cycle.

Eight states currently have such laws, she said: Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio and Virginia. Others, including California, Kansas, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon and Hawaii have considered similar legislation since 2001 but rejected it...

MARK PITSCH 608-252-6145 mpitsch@madison.com Article can be found here.

Analysis -- Any reasonable effort to increase participation in our democracy is great. This effort is reasonable. This population suggested already votes in the general, and expanding this to the primary allows them to take ownership in the entire election process. We should be tearing down roadblocks, and this is one small piece. I will note that I support allowing all 17 year olds the vote. Congratulations to any young adult interested in politics enough to vote.

The statement that this population should not vote because, "Seventeen-year-olds are juveniles" means nothing. Was Fitzgerald suggesting that this population is uninformed or not mature enough to vote? If these were criteria, then he better be prepared to eliminate a huge population of the current voting population.

Fred Risser, Photo from WI State Legistlature Website

Note - this is currently a Senate proposal, but likely that a similar Assembly Bill would follow

Assembly passes partial veto limits

All Winnebago Cty Reps joined in the passing of AJR1 - a proposed constitutional amendment that limits the governor's partial veto authority. Currently, a governor is able to create new sentences by combining parts of two or more sentences of an enrolled bill when exercising his or her partial veto authority. This amendment removes this authority.



Congratulations to our representatives for supporting this, as the current process allows a governor to essentially create entirely different meanings of bills that he or she is altering.



Unfortunately, Senate Democrats are playing games and saying the following: "We shouldn't change things in the middle of a governor's term." This is a poor reasoning to avoid relinquishing inappropriate authority. Rules change all of the time: in schools, in government, in places of employment. If a current rule allows for an unchecked and inappropriate authority not originally intended, then we need to move as fast as possible to fix the problem.



I agree with Senate Republican Sheila Harsdorf when she said, "No governor should be able to write laws that haven't passed the Legislature." Of course, this is something that the Republicans could have pursued when the issue originated - with Tommy Thompson in the early '90s.



Take a look at AJR1 Here. If the Senate passes this amendment, it would then go to state-wide referendum vote.



Contact Senate Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) to let her know that you support immediate implementation of AJR1 - Sen.Robson@legis.wisconsin.gov



You can also contact Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh) to voice your support - Sen.Roessler@legis.wisconsin.gov




Judy Robson, Senate Majority Leader (Pic from Here)

AB7 - Access to State Telephone Numbers

AB7 directs the Department of Administration to ensure that each state agency and authority that maintains a site on the Internet includes on the home page of that site at least one telephone number clearly shown in bold type at which the agency or authority may be contacted for general information, as well as a link that enables a visitor to the site to access the telephone numbers for other functional subunits of the agency or authority and the telephone number of each officer and employee of the agency or authority who is assigned to a work station equipped with a telephone, unless the agency or authority can demonstrate that the public interest requires that the name and telephone number of an employee be withheld from disclosure.

All Winnebago Assembly Reps should vote for this, as public access to contact information of public employees is an essential part to citizen involvement and accountability in government.

See the bill here.

State of State address local responses

Doyle focuses on education, health care in State of State address

By Aldrich M. Tan of The Northwestern

In his fifth State of the State address, Gov. Jim Doyle Tuesday called on lawmakers to "seize the opportunities of our time" and provide health insurance to all children in the state, increase funding for education, improve the environment and ban smoking in public places.

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said he was especially encouraged by Doyle's proposed investment in the university system. In his speech, Doyle announced that the state would increase funding for the University of Wisconsin System by $225 million.

"I think that to compete in the global economy, it is important to increase our investment in higher education and our access to higher education," Hintz said.

University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells said he is pleased with the governor's efforts to increase UW funding. Wells said he would be attending the governor's budget speech Feb. 13 in Madison.

"It's going to impact UWO's ability to give greater access to more students and better serve the needs of the region," Wells said. "We will be able to hire more tenure-track faculty, depending on how much funding the governor is able to put towards our growth agenda, but that could be between a dozen and 18 more faculty to serve an estimated 350 more students in high-demand areas."

Sen. Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, said she applauded Doyle's health care initiatives. As previously announced, Doyle proposed expanding the state's health insurance program to cover all children, regardless of their families' income, as well as adding more than 71,000 adults. He said the children's insurance would start at $10 a month.

"We want Wisconsin to be a leader in health care and find a way for health care to be affordable for all Wisconsinites," Roessler said. "There is much to be applauded in reducing bureaucracy and structuring some of our programs that can improve more access to health care coverage. That's excellent."

Doyle said the plan would ensure that at least 98 percent of the state's residents have access to health care coverage, which would be more than any other state.

"No family will be denied coverage for their child just because their income goes up," Doyle said. He also promised to streamline the eligibility process under the BadgerCare program and to partner with private organizations to identify eligible children and get them signed up.

