Recent Assembly Happenings Jan 25, 2008

Rep Hintz wants Public Defenders to be more accessible to low-income individuals. According to Hintz's release: The legislation would update the SPD’s financial eligibility criteria to be the same as that of the W2 program (except the SPD criteria limits the asset exclusion for a home to $30,000, and takes the cost to hire an attorney into account). Under the new eligibility requirements, the SPD would be able to provide legal representation in about 15,400 additional cases per year. Additionally, the new requirements would ultimately eliminate the liability for counties to provide counsel to people who do not qualify for SPD representation.

Rep Kaufert wants mandatory breathalyzers attached to your ignition for all repeat drunk driving violators. They would need to breath into it before being able to start the car and randomly while driving.

As many other sources have already told you, Rep Carol Owens is stepping down after 16 years of government service. You can read her release here. Rep Owens, like Rep Roth, would not respond to questions from this site, because she would only provide feedback to constituents in her district and we may or may not have had an address in her region. Hopefully the next official in the 53rd will be more open to disclosing their opinions and positions. Good luck in retirement Carol. This local site linked here didn't care much for Owens.

The Oshkosh Northwestern interviewed Rep Hintz and State Sen Roessler on their response to Doyle's state of the state address. The entire interview can be found here. Really not much is said, but here is one statement from each:

• Hintz, when asked if anything was left out of Doyle's address: "..one thing that was missing was campaign finance reform. We seem to be closer to getting our governor’s attention when he called for a special session and we certainly still have time this year to act. I’m a little bit disappointed that we haven’t heard anything about campaign finance reform. It’s just because to me one of the biggest issues that needs to be addressed in Wisconsin. I think the support is there from the public."


• Roessler, when asked about Doyle's Health Care proposal: "my first comment is that it puts a further nail in the coffin of the Senate Democrats Healthy Wisconsin proposal. The governor continues to not support that proposal. What he did talk about is that the public cares about disclosure, how much they are paying for and they want to see those costs and who is performing the service. They want to be more in charge of it, consumer driven. The governor is now talking about the involvement of consumers and again, the Democrat majority simply want to pour more money in it and raise the money and then have a board determine what the benefit plans are going to be. A board of absolute generalists and no one from the medical community and on and on.A government operated health care system and government run system is costing $15 billion in taxes on our workers and employers is not the way to go. Now, the first that I heard of BadgerChoice is tonight. It is all about the cost. I agree with the governor that it is all about the health care cost. He said something there that it is the cost. He is the saying the same thing that we republicans have said for months when we came up with Healthy Wisconsin that it is about the cost. I do not know really the particulars about this plan. This is the first that I heard of it tonight."

The "Labor Chicks" are back to life, with early endorsements of any Democrat that will run. According to the site, they would support "Any Democrat who will do a good job in the 53rd Assembly district. All you have to do is be able to stay awake during Assembly sessions and you will be doing better than the incumbent. " Oddly naive - this blind Dem support at any cost leads one to endorse Chuck Chvala over Bob Lafollete. Not everyone has to like Bob.

Rep Roth and friends have introduced a bill that would require the Legislative Fiscal Bureau to prepare report to be released to the public for 48 hours before the Joint Committee on Finance, the Assembly, or the Senate can approve a budget bill. The report will bring to light all earmarks, including the cost, location, beneficiary, and requesting representative or senator. Their press release can be found here.

Rep Kaufert sponsored a resolution paying tribute to former state assembly rep and WW2 decorated veteran Richard Steffens, who passed away Jan. 2.

Kaufert and School Start Dates

According to an AP story on 11/30/07, freshman Republican Jim Ott of Mequon wants to remove the 2000 law that prevents schools from beginning before September 1.

The move to eliminate this law is supported by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards as well as, according to Ott, many school superintendents.

According to the article:

If Ott wants a hearing on the bill, he will get one, said Tourism Committee Chairman Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah. But Kaufert said he didn't expect the idea to get much support.

"I don't hear an outcry from people," he said. "I
thought this was pretty much behind us."

