Recall a Job Well Done?
Posted: April 19, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Governor Walker, recall, Recall Walker, Scott Walker, unions, Walker, Wisconsin | Tags: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Wisconsin Recall Leave a commentAs the June date for the recall election looms, I believe that it will be a difficult fight for Governor Scott Walker. This belief stems in large part from the boldness of Walker’s 2011 budget reforms, which made him a hero to conservatives and a hate figure for unions and the left. First, Walker ended the unions’ automatic collection of dues from members’ paychecks, cutting off a major source of union funds. Next he required state workers to contribute a modest 5.8 percent of their salaries toward their pensions and to cover 12.6 percent of their health insurance premiums, thus bringing Wisconsin closer in line with private sector and national averages and giving the state a chance to get a grip on its spiraling finances. Most controversially, he restricted most public unions’ collective bargaining to salaries, canceling a corrupt and fiscally unsustainable cycle that saw unions negotiate generous perks with the same politicians they helped elect.
None of this has gone down well with the unions. If early signs are any guide, they will do everything they can to paint the reforms as a failure. As they push ahead with the recall, Walker’s opponents claim that he has presided over the “destruction of public education;” that he has forced thousands of teacher layoffs; and that he has triggered a “political and governing crisis.” The evidence, though, shows otherwise. Not only have Walker’s reforms not brought calamity upon Wisconsin, but there is a growing body of data that shows they are working.
Public education is a great example. So far from being destroyed, the state’s public school districts have benefitted from a wealth of savings made possible by Walker’s reforms. By limiting collective bargaining, Walker freed school districts to set contracts without union pressure for the first time in decades. The benefits have been significant. Collective bargaining produced contracts that forced the state’s school districts to purchase health insurance from the WEA Trust, an insurance company tied to the largest Wisconsin state teachers union. But after Walker’s reforms limiting collective bargaining, school districts could strike that requirement and put their health insurance contracts up for bid.
The results were savings. When the Appleton School District put its health insurance contract up for bid, the WEA Trust suddenly lowered its rates and promised to meet any competitor’s price. Thanks to the lower cost, Appleton is expected to save $3 million in 2012. Appleton is not alone. Following the collective bargaining reforms, at least 25 school districts in Wisconsin reported switching health insurance carriers or plans opening bidding to outside companies. That measure will save the districts $211.45 per student. As of last September, certain school districts already had savings of $162 million dollars, or approximately $507 per student, as a result of Walker’s reforms.
These savings are very embarrassing for Walker’s political foes. After Walker’s budget passed, Milwaukee’s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett, a challenger in the upcoming recall election, hysterically warned that the Governor’s cuts would make the city’s structural deficit “explode.” Not only did that not happen, but because the city doesn’t have to negotiate health-care benefit changes with unions, the city actually posted a $11 million net gain for its 2012 budget.
As a consequence of the savings, many of Wisconsin’s school districts have been able to avoid the kind of painful layoffs that teachers unions had warned were imminent. For instance, the Wauwatosa School District faced a $6.5 million shortfall and the prospect of cutting 100 jobs. But because the teachers union abided by Walker’s budget and agreed to pay a higher percentage of health insurance premiums and contribute to their retirement plans, the school was able to save all of the jobs. Similarly, the Kaukauna School District was able to transform a $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus, allowing the district to hire more teachers and even to set aside money for merit pay, something teachers unions’ had long opposed. Actually, new teacher hires outnumber layoffs and non-renewals of teaching jobs by 1,213 positions. That’s not to say that there have not been layoffs. Nearly 70 percent of those layoffs though, have come from the three school districts that rejected Walker’s reforms.
There are also growing signs that decreasing the burden of the public sector has allowed Wisconsin’s private sector to revive. In January and February alone, Wisconsin gained nearly 20,000 private sector jobs, even as its unemployment rate was around 6.9 percent – the lowest in the state since 2009. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce recently released survey results showing 94 percent of our state’s company executives believe Wisconsin is on the right track. From a budget deficit, Wisconsin is projected to post a budget surplus in fiscal year 2012.
