Thursday, May 23, 2013
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker could appeal to both social and fiscal conservatives, making him a candidate to "fear" in the Iowa Caucuses, progressives warn.
West Des Moines, Iowa — Amid growing speculation that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is testing GOP presidential waters in Iowa and elsewhere, progressive activists warned Thursday at a rally here that a Walker presidency would be “terrifying" and disastrous to middle-class families. Walker hasn’t said he’s a candidate, but his appearance Thursday at a Republican fundraiser in Iowa’s largest county, as well as a handful of appearances in the Northeast and before powerful conservative groups, suggest that he’s at least considering a 2016 run for the Republican presidential nomination. The “Scott Walker Truth Squad,” as activists from Progress Iowa and One Wisconsin Now call themselves, told reporters at a news conference that Walker has the …
Contractors are bidding to take on the paving duties of the first phase of the project, which includes the portion of the trail that runs from Merton to Highway 164 in Sussex.
The proposal to pave the Bugline Trail sparked a hardy conversation between proponents and opponents of the project, but it’s a done deal and the crushed limestone path will be a thing of the past. However, now the question is, “When will the path be paved?” The project, organized through the county, is now being placed for contractor bids on the Waukesha County website and in the local paper. The deadline to submit a bid is June 4. Waukesha County Parks Program Specialist Ginny Bocek said they anticipate the first phase of paving on the trail would begin in early August and be completed in fall. More on Patch: The Bugline Trail Paving Project: The Bugline project will be completed in two phases. The first phase includes the portion of …
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Our sister Patch in West Des Moines, Iowa, reports that a Scott Walker “Truth Squad” plans to rally ahead of Wisconsin governor’s appearance before Republican activists.
West Des Moines, Iowa — Advocacy groups for progressives in Iowa and Wisconsin are holding “Scott Walker Truth Squad” in advance of the Wisconsin governor’s appearance Thursday at a Polk County Republican Fundraiser, one of several of appearances before GOP activists that point to a possible presidential run in 2016. Advisers to Walker say he’s returning a favor to Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who hosted a fundraiser in Dubuque, Iowa, for the embattled Wisconsin governor during his 2012 recall election, the Washington Post reported. Even if Walker’s advisers are telling it like it is, and that Walker’s appearance with Branstad is just a little quid pro quo among political friends, the pre-banquet rally by Progress Iowa and One Wisconsin Now …
Trustees said Tuesday they've come up with a different option to reroute Spring Creek.
Spring Creek can be relocated without closing and condemning the M&M Restaurant, Sussex trustees decided Tuesday. The Sussex Sun reported that instead, the village will try to acquire land bordering the NAPA Auto Parts property, while developer Arthur Sawall continues negotiations with the owner of the NAPA building. Trustees believe those moves would allow Spring Creek to be rerouted to alleviate flooding issues. Sawall, who is developing the Mammoth Springs retail and residential project, hopes to use the NAPA land to complement the Mammoth Springs effort, the Sun reported. Originally, the village considered taking over both the NAPA and M&M properties and condemning them to allow for the creek rerouting.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Did Gov. Scott Walker break a campaign promise when he vowed to keep pork out of the state budget?
Some campaign promises build in a bit of wiggle room. The one made by candidate for governor Scott Walker to “Strip policy and pork projects from the state budget” did not. This unequivocal pledge, posted on Walker’s campaign website, committed the candidate to eschewing both parties’ longstanding practice of using the budget to make policy changes and reward special interests. In April 2011, less than four months into Walker’s term, the truth-testers at PolitiFact Wisconsin branded this a broken promise. It noted that the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau had identified dozens of non-fiscal items in the governor’s budget repair bills and first biennial budget. Walker’s latest executive budget, for 2013-15, included what the Fiscal …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Some Wisconsin legislators are hoping to prevent any government restrictions on the size of your soda. What about your own restrictions? If any?
If the state Joint Finance Committee gets its way, the Big Gulp will have the freedom to remain, well, … Big. WISN 12 News reports the panel, which includes local representatives Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), placed a provision in the budget bill that would prevent any city or county from limiting the size of a food or drink being sold. The infamous New York City ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces is being challenged in court, but if successful it would dramatically slash the 7-11 Big Gulp (128 ounces) and the McDonald’s Supersize (40 ounces) among others, according to Mother Jones. Setting aside the notion for a moment of how much control government should exert over such a matter, how…
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Sussex Village Board will meet in close session to discuss how they will respond to a letter that Lisbon sent to them saying they are willing to resume negotiations over the Pauline Haass Library funding.
Sussex was not too happy to receive a letter from Lisbon letting them know Lisbon would "welcome" resuming negotiations with Sussex over funding of the Pauline Haass Library, reported the Sussex Sun. The closing of the Lisbon letter upset Sussex officials. "Whenever you reach a decision, we look forward to hearing from you so that we can discuss an orderly splitting of joint library assets, or, more ideally, further discussions/negotiations on a new joint library agreement." Trustees say that if the aggreeement is terminated, Lisbon is not entitled to "an orderly splitting of joint library assets," reported the Sussex sun. The Town of Lisbon has been thinking about discontinuing its funding of the library because Lisbon and Sussex cannot …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Republican Congressman is opposing a bill that would eventual give a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
U.S. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner opposes President Barack Obama’s immigration bill and called it amnesty, reported the Wisconsin Radio Network. The senators, known as the gang of eight, put out a bill earlier in April that would give legal status and an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, tied to border security measures, reported the Huffington Post. The bill calls for employment verification, creating a new guest-worker program, and move the legal immigration system toward merit-based visas. Sensenbrenner, of Menomonee Falls, said the bill would make the immigration problem worse and it would take a person who has been legally trying to become a citizen longer than a person who have been living in the U.S. …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Controversies over the $648 million reserve fund and the $600,000 Palermo's Pizza deal are bedeviling University of Wisconsin leaders.
It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Rebecca Blank, incoming chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sure, the acting U.S. commerce secretary, set to start in July, will make $500,000 a year — plus benefits and perks, including a university residence and car, money for travel and entertainment, and an unpaid academic appointment for her husband. But she’ll be stepping into a host of controversies, drawing flak from all directions. As one UW-Madison student quipped, “Blank is not starting off with a blank slate.” There’ll be ongoing fallout from some legislators’ volcanic eruptions over revelations that the UW System has a $648 million reserve fund. Though this is in line with other state systems, Wisconsin politicians are “…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Attention online shoppers: You might have to pony up more cash for those online shopping sprees, if federal sales tax legislation becomes law.
Online shoppers, who enjoyed avoiding paying sales tax for their out-of-state purchases, probably won't be happy if a bill pending in Congress becomes law. The Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed 69-27 in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, allows states the authority, and option, of collecting taxes on Internet and catalog sales. The act does not create a new tax. But it does allow states the option of collecting the taxes, which they are already owed. However, the legislation does exempt small businesses that make less than $1 million from collecting the tax. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted for the bill, but Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) did not. “Today, I joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate in support of the Marketplace Fairness …
TOM
8:30 am on Saturday, May 25, 2013
Ya better check it might of been a wet one more ›