The original bill in 2000 strikes me as a "Big Gov in Madison excessively sticking its control hand into local communities" law. What makes one think that a rep in Madison from, say, Neenah, knows what is best for a local community education system in Milwaukee or Bayfield when it comes to a start date for the school year.

I would hope that communities would be able to work together to determine what works best to facilitate a healthy economy while serving the educational needs of the children. It seems that the current law does not allow this to happen. If so, then the proposal to allow communities and school districts to determine what serves them best would seem to make the most sense.

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.

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.

Kaufert and Doyle in SB 122

Doyle signed into SB 122 on Aug 8. According to the LRB:

Under current law, generally, all property purchased or constructed as a waste treatment facility and used to treat industrial wastes or air contaminants is exempt from property taxes.

Under this bill, all property purchased or constructed as a waste treatment facility and used exclusively and directly to remove, store, or cause a physical or chemical change in industrial waste or air contaminants is exempt from property taxes.

According to Gov Doyle's release:

Governor Jim Doyle today signed Senate Bill 122, which will protect property taxpayers by updating a tax exemption for waste treatment plants and pollution abatement equipment. This bill, which clarifies the current statutory exemption, returns $34 million of property value to the 2007 tax assessment rolls, preventing an undue property tax burden on homeowners

Doyle also thanked Senators Dave Hansen, Robert Cowles as well as Representatives Jim Soletski and Dean Kaufert for their work on SB 122

SB 122 was strongly supported by the WI Counties Association, who stated on their website:

SB 122 relates to property tax exemptions and, in particular, attempts toaddress the huge loophole created by the Newark Decision. SB 122, if signed into law, will fix a loophole in the property tax exemption for waste treatment facilities by specifically defining waste treatment facilities as used "exclusively and directly" for removing, storing or causing change in industrial waste or air contaminants.

SB 122 was also supported by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. According to WASB:

Under Senate Bill 122, as amended, only property purchased or constructed as a waste treatment facility and "used exclusively and directly" to remove, store or cause physical or chemical change in industrial waste or air contaminants would be exempt. It also specifies that "industrial waste" has no monetary or market value, except as specified in the definition of "used exclusively," and that industrial waste would otherwise be considered as superfluous, discarded, or fugitive material. The bill, as much as possible, restores the original intent of the 1953 law and allows those treatment facilities that have been receiving the tax exemption properly for 50 years to continue to do so.

On May 8, Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce issues an opposition statement to SB122. According to WMC:

We are, however, concerned about the impact legislative responses to the Newark could have on existing applications of the exemption. We believe SB122 goes beyond the authors stated intent of returning to a pre-Newark understanding of 70.11(21). In other words, the bill goes beyond repealing Newark and threatens the exemption for companies that used it prior to the decision.

Gov Doyle's release

SB 122

WCA statement

WASB statement

WMC statement

Kaufert and Assembly Budget

The Milwaukee JS covered the republican led assembly budget proposal. According to the piece,

At least one Republican - Rep. Dean Kaufert of Neenah - said he is not sure if he can support the Assembly budget. Kaufert said he was disturbed that both Republicans and Democrats crafted their budgets behind closed doors and "loaded" them with pork and policy items that should be dealt with separately.

"The no-tax-increase budget is a laudable goal, but if you're not going to be upright and upfront and you're going to utilize accounting gimmicks to get there, I don't know if that's what my constituents want me to support," he said.

Read the piece here.

Even the crazies are questioning him for his position.

Kaufert and School Safety

Press Release from Rep Kaufert dated 5/15/07:

KAUFERT SUPPORTS SCHOOL SAFETY INITIATIVE

MADISON….. State Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) urged his colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee today to consider loosening the state’s spending cap on public schools for enhanced safety measures in the state budget.

“It’s a different world out there these days,” said Kaufert. “We use to assume our kids were safe when we dropped them off at school.”

Kaufert’s proposal would allow school boards to exceed the state spending cap by $25 per student to help support expenses related to school safety in Wisconsin high schools.

“It’s a relatively small adjustment but it sends a clear message that safety is a priority and we want schools to make the investment,” said Kaufert.

