middle wisconsin news - october 2013

7/27/2019 Middle Wisconsin News - October 2013

1/13

Information Technology SolutionsMiddle WisconsinNEWS

A VOICE FORTHE MIDDLE OF THE STATE

Octo b e r 2 0 1 3

The Harvest...............................1

Cuts to Medicare.......................2

Chemical Weapons ..................3

Harvest Camp...........................4

Working Wisconsin ...................5

Not About Jobs...6

Were Proud ..............................7

Public School Parents...............8

Rural Public Schools...............10

Letter to Mary Burke.11

We Want You..........................13

2013 Midd le Wiscons in

IN THIS ISSUE:

w w w .M id d le W isco n s in .co m

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DARING TO BE

BOLDLY PROGRESSIVE

The Harvest of October

Welcome to our October issue, the month of the harvest. We celebrate harvest me

with colored leaves, bright orange pumpkins, and vegetable gardens in abundance.

The full moon and bright stars grace our night.

Our October issue shows harvests of many kinds:

We look at the harvest of stascs esmang the cost of Medicare in 2035. - the num-

bers showing cuts are not needed.

We consider the harvest of producing too many weapons and then having to deal with

total reliance on war to solve problems. You reap what you sow.

The Harvest Camp in the Penokees brings increased respect for the Lac Courte Oreilles

people who live in the woods a few miles from the site of the iron mine.

We see the harvest of labor and what happens when the full benets of the economy ar

taken away from workers.

We look at the harvest of a governor who promises jobs then says It is not about jobs.

We consider the harvest we have reaped for so many years from our vibrant public

schools - at the rising eorts to keep these schools vital and public.

We consider the potenal harvest of upcoming elecons and what they might mean for

us all.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Wtmv6C1BKCXxVM&tbnid=URmSE_dQHnUrLM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.motherfitness.com%2Fmy-kitchen-slow-cooker-harvest-pork-stew%2F&ei=7oxeUp_aLoWnqAHJy4CYAQ&bvm=bv.5


2/13

Middle Wisconsin NEWSOcto b e r 2 0

Pa g e

Medicare spending will cost less than previously thought.This is from the words of Dean Baker, co-founder of the Cen-

ter for Economic and Policy Research, in the new Congres-

sional Budget Oce (CBO) projecon.

Just two years ago the CBO projected Medicare spending

would be 5.9 percent of GDP in 2035. The CBO now projects

it will cost 4.6 percent of GDP in 2035. The 1.3 percentage

point decrease translates to about $220 billion a year less

spending in todays dollars.

Despite this posive news from the CBO, major newspapers

and mainstream news outlets connue to repeat the WallStreet mantra of groups like Campaign to Fix the Debt, the

Can Kicks Back, and Third Way: We had tax increases in

2012. Now we must cut or privaze SocialSecurity and

Medicare.

S.500, H.R.1029Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act

of 2013,to eliminate the cap on payroll tax on income above

$250,000

Cuts to these programs are usually put in the context of a

grand bargain which would increase taxes, (so-called

shared sacrices).

Baker made an interesng comparison in his op-ed. The new

CBO projecons imply roughly $2,600 less in spending per

year on each beneciary, or a reducon in spending of

$5,200 on a senior couple.

This is for an age group with a median cash income of about

$20,000 a year. Then he looked at the increase in the reve-

nue side of the grand bargain, the tax increases that took

eect the end of 2012: couples earning $500,000 a year pay

about $3,000 a year more in taxes.

Baker notes the lower Medicare costs come from lower

projected cost growth and not cuts in services. He asks:

If we had craed a grand bargain three years ago, would

anyone have suggested cuts in Medicare and Social Security

that would have cost a typical senior couple more than

$5,200 a year?

In other words, the new CBO

projecons might imply that

much of any needed cuts in

spending on seniors has al-

ready been accomplished.

Baker states there is enormous

waste in our health care sys-

tem. We spend more than

twice as much per person as

the average in other wealthy countries.

Baker points out that if revenue were sll at the 1990s leveof 21.1 percent of GDP the level the CBO at that me had

projected for the indenite future the primary budget

would be in surplus for almost 20 years and the debt-to-

GDP rao would be falling sharply.

