Governor Walker, you keep changing the rules as you go along. You have REFUSED to negotiate anything with the public employees, yet they, taxpayers as well, see the tough times and granted your financial demands you communicated through the media.
Now, you are telling local units of government, that they should "take more" in health insurance premium costs and other benefits to makeup for your huge "budget cuts" to their local units of government? This is absurd.
You have also forgotten that these same local units of government collect a large amount of your revenue in the form of taxes and send it to you and expect to have the state send back a "fairshare" to local units of government in the form of "shared revenue". You are having them "rob Peter" so you can "pay Paul (Large Corporations in the form of tax breaks and tax cuts for the wealthiest 1-2% of income earners in our state)".
Many media outlets and fact-checking organizations have already proven you to be a "LIAR", now I see you as a "THIEF" as well. Not only do you lie and steal, but you shirk responsibility for our state's economy by shifting all the heavy lifting to the local units of government. They are the ones that you are forcing to make huge cuts in services and education while you seem to step away. Shame on you Scott Walker!
Here is a good news article related to what you are doing;
Walker: Unions can give even more to help budget
By Kathleen Foody • For the Marshfield News-Herald • March 3, 2011
WAUSAU -- Gov. Scott Walker had a suggestion for local officials who argue the governor's proposed changes to collective bargaining won't offset state budget cuts: Require even larger employee contributions toward health insurance than he initially proposed.
Walker stopped at Wausau Flying Service on Wednesday while on a statewide tour to promote his budget proposal and again pressure the state's 14 Senate Democrats to return to Madison.
In his budget address Tuesday, Walker said requiring increased contributions toward health care and pensions from public-employee unions would balance his cuts to school districts and local governments.
But several local officials said they feared any savings they realized from Walker's proposal would be insufficient in offsetting the deep cuts he has proposed to local governments -- $96 million to counties and municipalities and $900 million to schools.
Walker said Wednesday local leaders were free to seek more concessions from unions than what he had proposed.
"If a city, a town, a village, a school district had a great need in terms of some other variances (in state aid) ... they have the flexibility to ask for slightly more than that, if it's appropriate," Walker said.
The budget also includes removal of state mandates on recycling and other environmental testing, which Walker said would create more flexibility for local officials.
"We take not all, but the vast majority of (mandates) off the table," Walker said. "Now they can choose to continue to do those, and if they do so they're going to have to continue to figure out how to fund those."
But the potential savings Walker touted this week hinge on passage of his budget repair bill, which removes most collective bargaining rights for public employees and the Senate Democrats' return to Madison.
Attention remained on the Democrats Wednesday as reports that several senators were negotiating a return to Madison with Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald circulated.
Walker said he "empowered" Fitzgerald to communicate with the Democrats, even as he reiterated that he won't negotiate on eliminating collective bargaining.
"We're willing to figure out other things that might provide some comfort for those state senators to come back," Walker said. "We're just not going to sell out local governments along the way."
Walker also said the Democrats should consider how their communities will be represented as lawmakers begin discussing the governor's budget proposal and forming their own.
Six protesters gathered next to Wausau Flying Service, chanting "What's disgusting? Union busting!" as Walker boarded a plane after speaking with reporters.
Angela Wenninger, a 29-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison student with the group, said she's frustrated with Walker's approach in the past few weeks.
"Yes, the budget is a real problem, but to just target the middle class is unfair," she said.
###
Posted by Steven Williams
Political Education Legislative Coordinator
AFSCME Council 24 AFL-CIO
Now, you are telling local units of government, that they should "take more" in health insurance premium costs and other benefits to makeup for your huge "budget cuts" to their local units of government? This is absurd.
You have also forgotten that these same local units of government collect a large amount of your revenue in the form of taxes and send it to you and expect to have the state send back a "fairshare" to local units of government in the form of "shared revenue". You are having them "rob Peter" so you can "pay Paul (Large Corporations in the form of tax breaks and tax cuts for the wealthiest 1-2% of income earners in our state)".
Many media outlets and fact-checking organizations have already proven you to be a "LIAR", now I see you as a "THIEF" as well. Not only do you lie and steal, but you shirk responsibility for our state's economy by shifting all the heavy lifting to the local units of government. They are the ones that you are forcing to make huge cuts in services and education while you seem to step away. Shame on you Scott Walker!
Here is a good news article related to what you are doing;
Walker: Unions can give even more to help budget
By Kathleen Foody • For the Marshfield News-Herald • March 3, 2011
WAUSAU -- Gov. Scott Walker had a suggestion for local officials who argue the governor's proposed changes to collective bargaining won't offset state budget cuts: Require even larger employee contributions toward health insurance than he initially proposed.
Walker stopped at Wausau Flying Service on Wednesday while on a statewide tour to promote his budget proposal and again pressure the state's 14 Senate Democrats to return to Madison.
In his budget address Tuesday, Walker said requiring increased contributions toward health care and pensions from public-employee unions would balance his cuts to school districts and local governments.
But several local officials said they feared any savings they realized from Walker's proposal would be insufficient in offsetting the deep cuts he has proposed to local governments -- $96 million to counties and municipalities and $900 million to schools.
Walker said Wednesday local leaders were free to seek more concessions from unions than what he had proposed.
"If a city, a town, a village, a school district had a great need in terms of some other variances (in state aid) ... they have the flexibility to ask for slightly more than that, if it's appropriate," Walker said.
The budget also includes removal of state mandates on recycling and other environmental testing, which Walker said would create more flexibility for local officials.
"We take not all, but the vast majority of (mandates) off the table," Walker said. "Now they can choose to continue to do those, and if they do so they're going to have to continue to figure out how to fund those."
But the potential savings Walker touted this week hinge on passage of his budget repair bill, which removes most collective bargaining rights for public employees and the Senate Democrats' return to Madison.
Attention remained on the Democrats Wednesday as reports that several senators were negotiating a return to Madison with Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald circulated.
Walker said he "empowered" Fitzgerald to communicate with the Democrats, even as he reiterated that he won't negotiate on eliminating collective bargaining.
"We're willing to figure out other things that might provide some comfort for those state senators to come back," Walker said. "We're just not going to sell out local governments along the way."
Walker also said the Democrats should consider how their communities will be represented as lawmakers begin discussing the governor's budget proposal and forming their own.
Six protesters gathered next to Wausau Flying Service, chanting "What's disgusting? Union busting!" as Walker boarded a plane after speaking with reporters.
Angela Wenninger, a 29-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison student with the group, said she's frustrated with Walker's approach in the past few weeks.
"Yes, the budget is a real problem, but to just target the middle class is unfair," she said.
###
Posted by Steven Williams
Political Education Legislative Coordinator
AFSCME Council 24 AFL-CIO
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