A purchasing pool to help businesses afford catastrophic health insurance for employees also will be created, he said.

Doyle also reiterated his support for the Wisconsin Covenant program, which guarantees eighth-graders who sign a pledge to meet certain academic and citizenship benchmarks will have access to a Wisconsin college or university.

He said he would propose a major increase in financial aid in his budget to pay for the program and also create an Office of the Wisconsin Covenant. Three eighth-graders from Franklin Middle School in Green Bay who attended the speech will be among the first to sign the covenant, Doyle said.

Doyle promised to deliver a budget in two weeks that will cut waste and lower taxes for Wisconsin families, but he provided no details.

More details about how Doyle will pay for his promises, and deal with a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, likely won't come until he releases his two-year budget to the Legislature Feb. 13.

Roessler said she has earnest questions on how all of Doyle's initiatives will be funded.

"We are going to have to look at our state budget and that is going to put these lofty proposals and ideals in the realm of reality," Roessler said.

Hintz agreed that Doyle proposed a lot Tuesday night.

"I think we are going to have to see where the numbers fit in," Hintz said. "The devil is going to be in the details and I look forward to reviewing how we can meet the needs of our program and the state. But in terms of a blueprint, the governor has a solid idea of where we need to go as a state."

As Doyle pushes his agenda this year, he will find more friendly faces in the Legislature than during his first term. Democrats now control the Senate. While Republicans maintained a majority in the Assembly, their numbers dropped by eight after the November election.

Aldrich M. Tan: (920) 426-6663 or atan@thenorthwestern.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/OSH0101/701310513/1987

Posted January 31, 2007

The political air guitarist

Documentary 'Air Guitar Nation' showcases Hintz's other talent

By Jeff Bollier of The Northwestern

Krye Tuff has traded in his spandex pants, armbands, dark wig and Adidas high-tops for the more formal attire now demanded for work in the stately capitol building in Madison.

But that doesn't mean the legend of Krye Tuff is fading. Indeed, the air guitar champion's story is set to reach new heights when it premieres as part of a documentary film in New York City in March.

For some, the clash of heavy metal and heavy duty politics might be an uncomfortable mix, but not for Krye Tuff and his alter ego. He's traded in guitar licks and crazy costumes for button downed shirts and serious policy discussions, but he's not ditching talk of his colorful past screeching out "Talk Dirty to Me."

Krye Tuff may be more easily recognized by Oshkosh residents by his name for his admittedly more serious day job, Gordon Hintz, who was elected in November to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

"It's a hilarious story," he said. "I don't have any regrets. When one of your friends introduces you to someone as a former air guitar champion you have to just smile."

In June 2003, when he was a budget analyst for the city of Long Beach, Calif., Hintz earned the title West Coast U.S. Air Guitar Champion with blistering air guitar routines to Poison's "Talk Dirty to Me" and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades."

His victory and subsequent loss the same night to 2003 U.S. Air Guitar Champion David "C-Diddy" Jung set the stage for the documentary "Air Guitar Nation," which will premier in New York City March 23.

"I was nervous before I saw the movie about how they would pull it off, but it's really funny," Hintz said. "It's like the 'Rocky' of air guitar. It involved all the emotions in a way: Triumph, solidarity, commitment, competition."

The documentary captures a time in Hintz's life that other elected leaders might rather forget. But Hintz embraces the honor air guitar fans and judges gave him that night — so much so that he adapted an image of Tuff wailing on his air guitar for a campaign sticker in his unsuccessful 2004 campaign to unseat then-incumbent Rep. Gregg Underheim.

He also remains in contact with Jung, the eventual world air guitar champion, air guitarist Dan "Bjorn Toroque" Crane and "Air Guitar Nation" director Alexandra Lipsitz.

"Krye Tuff, I think, his style could be summed up as the ultimate in glammed-out Sunset Strip, 80s Poison-infused rockingness," said Crane, who lost to Hintz in 2003. "It was an L.A. crowd and he was able to totally channel their spirit. But he needed better hair — he should've had longer hair."

Hintz said Lispitz, Crane and Jung all donated to his 2006 political campaign. Lipsitz also made a trip to Oshkosh to get extra footage for the documentary. Her assessment of Hintz could apply as easily to his political efforts as his air guitar career.

"He's so well spoken. He's really smart and he really cares about it," Lipsitz said. "People think air guitar is something someone drunk and stupid does. And yeah, you can do it that way, but you can also be a thoughtful, smart and caring individual who just cares about the world."

Film well received
Competitive air guitar differs very little from its recreational ancestor practiced and honed by children everywhere. Aside from more elaborate costumes and routines, it requires little more than a love of music and a desire to have fun.

"I think it's something that everybody does," Lipsitz said. "Everybody can relate to it. Even if you've never picked up your air guitar, you've enjoyed music and tapped your along with your foot. And Gordon, he's a true believer in the power of air guitar. I think it's cool. Hopefully it will get out there and show people this thing exists and they can have a good time doing it."

