DNR Public Notices Legislation

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Control and Prevention. get of the Milwaukee County illion for high informational speaker, Dr. Kelly not having policy in the budget,” “I have repeatedly said that Going without a helmet Board. It would also cut county w firms to work Hagenbuch, D,C,M,H, (Master state Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Allouez, state budgets are about priorities. (equals) freedom; requiring a hel- supervisors’ terms from four to oors devisingAmery Let’s make our 870,000 publicfrom Herbalist). Dr. Hagenbuch is an told the Milwaukee Journal Sen- Copy metoriginal (equals) totalitarianism. It is two years. Free Press 05/21/2013 Reduced to %d%% to fit letter page state legislative integrated herbalism practitioner tinel. “What happened to that school students the first priority.” a comfortingly black-and-white The Republican supporters of ny public input in Taylor’s Falls, MN. who earned promise?” His answer: “They pile way of looking at the world. It the bill are convinced the board ymander lines her Chiropractic degree in 1988 things into the budget so they can also bears no resemblance to the won’t tackle the problems itself, The public in- and practiced for 20 years, includ- hide them, and they don’t have to actual world we live in. therefore the need for the heavy art of the equa- ing extensive work with chronic take responsibility for their acIn the real world, there are hand. However, Milwaukee rats controlled illness. She has used her unique tion.” By The Associated Press real public costs to irresponsible County residents have the power ey would have methods with herbal medicine in One controversial policy item Don’t let DNR behavior. Ambulances, medical to do something — they can run ng. supporting chronic Lyme recov- in Walker’s budget would bar loskip public notice care, disability; all these things for county office or go to the votult of the 2011 ery since 2008. Dr. Hagenbuch cal governments and school disWisconsin State Journal, come from the public coffers. Ac- ing booth, preferably both. ess? None of suggests that there is no magic tricts from imposing residency May 13 cording to the CDC report, the The Assembly’s decision to dical districts can pill for sufferers, but herbal med- rules on their employees. This has Here we go again. estimated economic burden of tate how the county is run and to nsidered com- icine’s ability to address multiple been decried as a meddling attack On a cycle as regular as spring injuries and deaths from motor- centralize more of the power with in our state factors in the chemistry of the on local control and as political rains followed by summer hu- cycle-related crashes was $12 bil- one person runs counter to what s in 2012 only body and of the Lyme spirochetes payback to police and fire unions midity, we can count on some lion in 2010 alone — much more we expect in a democracy. e Senate elec- life cycle means that it should be in Milwaukee that have support- elected official or government if higher insurance rates and lost But the state isn’t stopping ive and in the included in the arsenal of meth- ed Walker. agency proposing bad ideas tax revenue are considered. there. It’s also intent on setting a ly 14 of the 99 ods to combat it. At a May 8 press conference in about public information. It’s not just a dollars and cents statewide residency requirement s fell into that Our Savior’s Lutheran Church the state Capitol organized by the This time, again, it’s the De- issue. We set safety standards and for municipal workers. The bigtricts were ut- is located at 217 Deronda Ave. League of Wisconsin Municipali- partment of Natural Resources, impose norms on all sorts of be- gest impact would be felt in Milive and were in Amery, across from the old ties, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Bar- trying to peddle in the state bud- havior, because it’s in the public’s waukee, where city and school mary instead of Amery Hospital. We welcome rett called the proposed change get another version of a tired idea interest to do so. Consider: We district workers must live within tions. anyone wanting to learn more “horrible public policy” that that was rebuffed in the 2011 leg- require drivers training and li- the city limits. rm the redis- about this potentially devastating could never pass as stand-alone islative session. censes. We set speed limits. We The Joint Finance Committee y adopting the disease. Thank you. legislation. The broad issue is about public prohibit driving while impaired has approved the residency rule has been using Sincerely, Another speaker, Beloit City notices of various government by alcohol or drugs. We don’t al- as part of Gov. Scott Walker’s , a non-partiAnn Krisik Manager Larry Arft, said local activity. In this case, the topic in low pedestrians to walk along in- 2013-15 budget bill. (It still needs ncy is charged Amery communities want to make sure question is the sale of timber land terstate