Republican Party and Emergency Contraception

The website Playground Politics has a piece on the Emergency Contraception issue, calling it the Death Knell for the Republican Majority. The legislation has been moved to the Judiciary and Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Rep Mark Gundrum (Republican - West Salem) According to the piece:

"If the Republicans refuse to move it out of committee and bring it to the floor, you can be assured that the Democrats will attempt a pulling motion at some point. There will be a roll call vote on this bill. The Democrats will need 50 votes on the first try - just a simple majority - to pull the bill to the floor for a vote."

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, "(Representative Mark) Gundrum told the Wisconsin State Journal he would not hold a hearing on the bill."

Local Winnebago County website Babblemur also covered the issue, stating that "Gundrum must be in a pretty safe district to exercise such “compassionate conservatism” for rape victims."

Analysis - See previous posts ONE and TWO on this issue.

AB377 is important legislation that serves the interests of victims of rape. This bill guarantees the rape victim access to important information on how to legally, safely, and effectively prevent the possibility of an unplanned and unwanted conception. This is a needed guarantee, and we commend Representatives Kaufert and Hintz for co-sponsoring this legislation.

Kaufert and Tax Loophole (Newark)

Press Release on 5/30 from the Wheeler Report:

BILL TO CLOSE NEWARK LOOPHOLE ADVANCES THROUGH COMMITTEE - Court Decision Threatens to Shift Millions of Taxes to Homeowners

(Madison)—A bi-partisan bill aimed at closing a tax loophole that could shift millions of dollars in property taxes to homeowners received unanimous support today from the Legislature’s Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions. The bill, sponsored by State Senators Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) and State Rep Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah), is designed to reverse a controversial Tax Appeals Commission ruling that has already forced homeowners and small businesses to pick up over $34 million in extra property taxes throughout the state, with many millions more possibly on the way.

“I am thankful to the members of the committee for their support, but we must continue to fight to get this bill to the Governor’s desk as soon as possible,” said Cowles. “The longer we wait, the more taxes will be shifted to our homeowners and small businesses.”

A 2004 decision by the Tax Appeals Commission, upheld on appeal at circuit court, extended the property tax exemption for treatment plant and pollution abatement equipment to property of a paper board manufacturing facility in Milwaukee owned by the New Jersey-based Newark Group, Inc. The ruling was loose interpretation of a 1953 statute designed to reduce air and water pollution from manufacturing sources.

The decision has become known as the Newark decision. “This bill has now received unanimous, bi-partisan support from both committees that have acted on it and Wisconsin homeowners need to know that leaders of both parties are committed to closing this outrageous loophole,” said Hansen. “It is my hope that leadership on both sides can avoid the temptation to play politicswith this bill so we can get this to the Governor’s desk as soon as possible.”

Exemptions based on the Newark decision have been granted to paper makers, wood product manufacturers, oil and grease shops and even a cheese maker. Over $34 million in manufacturing property has been removed from the tax rolls because of Newark-based appeals of property tax assessments. It is expected that the effects of the exemption may spread much further unless the loophole is closed. Up to $1.8 billion in manufacturing property value may become exempt from property taxes because of the court ruling. This would cause a massive property tax shift to homeowners and small businesses.

"We need to keep this moving through the legislative process to send a clear signal to municipalities that the Legislature is going to resolve this problem," said Kaufert. "We have a good bill here and there is no reason to delay action any longer."

The legislation now needs approval from the Joint Committee on Finance, before being voted on for final approval by the Senate and Assembly.

Kaufert and Emergency Contraception

Although none of the 4 representatives seem too interested in publicly sharing their positions with non-main stream media and none of them provided their position on Emergency Contraception when asked (see a previous post which was followed by email request), Dean Kaufert is now listed as a co-sponsor of the Assembly Bill, as is Gordon Hintz.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal on 5/27:

Three Assembly Republican have signed on as co-sponsors and two key anti-abortion groups are officially neutral on the legislation -- a factor that led to the wide margin of support in the Senate.

"This is going to put more pressure on the Assembly leadership now that there's at least three Republicans supporting it," said Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, one of the GOP co-sponsors. "It's different from the whole abortion discussion because we're talking about rape."

Kaufert and Autism Coverage

Dean Kaufert is one a two Republicans to co-sponsor a bill to require insurance companies to cover children with autism.