What can you do?

Let US Representave Duy and Senators Johnson and

Baldwin know that what Wall Streets lobbyists and big

money campaign donors wanta grand bargain with cu

to Social Security and Medicare benetsis not in their

constuents best interests or what their constuents wan

Suggest instead that they support these bills to save

Social Security and Medicare:

*S.740, H.R.1588Medicare Drug Savings Act, requiring

drug companies to provide rebates to Medicare on prescrip

on drugs for low-income seniors that are eligible for both

Medicare and Medicaid;

*S.117, H.R.1102Medicare Prescripon Drug Price Nego

aon Act, to permit the government to negoate prices wit

drug companies for Medicare seniors;

Please call your representaves now:

Senator Ron Johnson, Wash. DC 202-224-5323

Oshkoshoce: 920-230-7250

Rep. Sean Duy: 202-225-3365

Gov Sco Walker: 608-266-1212

State Senator Jerry Petrowski, 29th district 608-266-2502

State Rep. Mary Williams, 87th district: 608-266-7506

Cuts to Medicare Not NeededBy Jeanne Larson - Phillips
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overviewhttp://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overviewhttp://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overviewhttp://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overviewhttp://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/1588http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/1588http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/117http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/117http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/117http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/117http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/117http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/1588http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overviewhttp://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1558#overview


3/13

The United States should be taking acon on chemical weap-

ons. But it should not be military acon. And it should not be

just about Syria's alleged use of them. It should be a coordi-

nated diplomac eort to eliminate these weapons.

We should be working diplomacally to promote reducons in

weapons of all kinds. We should be leading by example to nd

peaceful ways to resolve conicts. We should be building the

infrastructure to deal with rogue naons and leaders. But

over many years, and under both pares, we have not ledthe world toward peace and jusce.

Too oen we have undermined internaonal eorts to build a more peaceful world. W

have generally opposed the United Naons except for when we needed a g leaf to cover

our military acons. We refused to rafy the treaty banning landmines.

We abrogated the an-ballisc missile treaty. We have refused to support the World Cour

or to accept its jurisdicon over our acons. The me to talk about accountability, respon

sibility, credibility and sending messages is before violaons of internaonal norms hap-

pen.

Unfortunately, our credibility in these areas is not good. We used napalm and agent or-ange in Vietnam. We used depleted uranium ammunion in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are

the biggest seller of weapons around the world. We have a stock pile of chemical weapon

and the capacity to use them.

American companies sold the chemicals to Saddam Hussein. We rounely ignore interna

onal law when it serves our commercial and ideological purposes as demonstrated by

Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, the CIA, and a long history of illegal military intervenons in

many countries.

So why are we demanding acon on one small incident in Syria? And why must that aco

be a military response? Could it be that the arms manufacturers need another bailout?

Our response to the incident in Syria is an excuse to jusfy military acon against the

Assad regime.

If we were really concerned about the manufacture, distribuon, or use of chemical

weapons, we would be acvely working diplomacally to eliminate them.

Middle Wisconsin NEWS Octo b e r 2 0Pa g e

When justice

rules instead of

force,

I want to be

in that number ,when justice rules

instead of force.Solidarity Singers

Madison, Wisconsin


Get Rid of Chemical Weapons

By Philip Anderson Maple


4/13

Since last March, members of the Lac Courte Oreilles tribe have lived in Harvest Camp,

on public lands. It is the place of an Ojibwa village one hundred years ago.

The purpose of the Harvest Camp is to harvest the woods, to explore its resources: tour-

ism, healing plants, maple syrup, wild onions, mushrooms, and mber. The vision is that

this old mountain range becomes the Penokee Hills Naonal Heritage Park.

I visited the Harvest Camp and walked the trails from one tent to another. We saw the

individuals tents for sleeping as well as their covered areas for work: carving walking

scks, caning chairs and other furniture, as well as harvesng wild rice. There is a tent for

cooking and supplies. Porta-poes are on sight and fresh water is delivered daily.

It is a beauful place to live.

