Top Stories, March 26th

Publication Action Unclear

3/26/11 - It isn't clear what Friday's action means. The nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau published the governor's controversial law taking away nearly all public worker collective bargaining rights. Does that mean the law is in effect today? Republican Senator Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says that's exactly what it means. The director of the bureau that published the law disagrees. Steve Miller says it won't actually go into effect until Secretary of State Doug La Follette orders the law published in a newspaper. A judge has blocked that. And, La Follette says he's not sure what yesterday's publication means. He thinks it may be up to the lawyers and courts to decide.

Public Hearings On Budget Scheduled

3/26/11 - The first of four public hearings on Governor Scott Walker's two-year budget plan for Wisconsin will be held April 8 in Stevens Point. The Legislature Joint Finance Committee will be holding the meetings in what it's calling geographically diverse locations to clear the way for as much citizen input as possible. The second hearing will be in Minong April 8, followed by a third April 11 at State Fair Park and the final one April 13 in Arcadia. The committee is co-chaired by Senator Alberta Darling and state Representative Robin Vos. Those two say they are still committed to passing the budget before the current fiscal year comes to a close June 30.

Fitzgerald Responds To Recycling Concerns on WBEV

3/26/11 - Governor Scott Walker’s plan to drop state recycling funds is getting some big organized opposition. Four recycling organizations have rounded up the support. And over 150 Wisconsin cities, counties, businesses, and other groups wrote a joint letter to Walker and legislators this week to urge that the status quo continue. They said recycling plays a big role in Wisconsin’s economy, and those efforts should be a high priority for the state. As part of Walker’s next state budget, the state mandate for community recycling programs would end – and so would their state funding. But the law that requires Wisconsinites to recycle would continue – leaving individual residents to contract for recycling on their own. But opponents say it will result in more recyclables being tossed in the garbage and buried in landfills – and that costs more than the current recycling efforts. At least four G-O-P legislators have urged that the state’s current programs remain. Senator Scott Fitzgerald addressed the issue when he appeared on WBEV’s Community Comment yesterday. The Juneau Republican says this is a perfect example of a mandate that many municipalities have said they do not want. Fitzgerald says it is a complex issue and it is possible that the Joint Finance Committee finds a compromise.

Planned Parenthood Rallies At Capitol

3/26/11 - Supporters of Planned Parenthood rallied at the Capitol Friday. Governor Scott Walker is proposing to eliminate the Title V Maternal and Child Health Program which uses state and federal money to provide family planning services. “Our services have no place in balancing a state budget,” said Meg Robertson, a nurse practitioner with Planned Parenthood. “This absolutely vicious attack on reproductive health rights of both women and men is deplorable.” Planned Parenthood’s “Big Pink Bus” made a stop on the Capitol Square. The bus is on a national tour, as family planning services face budget threats in state budgets from House Republicans in Washington.

Capitol Restrictions Continue

3/26/11 - Weeks after protests and a ruling opening the Wisconsin Capitol building open to the public again, one lawmaker says extreme security measures remain in place and they are discouraging people from visiting. Currently, public access to the Capitol is restricted to two entrances, compared to the eight normally open during the day. Visitors must pass through metal detectors and submit to searches before they can enter. State Representative Cory Mason says there have been no indications why those policies are still needed, with only a few protesters entering the building on any given weekday. He says it’s time to give the people their Capitol back. The Department of Administration says current policies do comply with a court order to keep the building open to the public while still working to protect the safety of those inside in the Capitol. A spokeswoman says the agency is working to balance the rights of visitors to assemble and ensure the safety of those inside. They are also meant to keep government operations continuing as normal. DOA says no decision has been made yet on when extra security measures will no longer be needed.

Local Cops Cover For Fondy Funeral Attendees

3/26/11 - Fond du Lac Police Officer Ryan Williams waived from a car and thanked a crowd gathered in the parking lot of the police station Friday afternoon as he returned home from Theda Clark Medical Center. Williams was critically wounded at the beginning of the week during a shooting incident that also claimed the life of Officer Craig Birkholz. Williams will be attending Officer Birkholz’s funeral in Kenosha on Saturday. He will be joining 16 squad cars and a couple of coach buses heading to the funeral, which will include most of the Department. It will be the first time in the history of Fond du Lac that a city police officer will not be on duty. Other departments from across the area will be filling in, including law enforcement from the Beaver Dam Police Department and the Dodge County Sheriffs Department.

Health Care Bill Remains Divisive Issue

3/26/11 - Health care advocates are praising the passage of the Affordable Care Act which celebrated its first anniversary this week. A conference call run by Citizen Action of Wisconsin focused on a 35-percent tax credit that small businesses can take advantage of this filing season as long as they provided medical coverage to employees. State Rep. Jon Richards adds that self employed persons can see a 15.3-percent reduction in their insurance costs by taking advantage of a tax deduction that is comparable to what larger companies receive. Not everyone is celebrating the federal law’s anniversary. The president of a Wisconsin free market think tank says “Obamacare” will result in massive debt for future generations. “There is no guarantee that there’s going to be money in the future to pay that tax credit,” says Brett Healey of the MacIver Institute. He says, since the bill’s signing, the public has had a chance to examine the massive legislation and discover high costs to taxpayers. He attributes this as the reason for the growing opposition to the federal law.

Corps Holding Tight On Carp Barrier Voltage

3/26/11 - The Army Corps of Engineers says it might have to jack up the voltage on an electronic barrier in order to keep the invasive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. A report released Friday said small carp won’t be totally stopped, unless the barrier near the Chicago Sanitary-and-Ship Canal increases its power. But the Corps said it won’t change the voltage immediately. That’s because the nearest carp are said to be over 100-miles away, and there could be safety problems if the voltage is raised without a real need to do so. Wisconsin and other states are trying to keep the bloated carp out of the Great Lakes because it eats up the food that native fish rely upon. State officials say they’re worried that the carp could hurt the seven-billion-dollar Great Lakes fishing industry.

State Art Project Targets Empty Store Fronts

3/26/11 - A new pilot project called “Phantom Art Galleries – Wisconsin” is underway in parts of the state, to beautify the empty stores that plague many downtown areas by showcasing local art. Organizers in Superior are open to all mediums, but note performing arts could be tricky. Marshfield organizers say emerging artists will have a chance to exhibit their work alongside experienced artists. Matt Duckett is with the Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse, another “Phantom Art Galleries” city, which has 30-40 vacant storefronts. Duckett says they’ll rotate the art every month and artists can sell their pieces. The Wisconsin Arts Board is funding the project through a federal grant. Officials say the “Phantom Art Galleries” project is also underway in Chilton, Manitowoc, and Platteville and similar projects have been successful in Chicago, Tucson, and Seattle.