Representative Robin Vos (R-Rochester) blames the “slower than anticipated” national recovery from the Great Recession. “It’s not a surprise when we look at what’s happening all around the country. Wisconsin is one of 29 states that show that the slowdown in the national economy is having an impact on our state budget.”

The Fiscal Bureau says the downward fiscal outlook is mostly due to a $273 million drop in projected tax revenues. The new estimate could trigger the need for a budget repair bill, but Vos, who’s on the legislative budget writing committee, disagrees. He says Wisconsin will end the first year of the two-year budget with a surplus. It’s the second year that will have to be reevaluated. “Hopefully we will not have to make cuts, but if the choice is between raising taxes and cutting, you know, the bureaucracy, we’ll of course choose to cut the bureaucracy in a way that doesn’t impact the public.”

The administration is also looking at debt refinancing, restructuring, and tapping into the budget stabilization fund — or the “rainy day” fund.

Governor Scott Walker remains optimistic. In a statement, he says when compared to other states “Wisconsin is headed in the right direction” and his administration “will continue to manage the Wisconsin taxpayer’s money well.”

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate released a statement saying, “Wisconsin’s budget condition has deteriorated to the point that emergency action may be required,” he says, “Today’s news is one more reason why the people will recall and replace Scott Walker.”

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) released a statement saying, “The evidence is clear – Gov. Walker’s economic plan is not working … When people are not working and not spending because of Republican priorities, the state is going to see a drop in revenues.”

Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine) is the ranking Assembly Democratic member of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance. In a statement, he says, “This projected shortfall does not even include the more than $140 million deficit in Wisconsin’s Medical Assistance program, or the yet-to-be approved $174 million in cuts required by Walker’s biennial budget.”

In a joint statement with Vos, Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) says Wisconsin is suffering from the Great Recession like many other states: “According to the National Conference on State Legislatures, 29 states projected an estimated $31.9 billion budget gaps for fiscal year 2013. In addition, nine states currently project budget gaps in FY 2014, totaling $16 billion.”

Kathleen Vinehout in Capitol rotunda during a daily singalong. (FILE PHOTO)

Another Democrat announces her candidacy for governor, if there are enough valid signatures to trigger a recall election against Governor Scott Walker. Democratic state Senator Kathleen Vinehout of Alma joins former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk in a likely Democratic primary.

Vinehout says her experience outside of government is significant. “I most recently was a dairy farmer in western Wisconsin; before that I was a university professor; I worked at a number of different jobs; I’ve got a background in agriculture, which is, of course, one of the largest industries in the state; and my professional experience has also been in healthcare and education, which are two of the largest parts of state budget.”

Vinehout says she decided to run after getting support from people across the state, noting there is an unprecedented interest in politics these days. The 53-year-old Vinehout was first elected in 2006. She says her relatively short time in office makes her a good choice for governor, because she’s not set in her ways. “I’ve been sort of around the Senate long enough to figure out the ropes but I haven’t been around the Senate so long that I’m not able to question the conventional wisdom and the way things are done and to look at a new way of doing things.”

As for funding, she’ll figure it out. “You know, I don’t mind being the candidate running on a shoestring. Dollars might buy television ads, but dollars don’t buy people’s votes.”

Vinehout is one of the 14 Democratic senators who fled to Illinois for three weeks last year to block a vote on Walker’s collective bargaining bill.

Other Democrats are also considering a run for governor if the Government Accountability Board calls for a recall election, but Falk and Vinehout are the only announced candidates. Janesville Senator Tim Cullen decided against running a campaign, he said, due to lack of funds. WEAC, Wisconsin’s largest teacher’s union, has recommended Kathleen Falk for governor.

Recall Walker organizers say they have submitted more than 1 million signatures to the GAB. Just over 540,000 valid signatures are needed to trigger a recall election against Governor Scott Walker. Petitions are in the process of being verified.

Republican Party of Wisconsin Communication Director Ben Sparks released a statement: “Kathleen Vinehout is nothing more than a cheerleader for the failed policies of the Doyle administration that led to three straight years of job loss, and buried our state beneath a massive $3.6 billion budget deficit.”