Tax levy numbers for the 2011-12 school year show the total tax levy is down more than $47 million for K-12 schools. That translates to a 1% decrease on the school tax portion of the average property tax bill. This is only the second time the total school tax levy has dropped since 1996. Over the last five years the tax levies, on average, increased by $181 million each year. When compared to the status quo of the last five years, Governor Walker’s reforms are keeping an extra $228 million in Wisconsin property taxpayer’s pockets. In total, 269 school districts have a property tax levy lower or the same as last year.
So why this modern-day witch hunt, this race to recall a governor that is actually doing what he had promised on the campaign trail? I believe it stems from the threat Walker’s policies pose for the unions. Walker’s reforms have made national headlines and the world is watching to see what will happen in June. If Walker keeps his position as Governor of Wisconsin, it will surely send a rippling effect across the country to every state that is experiencing a deficit. It could mean the eventual downfall of public-sector unions as we know them today.
It is my personal view, that rather than “ruining” Wisconsin, as public-sector unions maintain, Governor Walker may have sown the seeds of its economic recovery. He certainly should not be ousted from office for actually doing the job he was elected to do.
Neenah School District vs. Kenosha School District
Posted: April 13, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Governor Walker, Kenosha Unified School District, Neenah School District, recall, Recall Walker, Scott Walker, unions, Walker, Wisconsin | Tags: Governor Scott Walker, Kenosha School District, Neenah School District, Recall Walker, teacher layoffs, unions Leave a commentTwo big stories came to light earlier this week involving school district budgets for next year, one for the Neenah School District and the other for Kenosha School District. As reported, one is hiring five additional teachers and the other is letting go 250 total staff members. Why the big difference? Let’s take a look…….
NEENAH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Neenah school board member John Lehman claims that laws enacted last year, when Gov. Scott Walker took away almost all collective bargaining powers from most public unions, changed the outlook for balancing their school budget. Lehman went on to say, “I know we’re going to balance the budget, and we’re going to be able to do that without decreasing 10 or 15 staff,” “We’re going to add five. To me, the most important thing is having teachers in the classroom. That makes a difference every day.”
Governor Walker’s reforms surrounding collective bargaining have given school districts flexibility with their budgets. One of those changes allowed school districts to shop for the best healthcare coverage. Many school union contracts dictated which company provided its employee’s health insurance coverage (most of the time they had to use the WEA Trust, a union affiliated insurance). This prevented districts from shopping around to save costs. Introducing competition into the process through Governor Walker’s reforms means lower costs, sometimes even without changes to coverage, premiums and/or copays.
For example, following Governor Walker’s reforms, the Appleton School District put its policy up for bid. Due to competition, their current chosen carrier offered the same policy at a cost savings of more than $3 million. That extra money can support many teachers. Across the state, savings from health care provider and plan changes alone top $75 million so far this year.
KENOSHA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Kenosha Unified School District reported that it expects to cut more than 250 employees to help close a $28 million budget shortfall for next year. The district said Tuesday, April 10th, it expects 209 layoffs, 21 retirements and 23 jobs to be reduced through non-renewal of one-year appointments. Eight administrators and 13 secretaries will be eliminated.
The staffing reductions amount to $15 million. Another $10 million is expected to be saved by closing a middle school and reducing school operating budgets, among other things. Gary Vaillancourt, a school district official said.“The majority have been teachers, because that’s the largest portion of our workforce. Nearly everyone in the district will be impacted by these cuts, and class sizes will increase. It’s unfortunate, but there’s no way to get around that when you have to come up with the money to make up for that deficit.”
