The legislature’s budget committee has added a drug testing component to Wisconsin’s unemployment compensation program. Lose your job, fail a drug test and lose your benefits for a full year. The Joint Finance Committee also passed a provision that would require a one week waiting period before receiving unemployment benefits. It was all too much for Democratic state Senator Bob Jauch. “Honest to God, if I had a plastic bag I’d put it over my head. The fact of the matter is, the Republicans who vote for this should put a plastic bag over their heads,” said Jauch, calling the action “about as bad as it gets.” [Read more...]
Road construction takes a holiday break
May 27, 2011 By
Construction work will halt on Wisconsin highways today, as the Memorial Day weekend gets underway across much of the state.
DOT Chief Projects Services Engineer Don Greuel says crews are required to stop work at noon and can not resume until Tuesday morning. [Read more...]
A new advertising tool for businesses
May 27, 2011 By
Wisconsin retailers can offer a new incentive, under a bill signed in to law by Governor Walker earlier this week. The measure allows them to advertise that they’ll pay the state sales tax for you, if you make a purchase from them.
State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) was the author of the bill. He says the old rules prohibiting the practice just didn’t make sense, because the businesses are still collecting the taxes. [Read more...]
JFC passes a bill that pays the bills
May 26, 2011 By
Lawmakers unanimously pass the latest budget adjustment bill. “We are paying our bills with this bill,” says Robin Vos (R-Rochester), Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee.
The legislative budget writing panel unanimously approves a bill (AB 148) that pays back $235 million ($200 mil plus $35 mil interest) to the Patients Compensation Fund that was illegally raided in 2007. Republican Vos explains. “The Patients Compensation Fund … I didn’t vote to steal that money. I think that was done by the Democrat majority, and we are now paying back with interest … that bill landed on our laps because of an action of a previous governor.” [Read more...]
Premature discharge aborts alleged plot
May 26, 2011 By
A 64 year-old Marshfield man faces federal charges after traveling to Madison, allegedly with the goal of killing abortion providers. Ralph Lang’s plans came to nothing on Wednesday. Madison police arrested him for reckless endagnerment after his handgun discharged in a Madison hotel room. The bullet traveled through the door of Lang’s room and into the room across the hall. Lang told the responding officers of his plans. He’ll be in federal court in Madison on Friday, on a charge of attempting to injure, intimidate, and interfere with persons providing reproductive health services.
