Motivated by the current (2011) political climate in Wisconsin it seems reasonable to devote some time and effort to comment on issues and some of the hyperbole. So we in the public should do what we can to help focus "journalists" on delineating real facts versus spin. If you accept the spin you do not understand the policy implications.
Making "the open record" disappear ! Walker "seems" to provide political favors of $500,000 via WEDC to political contributors but by chicanery leaves no fingerprints.
We should go back to a 2 year term for governor. Under the original Wisconsin Constitution, governors were elected for a term of two years; in 1967, the constitution was amended to increase the term of office to four years, beginning with the governor elected in the 1970 election.[6] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may hold. Wikipedia
I remember the "narrative" about efficiency ... but what it really did was take the take the governor's race out of ever coinciding with a "presidential race". Were any of us thinking about that at the time? Warren P. Knowles, a Republican, was governor at the time.
An obscure board overseeing state public records gave so little notice of a move to sharply limit electronic records that it appears to have violated the state's open meetings law, attorneys and open records advocates say.
The changes have already had an impact — they were used by Gov. Scott Walker's administration as a reason not to release records just one day after the action was quietly taken in August by the Public Records Board, which oversees the preservation and handling of government records.
On Aug. 25, the day after the board's vote, the Walker administration denied a records request from a newspaper for text messages, saying officials do not have to retain such "transitory messages."
The texts sought by the Wisconsin State Journal were linked to a $500,000 loan by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to Building Committee Inc., which was promoted by top administration appointees. ....
A state open government watchdog group has filed a complaint alleging an obscure board made changes to the state's records retention policies in August in violation of the state open meetings law.
Are the implications that retirees will not be offered "organized healthcare plans" and it will be each retiree for themselves -- you figure it out even if you are over 80 (or even lesser)! You think your kids will pick up the slack? They will be scrambling for themselves!
11/18/2015 - How to mess up Healthcare even more !
"It gives you more control over plan design," Segal consultant Richard Ward told the insurance board. "I don't think it would impact access. I think it could be done to minimize disruption."
The insurance board, a governor-controlled group that oversees the $1.5 billion health benefit program for public workers, discussed the report Tuesday but isn't scheduled to take action until February.
Segal gets paid no matter how it turns out - right?
How about a performance bond for Segal and "hold harmless assurances" for retirees and employees? In the same report the state healthcare plans run about $1500 million. Do the math: Segal is projecting less than a 3% savings for all this administrative hassle and chaos for people. The savings may never materialize but the chaos will. The end hidden agenda is to cut healthcare coverage and reduce benefits for all citizens in the state.
1/25/2016
WI 1848 Forward:Do you think #JFC can save #ETF " #retirees "? #1% #Walker wants to mess up #Healthcare even more! WI 1848 Forward: #ETF " #retirees "? #1% #HiddenAgenda #Walker wants to mess up #Healthcare even more! #JFC WI 1848 Forward: #ETF " #retirees "? #HiddenAgenda #Walker to mess up #Healthcare each #WRS member out of luck WI 1848 Forward: #ETF " #retirees "? #HiddenAgenda #Walker to mess up #Healthcare even more! The kids will pay $ #Walker WI 1848 Forward: #ETF #retirees ? #HiddenAgenda #Healthcare each #WRS member no more State Plan Choice #WI 1848 Forward:State #healthcare plans > ~ $1500 million. Do the math: less than a 3% savings> chaos for people
When wheelbarrows are filled with useless paper. Commodities historically become the accepted medium of exchange. A stalwart of this basic reality, Alan Greenspan was a full blown laissez faire capitalist. A direct disciple of Ayn Rand’s objectivist fundamental philosophy. He was very close with Rand. Even inviting her to his swearing in to Gerald Ford’s Council of Economic Advisors before eventually becoming The Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006. His oversight on tax cuts and Social Security privatization were largely blamed as the catalyst that created the subprime mortgage crisis. ...
A consultant has said Wisconsin could save $42 million a year through self-insurance, in which the state would pay medical benefits for nearly 250,000 state workers and family members directly instead of buying insurance from 17 HMOs. ...
But another consultant said the move might cost $100 million a year. Some legislators and the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, which represents 12 of the 17 HMOs, said the change could threaten the stability of the state’s regional health care system. Many of the HMOs are owned by providers around the state.
_____________________________________________ @#$%^&* -> October 15/2015 ... Legislature note ... evidently considering dramatically changing the structure of the Wisconsin Group Insurance Board to allow more direct "political interference" in coverage and rate setting for state employees and retirees ... need to find out more!!!??? There was a quick brief note on WPR this morning. This seems to be the latest ....
.... "We're concerned about costs, quality and access," Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, a committee co-chair and one of the chief authors of the bill said during a brief hearing on the proposal. "That's why we want an oversight role."
The Group Health Insurance Program covers tens of thousands of state and local public employees, their spouses and retired public employees. It makes up 14 percent of the entire commercial health insurance market, according to the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, which represents 12 plans available through the program. A board within the Department of Employee Trust Funds made up of appointees chosen by the governor and attorney general and members of the governor's cabinet run the program.
DETF contracted with Segal Consulting to examine potential changes to the program, including moving to a self-insurance model, in which the state would pay benefits and assume the risk of cost overruns directly rather than the HMOs participating in the program. Segal reported to the board in March that the move could lower administrative expenses, eliminate some fees under the Affordable Care Act and eliminate most of the premium tax, resulting in potential savings of $50 million to $70 million annually.
The agency's previous actuary reported in 2012 that shifting to self-insurance could result in annual savings of $20 million or increased costs of around $100 million or more each year. ...
Sandel gives two reasons for being worried about letting a Market Society come about. I agree with him that we have been letting this happen. One reason has to do with "inequality", e.g., a small group of people have a lot more money or wealth than most, by far the majority, of the people. ...
