Uppity Wisconsin

That's what the nuns used to call it back when we worried about exactly where the line was between venial and mortal sins.

And that's what the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance appears to have committed in a new report on fee increases by local governments.

The report covers cities and villages and highlights the City of Milwaukee, where the Democratic mayor is running for governor. But it fails to include -- an oversight no doubt -- coounty governments, even though the Republican Milwaukee County executive is also running for governor.

And did we mention that Scott Walker, who promised as a candidate not to raise fees, has more than doubled them since 2002?

One Wisconsin Now (OWN) has had enough of this group masquerading as a non-partisan public interest group, pushing a conservative, pro-corporate, Republican agenda while posing as a neutral source on tax policy.

OWN pointed out the gaping holes in the alliance's last report, and has started a new website WisTAXWatch to expose the group for what it really is.

The Journal Sentinel editorializes:

Citizens always complain that their taxes are too high. And they are.

That surprised me. My wife and I are citizens, have never complained that our taxes are too high. And they aren't.

So what's going on? I thought Paddy McIlheran wasn't writing editorials any more. Did I get that wrong?

This is the same editorial that says it's time to limit direct democracy by citizens, who have shown they can't be trusted and might vote for radical things like sick leave for workers, as Brewtown Gumshoe points out.

Oh, well, at least I read it for free. I'd be really upset if I paid for that drivel.

I warned against Pabst Farms back in February 2008. Another retail wonderland is the last thing Wisconsin needs to be publicly-funding at this - or for that matter, any other - time. Such subsidization merely realigns spending away from existing shopping destinations toward the newer, shinier destination. A colossal waste of public (and private) resources if there ever was one.

But wait a minute, things aren't going as planned.

I thought this was a slam-dunk economic development initiative?

One of those unstoppable catalysts that was necessary, creates jobs, and spurs further development.

So why can't the developers even sign tenants?

Maybe it has to do something with the duplicative, sprawling, inefficient, environmentally unsound, and bribery-laden path of our urban planning & economic development. Sites compete for capital, subsidizing businesses to locate in less

Is a state budget compromise close?

Here are some of the issues:

"Proposals to fix it include delaying a $125 million payment of state aid to schools, refinancing bonds from tobacco settlement payments and taking money from the state's transportation fund to be replaced with increased borrowing."

Want to contact your state legislative representative to communicate your concerns?

Don't know who your rep is? Find out!

Bill Would Curb Municipal Votes On Iraq War, Other Issues

Measure Passed Along Party Lines, 48-44

MADISON, Wis. -- Citizens could no longer force municipal votes on measures calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq or other issues under a measure approved by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday.

The plan would allow cities and villages to refuse to act on citizen initiatives that don't relate to local governmental functions.

Under current law, anyone who gathers enough signatures in support of a proposal can force city councils and village boards to either adopt it or put it to a vote.

Activists used this tactic to force votes on several symbolic anti-war initiatives in 2006 over the opposition of some community leaders.

The Assembly voted 48-44 along party lines to adopt the plan.

Before he leads his party too far down that path, Huebsch might want to touch bases with Newt Gingrich when he's in Wisconsin tomorrow.

Gingrich, you may recall, was the architect of the 1995 shutdown of the federal government, in a showdown with President Bill Clinton.

Gingrich and the GOP were emboldened by a sweep in the 1994 Congressional midterm elections which gave Republicans control.

But Gingrich and Co. overplayed their hand, and, while achieving some of their budget objectives, paid a huge political price for losing the public relations war. Gingrich left government not too long after that disaster.

And Gingrich arguably had a mandate at the time. Huebsch and Wisconsin Republicans, on the other hand, had their heads handed to them in November, losing control of the State Senate and suffering big losses in the Assembly, while Gov. Jim Doyle was re-elected handily.

This does not seem like the time to be making threats and forcing an impasse.

The bills before Congress affect our nation's budget - and yours.

Washingtonwatch.com tracks the bills in Congress, along with estimates about their costs or savings, when available.

This is a great site that gives you interesting information on new bills and what their financial impact will be on you, your family, and your friends. 

From the excellent (and far smarter than me) folks over at TPMCafe.com:

Ah yes, they're at it again. The congress is again trying to kill off public television and radio. Help Keep Big Bird and NOW! and Mystery and Nature and - well, 90% of the things I watch on television - and if you read this site, it's likely that it's 90% of what you watch as well.

Go to the MoveOn petition , sign it, pass it on to your friends. They have 1.4 million signers already - but the vote is currently scheduled for tomorrow so a few more can't hurt.