Following Budget Success, Give'em a Raise

According to a piece in the Milwaukee JS by Steven Walters, the Joint Committee on Employment Relations unanimously approved pay raises for state legislators and other state officials, including:

The 6.3% pay raise for legislators will take their salaries from $47,413 to $50,438. The $88 tax-free daily expense stipend that most legislators get when in the Capitol would not be increased; legislators from Dane County would still get a $44 per diem.

The article also reported the following pay increases:

Under the changes, the governor elected in November 2010 will see his or her salary rise from $137,092 to at least $147,313, a 7.4% raise. The next governor's base salary will probably be higher, because cost-of-living raises for non-union workers expected to be approved two years from now also usually go to all elected state officials.

Four other constitutional officers - attorney general, lieutentant governor, secretary of state and treasurer - would also get 7.4% raises, starting when their new terms begin in January 2011. The attorney general is now paid $137,092; lieutenant governor, $72,394; and both secretary of state and treasurer, $65,079.

The superintendent of public instruction who is elected to a new four-year term in April 2009 will be paid $122,516. That will be 11.7% more than the $109,587 now paid Superintendent of Public Instruction ElizabethBurmaster.

Throw a Pie at Hintz

If you are available Wednesday, November 28, you can pay a few bucks to throw a pie in Gordon Hintz's face. Event is at Fratellos in Oshkosh, between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. Proceeds go to the Oshkosh United Way. Rumor has it Rep Hintz will be dressed as Kry Tuff, his air guitar alter ego.

Rep Roth won't be present, but the Milwaukee JS did throw a pie at his immigration proposal, calling it " Just Counterproductive" while a letter in the Capital Times stated the following:

What the legislators (Rep Roth and State Sen. Glenn Grothman ) are truly attempting is to fuse the notions of "immigrant" and "dangerous criminal." Their campaign is based on deception and confusion, which only promotes fear, division and confrontation within our own communities.

Hintz and Mayor Tower at BGC

A side story that is great - public leaders engaging local youth. From the Oshkosh Northwestern:

Getting children involved in making decisions is just one of the goals of the town hall style meetings that are being held at the Boys & Girls Club as part of the leadership program designed by Teen Center Director Ben Perkovich.

"The goal is to get people to think about rules, why we have laws and government," Hintz said. "The earlier that you can stress the importance of involvement of any kind, the better."

Perkovich hopes to bring in local leaders, historians or business leaders about once every three months to talk to the children about their backgrounds, what they do and how they got there. But the town hall style meetings aren't just about the kids listening to the speakers, Perkovich said he hoped the children become involved and ask questions, allowing the speakers to"rap with the kids."

Hintz was the second person to speak to the group. Oshkosh Mayor Frank Tower kicked off the meetings when he spoke earlier in the week.

Another positive is Rep Roth participating in a program with the Harbor House. Agreed, Rep Roth, that anytime you are able to learn about the important things affecting the lives of your constituents, it is a positive.

Kaufert and State Budget Process

This column from Rep Kaufert appeared in Appleton PC on 11/23/07. This first half of the column is at best simple partisan ragging and ineffective negative rhetoric, which does little to promote dialogue or discussion amongst anyone not already deep within the camp.

The second half of the column includes recommendations on improving the state's troubled budget process. Many of the proposals are intriguing, and some are common sense - such as prohibiting political contributions during the budget process.

According to Kaufert:

"...I'll be exploring these proposals and concepts in the future for possible legislation:

Pay and per diems would be withheld from legislators until a permanent budget is passed.

All other legislative bills and proposals will be frozen until a budget resolution is passed. No bills will be allowed to be drafted, passed or have a public hearing.

Pass language that takes non-fiscal policy out of the budget.

Hold steady timelines requiring state agencies to submit their budgets by Sept. 15 of the prior year and that the governor must introduce his budget on the last Tuesday of January.

Explore the possibility of moving the state's fiscal year end date back by one month to Aug. 1 in odd years.

Adopt Assembly Bill 61/Senate Bill 25, which bans state elected officials from accepting political contributions during the budget process."

A response letter in the Oshkosh Northwestern questioned Kaufert's integrity and support of the measures he is offering here:

I read with great interest, Representative Dean Kaufert's laundry list of proposals to reform the budget process. What I would like to know is where these reforms were the last seventeen years that Dean has been in the Assembly?

This is not the first time the budget process has broken down while Rep. Kaufert has been in the Assembly. In fact it happened twice, in 1997 and 1999. It wasn't until the fall of those years that the legislature finally approved a budget. Where were these reforms then? Or, where were they just a few years hence when Rep. Kaufert co-chaired the powerful Joint Finance Committee and wielded enormous influence in the budget-writing process?

It's easy to stand on the sidelines, knowing your influence has waned, and armchair quarterback problems like the budget process. Rep. Kaufert knows his reforms will go nowhere. He can "champion" reform and pose for holy pictures, knowing full well he can score political points without changing the system that worked so well for him when he has been in power. I guess for Rep. Kaufert he can have his cake and eat it, too.