A bill signed into law last week by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker could make it much harder for the poor and minorities to register to vote in the pivotal swing state just as the 2016 election approaches.
The Republican-backed measure allows Wisconsinites to register to vote online. But voting rights advocates say that step forward is massively outweighed by a provision in the bill whose effect will be to make it nearly impossible to conduct the kind of community voter registration drives that disproportionately help low-income and non-white Wisconsinites to register.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In 2006 with a Democrat as Governor many of these same Republicans (Vos, Fitzwalker) wanted the GAB. Now with the GOP in total control of the governorship and legislature they don't like it.
GOP insists on dismantling the GAB, what many consider a positive national model to keep politics clean(er).
Assembly Republicans Ready To Pass Elections Board, Finance Bills
Governor Has Indicated He Will Sign Both Pieces Of Legislation
Some Wisconsin legislators are fast-tracking an effort to eliminate the Special Registration Deputy program as part of a voter reform proposal.
Currently, Wisconsin law allows help for voters who have moved, changed names or are new to voting by authorizing special registration deputies (SRDs). While voters may register on Election Day or at their clerk’s office, SRDs provide convenience to the voter via community voter registration drives. SRDs are trained by a municipal clerk to assist voters and to submit their registration forms for inclusion in the state’s voter database.
#Immoral #PayToPlay WI 1848 Forward: #NoFingerPrintsWalker did it #GOP -dismantles the #GAB - Give themselves majority oversight - more dark money
"Make no mistake, these changes mean the end of a system that protected taxpayers and employees from waste and cronyism because employment decisions were based on what you know, not who you know," said Badger in a statement. "Gone is a process based on blind testing to find qualified job candidates. Instead, the whole process now will be controlled by subjective judgments made by political appointees directly answerable to the governor." ...
Among the work-based offenses that puts state employees on track to be fired through a progressive-style of discipline include:
Violating the state's work rules, including being disobedient.
Appearing intoxicated at work.
Possessing drugs.
Giving false information.
Appearing unkempt or inappropriately dressed. [So Obvious!!!]
The civil service bill, which passed the Assembly in October, would speed up the process for hiring and firing state workers and replace the civil service exam with a more subjective resume-based system.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said he wants his chamber to pass the bill in January. He said the measure wouldn't end civil service — it will only change it. ...
...The plan got hung up over a provision that would protect people from answering questions about their criminal records on initial job applications. Fitzgerald said that issue would be worked out, though he wouldn't say how.
Democrats have said the plan will lead to a state workforce where people are hired and fired based on politics, not merit.
If you are moving quickly can we all see the language of the law as it is and is proposed to change? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Hence, cronyism is contrary in practice and principle to meritocracy.
"Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job" ... Katrina aftermath ... he had a a fine resume!
... On Thursday, Sen. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, and Rep. Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, announced they plan to introduce a bill that would replace civil service exams with resume-based hiring, eliminate seniority protections, standardize performance reviews, centralize hiring and firing decisions from state agencies in the Department of Administration and clearly define offenses that can be grounds for termination. ...
Two Fox Valley Republican legislators are authoring a bill to overhaul the state’s civil service system that covers about 30,000 state employees.
Sen. Roger Roth, of Appleton, and Rep. Jim Steineke, of Kaukauna, said changes need to be made to the civil service system to update and speed up the hiring and firing process outlined in the 110-year-old law. Civil service systems use a merit-based, competitive exam system to hire some public employees rather than having partisan politicians fill the jobs by appointment.
Roth, who helps run family-owned construction, real estate management and investment companies, was first elected to the state Assembly in 2006 and 2008, but chose not to seek reelection to a third, two-year term in 2010. Roth successfully ran for his 19th District Senate seat in 2014 after longtime GOP Sen. Mike Ellis, of Neenah, decided to retire.
Roth raised about $437,000 and spent about $412,000 in his Senate race to defeat Democratic Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber, of Appleton. In addition to candidate spending, outside special interests doled out nearly $1.7 million in the race. About $821,000 in outside electioneering support for Roth came from Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business group; the Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance, which is controlled by the Wisconsin Realtors Association; and the First Amendment Alliance Educational Fund, a Virginia-based conservative ideological group.
Roth raised about $340,000 in large individual contributions of $100 or more, and about 76 percent, or $257,000, of it came from outside his Senate district. By interest group, Roth raised most of his large individual and political action committee contributions for his 2014 race from retirees and homemakers, $339,443; health professionals, $38,364; and manufacturers, $37,425.
Steineke, a former realtor and salesman, has been elected to the Assembly since 2010. For his 2014 reelection campaign, Steineke raised and spent about $47,000, or roughly three times more than his Democratic opponent. Only one outside special interest, Wisconsin Right to Life, spent money in the race – $155 to support Steineke.
Steineke raised about $27,000 in large individual contributions of $100 or more, and about 85 percent, or nearly $23,000 of it came from outside of his Assembly district. By interest group, Steineke raised most of his individual and political action committee contributions from health care facilities and services, about $5,900; construction, $3,550; and banking, nearly $3,300.
11/11/2016 I don't doubt plenty of people have trouble, especially in rural areas, paying their property tax bill. That is a problem the "Homestead Tax Credit" was designed to alleviate in Wisconsin - does it need expansion? Many rural areas also lack social infrastructure as well as physical infrastructure. Why would a family with children want to move to or live in a place with no schools and little immediate access to health care. Why would a retired person want to live there either - they may be stuck and getting to a doctor is really a major problem? Why would someone growing up there, spending most of their time beiing bused to school, want to stay there when they can't get a job later; when they can go to a larger community get a job, meet other people their age, and have more of a social life? ___________________________________________________
