http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/school-bus-kids-s5.jpgSen. Kathleen Vinehout examines the lack of foresight in the budget just passed by the legislature and how it relates to three major issues – education, transportation and shared revenue.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/clean-drinking-water-s5.jpgAs drinking water is inundated with manure, NR 151 is a chance to help families.

GOP budget will take more from Wisconsin taxpayers for Foxconn over the next 8 years than school aid.

MADISON - Ahead of Republican claims about K-12 funding in the state budget, three Democratic leaders pointed out that Republicans voted last week to regularly take more from Wisconsin taxpayers for Foxconn over the next FOUR state budgets than any GOP school aid increase.

“Our Republican colleagues will take to the floor today and tell us a lot about their school aid budget,” Sen. Janet Bewley (D-Delta) said. “What they won’t tell you is that the numbers show clearly where their real priorities are. They’ve made the largest giveaway to a foreign corporation in history a higher priority than 850,000 children of Wisconsin taxpayers.”

Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), ranking Democratic member of the Education Committee, Caucus Chair Mark Miller (D-Monona) and Assistant Minority Leader Bewley pointed to a memo that shows GOP-forced taxpayer handouts to Foxconn exceeding the very highest GOP school aid increase in five of the next eight years.

“It’s bad enough that we don’t know how many generations of Wisconsinites are being shackled to this Foxconn handout,” Sen Mark Miller said. “It’s even worse that public education for the first generation that will grow up under this deal is at risk because our Republican colleagues have put Foxconn ahead of schools in Wisconsin communities.”

The legislators released a September 12 memorandum from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau comparing K-12 school aid budgets under Republican leadership and taxpayer expenditures to Foxconn that Republican legislators approved earlier this week.

“Republicans voted this week to put every Wisconsin taxpayer on the hook for Gov. Walker’s handout to Foxconn,” Sen. Larson said. “This memo starts to tell the story of what that $3 billion giveaway will cost our neighbors, our communities, our schools and our children in the budgets ahead.”

Baldwin’s support for new Medicare for All legislation, the budget, Foxconn, and the change in leadership among Assembly Democrats.

STATEWIDE - We discuss Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s support for new Medicare for All legislation introduced this week in the U.S, Senate. Baldwin's forward looking vision is in sharp contrast with Sen. Ron Johnson and his conservative colleagues who introduced yet another effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The panel talks about the long delayed special interest laden state budget that passed the assembly on Tuesday and now heads to the Senate for final rubber stamping. We also review the latest on Foxconn, including Kenosha’s clear minded decision to pass on the boondoggle.

Finally we discuss the change in leadership among Assembly Democrats and Paul Ryan’s confession over the debt consequences of his own tax plan.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/walker-terry-gou-foxconn-flag-s5.jpgIndependent analysis reveals 14,000 jobs deficit for existing corporate tax credits and loans is greater than the direct job creation claim for the Foxconn deal. A full 60% of WEDC-supported corporations have failed to meet job creation goals.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/mining_wisconsin_senate_s5.jpgLate night secret dealings. No notice to local elected officials. No local powers to say “no”. Sen. Kathleen Vinehout writes about a last-minute, late-night budget motion to take away local powers to oversee sand mines and quarries in Wisconsin.