James Rowen

Fresh Cuts To State, UW Reminiscent Of Walker's Sham County Budgets

October 19, 2011 by The Political E...

Suddenly, Wisconsin state officials discover there is a need for major state agency budget cuts, especially at the UW, even though the current state budget is just a few months old.

Milwaukee County residents and courthouse observers will recognize this "oops" budgeting.

As a former county supervisor Jim McGuigan wrote in 2004:

Scott Walker Has Easy-Pass To Road-Builders Money

October 19, 2011 by The Political E...

In a post earlier Wednesday about the politics of road-building in SE Wisconsin - - expansion in the face of continuing cuts to transit and purported fiscal shortfalls - -   I made this observation:

The threats to transit are taking place while billions in new highway construction roar forward unrestrained.

Walker fast-tracked the Zoo Interchange project (in a slightly reduced footprint, but still at an unaffordable cost of at least $1.7 billion) to appease the road-builders and Walker's base constituency in Waukesha County.

But these days, cars are running more efficiently, and the depressed economy has eliminated some driving, leaving road budgets planned without restraints short of money because most of the needed revenue to build them comes from gasoline taxes.

So is the highway budget taking the sort of cut you'd expect in our broke state?

Are you kidding?

Hearing On Medicaid Cuts Begins At 1 P.M.Wednesday In Madison

October 19, 2011 by The Political E...

Here is the schedule for the meeting, and for another in Milwaukee later this month, so turn out on behalf of the 99%:

The Department of Health Services (DHS) will hold a Town Hall Meeting in Madison on Wednesday from 1-7 p.m. to hear from the public on its 39 proposals to save funding in Medicaid programs. DHS Secretary Dennis Smith and Deputy Secretary Kitty Rhoades will be present at the meeting.

The Town Hall Meeting will be held:

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

1:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M
Goodman Community Center
Evjue Community Room D
149 Waubesa Street
Madison, WI 53704

DHS is also holding a Town Hall Meeting in Milwaukee from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 21.

Today Is Citizen Lobbying Day On Mining, Environmental Issues

October 19, 2011 by The Political E...

Show up, organize, button-hole your legislators, follow through and in no uncertain terms tell them you want transparency at the Capitol and resource preservation for the Wisconsin environment in bills that deal with mining, wetlands and waterways in Wisconsin. From the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, history and details.

And the schedule:

Planning, Plating And Plate Lunches

October 19, 2011 by The Political E...

Some food for thought in this season of public budgeting:

A few days ago  I posted the rationalization for Milwaukee County withholding its $800,000+ annual annual assessment from the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, (SEWRPC).

Note in a discussion of regional planning in the Madison Capital area, we learn that Dane County is currently blocking a similar assessment - - and I'd argue that the issues in the two disputes have overlap  - - and thereby is willing to use the receipt of taxpayer dollars logically and fairly as a lever to meet land preservation and other public policy goals.

Where is the gumption in Milwaukee County government to ask SEWRPC, at a minimum, for an annual work plan in exchange for a large grant of taxpayer dollars?

I'll bet there are many agencies that would like to receive a no-questions-asked annual grant of more  than $80,000, let alone more than $800,000.

And let's not think that in an era of billion-dollar budgets that  $800,000 isn't real money.