October 5, 2007
Volume #29, Issue
#35
ASSEMBLY GOP LEADERS CLEARLY DRAGGING THEIR FEET IN BUDGET DEBATE - Week 8,432
(or so it seems) of budget talks is about to come to an end. Unfortunately, it
doesn’t look like the budget
impasse will end anytime soon.
Over the past several weeks, Assembly Republicans have talked at length about the
differences between
their budget and the Senate’s -- and they’ve avoided any effort at compromise.
Many GOP Assembly
Reps have put out press releases claiming Wisconsin can survive without a new state budget
just fine.
Other GOP Legislators are issuing statements claiming that they are saving taxpayer
dollars by delaying
a budget agreement. This week, Assembly Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald issued a statement
making it
clear they haven’t agreed to any of the concessions offered by Senate Democrats.
In case you are wondering how serious republicans are about continuing their three-month
stall, consider
the following:
-- The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) recently bought two weeks worth of
statewide television ads attacking Senate Democrats over the state budget.
-- The right-wing, pro-TABOR group, Americans for Prosperity, put up six digital billboards in
the Milwaukee area announcing a "taxpayers rally" at the Capitol on October 17. They’ve
lined up conservative talk radio hosts to speak at the rally.
-- The TABOR king himself, Grover Norquist, sent a letter to Wisconsin Republicans
threatening recall elections against any Republican who steps out of line on the anti-tax
message.
-- Finally, Assembly Speaker Rep. Mike Huebsch is telling reporters across the state that there
is no way a state budget can be finished by October 15.
It is clear that the Assembly Republican caucus is not interested in passing a state
budget.
There are real consequences to having no new budget in place. School funding, the UW
System, local
government aid, corrections operations, Medicaid funding, state employee contract
negotiations and much,
much more is at stake. Most recently, Governor Doyle warned that without a state budget,
state employees
could face furloughs.
Contact Assembly Republicans today, and tell them you are tired of the
partisan games and their budget stalemate. Real cuts and real pain will
happen without a new budget. Tell the Assembly Legislators to get the
budget done!
PROTECTIVE STATUS AND INMATE RIOT LEGISLATION - The Assembly Corrections and
Courts
Committee was to hold a legislative hearing October 4 on Assembly Bill (AB) 354, which
would extend
protective service status to all state employees working in secured state institutions.
Many AFSCME
members were lined up to testify in support of the legislation. Call your legislator to
let him or her know
of your support for AB 354. Note: AFSCME also strongly supports granting protective
status to county
corrections officers, and we are working with lawmakers to advance this important bill.
The Committee also was to vote on AB 92, which would create criminal penalties for
inmates who
participate in a riot in a correctional institution. AB 92 now is expected to move on to
the full Assembly
for action. Once again, call your legislator about AB 92.
LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES. . .For those
"online", here are some good info spots:
Wisconsin State Legislature: www.legis.state.wi.us/
"Who Are My Legislators": www.legis.state.wi.us./waml/
State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/
Wisconsin Legislative Council: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/
Wisconsin Ethics Board: http://ethics.state.wi.us