Weekend Reading

State Shared Revenue: Not So Much Going On
The Story of Stagnant Wage Growth
An Unlikely Group Of Billionaires And Politicians Has Created The Most Unbelievable Tax Break Ever
So Many Seats, So Many Tax Breaks
This Is Why Lawmakers Want To Gut The Endangered Species Act
White Americans Support Welfare Programs - But Only For Themselves, Says New Research
Koch-backed Study Finds Medicare For All Would Save U.S. Trillions
Much Of The U.S. Electric Grid Could Go The Way Of The Landline Phone
Most Wealthy Countries Aren't Religious. Then There's The U.S.
Billionaires Gone Wild
How Government Helps The Economy
Rulers Of The World: Read Karl Marx
A Radical Defense Of The Right To Strike
Stock Buybacks, Explained
The Trump Administration's Giant Fuck You To Working People
Chris Abele Suspending Values Tour

Wisconsin Reading

During "Recovery" Much Of Wisconsin Stayed Subpar
The Two Wisconsins
The Man Who Beat The Highway Lobby
Little-Known Wisconsin Finance Authority Draws Scrutiny For Debt Deals Worth Billions
Wisconsin, Midwest Rejecting Coal
What Happened To Wisconsin?
Abele Battles Board On Budget
An Arena Fairy Tale With Blurred Morals
WEDC Failing To Track Job Creation, Retention
Rigged: How Voter Suppression Threw Wisconsin To Trump
Taxes Down, But No Impact On Jobs
The Bizarre Politics of Ald. Tony Zielinski
Zielinski Bashes Barrett, Flynn
Missing Out: Recent Tax Cuts Slanted In Favor Of Those With Highest Incomes
Middle of The Pack: Wisconsin Government Revenue Is Similar To That Of Other States

Milwaukee County Supervisors & The Coaliton of "No!"

I think an argument can be made that the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors should be full-time positions. One could also argue that the number of districts, currently 18, could be reduced.

Regardless of this, more and more, it appears the Board is uninformed, petty and counterproductive. I get the fact that many of the Supervisors seem to have chips on their shoulders concerning County Executive Abele. Political representatives are allowed to have differences of opinion. But, at the end of the day, their objective should be to enact policy that benefits their constituents. Blocking and stonewalling legislation as a figurative middle-finger to Abele is childish and wasteful.

I get it, I have disagreements with Abele on some of his policy opinions. But, it seems, even when the Board of Supervisors would seem to be in 99.9% agreement with an Abele proposal, they still find some convoluted reason to block passage. Just saying "No!" without an explicit reason is moronic and immature.

This is the tactic Republicans have used against Democrats for the last two decades and it's merely caused gridlock with no discernible benefit for the public. In fact, it's the same reason more Federal dollars haven't been used for public infrastructure and stimulus programs. Deciding to just blindly block anything the other side proposes is not the action of a good public servant. This is the type of behavior of cultish apparatchiks who have no real concern for our well-being.

Bruce Murphy details the rampant hypocrisy and asinine actions of the Supervisors in Is a County Wheel Tax Needed?

Besides Lipscomb, supervisors Steve Taylor and Deanna Alexander have suggested they would oppose the wheel tax. To date not one board member has offered a positive word about it. “It’s frustrating,” says Sup. Sheldon Wasserman in describing the stance of board members. “They want the services but they won’t pay for them. Some of the no-sayers (on the wheel tax) are adding budget amendments to spend more money.” ...

Lipscomb, in an email response to my questions, made clear his antagonism to the county executive: “Abele spent $5 million on an anti-tax message this spring only to turn around and introduce a new $60 wheel tax. Then, when given an opportunity to more fully explain his new tax proposals in public (October 3rd), Abele abruptly left the table before many questions could be answered – that makes it a pretty tough sell.” Lipscomb predicts the board will come up with a better budget, adding, “we have a history of adopting a more responsible and balanced budget than the Executive originally proposed.”

It would take a book (and not a very enjoyable one) to analyze who was right in all the disagreements between the board and Abele, but it’s worth noting that Lipscomb and his colleagues have contributed to the ongoing budget shortfall by approving the GO Pass, a free bus pass for senior citizens and disabled riders that was never requested by them and that is now projected by run a $6.1 million shortfall in 2016. The problems with this program have been well documented in columns by me and by Jannene.

Thus, the Supervisors counterproposal, Milwaukee County Board considers $30 wheel tax.

"This recognizes the fact that we simply can't say no to a wheel tax," Lipscomb said Monday at a meeting of the board's finance committee. Lipscomb and other supervisors acknowledged there is no other new revenue source available to help pay costs of transit services and major transportation capital projects in the 2017 budget...

