The state budget is ready for the Governor’s signature and the head of Wisconsin’s largest teachers union paints a grim picture for K-12 under the plan. Mary Bell of WEAC says the two-year-budget amounts to an “attack on public education.” She says Wisconsinites are opposed to the massive funding cuts for K-12.
Zien denies causing Capitol disturbance
June 23, 2011 By
Former State Senator Dave Zien was involved in a ruckus at the state Capitol on Tuesday, but he says it was protestors causing the trouble.
Video shot in the Capitol Rotunda showed a circle of protestors singing, while the former Eau Claire Republican rolled his wheelchair among them, shouting “Walker for President.” At one point, Zien can be seen rolling his wheelchair over some belongings of the protestors but he claims the footage doesn’t show what really happened.
“The videotape you see starts where I’m rocking ahead and back trying to get [Read more...]
Lawmaker takes aim at illegal concealed carry
June 23, 2011 By
Now that the Legislature has approved a bill legalizing concealed carry in Wisconsin, a state lawmaker is looking to increase penalties for those who do it illegally.
During the debate over the bill, a central argument of supporters was that criminals don’t care if it’s legal, they’ll carry a hidden weapon anyway. However, State Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) says there are concerns that the current penalties for doing so are not enough. [Read more...]
Rotunda regulars are re-energized
June 22, 2011 By
Solidarity singers at Capitol Rotunda (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
The daily singalong at the Capitol is much bigger than usual today.
State Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) uses her lunch break to sing pro-union songs along with about 100 protesters, she says, now that the legislature passed the state budget and her schedule is a little less hectic.
Vinehout says it’s good to see everyone come together, giving each other inspiration. “Everybody needs a little encouragement and a little inspiration and I think people draw that from each other.” Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) was also briefly in the circle. [Read more...]
Recall challenges consolidated
June 22, 2011 By
A Dane County Judge has agreed to consolidate legal challenges filed in recall races targeting nine state senators. Both Democrats and Republicans filed the challenges in Dane County court after the Government Accountability Board certified recall petitions against them.
To help deal with the issue as quickly as a possible, a Dane County judge on Thursday combined all of them into a single case. The challenges are based on many of the same arguments made to the GAB on why the petitions should have been thrown out. [Read more...]
