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Senate Democrats announce jobs bill

November 9, 2009 By

Democrats in the Wisconsin state Senate have unveiled jobs legislation. The package, dubbed the Wisconsin C.O.R.E. Jobs Act, expands current tax credits and grant programs offered through the Department of Commerce, and adds initiatives to spur business development and retention, along with worker training. “We want to make sure that our existing businesses are going to expand, and thrive,” said State Senator Julie Lassa of Stevens Point.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:55 MP3)

In addition, Lassa said the bill seeks to provide support for entrepreneurs and new business owners, as well as worker training. “We cover the gamut from creating new jobs and businesses, to retaining and building existing businesses, and . . . educating and training our work force,” said Lassa, adding that the package calls for an investment of $15 million in general purpose revenue and funding from existing programs. While the legislation is an initiative from Democrats, Lassa expects “good buy-in” from Republicans in both chambers of the legislature.

Filed Under: Business, Legislature

Governor signs education bills

November 9, 2009 By

Governor Jim DoyleLegislation aimed at improving Wisconsin’s chances of claiming federal funding is now law.

Governor Jim Doyle on Monday signed four bills during a ceremony at Madison’s J.C. Wright Middle School, the same location where President Obama discussed education reform just last week. Doyle says the provisions are necessary for the state to compete for the “Race to the Top” program, which is making over $4 billion available for education. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education

Kohl is richest U.S. Senator

November 9, 2009 By

Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl is among the wealthiest members of the U.S. Congress. The Center for Responsive Politics reports that while it is difficult to gauge what a lawmaker is worth based on what they file because the disclosure forms do not require exact values, they calculate that the Milwaukee Bucks owner has a net worth of around $215 million.

While that makes Democrat Kohl the richest member of the U.S. Senate, he’s not the richest member of Congress: two House members from California, Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Jane Harman, are worth more. With an estimated net worth of approximately $83,000, Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold is sixth from the bottom in the U.S. Senate. The new report by also says there are 237 millionaires serving in the House and Senate, or forty four percent of all lawmakers in Washington.

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Doyle wants more education reforms

November 9, 2009 By

Governor Jim Doyle is signing a package of education reforms into law today, at the same Madison middle school where President Barack Obama delivered a speech on education last week. But the governor has more education reforms he wants to accomplish.

There are two additional reforms Doyle wants to see happen: mayoral governance of the Milwaukee Public Schools, and giving the state’s DPI secretary the authority to impose curriculum and personnel changes on failing schools. Doyle says the former, and perhaps the latter, may need to be taken up during a special session of the Wisconsin legislature. “Certainly on the Milwaukee schools it looks like we will have a special session,” said Doyle. “I want work together with the legislative leadership.”

AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (:19 MP3)

“The Milwaukee legislators are going to have a big say in this,” said state Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker. “I don’t think we ought to be just walking down there and saying ‘this is the way we’re going to do this’ from Madison.” Not every Milwaukee member of the legislature is convinced of the need for mayoral control, and Decker said he wants a legislative committee to hold a public hearing in Milwaukee on MPS governance and other public hearings, on the as yet undrafted, bill to increase the DPI secretary’s powers.

AUDIO: Senator Russ Decker (:17 MP3)

The reforms Doyle signs today at J.C. Wright Middle School were passed by the legislature during the last day of the fall session last week, and are seen by him as key to Wisconsin’s application for federal stimulus funding under the Race to the Top program.

Filed Under: Education, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Veto likely for DNR secretary bill

November 9, 2009 By

The legislature has approved a bill which would strip the power to appoint the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources from future governors, and hand it over to the Natural Resources Board. George Meyer, Executive Director of Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, has long advocated for the change. He has no qualms with a last minute provision that requires the state Senate to confirm the selection. “Anyone that serves the position of secretary of the DNR is going to need the strong support of the legislature in carrying out their policies and getting their budgets financed,” said Meyer.

Proponents of having the seven member board appoint the secretary claim it would remove politics from the agency. Doyle, who for a long time was on record as supporting the policy change, began to have a change of heart at about the time it became clear that the bill actually had a good chance of passing both houses of the legislature – and ending up on his desk. “I strongly have come to believe that you have a much stronger environmental agenda and policy, if the governor and the DNR are together,” said Doyle. “If you’ve split them off, I think it really harms a strong environmental agenda.”

AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (:15 MP3)  

“We’re hoping . . . he will remember all the commitments he made to the sportsmen and women of the state over the last fourteen years, and carry forward with his strong past commitment for this bill,” said Meyer. But Doyle is signaling his intention to veto the measure. “Everybody knows how I feel about that bill,” the governor said. “I guess I’m just not ready to announce it, but it shouldn’t come as any surprise to anybody.”

WRN’s Brian Moon contributed to this report

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Politics & Government
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