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6/30/09 The 2009-10 budget is over and the taxpayers of WI once more are the losers. The most morally and fiscally irresponsible budget in the history of our state is now part of WI history. This budget was crafted mostly behind closed doors with little consideration for the public. The Joint Finance Committee in a 12 hour marathon voted 12-4 for passage of their version of the budget at 5:30 AM on Friday 5/29. Then on June 13, the Assembly in a marathon session, passed their version of the budget 50-48 at 5:19 AM. The Senate followed passing their version of the budget 17-16 at 8:56 PM on June 17. Since the Senate & Assembly passed a different version of the budget, a Conference Committee worked out a compromise between the versions. The Conference Committee Report passed the Senate at 12:33 AM June 26 on a vote of 17-15. The Assembly then passed it 51-46 at 6:57 PM the same day. Governor Doyle then made a number of vetoes to the bill and signed it into law June 29 as WI ACT 28. The Governor and any legislator who voted for this irresponsible budget in the Joint Finance Committee, the Assembly, the Senate, the Conference Committee, or the final vote on the Conference Committee Report in the Senate & the Assembly should not be returned to office in the next election cycle. A vote for any of these individuals is a vote for continued moral and fiscal irresponsibility. Doyle violated the law with one of his vetoes according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo.
5/11/09 Senator Kennedy introduced S 909 the senate version of the Hate Crimes Bill, which may be voted anytime. Now is the time to call Senator Feingold at 202-224-5323 & Senator Kohl at 202-224-5653 and let them know how you want them to vote on S 909. Congress passed the Hate Crimes Bill HR 1913 4/29/09 on a vote of 249-175. Petri, Ryan & Sensenbrenner voted against and all WI Democrats vote in favor.
4/30/09 Gov Doyle declared a Public Health Emergency today based on this information. Doyle's health emergency put in place statutory language that was passed in a special session budget bill signed into law July 26, 2002, which can have far reaching consequences. Click on LANGUAGE to read about the state powers in a declared Public Health Emergency.
4/29/09 Both houses of congress passed S CON RES 13, The Congressional Budget for Fiscal Year 2010 today on a HOUSE VOTE of 233-193 and a SENATE VOTE of 53-43. This is a $3.44 trillion budget, which predicts the deficits will soar to $1.7 trillion for this budget year and dip to an astonishing $1.2 trillion in 2010. The national debt is predicted to rise from today's $11.2 trillion to $17 trillion at the end of 2014.
4/27/09 Congress planned an up-or-down vote prior to April 17 on a house resolution dealing with the National Day of Silence, but has not voted as of today. Click HERE to read more about this and have your voice heard.
4/24/09 Click on UW Hospital and Clinics for info on second-trimester abortion clinic.
1/6/09 According to Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, Wisconsin federal, state, and local taxes claimed 34.2% of income in 2008. This tax burden fell slightly from 34.9% in 2007. On average, $12,281 per person was collected from Wisconsin citizens in 2008. According to Gov Doyle, Wisconsin faces a $5.4 billion deficit for this coming budget. A number of tax & fee increases are on the horizon. The last state budget left WI with a big deficit despite net tax increases of $376,805,700 and net fee increases of $386,466,300 according to the Leg Fiscal Bureau.
12/27/07 Click on this link for a Brief History of Marriage Protection Bills in Wisconsin
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