According to a Capital Times article on 5/15/07, "most insurance companies do not cover treatment for autism because they classify autism as an emotional disorder rather than a neurological medical condition".

The main advocate for the bill is the Wisconsin Early Autism Project - http://www.wiautism.com/.

Kaufert and Lake Winnebago system

Press Release from Dean Kaufert on MAY 14, 2007:

MADISON….. State Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) is urging the Department of Natural Resources to take immediate action to protect the Lake Winnebago system and Fox River fisheries from the deadly viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus discovered in Little Lake Butte des Morts.

“I’m glad the DNR closed down the Menasha lock to try and contain this. But until we get a handle on how widespread the virus is we need to have greater diligence,” said Kaufert. “These lakes are world-class fisheries and we need to do everything in our power to protect them.”

Kaufert is asking Governor Doyle to create a task force to consider short-term options while the severity of the virus is studied as well as review long-term plans to open all the Fox River locks to the mouth of the river in Green Bay.

“This virus adds a new dilemma to the decision to open all the Fox River locks,” said Kaufert. “If it can truly wipe-out a fishery as suspected, it would be devastating to our ecosystem and the tourism industry in which sport fishing supports.”

Kaufert, Chairman of the Assembly Tourism committee, is considering holding an informational hearing on this issue. Sport fishing is a $2.3 billion industry in Wisconsin.



Rep Kaufert at desk pic from Milwaukee JS by Michael Speers.

Kaufert and Roth to hold Budget Listening Session

Press Release From Rep Dean Kaufert:

May 7, 2007

For further information, contact:

Michael Ellis (608) 266-0718
Dean Kaufert (608) 266-5719
Roger Roth (608) 266-7500
Steve Wieckert (608) 266-3070


19th Senate District Legislators to Host Budget Listening Session

Madison... State Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) along with Representatives Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah), Roger Roth (R-Grand Chute ) and Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton) today announced a State Budget Listening Session that will be held Thursday, May 10, 2007 at the Town of Menasha Town Hall from 6 pm to 8 pm. The listening session will allow local citizens the ability to directly address local legislators on the state budget.

“Citizen participation is vital to our form of government and this listening session will provide an excellent chance for people to offer their opinions and have questions answered about specific issues in the budget,” said Roth.

“It is important to schedule events like this in the district and do it in the evening because not everyone can make it to Madison, and it is often difficult to get away from work during the day,” said Kaufert.

The Joint Finance Committee recently finished a number of public hearings around the state and began voting on the $60 billion biennial budget last week. Legislative Fiscal Bureau Director, Bob Lang or a representative from his office will also be in attendance to give a brief overview of the biennial budget and to answer any fiscal questions that arise during the session.

“I hope this listening session will further my understanding of the priorities that Fox Valley residents see as the most important in this budget,” Wieckert said.

“This budget is critical for the State of Wisconsin and it is important to know how this budget is going to affect the residents of the 19th Senate District,” Ellis said.
State Budget Listening Session

May 10, 2007

Town of Menasha Town Hall
2000 Municipal Dr.
Neenah, WI 54956

6 pm to 8 pm

Confirmed Participants: Senator Mike Ellis, Rep. Steve Wieckert, Rep. Roger Roth, Rep. Dean Kaufert and Bob Lang or an analyst from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau

Rep. Kaufert and library record law

From a Press Release on WisPolitics:

State Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) and Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) will introduce legislation that will allow libraries to turn over surveillance tapes to law enforcement agencies without a court order. An incident recently at the Neenah Public Library highlighted the need for changing the law.

“The Neenah incident really highlights the need for the language change,” Kaufert said. “The last thing we want to do is create an environment that allows certain individuals to commit a crime knowing that it could be sometime before law enforcement will be able to identify them because they can’t get a hold of the evidence.”

Under current state law, no public library records can be released to identify a library user unless there is a court order. The State Attorney General’s Office last year in an opinion stated that because surveillance tapes reveal the identity of a library user the only way to receive those tapes is through a court order.