A few miles down the road is the site of the proposed taconite mine, planning to be the

worlds largest iron ore mine. Never mind that the ore is third-grade and can not be

mined at a prot. (There is more prot in harvesng mushrooms, wild onions and ber-

ries.) U.S. Steel explored the mining area twice in the 1950s and found nothing of inter-

est.

Drilling test holes at the site of the mine was done in July and pure artesian water bubbled

up. We remember that all water is connected. The channels of underground water are

complex. A mine would surely destroy the pure waters, waterways connected with miles

of trout streams and Lake Superior, a jewel of the earth.

What is behind the State Legislature passing the mining bill? The bill contains the right to

bury radioacve waste, a project worth $2.5 billion a year. There are 21 aging nuclear

power plants. The Federal Government is looking for places to bury the radioacve waste

Ports on the Great Lakes already exist. Railroads could be built to transport the waste.

Michigan lawmakers are speaking out against a Canadian proposal to store nuclear waste

underground less than a mile from the shores of Lake Huron, in Kincardine, Ontario.

Ontario Power Generaon wants to store low and intermediate-level radioacve waste

deep inside limestone caverns nears its Bruce Nuclear Generang Staon.

The site is about 120 miles upstream from Lake Huron intakes that provide drinking waterfor much of Southeast Michigan. There is concern about the recent history of earthquake

in Ontario. It is not possible to guarantee that those caves would safely hold the radioac-

ve waste.

Harvest Camp is beauful. The site is remembered reverently by many people. You are

welcome to visit, to learn more, and help ght the destrucon that a poorly regulated

open pit mine would bring to this area. What is to be harvested? Beauful land and wa-

ter giving sustenance to the people, or destrucve storage of radioacve waste for

money for a few? The queson is ours.


If we continue

to address

the environment

where we live

as though

were the only

species that lives

here,well create

a disaster forourselves.

Gaylord Nelson,

Founder of Earth Day,

Former Wisconsin Gov-

ernor and U.S. Senator


WHAT WILL BE HARVESTED?

By Virginia Kirsch - Wausau
http://www.michiganinvasives.org/michigan-lawmakers-sound-alarm-over-canadas-proposal-to-store-nuclear-waste-near-lake-huron/http://www.michiganinvasives.org/michigan-lawmakers-sound-alarm-over-canadas-proposal-to-store-nuclear-waste-near-lake-huron/


5/13

I remember long ago when entering college as a freshman that many of the classes that

could choose had 101 as a sux such as English 101 or Biology 101. This was a basic

course and, if I wanted more specics, I could take the next course level. Not being busi-

ness oriented, I didnt take Economics 101. But I have learned a lot about economics in th

real world.

I have learned that big businesses hoard their cash. This behavior

has contributed to the record income inequality in this country.

When ordinary workers arent paid family sustaining wages, they

dont spend as much. When ordinary workers dont spend, the

economy doesnt grow.

Big businesses have experienced record -breaking prots throughout the last thirty year

Some CEOs make 400 mes the salary of their employees. Allegiance to the almighty dol

is the primary objecve. They have no allegiance to their workers. This is a textbook de

on of greed.

If you were to ever suggest that companies have an obligaon to share their wealth with

their workers, you would be chassed as a socialist or a liberal. You would be told tha

you dont understand capitalism or the economy.

The fact is most people do understand economics. They understand they make less than

years before. They understand that a healthy economy entails more money in the hands

workers which equates to a thriving economy. A healthy economy puts money in the hand

of the workers who then spend that money. Trickle up economics.

Viewing employees as costs and minimizing those costs whenever and wherever emp

ers can is demeaning and selsh. Companies cannot survive because workers cant aordgoods and services. Employers have choices in the future of our country. They can conn

to focus on making record prots by exploing their workforce which is economic treason

Or they can share their extraordinary wealth with the country and the workers that ena

bled them to become wealthy. Paying employees as lile as possible under the guise of

capitalism masks the fact that employers are making a choice. Such choices have conse

quences in Economics 101. Ordinary workers didnt have to go to school to learn this. It i

me to demand beer from our employers and our elected representaves.


