Top Stories, March 10th

Assembly Sends Controversial Bill To Governor

3/10/11 - After police removed demonstrators from the state Assembly today, Republicans approved Gov. Scott Walker's bill repealing most collective bargaining by public employee unions. The vote was 53-42 in favor of the proposal, sending the bill to the Republican governor. Protesters shouted "Recall! Recall!" outside the chamber. Walker hailed the vote in a statement, saying (quote) "I applaud all members of the Assembly for showing up, debating the legislation and participating in democracy," he said. "Their action will save jobs, protect taxpayers, reform government, and help balance the budget. Moving forward we will continue to focus on ensuring Wisconsin has a business climate that allows the private sector to create 250,000 new jobs.” Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said that the governor would sign the bill "as soon as possible" but couldn't immediately say when.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson – who’s been to Madison several times to protest against the bill – began the turbulent afternoon with a prayer, and asked for unity between lawmakers of both parties. But things were anything but unified as the discussion began. Democratic Minority Leader Peter Barca called for the removal of G-O-P speaker Jeff Fitzgerald of Horicon. It was voted down 57-to-37. Barca said Fitzgerald was quote, “impaired,” and said democracy is out of control in Wisconsin. Barca said the speaker showed poor judgment by helping a conference committee rewrite the bill to remove fiscal measures.

Senate Approves Revised Budget Bill

3/10/11 - Wisconsin senators voted last night to strip most state-and-local public union workers of their collective bargaining privileges. After meeting behind closed doors most of the day, majority Republicans took out financial provisions from the bill – thus getting around the need to have at least one Democrat on hand for a vote. So while the 14 Democrats continued their three-week exile, the rest voted 18-to-1 to pass their amended bill. Dale Schultz of Richland Center cast the only no vote, saying that collective bargaining should remain intact because it preserves labor peace. And Schultz said compromise is “not a dirty word.” But Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said the people elected the G-O-P senators to do a job and quote, “stand up to the broken status quo.” The bill now goes to the Assembly late this morning for final passage. Within 90 minutes of the Senate vote, thousands of protestors stormed into the Capitol banging drums and screaming “The whole world is watching!” The crowd grew to an estimated seven-thousand. By midnight, most were gone. But dozens stayed in the Capitol hallways overnight, and officials said they would not force them to leave. Republican Governor Scott Walker met for a half-hour with the G-O-P senators in their private session before the vote. They agreed to form a new committee to take out just enough fiscal provisions to allow the vote. Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca screamed “This is a violation of law!” But Fitzgerald ignored him and called for the committee vote. The full Senate rammed it through a short time later without debate. Walker said Democrats had three weeks to come home and debate the bill, and they didn’t.

Democrat Leader Says Focus Will Shift to Recalls

3/10/11 - The Wisconsin Senate’s Democratic leader says there’s nothing his caucus can do to stop the public union restrictions. So Mark Miller says his party will now focus on supporting the recalls of Republican senators, so Democrats can win back the majority they lost last November. State-and-national groups have started petition drives to force recall elections against eight G-O-P senators and six Democrats. Every senator who’s eligible to be recalled has been targeted. Democrats need to gain three seats to take back the Senate. Miller said he didn’t think people knew what they were getting when they voted last fall so quote, “There will be a do-over.” Miller said there was a “distinct possibility” that Democrats would prevail. He also said the fight over collective bargaining would most likely continue in the courts. The 14 Senate Democrats have stayed away from the Capitol since February 17th to protest the removal of union rights. Some Democrats said they would return after the Assembly votes on the package – but Miller says it won’t be today. Democrat Bob Jauch of Poplar called the sudden Republican vote on the union bill “political thuggery” and said it could end the careers of at least some G-O-P senators. Milwaukee Democrat Chris Larson said he tried to drive back from Illinois for the vote, but he was too late. In his words, “If they decide to kill the middle class, it’s on them.”

Fitzgerald Insists Committee Vote was Legal

3/10/11 - State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald insists that last night’s sudden vote to pass the union bargaining restrictions was legal. But media attorney Bob Dreps and former state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager both say the G-O-P did not provide enough public notice. And Lautenschlager – who represents a large state employee union – said both the State Justice Department and the Dane County district attorney should easily find enough evidence to show that the vote on the bill broke the state Open Meetings Law. The law requires a 24-hour notice of public meetings, but only two hours in an emergency. And Fitzgerald said he posted a conference committee notice two hours before the panel met to remove financial portions of the budget repair bill. That allowed the 19 Republican senators to vote without needing the 20 required to act on fiscal bills. G-O-P senators passed the union restrictions 18-to-1, with Dale Schultz calling for a continuation of collective bargaining. Most of that bargaining would be gutted under the bill. State union workers would have to pay more toward their pensions and health insurance. And police and fire unions would be exempt. The Assembly is scheduled to ratify the Senate’s changes today, but Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca says there’s no way the senators’ actions can legally stand. An estimated seven-thousand protestors gathered at the Capitol after the Senate vote. And many signed petitions that could be used to challenge the meetings’ legality.

Teachers Union Urging Members to Go to Work

3/10/11 - Wisconsin’s public school teachers are being urged by their union leader to be in class today, and not join the throngs of protestors expected at the Capitol. Mary Bell of WEAC accused Senate Republicans last night of making an “extreme power grab” when they passed the bill which virtually ends state-and-local public union bargaining powers. Dozens of Wisconsin schools were closed from one-to-four days last month while their teachers called in sick to protest the bill. And students and teachers in a number of other districts held brief walk-outs during the school day. Bell says the teachers have quote, “won the battle in the court of opinion – and this isn’t over.” The Madison teachers union also told his members to go to school today. In a statement, the union called the Senate’s action “improper and illegal,” and promised it would be challenged in court.