James Reiland, Menasha

The Appleton Post Crescent endorsed much of what Kaufert said here.

Early Assembly Challengers

Challenging Rep Owens:

Office: Assembly District 53

Name: Cecil Arthur Streeter

Party: Republican

Address: 1000 Alpine Court, Oshkosh, WI 54901

Phone: 920-233-2717

E-Mail: cecil@streeterfamily.com

Occupation: Retired High School Guidance Counselor

Notes: Serves on City of Oshkosh Traffic Advisory Board, Member Oshkosh Southwest Rotary

Committee Information:

Name: Streeter for Assembly

Address: 1000 Alpine Court, Oshkosh, WI 54901

Phone: 920-233-2717

Treasurer: Cecil Arthur Streeter




Challenging Rep Kaufert:

Office: Assembly District 55

Name: Mark Westphal

Party: Democrat

Address: 945 Hunt Ave., Neenah, WI 54956

Phone: 920-727-4781

E-Mail: sswes@earthlink.net

Occupation: Industrial Electrician

Notes: President Fox Valley Labor Council, serves on Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, United Way Board and Winnebago County W-2 Steering Committee

Committee Information:

Name: Westphal for Assembly

Address: 945 Hunt Ave., Neenah, WI 54956

Phone: 920-727-4781

Website: http://markwestphal.org/

Treasurer: Donald Winter

Roth, Owens, and Illegal Aliens

Reps Roth and Owens are sponsors of AB569, legislation intended to seemingly protect the local policies that have been adopted in communities across the state in an effort to gain political clout by pushing the hot-button issue of immigration. This is an example of when elected politicians ignore significant issues within the state and the departments they "rule" over, and instead attempt to create the illusion that there is an issue regarding a controversial topic that will potentially provide them with political gains.

According the the LRB:

This bill prohibits a city, village, town, or county (political subdivision) from enacting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, or policy that prohibits an employee of that political subdivision from inquiring about the immigration status of an individual who is seeking or receiving public services provided by that political subdivision and from notifying the federal government of the presence of illegal aliens in the political subdivision.

The bill also authorizes an elector of a political subdivision to file a writ of mandamus with the circuit court to require compliance with the requirements created by the bill if the elector is aggrieved by the failure of the political subdivision to comply with the requirements.

The Cable Bill Update

According to the Legislative Spotlight:

"A proposal to establish a statewide video franchise, 2007 Assembly Bill 207, was introduced in the Assembly on March 22. The proposal would repeal state laws allowing municipalities to grant cable franchises and require cable companies to obtain a franchise through the state Department of Financial Institutions. After extensive debate, the Assembly adopted Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 to AB-207. The Assembly passed the amended version of AB-207 on May 9, by a vote of 66-28. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail, which recommended concurrence.

The companion bill is 2007 Senate Bill 107. On October 31, the Joint Committee on Finance recommended passage by a vote of 13-1. The Senate passed an amended version of the bill on November 8 by a vote of 23-9 and sent it back to the Assembly for their consideration."

Back in April, we posted current commentary from vested parties, much of which contained some degree of concern - see here. It isn't difficult to find opposition now either, including:

From the WI St Journal on 10/31/07: "The 2,200-member Milwaukee local of the Communications Workers of America last month voted to oppose AB 207, even though its parent union supports it. "If we're going to pass a bill here in Wisconsin, why not pass a good bill?" said George Walls, president of CWA Local 4603 in Milwaukee. Walls said his local could support the bill if it includes significant penalties for companies that don't provide service in all parts of a community and don't quickly provide services after the bill is passed. He also said the bill should include a provision for the state franchise to expire after a period of years, rather than be granted forever."

From the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign on 11/9/07: The state Senate passed AT&T's cable TV bill late yesterday. Assuming the Assembly agrees to the few noncontroversial amendments the Senate tacked on and the governor signs it into law as expected, this legislation will say a lot about who owns cable television in Wisconsin and what the terms of ownership will be. But it says much more about who owns our state government. The Democracy Campaign just released an analysis showing that special interest backers of the cable bill gave senators who voted for it 12 times more in campaign contributions than they gave the senators who voted against it. AT&T alone gave 28 times more in campaign donations to senators who voted to approve the legislation. (this information was emailed from the WDC, but the site link above includes more detailed info)

From the Wisconsin State Journal on 11/8/07: "opponents decried the bill, saying it would virtually eliminate regulation of television providers, do nothing to spur competition in most parts of the state and reduce consumer protections and customer service requirements. "This bill does nothing good for Wisconsin, " said Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma. The Senate rejected Vinehout 's amendment that would have replaced AB 207 with a similar bill that passed in Illinois that she said is better for consumers while still promoting competition. She said the Wisconsin bill eliminates local governments ' ability to protect consumers while failing to give the state money to investigate complaints. The bill adds satellite telecommunications companies to existing state consumer regulations."

According to Mayor of Madison Dave C on 11/9/07: "This proposal eliminates funding for public access programming, awards perpetual video franchises with minimal review, hampers the ability of local communities to control their rights of way, and provides no meaningful consumer protection or regulatory oversight."