They have takenuntold billions

that they never toiled

to earn,

But without our brain

and muscle

not a single wheel can

turn.Solidarity Singers

Madison, Wisconsin


Working Wisconsin

Real-World Economics 101

By John Spiegelhoff Merrill

American Federation of

State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
http://www.afscme40.org/http://www.afscme40.org/http://www.afscme40.org/http://www.afscme40.org/http://www.afscme40.org/


6/13


We have a moral

obligation

to continueto ight back.

We have children

and neighborsand grandchildren

to fret about.Can we walk away?

Nope.

Now how do we ight

back?-Ed Garvey

(Founder, editor andpublisher of

FighngBob.com.)

2013 Middle Wisconsin

Its really not about jobs, was Governor Walkers reply while at Northern Wire, in Merri

August 26th to a reporter fromWJFW,

Newswatch 12, Rhinelander.

Sco Walker had

promised to create 250,000 new jobs by the end of 2014.

January 2011 through June 2013 saw 67,182 jobs created. Wisconsin connues to lag beh

the naonal rate of job creaon. Wisconsin is 45th in projected job growth and 34th in job

creaon as of September 2013. Sadly on September 27th, Governor Walker once again

blamed the poor job numbers on the recall elecon.

Stascs from Workforce Development of Wisconsin from 2011 through 2012 give some s

tling facts: Over 60,000 people in that two-year period have had their lives altered by

layos or permanent job losses. This stasc is for Mass Layos from companies with 50

employees or more.

The 60,000 does not include companies with fewer than 50 employe-no stascs are available for this group. The 60,000 stasc does not include governmen

workers. We can safely assume that the 60,000 stasc is much larger.

According to Heather Thompson at Wisconsin Workforce Development, the crucial stas

data regarding layos and job numbers for Wisconsin will no longer be available through

Workforce Development because they lost their funding due to the sequester. Another ex

ample of how the sequester is harming our right to know. Heather will be re-assigned to a

other department.

Another element to the Newswatch 12 story was added on August 27th. Walkers spokes-

man, Tom Evenson, asked Channel 12 to remove the video from its website.

Channel 12 dclined.

Requesng that the segment be removed is in keeping with another incident that Sco

Walker was involved in while a student at Marquee University. The Marquee Tribune,

10/26/2010, reported the incident.

As a sophomore, Walker ran for president of the Associated Students of Marquee Univer

ty. Walker was found guilty of illegal campaigning. At rst the Tribunes editorial board

endorsed Walkers opponent John Quigley with a statement that either candidate would b

eecve. Walkers supporters threw hundreds of The Tribune in the garbage aer the edi

rial was printed. Later, The Tribune revised itseditorial saying Walker was unt for presid

cy.

As a senior at Marquee, Walker abruptly le and never graduated. Is he walking awfrom his promise of jobs in the same way he walked away from Marquee?

http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-

controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/

http://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-i

march-b99106575z1-225348792.html

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/mike_ivey/wisconsin -ranked-st-best-state-for-busines

-forbes/article_67301452-261f-11e3-8d9f-0019bb2963f4.html

Its Not About Jobs

By Joyce Luedke - Hayward
http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/http://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsin-added-24305-private-sector-jobs-in-12-months-ended-in-march-b99106575z1-225348792.htmlhttp://www.jsonli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7/13


Pa g e

Total

24.3%Students from

Public Schools

67.3%

Studentsfrom

private/

parochial

schools

By Tom Ivey - Wausau

Were Proud of Our . . .

neighborhoods, towns, and cities,

diverse heritage and customs,

strong work ethic,

safe and healthy environment in

which we can grow and prosper,

Communities and Our Public Schools

- The Power Behind Our Wisconsin Way of LifeThe founders of the United States understood the unique role Public Schools play

in maintaining a strong country and the liberty of its people.

Public SchoolsAssure EQUAL opportunities for all our

childrenGuarantee EVERY child access to a free

education

UNIFY our diverse population

Prepare students to be responsible members of

our local, state & national COMMUNITIES

"If a nation expects to beignorant and free, in a stateof civilization, it expectswhat never was and never

will be."- Thomas Jefferson

The whole people musttake upon themselves theeducation of the whole peo-ple and be willing to bearthe expenses of it. -- President John Adams

A primary object should be

the education of our youth

in the science of govern-

ment. In a republic, what

species of knowledge can be

equally important? And

what duty more pressing

than communicating it to

those who are to be the fu-

ture guardians of the liber-

ties of the country? --

- George Washington

Funding public schools is one of the

RESPONSIBILITIESwe share as citizens.