highways. And, of course, to pass both the Assembly and congressional their employees are “sharing the in Wisconsin, and the DNR’s re- we mandate seat belts in cars. Senate.) e district lines destiny of the residents that are sponsibility to let the citizenry Do these things compromise Regardless of what you think without politipaying their salaries.” And Two know when and where such sales the freedom of an individual who about Milwaukee County or ressideration and Rivers City Manager Greg Buck- are to occur. might like to take a stroll along idency rules, the local municibility to draw By Bill Lueders ley said it’s a good to have municLast time around, the topic was the freeway or drive at 120 mph palities should be able to set their hat keep com- Wisconsin Center for ipal workers living nearby “when water regulations and oversight after a few beers? Yes, of course own policies and govern their est intact that Investigative Journalism the crap hits the fan or when it of the state’s navigable waters. they do, under a facile defini- own boards. Those municipalities Legislature can Some campaign promises build starts backing up in your base- Other like-minded attempts in tion of freedom as the right to do can then enforce their policies or o on the plan in a bit of wiggle room. The one ment.” the past involved the minutes of whatever you want all the time. grant exemptions as they see fit not change or made by candidate for governor The Joint Finance Commit- school board meetings, the votes They also help to ensure ev- on a case-by-case basis. eir own parti- Scott Walker to “Strip policy and tee, meeting the next day, large- taken, and wrong-headed at- eryone else’s freedom — like the That was what the city of Green e result is as- pork projects from the state bud- ly ignored such concerns. It tempts to limit the publication of freedom to drive on safe road- Bay did when it hired its police a has far more get” did not. kept intact the ban on residency that information. chief. Green Bay department ways. ns for both the This unequivocal pledge, post- rules while allowing only disSome elected officials and pubDon’t worry, helmetless rid- heads are still required to live and for Con- ed on Walker’s campaign website, tance-based rules for certain lic agencies want to keep public ers: No Wisconsin lawmaker on within the city limits, but when in and the cost committed the candidate to es- emergency workers. information under wraps. They either side of the aisle has intro- the Police & Fire Commission virtually noth- chewing both parties’ longstandDuring that same meeting, the would expect citizens to ferret duced a bill that would require wanted to hire Tom Molitor as wa and would ing practice of using the budget Finance Committee added a new out important records on their helmets. That hasn’t stopped police chief, the City Council . to make policy changes and re- non-fiscal budget provision — own by digging through various ABATE from making regular granted him an exemption beRay Anderson ward special interests. forbidding any municipality from government websites. lobbying trips to Madison, just to cause he lives in Abrams, an River Falls In April 2011, less than four banning the sale of large sugary Whether it’s DNR plans for make double-sure that nothing Oconto County community 20 months into Walker’s term, the drinks. timber sales or changes to wa- changes. minutes north of Green Bay. truth-testers at PolitiFact WisBill Lueders is the Money and ter rights, or the minutes from a While we believe Green Bay Intensely interested single-isconsin branded this a broken Politics Project director at the school or city council meeting, sue groups like ABATE not only should look at ending its residenself from tick promise. It noted that the nonWisconsin Center for Investithose records should be easily have a right to make their voices cy policy for department heads, proper repel-treated cloth- partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau gative Journalism (www.Wis- obtainable and quickly accessible heard; they also have a real role we believe it’s up to the local govconsinWatch.org). The project, by citizens everywhere. had identified dozens of non-fisto play in our democracy. The ernment, not the state, to deter“Repel” -which a partnership of the Center and And the best way to do that is to federal Highway Safety Act first mine that policy. m http://www. cal items in the governor’s budMapLight, is supported by The publish such legal notices in local pushed states to enact mandatoget repair bills and first biennial If you believe that these proposusing a spray Joyce Foundation. newspapers, from the smallest in ry helmet laws in 1966; as a feat als are aimed at only Milwaukee T on your skin, budget. The Center collaborates with the state to the largest. Newspa- of political organizing, it’s to the County, consider this: another Walker’s latest executive budcolored clothWisconsin Public Radio, Wis- pers also post government notic- anti-helmet