According to Mayor of Milwaukee Tom B on 11/9/07: "the video franchising bill that passed the State Senate last night undermines the protection the City currently has for Milwaukee consumers and taxpayers."

According to the Capital Times on 11/8/07: "Critics, including Laitman (Cynthia Laitman, the co-founder of the statewide chapter of TeleTruth), charge the AT&T-backed bill would dissolve consumer protections, threaten the viability of public access stations and allow telecommunications providers to serve only dense and wealthy parts of the state. The bill has been heavily lobbied by AT&T, whose stable of lobbyists included for a short time Joe Wineke, the state chairman of the Democratic Party."

According to the Capital Times on 11/10/07: "As a former Dane County district attorney and Wisconsin attorney general, Gov. Jim Doyle knows that it is wrong for legislators who have accepted campaign contributions from special-interest donors to allow lobbyists associated with those donors to craft legislation. Yet, that is precisely how the cable television re-regulation bill that has now reached his desk came to be. As such, Doyle should not hesitate to veto this corrupt legislation. And the legislators who wrote it and are backing it have taken money from donors linked to the corporations that will benefit most from this atrocious restructuring of the process to favor the industry that is supposed to be regulated rather than the consumers it is supposed to serve. If enacted, the quality of cable service in Wisconsin will decline. Cable bills will go up. Rural areas and inner cities will be denied access to technological advances. The digital divide will grow wider. And corporations will know that if they spread campaign money and lobbying influence around in the right way, they can game the system in Wisconsin."

From to Capital Times on 10/31/07: "Backed by AT&T as part of a move to consolidate control over communications in Wisconsin, the legislation -- Senate Bill 107 -- was written in consultation with industry interests with the purpose of undermining consumer protections, threatening public access channels, eliminating the ability of communities to establish basic standards for cable service, and decreasing the likelihood that new communications technologies will be offered to communities throughout the state. The supposed regulations in this bill are riddled with loopholes that are designed to allow communications conglomerates to deny quality service to low-income and rural areas of Wisconsin."

From the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities on 10/29/07: "The bill would do significant damage to local government and public access to local government activities, while doing nothing to accomplish the goals of video competition and lower video rates that we all share."

In addition, according to state records, the following organizations and groups have registered in opposition of the bill: AFSCME Council 11, Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, Citizens Utility Board, City of Madison and Milwaukee, Dane County Cities & Villages Association, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Inc, Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Alliance of Cities Inc, Wisconsin Association of Public, Educational and Government Access Channels, Inc., Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc, Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, Wisconsin Council for Administrators of Special Services, Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG), Wisconsin Towns Association.

Conclusion: The notion that this bill must be passed immediately is an illusion. Fast tracking this bill is bucking the responsibility of ensuring that the best decisions are being made. The opposition to the current bill is too great from too many important components of Wisconsin society to push through the flawed legislation.

Library Vids and Public Defenders

Library Videos: Senate Bill 214, which allows police officials to access library videos, passed the Senate and Assembly recently. Rep Kaufert was applauding. The bill language is quite strong, "requiring" libraries to turn over records upon police request. Living in a sharply divided political climate in the state that produced J Mac, I hope this bill doesn't become dangerous down the road if, say, republican is the new C word and videos are demanded to see if in fact it was the Reagan Diaries I was reading.

Public Defenders: Rep Hintz issued a press release on a proposed bill calling for adjusted standards for low income individuals to qualify for a state public defender instead of having them work with county officials. The press release is here. The ONW did a related story on the cost of court appointed attorneys.

Hintz, UW, and Responsibility Wishes

Rep Hintz was interviewed by the Badger Herald regarding UW funding in the latest budget. According to Hintz:

"...I just wish we were more responsible with the funding.”

Gordon, I imagine you're not alone.




Photo by Kate Brenner of the Badger Herald, Monday, November 5, 2007 article Hintz: Students must get political

Back to Work

This site, like our state legislature, is ending a long period of doing nothing and getting back to it.

We now have a budget: http://www.doa.state.wi.us/debf/execbudget.asp?locid=3

I have received requests to include the State Senate here as well - and will for election season. Oshkosh Common Council candidate Jessica King may be announcing her candidacy against State Sen Carol Roessler (18th Dist). We'll follow up more with this as the campaign season heats up.

Senate Dems have ousted their leader Judy Robson and replaced her with Russ Decker.

There has been much discussion lately on the AT&T bill - see an old post here: http://winassem.blogspot.com/search?q=AT%26T. If time permits, i'll assemble new commentary based on the changes that have been implemented and offered. I strongly hope this is not something that is rushed.

Rep Hintz offered some ideas regarding budget negotiations that were endorsed by the ONW. Included are the following proposals:
1. Anyone seeking state office and has filed the appropriate papers with the Elections Board may not fundraise during the budget-writing process.
2. Compel the attendance of budget conference committee members as outlined in AB551.
3. Withhold legislator pay after August 1 if a budget has not passed.