Just as we pay taxes to support our police force, firefighters, highways & military, we pay taxes to supportour public schools.

Our investment in public schools makes our communi-

ties, state & country a stronger, safer and better place

for us ALL.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4356.George_Washingtonhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4356.George_Washingtonhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4356.George_Washington


8/13


Pa g e

Wisconsins (Statewide) Parental Choice Program (WPCP) failed to aract students from public schools. An overwhelming

majority of students (75.7%) enrolled in the new program did not aend a Wisconsin Public School the previous year. Less

than 25 % of students enrolled in WPCP transferred in from public schools.

School Choice is not really the issue, nor is quality. Wisconsin parents can already choose where they want their chil-

dren to go to school public schools, public charter schools or private/parochial schools. Research shows that public

school students of similar economic backgrounds do as well as their private school counterparts, and in many cases beerand for less. The real queson is

Should tax dollars be redirected from our communitys public schools to fund a familys personal deci-

sion to opt out of their neighborhood public school and send their children to a private or parochial

school?Parents who parcipate in the WPCP are eligible for a voucher and tax credit (deducon) to cover the cost of aending a

private school. While the money to support the WPCP does not come directly from school allocated tax dollars, it does

come out of the pool of money we call the State Budget. This impacts the amount of state budget money available for

schools, local governments and other funcons.

Total

24.3%Students from

Public Schools

67.3%

Studentsfrom

private/

parochial

schools

3.3%

Home

Schooled

0.1% From Out-of-State

Parents of Public School Children -

Happy With Their Public Schools

4.9% No School

Total

75.7%

3.3% HmSchooled

4.9% No School

Connued on Page 9

Where Do Statewide Voucher School Students Come From?

By Tom Ivey - Wausau


9/13


Pa g e

Currently, the WPCP schools in Central Wisconsin are:

Marsheld Columbus Catholic Schools (83 students)

Stevens Point & Plover Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools (106 students)

Wausau & Rothschild Newman Catholic Schools (94 students)

Wisconsin Rapids Assumpon Catholic Schools (109 students);

Immanuel Lutheran School (40 students).

Eventually, those pushing for the new law want to eliminate all restricons and provide vouchers & tax credits forall students regardless of income. The projected cost of such a goal would exceed $700 million dollars just to

cover all the students currently aending private and parochial schools in Wisconsin.

Senate Educaon Commiee Discusses SB76 - a Bill Allowing

Out-of-State Companies to Run Local Schools with Our Tax Dollars.

Wisconsin has 238 Charter Schools authorized by, and under the supervision of, our local school boards. New leg-

islaon is being considered which would expand the number of enes able to authorize privately run charter

schools. The net result would be private companies running private charter schools to prot from our tax dollars.

Unlike the funding from WPCP vouchers and tax credits, under SB76, funding for these new private charter

schools would come o the top of monies allocated for all public schools, thereby, directly reducing the amount

of money available for our community public schools. This disproporonately aects school districts with low

property values as they are challenged to make up the lost funding through local property taxes.

As of October 12th

SB76 has not been released from commiee, so there can be no acon. However, this could

change, so keep your eyes open. Ask your Legislators to focus on funding our public schools and support Wiscon-

sins constuonal guarantee of a FREE, QUALITY, PUBLIC educaon for all.

[email protected] Telephone: (608) 266-2502

[email protected] Telephone: (608) 266-2509

[email protected] Telephone: (608) 266 -1182

[email protected] Telephone: (608) 266 -7506

hp://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/default.aspx Statewide Contact Informaon

Parents of Public School

Children Continued . . .
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/default.aspxhttp://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/default.aspxhttp://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/default.aspxmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


10/13

Forty-four percent of the 860,000 Wisconsin students aend rural public schools. In the

latest Wisconsin state budget, public schools did not receive the needed nancial support.All schools are feeling the pinch, but for rural areas, it could mean more school consolida-

ons and closings. Closing a public school in a rural area is devastang for the community.