Meanwhile, local teacher unions are scrambling to have their contracts extended by a year-or-two, because the new bargaining restrictions would not begin until current contracts expire. Christina Brey of WEAC says many local unions are going along with the higher contributions for pensions and health insurance that Governor Scott Walker is pushing. But without the contract extensions, she said teachers would be left “without a voice.” And she said they need their bargaining rights to continue for awhile to maintain a sense of “order and security.” The Wisconsin Association of School Boards says up to 100 districts statewide have approved quick extensions.

Fitzgerald Protestor Cited For Trespassing

3/10/11 - A 41-year-old woman was cited early Tuesday morning for allegedly trespassing at the rural Juneau home of Senator Scott Fitzgerald. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says Fitzgerald’s wife saw the woman on the front porch peering into the windows around 7am. She was apparently there on her own, wearing a Department of Corrections uniform. The deputy who was dispatched took statements and felt she crossed line and Nehls says he supports that action. There have been several demonstrations at the residence in the past couple weeks. Nehls says this was an isolated incident and they have not had any local problems as protestors have been very respectful of personal property and property lines.

Senate Approves $100 Fine For Missing Session

3/10/11 - Wisconsin’s G-O-P senators made good Wednesday on their promise to fine minority Democrats who’ve been gone for almost three weeks. Without discussion, the Senate voted 18-to-nothing to fine the 14 Democrats 100-dollars for each day they miss during a session. Those Democrats ran for the Illinois border on February 17th to avoid a vote on the bill that would virtually end collective bargaining by most public unions. And they haven’t been back since. Republican Governor Scott Walker has modified his proposal, but the Democrats say it doesn’t go far enough.

Walker Proposes Tourism Spending Increase

3/10/11 - Governor Scott Walker says he knows that many Wisconsinites will question his proposed increase in tourist advertising. But he says Wisconsin can use the extra money that more out-of-state visitors would bring after seeing those ads – and he calls it one of the state’s best returns on its investments. The Republican Walker told the Governor’s Conference on Tourism at Wisconsin Dells this week that he would spend 11-million dollars on “visit Wisconsin” ads this year. And he would jack that up to over 13-million in 2012-and-’13. Walker said some of the tourist operators themselves were probably wondering how fair it is to raise the tourism ad budget, while cutting state aid to local governments and schools. Walker says those governments would have the option of off-setting those reductions if Senate Democrats would approve his budget repair bill that restricts public union bargaining – thus making it possible to cut local public labor costs.

BD Man gets Probation in Scrap Metal Theft

3/10/11 - A Beaver Dam man will spend three years on probation for stealing thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal. 35-year-old Jason Woodke, entered a “no contest” plea Wednesday to a felony count of Theft as a repeat offender. A five-and-a-half year prison sentence was imposed and stayed, and if Woodke violates the terms of his probation he will immediately begin serving that sentence. Woodke stole 50 stainless steel sheets weighing 50 pounds each from Supreme Manufacturing in Beaver Dam last May. He and another man were apprehended after selling the scrap to a company in Washington County. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.

CCH Offering Drug Drop

3/10/11 - The Columbus Community Hospital will be hosting a prescription drug drop-off later this month. Community Relations Coordinator Patti Walker says the no-cost, drug-drop is being held in cooperation with the Columbus Police Department. Medications should be brought in their original containers with personal identification removed. The drug drop-off will be held on Friday, March 25 from noon to 2pm in the main entrance of the Columbus hospital. Drug take-back programs are intended to reduce the quantity of unused pharmaceuticals entering the water supply, and reducing the amount of drugs available for theft, or accidental poisoning.

Exhibitors Sought For Women Resource Day

3/10/11 - Exhibitor space is available to local businesses and agencies for this year’s Dodge County Focus on Women Resource Day. Organizers say the event will again feature a lineup of informative presentations and speakers that help continue their mission to (quote) “empower women in the area to obtain resources that help to enrich their quality of life.” Exhibitor space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis for $50 and must be reserved by March 25. For more information, call Brenda Schegetz at Moraine Park Technical College, 700 Gould Street, Beaver Dam or call (920) 887-1556. The Dodge County Focus on Women Resource Day will be held on Tuesday, April 12th at the Bayside Supper Club from 3:30pm to 8pm.

Boston Store Chain Profits Up

3/10/11 - One of Wisconsin’s largest department store chains said its quarterly profits rose by almost six-percent compared to a year ago. Bon-Ton Stores – which owns Younkers, Herberger’s, Boston Store, and Elder-Beerman – had a net income of 85-million-dollars from November through January. That’s up from 80-million in the same quarter of 2009. Total revenues were up seven-tenths of one-percent, and the company reported a same-store sales increase of eight-tenths of a percent. C-E-O Bud Bergren said Bon-Ton significantly improved its performance, and it met its fiscal goals for last year. The company made 21-and-a-half million dollars in its last fiscal year, compared to a loss of four-million the previous year. Bon-Ton has about 275 U-S department stores.

Senate Approves Tax Refund Ad Bill

3/10/11 - The state Senate voted 18-to-nothing Wednesday to make it legal for stores to offer sales tax refunds in their advertising – as long as the state gets its normal share of the cut. Senator Van Wangaard of Racine County sponsored the measure. As an example, the bill would let stores advertise that they would pay the sales tax for a 100-dollar item. But the actual price would be around 95-dollars, because the retailer would still give Madison the state-and-local sales taxes that range from five to five-point-six percent. Stores occasionally advertise sales tax discounts, but they’re currently illegal. The penalties are 500-dollars or 30 days in jail. The bill to change that now goes to the Assembly.