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Barrett, Doyle make pitch for MPS takeover

August 31, 2009 By

Milwaukee’s mayor says it’s time for a takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools by the mayor’s office. Mayor Tom Barrett says the failure of MPS is borne out by the numbers for tenth grade reading and math attainment in the state’s largest school district. “We have to be honest with ourselves and say ‘look at those figures, we are not meeting the expectations we as adults should have for our children,” Barrett said.

“So what do I want to do? Why do I want to have mayoral reform in this community? I want to have mayoral reform first and foremost because I want to close the racial achievement gap,” Barrett said during a press conference on the UW-Milwaukee campus. That gap, said Barrett, is the largest in the nation, “worse than Mississippi, worse than Louisiana.”

Barrett insisted a mayoral takeover of MPS isn’t about taking away democracy, but about increasing accountability. “And I believe the mayor, whether it’s Tom Barrett or anybody else, is the local official who is MOST accountable to the people in this community.”

Governor Jim Doyle conceded “significant problems” will confront whoever governs MPS, but “the current structure is not getting us where we want to go,” said the governor, who recently announced that he’s not seeking a third term in office. “I’m not going to have any power in a year and a half from now, and I don’t know who the mayors will be in future years in Milwaukee,” Doyle said. “But I do believe that it is best for the people of Milwaukee to know that he mayor is in charge of those schools.”

MPS has more than 87,000 students and 6,000 teachers, making it larger than the Madison, Racine and Green Bay districts combined. Barrett said many of those teachers are dedicated, and the district has numerous excellent schools, but that he “doesn’t know anybody who thinks the status quo is acceptable.”

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:55 MP3)

Filed Under: Education, Politics & Government

Packers release three to get to 75-player limit

August 31, 2009 By

The Green Bay Packers released punter Durant Brooks, WR JaRon Harris and LB Stryker Sulak today.  The three cuts, along with two roster moves last week, bring the team to the mandated limit of 75 players by tomorrow.

Brooks joined the team in 2008 and finished the season on the Packers’ practice squad.  Harris and Sulak both joined the team this summer as non-drafted free agents.

Filed Under: Sports, Titletown Report Tagged With:

Mercury union tries second vote

August 31, 2009 By

Mercury Marine may have termed a union vote on proposed contract changes invalid, but union workers continue to vote today on that proposal. Voting began late Saturday night and although the proposed deadline passed at midnight Machinists Local 1947 members are continuing to vote. Re-vote organizers they are maintaining hope that something still can be done to keep manufacturing jobs in Fond du Lac.

“We’re down here praying a lot of people come and vote,” says organizer Fred Toth.

Toth and others were at the union hall Sunday afternoon calling other workers to urge them to vote. He says the second vote should have been held much earlier last week, but they were led to believe by the union’s district office that union bylaws wouldn’t allow it, something that wasn’t true.

AUDIO: Toth on union policies (MP3 :15)

Union members voted against proposed contract changes during the first vote on August 23rd.

Company spokesman Steve Fleming says the union had all of last week to re-consider its earlier rejection of the concessions and the union should not have waited until two hours before its deadline to start the vote. Fleming says they will begin developing a plan for consolidation manufacturing jobs to Stillwater, Oklahoma. He says it will take some time now to make a decision about plans for Mercury’s corporate headquarters.

Bob Nelson-KFIZ contributed to this report

Filed Under: Business, Economy

Payday lenders rally against rate cap

August 31, 2009 By

Payday lenders say a proposed rate cap would put them out of business in Wisconsin.

Legislation at the Capitol would cap interest rates on short-term borrowing at 36-percent. Jamie Fulmer with Advance America, a payday lending company, says that would make it impossible for them to stay open. He says it would only allow them to charge about $1.38 for every $100 borrowed on a two week loan. Currently, he says most lenders charge about $20 for that service, which helps them cover their overhead and remain profitable.

Supporters of the bill say the cap is needed to keep customers from getting locked into a cycle of debt, where they have to keep borrowing money to pay off the growing interest. Fulmer says those circumstances are very rare and the overwhelming majority of their customers borrow responsibly.

Fulmer says payday lenders are transparent with the terms of their loans and work to make sure borrowers understand what they’re getting when they receive an advance. He says most see the loans as a way to avoid paying overdraft fees and deal with the aftermath of writing a bad check.

Fulmer says the proposed cap is nothing more than an effort to shut down the industry.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:09)

Filed Under: Legislature

DNR Secretary bill picks up support

August 31, 2009 By

A proposal to strip the governor of his power to appoint the DNR Secretary gains some key support.

Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) says it’s an important issue that deserves action from lawmakers. He says he plans to bring the bill to the floor this legislative session.

The legislation would take away the governor’s ability to appoint the DNR Secretary, returning it to the Natural Resources Board. Supporters say the move is needed to keep politics from influencing natural resources policies in the state.

Governor Doyle has indicated he will veto the bill if it passes. However, Sheridan says there are at least 68 co-sponsors of the measure so far, making it possible for the bill to pass with a veto proof majority.

One factor that could help the chances of the bill passing is Governor Doyle’s decision not to seek re-election, which could keep some lawmakers from siding with him and opposing the measure.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 :59)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:
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