Lipsitz said reaction to the film has been nothing but positive. "Air Guitar Nation" received the Audience Award at the 2006 South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, and it earned a second screening at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival last year when the first one sold out quickly.

An image of Hintz in the heat of competition can be found on the movie's promotional poster and video of Krye Tuff's performance is sprinkled in the film's theatrical trailer.

"I think people are pleasantly surprised. They go in thinking it's a joke and not knowing what to expect and then they come out feeling elated," Lipsitz said. "It's rare we come out of the theater and not feel joy. I think we've won just in the reception we get from our audiences."

"Air Guitar Nation" originally was intended to be a reality show, "an anti-'American Idol'" that was picked up by VH-1 but then dropped.

Left with a lot of footage, Lipsitz went to a production company she worked with on reality TV shows like "Project Runway" and "Last Comic Standing" and pitched a documentary about the inaugural competition in 2003.

The film has already become a hit in Japan, Portugal and Australia, while screenings in Scotland and Greece have continued to spread the air-guitar gospel.

Competitive air guitar continues to gain popularity. The 2003 U.S. competition featured two regional qualifiers and that grew to five in 2004 and seven in 2005.

"This year, we're going to be doing a 15-city tour, so it's really going to expand this year," Crane said. "It doesn't surprise me at all that air guitar has grown exponentially in the past few years. It's one of those things that once you go to a competition, the air guitar gets in your bloodstream and you can't let go of it."

Krye Tuff on hiatus
Crane still believes Hintz should've never set down his air guitar and many within the community feel the same way.

"I think he had to make a hard choice in '04 because he was running (for the Assembly)," Crane said. "It was his first run and I think he had to choose between air guitar and politics. I think he made the wrong choice, but we all have to choose our battles."

While the air guitar nation continues to call for his return, Hintz said Krye Tuff has taken a long-term hiatus.

"Krye Tuff is definitely put away for the time being and I'm living vicariously through them as they continue to rock with the air guitar gods. I wish them nothing but the best," Hintz said. "A whole new batch of people follow it and are now aware of where Oshkosh, Wisconsin is. I had no expectations for this at all, but I'm really happy."

Crane said the same things that made Hintz a great air guitarist – many involved with the documentary still want him to bring Krye Tuff back – will make him a good elected leader.

"If you're holding an air guitar, you can't be holding a gun at the same time. The roots of the international movement are in fostering world peace," Crane said. "This is what makes Krye Tuff a great air guitarist, it's what makes Gordon Hintz a good politician: Deep in his heart, he wants a better world for all of us."

Hintz, for his part, feels like he has blazed a unique trail from entertainment to politics.

"I may be the first person ever to go from air guitar champion to elected office," he said. "But that being said, I don't think anyone ever thought I was less than totally serious about what I've been doing (in politics). I've always felt I take my job seriously, but I don't take myself very seriously."

Jeff Bollier: (920) 426-6688 or jbollier@thenorthwestern.com
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070128/OSH0101/701280515/2025

Posted January 28, 2007

Assembly passes TIF Dist Bill

Voting 96-0, the Assembly passed AB19 related to the timeframe of processing TIF District applications and documents. This bill was specifically focused on the village of Edgar.

- Under the current tax incremental financing program, a city or village may create a tax incremental district (TID) in part of its territory to foster development if at least 50 percent of the area to be included in the TID is blighted, in need of rehabilitation or conservation, suitable for industrial sites, or suitable for mixed−use development. Before a city or village may create a TID, several steps and plans are required.

These steps and plans include public hearings on the proposed TID within specified time frames, preparation and adoption by the local planning commission of a proposed project plan for the TID, approval of the proposed project plan by the common council or village board, and adoption of a resolution by the common council or village board that creates the TID as of a date provided in the resolution.

Once these steps are accomplished, the city clerk is required to complete certain forms and an application and submit the documents to the Department of Revenue (DOR) on or before December 31 of the year in which the TID is created. Upon receipt of the application, DOR is required to certify the full aggregate value of the taxable property in the city, which constitutes the tax incremental base of the TID. - Legislative Reference Bureau -

See the AB19 here.

Assembly praises PAAWS

Co-sponsored by Reps Kaufert, Hintz, and others, the Assembly voted 92-0 in support of Senate Joint Resolution 6, congratulating "PAAW on its “Stars of Life” program and their
colleagues who will receive this award for their hard work and dedication to their jobs
and patients and to their communities"

See the SJR6 here.

Assembly Passes Gerald Ford Day

Introduced by Reps Roth, Owens, and several others, the assembly approved 96-0 to adopt the resolution naming July 14, 2007 as Gerald Ford Day.

See the resolution (AJR 11) here.


http://www.medaloffreedom.com/GeraldFord_BillClinton.jpg