Column: Wisconsin Way Initiative collaborative project
We have a wonderful quality of life here in Wisconsin, but budget challenges at the state and local levels are making it difficult to maintain it. Public services, like great schools, parks, roads, fire and police protection, all need adequate funding. At the same time, an excessive tax burden -- particularly our high property taxes -- put pressure on affordable housing, businesses and job growth. The fact is, our quality of life is defined by adequate funding for public services and fair and affordable taxes to pay for them.
As we enter another campaign season, we will hear candidates discuss the need for striking the right balance between the twin necessities of good services and affordable taxes. However, this important discussion is often overshadowed by polarizing politics and oversimplified "solutions" intended to get votes rather than get results.
I don't believe we can rely on legislators alone to fix our problems. I believe we, the general public, need to enter this discussion directly and engage legislative candidates in a serious discussion about our future. We must ask the hard questions of candidates, offer our own ideas, and allow them to consider creative alternatives to how we raise and spend our tax dollars to ensure our quality of life in Wisconsin remains high forever.
A unique coalition consisting of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin Transportation Association, Wisconsin Counties Association and Wood Communications, has formed the "Wisconsin Way" project in hopes of providing this direction. This coalition is holding public hearings across Wisconsin to get your input for solutions, and they plan on sharing what you say with lawmakers this election season and beyond.
The Wisconsin Way initiative has been gaining momentum over the last year as over 5,000 attendees have offered their input at nearly 20 public hearings. These initial hearings produced many concerns and ideas, which have been cataloged and reviewed by policy experts to produce some innovative ideas on improving Wisconsin's systems for providing public services, and how we pay for them.
The Wisconsin Way is continuing their public hearings over the next several weeks and we're looking for your input. On July 23rd, central Wisconsin residents will have an opportunity to join this unique discussion by attending a Wisconsin Way public hearing in Wausau. The forum will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Stoney Creek Inn, 1100 Imperial Avenue, Rothschild.
As the head of the Wisconsin REALTORS Association, a founding partner of the Wisconsin Way project, I invite you to join this important conversation and attend the Wausau hearing on July 23. A small investment of personal time now may help us create a better future for your children and grandchildren. Come share your ideas, listen to others, and be a part of creating Wisconsin's future. Please join me in attending this event, and ask your neighbors to come too!
You can also learn more about the Wisconsin Way at www.wisconsinway.org.
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This article on health care from the Superior Daily Telegram...
Voters’ get choice on health care
Shelley Nelson The Daily Telegram - 07/18/2008
Douglas County voters can register their opinion on health care reform at the polls.
The Douglas County Board became the first northern Wisconsin county to adopt the advisory referendum question to place on the ballot for November.
It gives voters the opportunity to tell their legislators they want health care benefits at least as good as the one’s they buy with their tax dollars — those the state legislature and other Wisconsin officials receive.
The board voted in favor of putting the question to the voters: “Shall the next state legislature enact health care reform legislation by Dec. 31, 2009, that guarantees every Wisconsin resident affordable health care as good as what is provided to state legislators and state officials?”
A “yes” vote would advise the legislature that Wisconsinites want health care reform.
Supervisor Karen Livingston, who worked in the health care, admitted having reservations about the wording of the question because of the complexities of issues involved.
“I would like it to say it would provide ‘access’ to affordable health care for every resident,” Prettie said. “I pay $550 a month. I’ve talked to families paying $1,500, $1,600 a month. I don’t make that kind of money. When you talk every year increasing, increasing, increasing, you’re going to have to do something.”
She said there are some who can’t get insurance, such as single people who have no children, but earn slightly more than limits allow for programs like BadgerCare.
“How are we going to pay for it?” Supervisor John Robinson asked. “We’re in a budget crunch everywhere from the state to the county. How are we going to pay for it? Where is the money going to come from?”
The referendum is strictly advisory. It gives voters the opportunity to log their opinion with the state without directing legislators to come up with a plan.
“It lets the people at least voice their opinion,” Board Chairman Doug Finn said.
“I support this resolution,” said Supervisor Mark Liebaert. “For years the Farmer’s Union has been trying to get the state of Wisconsin to give access their health care policies … We have suggested they allow the farmers to buy the policy the state supplies to legislators and their employees. We can’t even get them to do that.”
He said the biggest problem is people trying to make a living on their own can’t get a quality insurance product for a reasonable cost.
“There are 130-some people elected in the house in the state down in Madison who make a pretty good wage, get a pretty good health care plan and retirement plan,” said Steve Carlson of Trego, who proposed the idea to the county’s executive committee in late June. “I don’t think it’s too much to put an advisory referendum question to the voters to put some pressure on the folks down in Madison to try to figure it out. … We pay an awful lot of money for the group of people we elect to sort these things out. And, I think the voters should have the opportunity to kind of give them a nudge to do that.”
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Then, also this from the Superior Daily Telegram...
EDITORIAL:
Barrel controversy demonstrates why people no longer trust government.
The Daily Telegram - 07/19/2008
Elsewhere on this page today you will find an opinion about the mysterious barrels dumped into Lake Superior decades ago. There has been a long time dispute regarding their contents. Honeywell has confirmed military armaments were among the disposed items. At issue is whether or not hazardous or radioactive waste also is present.
A few barrels were raised nearly 20 years ago and nothing dangerous was found. Minnesota regulators believe they have done their job and the matter should be dropped. We disagree.
The 1,500 barrels hidden beneath the surface represent waste that no common resident would be allowed to discard in such a cavalier manner. Pity the individual who foolishly allows their pickup truck or snowmobile to fall through Lake Superior’s ice. State and federal regulators would immediately be on the scene dictating expensive removal instructions and writing costly citations.
And that’s the way it should be. Everyone must take care to ensure Lake Superior’s water remain pristine.
So why don’t those rules apply to Honeywell, which manufactured the material, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which dumped it?
Clearly, there is an uneven and unfair enforcement of the law. Only one thing remains unclear: Whether the manufacturer and government are engaged in a coverup or just don’t want to fund a cleanup.
This represents one more example of why people have lost faith and interest in government: Individuals are held accountable for their actions, but public agencies are exempt from their own rules. This type of hypocrisy has torn the heart and soul from a great country.
A coalition of groups will march on Sunday to protest inaction on the barrel issue. Hopefully, they will stimulate public pressure to remove and examine all of the suspicious barrels.
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