To that end, the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WiRSA) was organized in 2012 . It is to

help rural school districts use their facilies and sta to their best advantage. Members in-

clude educators, school board members, business leaders and other concerned people.

More than 100 school districts have joined the Alliance.

WiRSA plans a conference in our area in Stoney Creek Inn, Rothschild, November 13-14.

Click here for more informaon and registraon forms.

Topics and speakers include:

20132014 Wisconsin School nance, Statewide Private School voucher Program and

Results ofResearch on the Milwaukee Public Choice program. Speaker is Je Per, DP

Policy Analyst, University of Oklahoma

Power of Technology in Rural Schools. Speaker is Kate Morrow, Apple Disnguished

Educator and Naonal Presenter. Learn more about a small town teacher leading stu-

dents to big things.

Advanced Manufacturing & Gold Collar Careers in Rural School Districts. Speaker is

Mark Tyler, OEM Manufacturing President * Joni Geroux, UW Stout Outreach Coordina

tor

The Future of Rural Public Schools in Wisconsin. Speaker is Senator Kathleen Vinehout

Alma, Wisconsin

Aracng and Retaining our High Performing Educators. Speaker is Helen Ryley, Lead

Consultant, Educaonal Services, Benchmark One. Tips, tools and soluons to aracng

developing and retaining peak-performing educators in rural districts with limited re-

sources.

Whole Grade Sharing in Rural School Districts. Speaker is Rick Pederson, Sumner/

Fredericksburg, Iowa School Districts Superintendent. This structure is used by 70 schoo

districts in Iowa as an alternave to consolidaon.

WI Rural Educaon Center: UW Oshkosh, Rural Schools & Community Partnership.

Speaker is Fred Yeo, UW Oshkosh. Ways K-12 school districts and rural communies ca

ulize university collaboraons.

Addressing the Future Needs of Rural Schools & Communies. Speaker is John White,

U.S. Dept. of Educaon


Living and

attending school

in the middleof nowhere

is the best thingthat ever

happened to me.-Michael Perry,

New York Times

bestselling author,

humorist, and

rural Wisconsin resident

Michael Perry is the

speaker for the Dinner

at WiRSA conference.

He will tell stories about

living and going to school

in rural Wisconsin.


Keep our Rural Public Schools Strong
http://www.uwosh.edu/ruralschools/documents/Rural%20Schools%20conf%20brochure%202013%20Final.pdfhttp://www.uwosh.edu/ruralschools/documents/Rural%20Schools%20conf%20brochure%202013%20Final.pdfhttp://www.uwosh.edu/ruralschools/documents/Rural%20Schools%20conf%20brochure%202013%20Final.pdfhttp://www.uwosh.edu/ruralschools/documents/Rural%20Schools%20conf%20brochure%202013%20Final.pdf


11/13

Dear Ms. Burke,

Like others across Wisconsin, I recently received noce of your intent to run as a Demo-

crac candidate for governor. I am delighted to see a woman running for this posion and

am sure you have much to oer. Your previous experience as Commerce Secretary is invalu

ble, and as a former small business owner, I admire your work as a corporate execuve. As

conservave, however, I am adamantly opposed to the radical use of a business model in

government.It has led to the government bashing for private gain ideology that is now

truly threatening democracy in America. I do not want my government run like a business. I

want it run like a government - for all, and with no thought of prot or privazaon.

Ms. Burke, these are a few of the quesons I feel any candidate for governor must answeclearly and without polical spin before I can consider giving my support:

Are you against privazing government funcons? As a conservave. I wish to preser

the tradional funcons of government as established by my parents and grandparent

Are you against selling o public assets to corporaons and developers? I wish to mai

tain the tradional public ownership of government assets paid for by my predecessor

Are you against privazing prisons? As a conservave, I believe law enforcement and

criminal jusce should remain, as always, public funcons with no prot move.

Are you against privazing water ulies? As a conservave I believe public ownership

of water and sewer systems has served our communies well for many decades.