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:44

Rick Schuh, WHBY

AUDIO: Christine Neumann-Ortiz (3:10)

Attorneys for Voces de la Frontera discovered that employees of Republican legislative leaders, working under the direction of an attorney paid for by taxpayers met secretly with Republican lawmakers, and that those lawmakers signed agreements to the effect that they would “ignore public comments” during last year’s redistricting work. “What is clear is that the attorney-client privilege was misused,” says Peter Earle, attorney for Voces de la Frontera. “The convener of each of the meetings across the street at the private law firm was the attorney in charge, representing the legislature. This is not just any old law. This is the law that sets in place the plan for democracy for the next ten years.”

AUDIO: Peter Earle (4:30)

Earle calls the secrecy agreements, signed by 58 Assembly Republicans and 17 GOP Senators, an “egregious violation of the public trust.” But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald thinks the meetings, and the secrecy agreements, have been mischaracterized: “just like anybody would be familiar with, an attorney-client privilege, and no one anticipated that it would be pierced by this judge at the federal level.” The confidentiality agreements with 75 GOP lawmakers were among documents turned over by an attorney with the firm of Michael Best & Friedrich in response to a federal court order. Fitzgerald says, with a federal lawsuit already pending, the secrecy agreements were needed to reinforce that the GOP lawmakers were not comment publicly. “It’s not something that we were trying to get secrecy in. The attorneys thought it was necessary.” The office of Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says he has no comment.

AUDIO: Senator Scott Fitzgerald (3:00)

Neumann-Ortiz says the GOP legislative leadership “willfully and intentionally shut out any public opinion in the legislative process.” The group is asking for two things in its filing with the Dane County DA: that act 43 be thrown out and that a new, transparent and impartial redistricting process be conducted, and that investigations be conducted into any lawmakers who signed the secrecy agreements.

Former Village President Allan Acker, after the meeting, told the horde of reporters the process has to play itself out, but this certainly has cast a shadow on the community.

AUDIO: Acker on negative attention the village is receiving (:24)

Jansen’s bond with a formal charge of Stalking was set at $1,000. The criminal complaint alleged he just couldn’t give up the fact his ex-girlfriend wanted nothing more to do with him.

Tom Karkow-WRJN

“This decision was absolutely historic for gay and lesbian couples in California and it really sends a message that it is not the right path for voters to decide the fate for caring and committed couples,” says Katie Belanger, executive director of Fair Wisconsin.

The ban known as Proposition 8 was approved by California voters in 2008.

The case is now likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and justices there could rule on all gay marriage bans in the country.

Belanger says her group is trying to convince lawmakers to repeal Wisconsin’s gay marriage ban, instead of going through the courts. Repealing the Badger State’s gay marriage ban would also require voters to approve a statewide referendum.

Rick Schuh-WHBY

Former Senators Ted Kanavas and Chuck Chvala (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)

He wouldn’t say much about the ongoing John Doe investigation in Milwaukee County, but former Democratic Senator Chuck Chvala (1985-2005), speaking from experience, says Governor Scott Walker is smart to cooperate. “I think that, you know, those are always difficult things and I think it’s smart for him to go and talk with the prosecutor. That’s the smart thing to do.”

Seven people have been charged in connection with the FBI probe. Chvala says unless Walker is indicted for his actions while he was County Executive, a recall election will be decided on his divisive record. The former Majority Leader predicts Democrats will take the Senate and the governorship, and he stresses it’s not just about collective bargaining. “When there were all the restrictions around the Capitol I was talking to Republican State Senators … they were like deer frozen in the headlights. They did not want to go down this road; they were dragged down this road.”

Chvala says Walker’s downfall will be the result of his unwillingness to compromise with the other side. “Moderation is not a bad thing. By the way, I think if Scott Walker loses this recall, that will be the reason — it’s because there is no balance in what’s going on. We have to have balance. The state swings one way or it swings the other, but there are usually things that keep us centered and right now we are way off to the right and that’s not the place to be.”

Former Republican Senator Ted Kanavas (2001-2011) didn’t want to say much about the John Doe investigation, because “it’s hard to comment on conjecture,” but regarding politics, he says most lawmakers are good people, but not everyone has the “courage of their convictions” to do the right thing. “I would argue the last year and a half people have been highly convicted and have done what they felt was right. They weren’t trying to screw anybody; they were trying to fix a problem that they thought was out of control.”