The committee's action went against the advice of County Comptroller Scott Manske. In a memo to the County Board, Manske said the revenue from a $60 vehicle registration fee is needed "to maintain the county's portion of the local transportation systems, including highways, the bus system and parkways." 

Even with a $60 wheel tax starting in 2017, Manske said, revenue will not be sufficient to cover transit costs in just a few years without fare increases and route reductions. 

Abele recommended a $60 wheel tax to provide $27.1 million of new revenue in 2017. Half of that amount is $13.55 million.

So, they recognize the funding is needed, and there's no other way of getting it, but they still only recommend half of the proposal.

Maybe we could just increase the sales tax to help pay for public infrastructure. We seem to have billions for sport stadiums, but we can raise enough funding for public transportation, parks and schools?

Nevertheless, the County Supervisor are looking and acting like a bunch of petulant ne'er-do-wells.

Wisconsin Reading

The Report That Walker Killed
Walker Administration Delays $101 Million Debt Payment
Impact of Walker Skipping Debt Payment
Fact-checking Gov. Scott Walker's Misleading Claims On The Economy
Remembering Milwaukee's Socialist Party History
The Billionaire's Son
Menard Inc. Violates Labor Laws, National Labor Relations Board Says
How Walker Is Killing Meritocracy
Wisconsin’s State Legislative Districts are a Big Republican Gerrymander

WEDC: Four Years of Failure

More Than Just A Wingnut Sheriff

He's also an economic-drain on taxpayers.

Taxpayers’ tab for Clarke’s lawsuits against county tops $400,000

Can we please get rid of this Wild West-wannabe joker in 2018?

Wisconsin Reading

8 Problems With Privatizing Water Utilities
Wisconsin Recasts Its Civil Service Rules On Hiring, Firing, Punishment & Pay
Experts Question Abele's Expanded Power
Senate Considers Bills On Privatizing Water Utilities, Property Rights
Scott Walker Signs Civil Service Overhaul
Significant Changes In Wisconsin Poverty
DNR Might Allow Some Firms To Draft Own Environmental Permits
Republicans Punt On State's Major Issues

Here's To The Debtors

Plan to use Milwaukee County debtors for arena subsidy back

"I think it's pretty sneaky," said Rep. Christine Sinicki, who supported the Bucks proposal last summer but is leaning toward opposing this latest bill. 

"They got the Bucks bill through by taking (the debt collection) out. Now suddenly they're bringing it back," she said.

The controversy over the debt plan has added overtones for the April election in which Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, a supporter of the proposal, faces state Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), an opponent.

Larson and other critics of the debt plan have said it amounts to funding an arena for the Bucks' billionaire owners in part by taking more money from people who often aren't able to pay their current debts. They're also worried about the effect it could have on county offices linked to these debts. Currently, most of this debt is the responsibility of County Treasurer David Cullen and Clerk of Courts John Barrett, who both oppose the legislation.

Abele has said that blocking the debt plan amounts to penalizing people who are paying their property taxes or court fines to help those who aren't. 

Under the bill, Abele could act without county board approval to pass most county debts over for collection to the state Department of Revenue, which has additional collections tools.

Abele is such a tool.

"Blocking the debt plan amounts to penalizing people who are paying their property taxes or court fines to help those who aren't."

Really?

What about all the taxpayers (the majority) that don't want their tax dollars going to billionaire, team owners?

Any politician that signs off on his constituents being on the hook for a new athletic arena is penalizing his constituents.

Debtors need to pay their bills. But if you're a billionaire, just find a compliant politician to push your costs off onto his/her constituents.

Weekend Reading

How We Built The Ghettos
Basic Wine Guide
Dozens of Planes Have Vanished in Post-WWII Era

Chris Abele vetoes Milwaukee County 'living-wage' measure

Wisconsin GOP Introduces Bill To Thwart Dark Money Investigation

Paul Ryan Confronted At Town Hall Over Inner-City Poverty

Science Deniers Are Freaking Out About “Cosmos”

Disasters Cost More Than Ever — But Not Because of Climate Change

The Chartbook of Economic Inequality

The New Paul Ryan
New Champion Of The City

Expect Wage & Benefit Givebacks

Abele Dumps County Transit Company

County Executive Chris Abele has decided to award the $164 million dollar county transit contract to a new company, MV Transportation, and drop Milwaukee Transport Services (MTS), the non-profit operation that has run the county bus system for decades...

The not-for profit operator would be replaced by MV Transportation, a privately held corporation based in Texas, whose website says it “provides passenger transportation management, operations, and related services to jurisdictional and private entities around the world.” ...