Kenosha Education Association Executive Director Joe Kiriaki has claimed that the lay-offs in Kenosha are a direct result of budget cuts by Governor Walker. However Kiriaki does not mention that there was a 90-day window starting last November when the district and the union could restructure their current contracts. It would have meant teachers contributed more to their insurance and pensions, which came out to saving the district $15 million. The union however, declined, which actually resulted in the layoffs. I am quite certain that these Kenosha School District employees would gladly pay a little more for their insurance and pensions now, than be faced with no job at all. It is clear that the union doesn’t care about the individual worker as they claim. Unions are going to continue to play hardball at the cost of the average worker and of course the students of these school districts are definitely left to suffer as well.
The facts are that the three districts with the most teacher layoffs in the state (Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Janesville) didn’t adopt the reforms put in place by Governor Walker. Those districts account for 68% of teacher layoffs for the entire state, but only contain 12.8% of Wisconsin students.
School Worker Fired for Displaying Pro-Walker Sign
Posted: April 2, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Governor Walker, recall, Recall Walker, Scott Walker, unions | Tags: Governor Scott Walker, Mary Taylor, public unions, Recall, Whitewater High School, Wisconsin Recall 1 CommentOn March 15th, Mary Taylor, an employee who worked as a custodian at Whitewater High School, was sent home after school employees complained to her supervisor about a pro-Walker sign that she had placed in her car parked in the school parking lot.
Cindy Wiedenhoeft, custodian supervisor at the school, acknowledged that she discussed the removal of the sign with Taylor and ordered her to remove it. Taylor refused to remove the sign because she claimed that it was within her rights to display the sign. Taylor went even further to compare her act with those of many other school employees who display “Recall Walker” signs in their cars. She was told by her employer that they were getting complaints about the sign and she had to remove it. When Taylor refused, she was fired.
Little did Cindy Weidenhoeft know that Mary Taylor would not only not cower to the schools heavyhanded demands, but that she would take her story to the press. Conservative radio host Mark Belling covered the story on his program and since then, Taylor has been given her job back, but in another district.
Who is Mary Taylor?
- Taylor is 68 years old and works 2 part-time jobs.
- She works seven days a week.
- Taylor is a single mother, raised several children, all grown now.
- She’s a conservative and supports Governor Walker.
What is the Problem?
The issue I have with this story is not just the infringement on Taylor’s freedom of speech, but the heavy-handed way with which the public sector union employees are using muscle and influence to lay down their own brand of law. I myself have sat in a college classroom where I was subjected to repeat disparaging remarks about Governor Walker from my instructor. I finally spoke up when my college instructor deemed it necessary to pass around his union rule book on the last day of class (which had nothing whatsoever to do with the subject matter) just so that he could get this last chance in of student brainwashing.
More importantly is the question, Where is this story in the local newspapers? The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has written several articles about a man getting his house egged for displaying a Recall Walker sign, but doesn’t mention one word about this big story. Wauwatosa Now Newspaper covered a story about a man who was receiving threatening letters for displaying his Recall Walker sign, but not a word is mentioned about Mary Taylor.
My feeling is that Instead of showing concern for Sandra Fluke, Georgetown law student pushing for religious institutions to provide insurance that covers contraception and other procedures in violation of their beliefs, Obama should be calling Mary Taylor.
What she did was truly courageous. Nevertheless, I don’t think Mary Taylor will be invited on MSNBC and The View.
No one I know of is calling Mary Taylor a hero, except me.
Where do I Find Pro-Scott Walker Yard Signs?
Posted: March 24, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Governor Walker, recall, Recall Walker, Scott Walker, unions, Walker, Wisconsin | Tags: Governor Scott Walker Recall, scott walker Leave a commentYou can obtain Scott Walker signs by stopping at your local GOP headquarters, or you can also purchase yard signs, t-shirts, etc. at the official Scott Walker campaign website. http://shop.supportwalker.com/
All purchases count as a donation.
