Government
HEALTH CARE: STEPS TO THE FUTURE
An older man contacted me recently with a problem. A visit to the doctor left him with thousands in unpaid bills. Medicare deemed the tests “routine” and not a “medical necessity.” But the gentleman was told, for his occupation, the tests were absolutely necessary.
He was left with a medical bill costing more than his 2017 income.
The top-notch staff at the Department of Health Services (DHS), discovered the man was likely eligible for Medicaid. But the man wasn’t interested.
The constituent relations department within DHS has been a godsend over the ...
FIREFIGHTERS EARNED AND DESERVE THEIR PENSIONS
By Steve Wilding, Fire Fighter, Oak Creek Local 1848
Every day, firefighters like me put our lives on the line for communities across the state. Whatever time of the day it is, when the bell rings in the firehouse, we take the call. We strap up, hop on our trucks, and race to the car accident, house or office building fire. We do it without question, knowing the risks or dangers that may lie ahead. We work hard and long hours and our bodies deteriorate quickly due to long-term stress, but we know that we can retire with dignity thanks to our defined benefit pension.
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LIBRARIANS DESERVE RETIREMENT SECURITY
I was a librarian for a total of 30 years in Wisconsin and spent the last 23 years working in La Crosse schools. Becoming a librarian was definitely a calling. I enjoyed teaching others to read and appreciate literature, the challenge of research and teaching children to do it, and mastering and teaching the new technologies as they came along. Not everything is easy in this profession. Each day presented a new set of challenges, but when working with children, there is never a dull moment. Librarians often take home low pay, but have the promise of a guaranteed secure ...
Wausau Fair Maps Town Hall
On June 21st, the Citizen Action of WI North Central Organizing Co-op hosted Sachin Chheda with the WI Fair Elections Project. He brought Wendy Sue Johnson, a plaintiff in Whitford vs. Gill. They were joined by Hans Breitrnmoser, a Lincoln County Board Supervisor and North Central Organizing Co-op member who recently worked to pass a County resolution asking for non-partisan redistricting. Since that time, 18 other counties have passed similar resolution (Wood County started with the first resolution in 2014...all others came after Lincoln County).
Most recently, Katie ...
Constitutional Roulette
The far right efforts to re-write the U.S. Constitution moved closer to happening this week. The Wisconsin Assembly passed several resolutions calling for a national constitutional convention. This highly risky proposal is unnecessary. It is a dangerous gamble with our democracy and current political system. And it is a con job designed to achieve an objective very different than claimed by its supporters.
Article V of the U.S. Constitution allows a convention for proposing amendments if two-thirds of the states (34) call for one. Amendments and other changes must be ...
Eating Our Seed Corn
“Science has always been at the heart of America’s progress. Science cleaned up our air and water, conquered polio and invented jet airplanes. Science gave us the Internet, puts food on our tables and helps us avoid pandemics. Science and technology are widely considered by economists to be responsible for at least half of American economic growth since World War II. Defunding science is the intellectual equivalent of eating our seed corn.” Denis Hayes, LA Times editorial.
Knowledge based, rational public policies are good for everyone. It is good for the ...
EDUCATION BILLS IN THE STATE BUDGET
Education bills will probably come up before the Joint Finance Committee by the end of May. Once the budget bill passes through the Joint Finance Committee, it goes to the Assembly and then the Senate for floor debates and votes.
Then it goes to the Governor who has veto power but cannot make additions at that point. The governor has suggested he will fund transportation needs from the general purpose revenues, the same source that funds school aid. Assembly leaders have introduced a tax/transportation funding plan that could diminish funds for public schools.
AB 267 ...
PROTECT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
The Constitution needs your help. A Wisconsin legislative committee will decide on Wednesday whether to advance an unproven method of amending the U.S. Constitution that could result in unintended consequences with the potential to threaten basic freedoms.
Use this tool to contact your state lawmakers and tell them the U.S. Constitution deserves to be protected in its current form.
The U.S. Constitution has served our nation well for more than 200 years. But now, a national movement is pushing states to approve a resolution that would open the door to drastic changes ...
Wisconsin Taxes 101
A favorite “wedge” issue of the conservatives is taxes. Everyone loves to hate taxes so it is easy to misrepresent the facts. Wisconsin is accused of being a “tax hell” with higher tax “burdens” than other states. Is this true? Of course this depends on what sources you cite and how you manipulate the numbers. Ultimately people will believe what they want to believe. This article provides some basic information on Wisconsin taxes from reputable sources to help better understand the issues.
What do Wisconsinites pay in state and local taxes?
Everyone pays ...
