Walker Speaks To Republicans In Columbus
3/7/11 - Governor Scott Walker told supporters at a Lincoln Day Dinner in Columbus on Saturday that Wisconsinites want a leader who will look them in the eye, tell them how they’re going to solve a problem and then actually solve it. Walker was guest speaker at the sold-out Columbia County Republican “Lincoln Day Dinner” at Kestrel Ridge. Walker told fellow Republicans that the state’s fiscal crisis led to the party’s victories in the November elections. He said voters were looking for strong “leadership” in getting the state back on a sound financial track. Walker said that his opponents have every right to be heard. But he said that tens of thousands of protestors should not be able to drown out the voices of the millions and millions of taxpayers of this state who came out last November and said ‘we need leaders who will tackle the fiscal and economic challenges of this state once and for all.’ The Governor asked his colleagues to continue supporting elected legislators who are working on the Budget Repair process. There were over 200 people in attendance at the dinner. Walker spoke for about 15 minutes and spent the rest of the time in photo opportunities with supporters.
Columbus Teachers, Board Approve Contract Extension
3/7/11 - The Columbus Board of Education approved a contract extension with the Columbus Education Association during a special Friday night meeting. After a weeklong series of negotiations, the contracts were extended to July of 2012. The 100 plus CEA members agreed to some contract changes in exchange for some assurances of job security. District Superintendent Bryan Davis said teacher salaries will remain at levels close to this year’s pay scale. However, they would be asked to contribute more to the state teacher retirement fund and more for WPS health care insurance. Davis also said the contract extension would include changes regarding employee layoff priorities. Board Member Alice Schmidt said negotiation sessions between Teachers, Administration and Board Members were friendlier than usual due to the many questions still unanswered in the State Budget debates.
PAVE: Mixed Feelings On Governor’s Budget
3/07/11 - Local domestic violence advocates say the Governor’s two-year spending plan is a mixed bag. Jamie Kratz-Gullickson is the Executive Director of PAVE, People Against Violence Environments, a 24-hour domestic abuse shelter that serves the Dodge County area. Before the governor outlined this 2011-2013 budget , she was concerned there would be a ten-percent, across-the-board cut in domestic violence funding statewide. While the numbers are still being crunched, it does not appear that the proposed cuts would be that severe. Kratz-Gullickson says at this point, only a portion of the grant that pays for their one and only Sexual Assault Advocate would be affected. She says that could affect PAVE ability to respond to victim rape exams or meet with victims who cannot make it to shelter. In-school prevention education would also be affected. The governor’s budget would provide additional resources and positions in the state DNA lab to assist in criminal investigations. The state currently has the IP addresses of 20,000 online child sex predators and Kratz-Gullickson applauds the increased resources intended to help track down those who use the internet to prey on kids.
Walker Gives Two Weeks In Layoffs
3/7/11 - Governor Scott Walker sets a deadline of two weeks. He has told unions he will start laying off up to 15 hundred state employees at that time if the budget repair bill hasn't been passed. A spokesman for the governor says state employee retirements could reduce that layoff number. For the first time, Governor Walker reportedly indicated last Thursday that he would be willing to make at least a marginal change to his budget repair plan. That legislation has been stopped cold since February 17, when those 14 Senate Democrats left the state. Spending bills require 20 senators to be present for passage, but Republicans hold only 19 seats.
Talks Between Dem’s, GOP Remain Open
3/7/11 - Talks between Democrats and Republicans broke down last Thursday, but participants say lines of communication remain open. State Senator Tim Cullen says it will be hard for either side to compromise because Democrats don't want to lose the support of their base and Governor Scott Walker doesn't want to appear to be weak by backing down. Cullen is one of the 14 Democrats who left the state to block a vote on the governor's budget bill. Wisconsin Senators Lena Taylor and Chris Larson joined the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Chicago yesterday, asking Walker to negotiate with workers to resolve the differences.
Michael Moore Appears At Madison Protest
3/7/11 - Liberal documentary maker Michael Moore says Wisconsin residents should keep up their fight against the governor's collective bargaining bill. Moore talked to thousands of protesters outside the state Capitol Saturday. He compared their struggle to the revolt in Egypt. Moore said the wealthy are overreaching, first taking the workers' money, then taking their souls - by shutting them up at the bargaining table. The crowd roared its approval. Protesters have rallied at the Capitol for the past three weeks, opposing the bill stripping them of most collective bargaining abilities.
Walkers Approval Rating Slip
3/7/11 - Four months after he was elected Wisconsin's governor, Scott Walker's approval ratings have slipped precipitously. The controversy over Walker's approach to the state budget may be driving numbers lower. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey, released Friday, shows only 34 percent of respondents strongly approve of the job he's doing. Forty-eight percent strongly disapprove. The governor's positive review percentage is 43, while 57 percent of likely Wisconsin voters view him negatively. He only gets job approval ratings of 19 percent from households containing a union member. Outside of those households, Walker's approval rating is about even - 49 percent favorable and 51 percent unfavorable. Families with at least one child in the public school system strongly disapprove of his work 67 percent of the time.
Green Lake DA Seeks Fish Kill Payments
3/7/11 - The Green Lake County District Attorney says an Ohio man convicted of killing fish has failed to fulfill his part of the plea agreement. Timothy Smith was convicted of three violations of DNR ordinances in a fish kill in November 2009. Smith had been hired to kill carp, but his nets also killed three thousand walleye, northern pike and catfish. The DA wants to revoke that agreement. A hearing has reportedly been scheduled for next month to determine what the next step should be. Smith was to pay 300 dollars per month to start covering more than 22 thousand dollars in fines, assessments and court costs. The District Attorney filed his motion last Friday because Smith has missed making the required payments.
MPTC Presidential Forums This Week
3/7/11 - An open forum will be held this week featuring the three finalists under consideration to be the next president of Moraine Park Technical College. On Monday, the forum will include Dr. Kathleen Brock from Ridgewater College in Minnesota. On Tuesday, the forum will feature Dan Ensalaco of Moraine Park Technical College. On Wednesday, the forum will feature Dr. Shelia Ruhland with Rockingham Community College in Wentworth, North Carolina. Each forum begins at 2pm and will be broadcast live from Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac campus with interactive video conferencing at the West Bend at Beaver Dam campuses. Those who attend will be able to fill out a survey that will be used by the Presidential Search Committee in making a decision on the final candidate.
Kennedy Listening Sessions Tuesday
3/7/11 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has listening sessions scheduled for Tuesday. Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. He says it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council. The listening sessions are held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon and again from 5pm to 6pm. Kennedy also makes himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.
Tree Deadline Extended
3/7/11 - The deadline has been extended for those seeking to order trees as part of the annual Small Packet Tree sales program in Dodge County. The Land Conservation Department is offering a wide variety of species of trees for sale, including American Cranberry Bush, White Cedar, White Pine, Cedar Maple, Colorado Blue Spruce, White Spruce and Norway Spruce. Some trees species have sold out including Red and White Oak, Frasier Fir and Tamarack. The trees are sold in bundles of 25 for $23 per bundle. The deadline has been extended for a final time to March 17. For more information or to get an order form, contact the Dodge County Land Conservation Department at 386-3660 or visit the county website at www.co.dodge.wi.us
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