Information by county
Clark CountyCall Debra at 715-965-3961Stand with Walker yard signs |
Polk CountyCall Sandy at 715-268-9602 Scott Walker 2010 yard signs and bumper stickers for free
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Dane County437 S. Yellowstone Dr. (suite 205) Madison, WI 53719 or The Victory Office directly next door from the Fitchburg Great Dane off Fish Hatchery Road. Yard signs, place cards and bumper stickers
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Portage CountyRepublican Party HQ Call 715-498-5606 Email: kathyolsz@charter.net
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Eau Claire CountyVictory Center Office: 2237 Brackett Ave Eau Claire, WI 54701 Call: 715-835-3277
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Rock CountyPaul Ryan’s campaign office 39 Main Street, Janesville Scott Walker Yard Signs – $3.00 each
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Green BayScott Walker signs. Please email murph@greenbayteaparty.org
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Sheboygan CountyRepublican Party HQ 2125 S. Memorial Place Sheboygan, Wisconsin Call 920-452-0010 Email: webmaster@sheboygancountygop.com
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Jefferson CountyEmail Matt at MattBanaszynski@yahoo.com or call (920) 723-6121
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St Croix CountyAnnette Glenwood City annette-eaf@centurytel.net I Stand With Walker yard signs -$2.00 Bumper Stickers – $1.00 Dianne Hudson dckiel@sbcglobal.net I Stand With Walker yard signs -$2.00 Bumper Stickers – $1.00
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Kenosha CountyCall Matt at 262-498-1612 Scott Walker Yard signs- $5.00 each
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Washburn CountyContact Dan at hubinshelllake@aol.com
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La Crosse CountyVictory Center Office: 58 Copeland Ave La Crosse, WI 54603 Phone: (608) 788-5244
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Washington County519 Hickory Street West Bend, WI 53095 (262) 334-4150 Call ahead to see what is in stock.
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Marathon CountyVictory Center Office: 540 S 3rd Ave Wausau, WI 54401
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Waukesha County1701 Pearl Street in Waukesha. .Located in Unit #5 Phone: 262-522-2889 “I support Scott Walker” yard signs, bumper stickers & T-Shirts.
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Milwaukee CountyOffice: 1488 So. 84th St. West Allis, WI 53214 Phone: 414-727-1220 “I Stand with Walker” Yard Signs – $5
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Winnebago CountyJudy South of Oshkosh, Town of Blackwolf 920-688-2876 Michael Town of Oshkosh, Rushford, Nekimi, Utica, Black Wolf, Rosendale, Eldorado, Omro 920-267-0217 Barb or Bob Menasha 920-725-3293
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Outagamie CountyRepublican Party HQ 2508 N. Richmond St. Appleton, WI 54911 Appleton Victory Center
5337 Grand Market
Grand Chute, WI 54913
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Ozaukee CountyW62 N248 Washington Ave. Suite 5 in Cedarburg just south of McDonald’s Limited number of Scott Walker Yard Signs available. Contact Jeff at chairman@ozaukeecountyrepublicans.com or 262-376-9410.
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Wood County801 11th St. Marshfield, WI 54449 Call 303-905-0363 Scott Walker Yard signs – $3.00 each
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Two Factors Will Decide Walker’s Fate in Recall Election
Posted: March 9, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Governor Walker, recall, Recall Walker, Scott Walker, unions, Walker, Wisconsin | Tags: Governor Scott Walker, Recall, walker, Wisconsin Leave a commentMarquette University Law School conducted a statewide poll last week to establish how the citizens of Wisconsin feel about the Walker recall election.
Although polls repeatedly put their number at between 3 percent and 6 percent of potential voters in a Walker recall election, the Undecideds will be one of two factors deciding whether the first-term Republican governor stays on the job or is the third governor in U.S. history to be removed. The other factor deciding Walker’s future will be how well each side executes its get-out-the-vote drives.
Those two factors could determine Walker’s fate because other Wisconsin voters have their minds made up on Walker and are equally divided on him. Variations in answers to poll questions on Walker often fall within that poll’s margin of error.
The first factor that will decide Governor Walker’s fate will be the success or failure in swaying the undecided voters.
The second will be how each side executes its get-out-the-vote campaigns.