Will you explain to the public that it is the concentraon of wealth, illegal, unethical

Wall Street "products," and the undermining of progressive and corporate taxes that

have causeddecits and debts - not runaway government spending? As a conservav

wish to reinstate regulaons such as the Glass-Steagall Act, that were established by m

ancestors aer the Great Depression to limit the criminal behavior of the nancial sec-

tor. I also wish to return to the tradional progressive taxes established by Republican

President Eisenhower that required the wealthy to pay their share. These taxes resulte

in low unemployment because they ensured the fair distribuon of wealth necessary f

robust consumer product demand - the only true job creator.

Will you ght tooth and nail to protect the environment from corporate abuse? From

conservaon perspecve, events in the Penokees and with sand mining are shamefu

Will you openly speak out against any aacks on the Wisconsin rerement system?

Will you support an eort to include all Wisconsin wage earners, both private and pub

sector, in the Wisconsin rerement system? As a conservave I believe we should re-

turn to the secure dened benet pensions of the past that served Americans so well

and protected them from the predaons of Wall Street inherent in 401 Ks etc.

Will you join with other governors tosupport a nancial transacon tax liming com-

puterizedhigh speedWall St. trading? I wish to return to the conservave tradion of

Wall Street invesng in America rather than the gambling and nancial manipulaon

currently plundering our states and communies.


People have hearts,

they have kids,

they get jobs, they

get sick, they cry,

they dance. They

live, they love, and

they die. And that

maers. That

maers because

we dont run this

country for corpo-

raons, we run it

for people.- Elizabeth Warren


A Conservatives Letter to Mary Burke

Democratic Candidate for Governor

Connued on Page 12


12/13

Will you join with other governors to ght against cuts to social security or Medicare/

Medicaid and support an inaon adjusted hike in the payroll tax cap? As a conservav

I wish to see no reducon in these long established earned benets.

Will you ght to keep the UW system public? I wish to preserve our tradional public

Universies and schools.

Will you openly explain to the public that it is the DeVoss family, the Walton family, the

Broad family and other wealthy people who are seeking to turn Wisconsin's public

schools into a prot making venture for their own personal gain?

Will you speak out against"tax credits" for people sending their kids to religious or pri-

vate schools that drain crically needed funds from our public schools?

Will you ght to encourage the growth of both public andprivate sector worker un-

ions?As a conservave I realize that tradional worker unions helped distribute wealth

fairly and enabled a vibrant middle class and the tradional American Dream.

Will you lead Wisconsin in the ght for a constuonal amendmentto overturn the rad

cal, precedent destroying "Cizens United" decision?

Will you ght to get corporate money out of Wisconsin polics? I wish to protect our

democracy from moneyed forces and return to a conservave me when businesses an

corporaons actually cared about America.

Where is your own campaign nancing coming from?

Will youpublicly use and broadcast the names of Wisconsin legislators who are membe

of ALEC and explain to the public just what ALEC is and the harm it has done?

Will you tell the public what harmWisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and the W

consin Chamber of Commercehave done to the state and explain how their recent tele

vision add "Thank you Governor Walker" about all the jobs he has "created" is a lie?

Will you ght for an inaon adjusted hike in Wisconsin's minimum wage and explain

that it is demand that creates jobs, notextreme wealth in the hands of hedge fund man

agerswho wipe out paper mills with nancial gimmicks?

Will you explain to the public how radical"trickle down" economics deliberately and m

thodically redistributed the wealth upward?

Will you support a state public bank like the one in ultra-conservave North Dakota tha

made that state virtually immune to the Great Recession? hp://publicbankinginstute.or

Will you support the Aordable Care Act and use it as a stepping stone toward universa

single payer healthcare?

Will you re-establish a sense of community - a sense that the people of Wisconsin are i

this together and it is not every man for himself?It is a conservave Wisconsin tradio

Ms. Burke, good people of all polical stripes are looking for someone who will ght for

them. A polician who will do so can be successful.

Sincerely,

Dave Svetlik


.

Another world

is not only possi-

ble, she is on her

way. On a quiet

day, I can hear

her breathing. Arundhati Roy


Letter to Mary Burke Continued . . .
http://publicbankinginstitute.org/http://publicbankinginstitute.org/


13/13


Pa g e

middle wisconsin news - october 2013

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