activists’ credit that it budget proposal prohibits mucks pulled up get, for 2013-15, included what consin Public Television, other es online, where they are search- has been able to maintain domi- nicipalities from banning food or ) are good pre- the Fiscal Bureau identified as news media and the UW-Mad- able on a single website. nancy in this debate for going on drink sales based on portion size. s. However, if 58 policy items and 15 pieces of ison School of Journalism and Part of Wisconsin’s great her- 50 years now. Again, regardless of your view of k has attached pork — that is, expenditures or Mass Communication. All works itage in good government is our breaks with specific beneficiaries. this issue, the fact that the state But they are still wrong. hould you proThe Legislature’s Joint Finance created, published, posted or dis- open records and open meetings They’ll be wrong during this wants to dictate this seems like an seminated by the Center do not law. Our law is among the stron- summer’s driving season, when overreach. Plus it’s a distraction Committee removed only a dozin mind that necessarily reflect the views or gest and most useful in the coun- some number of helmetless mo- from the important budgetary nfected. These en policy items. Spokesman Tom Evenson, opinions of UW-Madison or any try. And it requires third-party torcyclists will die or sustain inju- items, as are all non-fiscal polimost importof its affiliates. publication of important public ries which the public will pay for cies contained in Walker’s spendonths of May asked if the governor had a information. with tax dollars. And they’ll still ing plan. the fall. There change of heart about his campaign vow, said in an email that That third-party role, a func- be wrong next year, when legisAs state Rep. Jane Bewley, “home remeWalker has turned a $3.6 billion tion effectively filled by local lators once again decline to men- D-Ashland, told Wisconsin Pubt simply won’t budget deficit into a projected newspapers for generations, re- tion this issue or do anything to lic Radio: “When I see the overuse rning it off or moves the “fox guarding the hen- change the law. of power in Milwaukee County, jelly). These $560 million surplus and made gains in job creation. I fear for my own counties, my onsidered safe MADISON — State Superin- house” scenario that would exist “We’re better off than we were own cities, my own villages, my use tweezers tendent Tony Evers issued the fol- if government entities were able two years ago, and sound fiscal own towns, and each and every k close to its lowing statement regarding state to simply post their information management is allowing us to person in this room should do so close to your budget revenue projections being on their own websites, as suggestinvest in our priorities and move as well.” and S-L-O-W$575 million higher than recently ed by the DNR. Wisconsin forward, ” Evenson Sure, newspapers make monoutward until projected. wrote. careful not to “We have a tremendous op- ey from public notices, and we It’s hard to deny that Walker is Afterwords apportunity to strengthen Wiscon- would prefer to keep that revenue doing pretty much exactly what the bite. sin’s future by investing in our coming in. But far more importeasiest to treat he promised to stop. But that children and our public schools. ant is the concept of open, accesReaders are invited to submit letters to the editor. There are no doesn’t mean the pork projects uring the early With the Legislative Fiscal Bu- sible governmental bodies and a guarantees that letters will be printed. The identity of the author n to experience and policy items included in his reau’s announcement related to free flow of public information. and contact information must be submitted for verification purBurying that public informaheadache, fe- budget are bad ideas. additional state revenues now toposes. Among the identified ear, muscle and taling nearly $1.8 billion higher tion on government websites ight have be- marks, a.k.a. pork, are $10.6 than estimated a year ago at the would be a giant step backward Emails will be accepted at ameryfreepress@yahoo.com. FAX 715d should seek million for a Milwaukee facility close of the last legislative ses- for Wisconsin. 268-5300. U.S. Mail: Amery Free Press, P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI cal attention. to serve families affected by do- sion, we can reverse the major 54001 or delivered in person at 215 S. Keller Ave. d your doctor mestic violence, $5 million for a cuts to public education that were os and cons of Wisconsin Maritime Center of imposed in the current budget. Excellence in Marinette County,

Excerpts from recent Wisconsin editorials

Non-fiscal budget items draw flak

icks

Revenue projection opens opportunity for Fair Funding

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May 22, 2013 12:44 pm /


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DNR Public Notices Legislation by Wisconsin Newspaper Association - Issuu