Two examples of questions from the Marquette poll are as follows:
- Question #6: Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way Scott Walker is handling his job as Governor? Results: Approve, 47%, dissaprove, 47%, don’t know, 4%, refused, 1 %.
- Question #12: Please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Scott Walker, or if you haven’t heard enough about him to have an opinion. Results: Favorable, 46%, unfavorable, 48%, haven’t heard enough, 4%, I don’t know, 1%.
Who are the undecideds? The limited poll data suggests that that they are of all ages and only slightly interested in politics.
Concerning the undecided, UW-Madison Political Science Professor Barry Burden says, “the state electorate has developed strong opinions on Governor Walker, with equal numbers supporting and opposing him. This makes the movement on the margins all the more important for winning public opinion and elections.”
“The 5% that are undecided will get a lot of attention in the upcoming recall election because of the pivotal role they play. They are generally less interested and informed than the rest of the electorate, but they are also less swayed by simple cues such as partisanship and ideology.”
“They are more likely to vote on how the incumbant is performing, particularly on the economy.”
“Voter turnout may be more of a decisive factor than the undecideded votes. It is easier for a party to mobilize its supporters than it is to persuade and turn out undecideds. We should expect a lot of concentration on the get-out-the-vote effort and negative ads to lower the enthusiasm levels of the other side.”
Seven Senate recall elections last summer attracted an average of only 62 percent of voters who participated in the last regular elections in those districts, for example. In one of those districts—the 30th, where Democratic Sen. Dave Hansen kept his seat—the vote total in the recall was only 40 percent of the number of votes cast in the 2008 regular election.
FACTS about Governor Scott Walker’s reforms
Posted: January 28, 2012 Filed under: Governor Scott Walker Recall, Scott Walker, unions, Wisconsin | Tags: Governor Scott Walker Recall 13 Comments- A local paper quoted a women stating that because she lost her job in 2011, Walker was to blame and that he was a liar for saying that jobs were created in 2011.
- A T.V. commercial shows a sad-looking elderly women saying that Walker was going to rob seniors of their most important benefits. She does not elaborate.
- Some Internet sites actually claim that Walker alone created the deficit that he has overturned, again they do not say how.
As the time approaches for the actual recall election, some sources claim that there will be 60 to 70 million dollars spent on advertisements by the unions, some without factual merit, but ones that will tug at the heartstrings of people who are gullible, but vote nonetheless. The union is not going to stand for someone infringing on their power and will spend massive amounts of member dues to pay for these advertisements. What bothers me the most is the division of the citizens of our state. You can see “Recall Walker” signs down almost every street in the city of Appleton, but very few that support Walker. Why? Because if you side with Walker, you’re a teacher-hater, unappreciative of our law enforcement officers, and fire-fighters. Of course that is not the case. Most people who I have talked with side with Walker because they are pleased with his economic policies and say that he keeps his promises. At a time when our country is in such dire financial straits, we need someone who does the responsible thing, even though it may be unpopular with some groups. My neighbor told me that she didn’t want to put a “Pro-Walker” sign up in her yard because she didn’t want to start trouble with her neighbors. My fear is that the “Recall Walker” campaign has turned into a modern-day witch-hunt, with people jumping into the fray to condemn Walker without knowing the facts. My hope is that each and every citizen will make an informed vote based on facts.
What follows is the culmination of my findings:
Walker has been unwavering in one of the most controversial fights against the public Unions. Despite fierce opposition from these Unions, he passed a law limiting collective bargaining. Walker also has managed to make our state’s environment conducive for job growth by enacting business tax reforms that will save Wisconsin’s job creators over $130 million a year. He balanced our state budget with no tax increases, and turned a $3.6 billion deficit into a $300 million surplus, again without raising taxes, or employee lay-offs. He also instituted the first permanent property tax cap in our state’s history. He has seen to it that votes are protected by requiring a picture I.D at the polls. He expanded school choice and paid back $200 million from Governor Doyle’s unconstitutional raid of the Patients Compensation Fund. He also instituted the Castle Doctrine that expands protections for homeowners and passed the Concealed Carry Law. Detailed findings are as follows:
#1
Governor Scott Walker’s budget turned a $3.6 billion state deficit into a surplus.