“Clearly, the law needs to be changed,” Ellis said. “The right to privacy is important, but it should not trump the right of the public to be protected. “What if some seven- or eight-year-old child had walked down that aisle and witnessed that disgusting act. Don’t they have rights, too?”

Kaufert and Ellis plan to work with the Wisconsin Library Association, Law Enforcement Groups, and Local Government leaders to make sure the language is clear and direct so this problem doesn’t happen in the future.

________________________________________

Additional coverage of this issue can be found at the American Library Association:

A police investigation into whether a crime occurred April 2 at the Neenah (Wis.) Public Library has intensified efforts already underway by the Wisconsin Library Association and state legislators to enable librarians to share surveillance tapes with law enforcement in criminal cases without a subpoena. The investigation involves a patron’s report that a man was masturbating in a second-floor book aisle; by the time police arrived the suspect was gone.

Although Neenah Public Library Director Stephen Proces preferred to give police the pertinent surveillance tape immediately, he had to decline until he was served with a subpoena April 18 due to an informal opinion in November 2006 from the Wisconsin Attorney General’s office. The request stemmed from several thwarted investigations, including one in which the Sun Prairie Public Library wished to share with police a surveillance tape that might help identify who had stolen SPL’s donation box during library hours, according to the Wisconsin Library Association.

WLA is seeking a “new narrow exception to the court order requirement for release of library records for library administrative purposes including collection of fines and penalties, and the protection of library staff, library users, and library property.” State Sen. Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) and Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) announced April 17 that they would introduce such an amendment. “The right to privacy is important, but it should not trump the right of the public to be protected,” Ellis said in the April 17 Appleton Post-Crescent. Assistant Attorney General Alan Lee, who wrote the opinion, told the newspaper that he backs the amendment.

Ironically, neither police nor library officials were able to identify the suspect from the subpoenaed video, from which several still photos were made. “We had 33 employees look at the video, and no one recognized this person,” Proces told American Libraries.
Posted April 20, 2007.

_______________________

According to Kaufert in a piece in the Post Crescent:

"It's another example where some bureaucrat is interpreting the law way too broadly," he said. "I don't want to see the police department have to jump through hoops just to do an investigation."

Kaufert said his staff would work with the state Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin Library Association, which already have drafted a narrow exception to the law that would allow libraries to share surveillance video with police when criminal activity is suspected.

"We will send it around for co-sponsors in the next week," Kaufert said. "Then we will introduce it as a bill."

Kaufert and Health Savings Accounts

Assembly Bill 47, introduced by Rep Kaufert, creates a non-refundable state income tax credit for contributions to health savings accounts.


According to the Legislative Reference Bureau:

Under current federal law, certain individuals may make tax-deductible contributions to health savings accounts and withdraw the money tax-free when needed to cover routine and preventive medical care.

Under this bill, an individual who makes contributions to such an account may claim a nonrefundable income tax credit for 6.5 percent of the allowable amount that the individual claims as a federal tax deduction for a contribution to a health savings account (HSA) or 6.5 percent of the federal tax-exempt earnings relating to an HSA, or both.


According to legislative fiscal estimates:

It is estimated that the revenue loss associated with this bill for fiscal year 2008 is $8.4 million. The estimated loss increases to $13.1 million in fiscal year 2009 and $17.6 million in fiscal year 2010


Questions: I am interested in what percentage of the public this bill would affect (or what percentage of the public has health savings accounts). Also, I am curious what this population's average annual income is. Finally, I am curious what percentage of this population currently does not have health coverage.

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.

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.

2006 Fall Election Results

State Assembly - District 54
27 of 27 Precincts Reporting - 100.00%
Name Party Votes Pct
Hintz, Gordon Dem 13,353 62.2
Pung Leschke, Julie GOP 8,111 37.8

State Assembly - District 55
17 of 17 Precincts Reporting - 100.00%
Name Party Votes Pct
Kaufert, Dean GOP 10,393 52.0
Westphal, Mark Dem 9,580 48.0

State Assembly - District 56
31 of 31 Precincts Reporting - 100.00%
Name Party Votes Pct
Roth, Roger GOP 15,591 59.1
Garcia Franz, Susan Dem 10,788 40.9

www.jsonline.com/index/index.aspx?id=81