However, once a new entity takes over, the contracts for all union workers would have to be renegotiated, and the new company may push for more efficiencies. Anticipating that, the bus drivers’ union, ATU 998, has been circulating a PowerPoint presentation opposing the move to a for-profit management firm. 

When asked if he expected wage or benefit givebacks, Abele said “I honestly don’t know. I can tell you that was not the goal. The goal was better services and to keep fares down.”

In this instance, Abele is being naive, stupid or devious. Or maybe it's just his typical cliched response/excuse, providing little insight into his actual thought-process, giving little explanation as to how he decided a major program change for the county. "How was I to know they'd save money by cutting corners and wages?"

Privatization is always about cutting benefits, decreasing pay, and/or breaking unions. I'd like the county executive to explain how he believes this move will "keep fares down" while providing better service.

Typically, in cases like this, the managers continue to receive lofty salaries (and more often than not actually get paid more), while the workers see their pay and benefits slashed.

It would be one thing if the pay and benefits of present workers were guaranteed to remain intact, whilst the new company was also making assurances of more routes and improvements to other services. But this seems like more of the hope-and-prayer variety of public policy decision-making.

Does Abele really believe lower-paid, disgruntled workers are going to provide better service? Otherwise, what exactly are the cost-saving methods this new company is going to initiate that are going to reap big rewards for the county? Are there any clawbacks or stipulations in the new contract?

I guess some politicians feel news-grabbing headlines prove they're doing something positive for their community.

For Further Reading:
Walker's Privatization Debacle

Opaque & Premature: Meet Milwaukee County Government

The Journal Sentinel reports:

County Executive Chris Abele on Monday vetoed an attempt by the County Board to seek a state or independent audit of county government...

Some supervisors have called for a broader review of county government, saying a greater range of efficiency moves should be considered. 

Abele described the audit attempt as a delaying tactic.

A delaying tactic ... um, duh! It's been proposed that a whole department's workforce be part-timed and/or terminated. Most would prefer to either avoid or delay unemployment. And, as far as efficiencies or bang-for-the-buck savings go, there might be other, better options available. The kind of thing that could be discovered and quantified by performing an audit.

So, what's the rush? The audit may even support Board pay cuts, it could also reveal other efficiencies and/or needed improvements. What doesn't Abele want the public to see? Why does this idea need to be fast-tracked?

18 supervisors (making roughly $50,000 annually) and their staff cost $6.5 million per year, in a budget of over $1.3 billion, which is less than one percent of the total budget.

A Note On Milwaukee County Parks

Great vision and leadership were on display when Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele addressed concerns that wealthier neighborhoods' parks are better maintained, "It's not hard to find parks in the inner city that haven't gotten much love in a while. It's a lot easier for parks in the suburbs or the North Shore to have friends groups," said Abele.

Yes, rich people have more money and thus more resources for parks. Truly inspired insight.

As County Executive, part of the job is gathering and redirecting resources where they are needed most in the community to ensure a good quality of life.

Yet, as Dan Cody shows, "When Milwaukee County took over the parks system in 1983, they allocated $41.6 million [$96.2 million in 2012 dollars] to the parks operating budget. The proposal this year: $42 million."

Of the 40 largest parks systems in the U.S., ParkScore ranked Milwaukee County Parks 16th. Spending per resident is $59.54.

For Further Reading:
2011 City Park Facts Report

Executive Disorder

Tom Barret, a Democrat, spoke like a Democrat, "I think it would be great if he [Scott Walker] could find another line of work," when asked about the impending recall of Scott Walker.

Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive and supposed Democrat, said, "I haven't been staying up nights thinking about it. It's not a driving thing." Asked whether he felt Walker should be recalled, Abele also demurred. "I don't know. It's not something I have a burning passion and opinion about."

The article notes, "Abele as county executive has sought to cast himself as an independent and a pragmatist for whom partisanship is secondary." This is not leadership.

You are a public servant...and you have no opinion on collective bargaining or the governor? As the county executive, you have no opinion about how the state is governed?

As Joseph McCartin states, "In 1959, Wisconsin became the first state to enact legislation recognizing the rights of government workers to bargain collectively." Overthrowing a 50-year labor standard for Wisconsin, a policy never mentioned by Scott Walker on the campaign trail, doesn't make Abele ruminate  even in the slightest?

Not to mention, Walker killing trains, broadband, windmills, numerous federal aid packages and a host of other productive policies and projects that were in the works until Scott Walker took over. Abele has no passion nor thinks about any of this?

Abele wasn't elected to parrot the right-wing with talk of no new taxes and cuts, cuts, cuts. Milwaukee County citizens would like some guidance and direction: provide good, efficient services to the taxpayers and speak to the most pressing and important needs of our community. This whole Walker debacle fits into the latter category, and Abele should be thinking about it.