Wisconsin was facing one of the largest deficits in state history. Governor Walker’s budget projects a surplus for the first time in over 15 years (i).
* Includes outstanding debts, agency budget requests, and other shortfalls. See #13.
#2
For the first time in six years, school tax levies are down.
According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the total K-12 tax levy decreased by more than $47 million for the 2011-2012 school year, following reforms.
For five years prior to Governor Walker’s reforms, the statewide average school levy tax increased $220 million per year (ii) for a total of $1.1 BILLION dollars.
#3
Without reforms, homeowners would have paid hundreds of dollars more in property taxes this year.
With Governor Walker’s reforms, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the typical homeowner will save $419 over the next two years (iii). When you include additional reforms, the savings rise to $710.
#4
Governor Walker’s budget protects health care coverage for seniors and the neediest families in the state.
Due to the loss of one-time federal stimulus funds and unsustainable program expansions Governor Walker faced a projected $1.8 billion deficit in the state’s Medicaid budget (iv).
Governor Walker’s budget protected seniors and the neediest families by investing $1.2 billion in new state funds for Medicaid. This was by far the largest one-time investment of state funds into Medicaid.
Facing a huge state deficit, Governor Walker’s budget protects SeniorCare, FamilyCare, and the disabled by not dropping seniors or disabled individuals from coverage.
#5
The Governor’s reforms helped balance the budget while still offering employees a generous pension plan.
Prior to the Governor’s reforms, state employees paid little or nothing to be part of the Wisconsin Retirement System (pension) plan (xi). Payments to public employee pensions neared $1.5 billion in 2010(v). Of that amount, public employees contributed $12 million.
The Governor’s reforms require most state employees to pay approximately half of their pension contribution – or 5.8%. (Some employees, including the Governor, pay more.)
According to a report by the Wisconsin Policy Institute: (vi)
• Only 51% of private sector employees participate in a retirement plan.
• On average, private sector employers contribute 5.3% of payroll (matched by employee) for retirement plans. Before reforms, contributions to the state WRS plan were about 12%.
By comparison, retirement benefits for state employees are much more generous than those offered in the private sector.
• According to the Wisconsin Policy Institute report, a 25-year state employee earning $48,000/year will have the same estimated retirement income as a private sector employee earning $70,000/year.
• General state employees with 30 years of service can retire as early as age 57 with full pension benefits. Only 6% of private sector employers offer early retirement benefits.
A recent Taxpayer Alliance study projected that even with higher pension contributions, Wisconsin teacher benefits will be 20% higher than the national average (vii).
#6
The Governor’s reforms improve education in the state, particularly in the districts utilizing the tools that are now available to them.
According to a survey by the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators released by DPI:
• New teacher hires outnumber layoffs and non-renewals by 1,799 positions (viii).
• The three districts with the most teacher layoffs (Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Janesville) didn’t adopt the reforms put in place by Governor Walker. Those districts account for 68% of teacher layoffs for the entire state, but only contain 12.8% of Wisconsin students (ix).
• 75% of districts have the same K-3 class sizes or are decreasing them
• 67% of districts have the same 4-6 grade class sizes or are decreasing them
• 78% of districts are keeping student fees the same or decreasing them
• 92% of districts are keeping sports programs the same or expanding them
#7
With reforms, Wisconsin’s teacher to student ratio in the classroom remains low.
According to information from the National Center for Education Statistics, the teacher to pupil ratio in Wisconsin public schools continues to be lower than the projected national average (x).
Teacher to pupil ratio:
13.3 to 11 – 2011-12 Wisconsin
15.6 to 1 – 2010-11 National
1 872,286 pupils/65,400.5 teachers – Using the most recent WI DPI enrollment data and teacher staffing level survey data.
