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FEMA comes to WI as flooding spreads

August 24, 2007 By

The head of FEMA, David Paulison, will be in Wisconsin Friday afternoon to assess flood damage for himself. And he'll see quite a bit.

The good news is, no new overnight flood damage in the hardest hit counties. But Lori Getter at the state Emergency operations center says other places across the southern part of the state aren't so lucky.

They're sandbagging in Cambridge, other parts of Dane County and Green County. More than a hundred homes are damaged in Kenosha County, the worst flooding there in thirty-five years.

FEMA will total up the damage in all impacted counties starting Saturday, not just in the five counties declared a state disaster by Governor Doyle.

Wisconsin was turned down for federal disaster aid two years ago when twenty seven  tornadoes ripped through the state. Why would it be any different this time? Getter says wind damage is different. Insurance policies usually cover that but not flood damage. The feds may be more inclined to give uncovered flood victims some help.

As of Friday, roughly thirteen-hundred homes suffered flood damage. Forty or fifty of them destroyed. Then there are the damaged businesses and farm crops that need to be included as well.

AUDIO: Jim Dick reports ( 1:16 MP3 )

Filed Under: Weather

Huebsch: Dems desire to tax "insatiable"

August 24, 2007 By

There's more agreeing to disagree, on the state budget. State Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch said Thursday's session of the budget conference committee served to highlight the differences between the two sides. "It is amazing that your desire to tax is so insatiable, that it's not simply the taxation of the earning of money, or the spending of money, you now just want to tax money." Huebsch was referring to a GOP tax break on purchases of gold. Democrats had continually harped on the point, and when Republicans offered a package of tax cuts for their consideration, the gold bullion break was not included. Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson said Democrats had plenty of tax breaks of their own to offer, on things like child care, health insurance and college tuition. Huebsch said Democrats' calls for tax fairness really mean tax hikes: "hold onto your wallet." The conference committee met twice this week without producing any compromise on their budget deadlock.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Budget, Politics & Government, Top Story

Marathon County tackling bacteria outbreak

August 24, 2007 By

Marathon County is responding to an outbreak of cryptosporidium. Eight people have come down with the disease since early August.

Health officer Julie Willems Van Dijk says symptoms include watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Other symptoms include fever, headache and loss of appetite.

One source of the disease may be a contaminated pool at the Rothschild-Schofield aquatic center. Environmental health and safety director Dale Grosskurth says the pool was properly treated, but cryptosporidium is chlorine-resistant.

Grosskurth says the disease is spread through fecal matter. He says proper hand washing can stop its spread though there are other prevention techniques.

Municipal leaders closed the pool Wednesday to begin the cleaning and disinfecting process. The pool had been scheduled to close today for the season anyway. 

AUDIO: Matt Lehman WSAU ( :44 MP3 )

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Legislation helps abuse victims escape

August 24, 2007 By

Some domestic abuse victims face a problem if they live with their attacker in a rental property, since they may have to wait for their lease to end to move out. A proposal from State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) could soon change that though, by allowing victims to end a lease or rental agreement early, if they can show they're in danger of physical harm by remaining there.

The Abbotsford Republican says too many victims remain in dangerous living situations, simply because they can't afford the financial penalties that can come with ending a lease early. He says nobody should become a victim again because they can't afford to get away.

Evidence of violence will have to be shown to break a lease, such as a court injunction or proof of a filed criminal complaint. 

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:05)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Watchdog: Fundraising delays budget

August 24, 2007 By

Another budget conference committee meeting. Another day with no progress toward a state budget.

Common Cause Wisconsin is a government watchdog group. What does it think of the current budget process?

Executive Director Jay Heck says it's ridiculous stubbornness on the part of the legislative leadership not to have a budget by now. He says Wisconsin is the laughing stock of the nation now that the legislature is the only one in the country not to pass a budget.

But Heck says lawmakers still have plenty of time to raise money for their next campaign. He says campaign fundraisers are scheduled all the time. In fact two committee members were scheduled to attend a fundraiser in the Dells just hours before Thursday's budget committee meeting.

The answer Heck says is to ban campaign fund raising while the budget is being debated. He says the process ends up being delayed while special interest groups jockey for position by donating money while the budget debate is going on. Heck says, ban fundraising and you're likely to see a budget passed before the statutory deadline of June 30 th .

And while the delay puts local governments and school districts in budget limbo, Heck says there are no penalties for state government if the budget is late.

Other states either dock lawmakers pay or the government shuts down until a budget is passed. Heck says it reminds him of the late 90s when Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen and Senate leader Chuck Chvala ran the budget process with one difference. There seems to be more fundraising going on now.

AUDIO: Jim Dick reports ( 1:24 MP3 )

Filed Under: Budget, Legislature, Politics & Government
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