WRN caught up with the two former lawmakers after an appearance at the Wisconsin Counties Association Legislative Exchange in Madison. In October of 2002, Chvala had faced 20 felony charges involving corruption at the state Capitol, including extortion and misconduct. By December of 2005, he was sentenced to nine months in Dane County Jail and two years of probation. Chvala’s law license was reinstated in September, 2008.

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:43

Under the “Paying a Fair Share Act,” taxpayers earning more than $1 million would be required to pay a minimum federal tax rate of 30 percent. The Madison Democrat says anyone earning less than $1 million would not be affected by the measure. “People right now feel like the wealthiest Americans are gaming the system and there are two sets of rules.”

The measure would only affect the richest one-tenth of 1 percent of the population. This legislation would not affect the capital gains tax rate. It would also preserve the deduction for charitable giving. Baldwin says the legislation could generate between $40 billion and $50 billion a year.

Tommy Thompson, who, like Baldwin, is vying for Senator Herb Kohl’s Senate seat, issued a statement following her remarks. “Tammy Baldwin cannot hide behind Warren Buffett to mask her agenda to grow government with massive tax and spending increases. The American economy is fragile. We cannot afford massive tax increases.”

Baldwin says her legislation would help level the playing field between middle class taxpayers and millionaires and billionaires. It’s a companion to one introduced in the Senate by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) last week.

AUDIO: Walker Q&A (4:35) 

“There are literally thousands of e-mails that our campaign has handed over,” he says. The meeting is the “logical next step” Walker says, in the year-long John Doe investigation into whether Walker aides campaigned worked on his gubernatorial campaign while he was county executive. “For more than twenty months they’ve actually been in a process where they’ve looked at information regarding this issue. For more than a year our campaign has voluntarily provided information regarding this issue.

Walker says he had a “clear, defined, expressed policy” against aides doing campaign work on the public dime – and notes that former aide Darlene Wink resigned after it was revealed she violated that policy.

Paul Zimmerman, Executive Director of Governmental Relations for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, says there are many questions about wolf management. “With the wolf being delisted — and legislation and the DNR looking to implement how to manage the wolf population in the state — it’d be an excellent time for farmers … to talk to their legislators about what’s going on.”

Zimmerman says another highlight at the annual gathering is the never-ending election season. He says Joe Murray, Director of Governmental Relations for the Wisconsin Realtors Association, is an expert on the history of elections and campaigns in Wisconsin. He’ll give keynote presentation on the current election climate in the Badger State. “We have redistricting taking place this year, historic recall of the governor taking place, along with open U.S. Senate seat, and a presidential election taking place, so we just thought it would be really good information for farmers across the state to get.”

Other big issues for the $60 billion industry include food security, trade, and the U.S. farm bill. Also on the docket are legislative issues such as wetlands, air emissions, and livestock siting. Jeff Lyon, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, will also be a featured speaker.

One in ten jobs in Wisconsin is related to agriculture.

Ag Day at the Capitol is Wednesday, February 8th at the Monona Terrace.

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:42

State Republican Party spokesman Ben Sparks says Kathleen Falk, the Democrat’s only announced candidate thus far, has a “distinguished record” – and he doesn’t mean that as a compliment. “Falk is obviously the frontrunner here, and she has a distinguished career as a government lawyer, suing businesses,” he says. “And she’s repeatedly lost, multiple times, statewide.” State Senator Kathleen Vinehout is also apparently considering a recall run against the governor. “Voters still haven’t forgotten a year ago, when rather than getting to work balancing our budget, Vinehout was one of 14 Democratic state senators who abandoned their constituents for the sake of an Illinois vacation,” says Sparks.

If Sparks’ assessment of Falk’s frontrunner status is correct, are Democrats ready to rally behind the former Dane County Executive? “There are a lot of moving parts, and there are a lot of people whose voices are going to be heard in the process,” says Zielinski. “If it happens that Kathleen Falk ends up being the nominee, it will be because of the conversation, the open primary process.”

While Democrats point to the Walker campaign’s breathtaking success is raising money (Walker has brought in $12.1 million since the beginning of last year, with about $4.6 million of that raised during the most recent reporting period of December 11th to January 17th. Falk, by comparison, had just over $25,000 in the bank at the end of last year), the Republican’s Sparks hammers on the claim that the recall effort itself is largely union funded. “After this collective bargaining thing happened, they simply go a ton of union money and a ton of union support, and they went and began pushing what is essentially a baseless and completely partisan recall effort.”