#8
The Governor’s reforms end abusive overtime practices.
According to the Legislative Audit Bureau, state agency overtime totaled $57.1 million in 2010. Governor Walker’s reforms end overtime abuse originally facilitated in a collective bargaining agreement in 1975 (xi).
For example, the Department of Corrections allowed correctional workers who call in sick to collect overtime if they work a shift on the exact same day.
Cost to taxpayers – $4.8 million in 2010 alone.
This benefit was previously protected by union contract.
#9
The Governor’s reforms allow school districts and municipalities to manage staffing based on merit and performance.
Previously, under union contracts, school districts and municipalities were required to arbitrarily layoff the newest employees first. Also, pay increases were dictated by years of service and level of schooling, not on an employee’s performance.
In cases where school leaders deem termination necessary, they can now expedite the process without lengthy, expensive arbitration and legal fees.
For example, the Middleton-Cross Plains District has spent more than $400,000 trying to terminate a teacher after an investigation revealed 23 documented instances involving school emails that contained inappropriate material. The $400,000 bill for arbitration and legal costs is paid for out of the schools operating budget.
State and local government employees continue to be protected by numerous state and federal employment laws.
#10
The Governor’s reforms allow school district officials to make budget decisions and set work rules based on what’s best for education.
Staff salaries and compensation make up the bulk of school budgets (approximately 75%). When that was untouchable due to union contracts, districts facing shortfalls were forced to cut from the remaining fraction of the budget (programs, supplies) or lay off staff.
School leaders may now consider changes in benefit packages and other options to keep teachers on the job and save taxpayer money.
For example, after reforms in the Fond du Lac District, school leaders decided teachers would eight hours per day instead of seven.
In Brown Deer, teachers now teach six of eight classes instead of five.
In Kaukauna, teachers are now required to work eight hours per day instead of 7.5.
Kaukauna School officials estimate staffing flexibilities will save the district $575,000 this year.
#11
Under the Governor’s reforms, the single option to change health insurance providers has already saved school districts tens of millions of dollars so far.
Many school union contracts dictated which company provides its employee’s health insurance coverage. This prevented districts from shopping around to save costs. Introducing competition into the process means lower costs, sometimes even without changes to coverage, premiums and/or copays.
For example, following Governor Walker’s reforms, the Appleton School District put its policy up for bid. Due to competition, their current provider offered the same policy at a cost savings of more than $3 million.
Savings from health care providers and plan changes top $75 million so far this year.
#12
Government workers now have the option of saving more than $72 million per year in union dues (xii).
Government workers continue to have the option to be represented by a union, but it is no longer mandated by the state that they contribute union dues.
#13
In balancing the budget, Governor Walker paid off more than $800 million of debt left from the previous administration (xiii).
The debt Walker’s Administration inherited, and paid off includes:
• $235 million to the state’s Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund as a result of an unconstitutional raid by a previous Legislature
• $176.5 million Medicaid shortfall
• $58.7 million to Minnesota for income tax collected from Wisconsin residents who work in Minnesota (Accruing interest – $4,584/day)
• $20 million to the state Department of Corrections
• $341.8 million in lapses leftover by the previous administration
Total $831.7 million
#14
Smart government spending leads to job creation.
In the three years prior to Governor Walker taking office, Wisconsin lost 150,000 jobs. In 2011, the state has GAINED 16,000 jobs so far.
Business owners say a fiscally responsible government and business-friendly state leaders give them the confidence they need to expand, grow, and hire. Wisconsin jumped 17 spots from 2010 to 2011 in Chief Executive Magazine for best states to do business in (xiv).
The Unions
The union in my estimation, has every reason to be upset by Governor Walker’s policies. For too many years the unions have acted greedily with taxpayer money and now they have evolved into something other than a vehicle to protect the workforce. In the past, workers were subjected to all types of mistreatment and unfair work practices. Private unions were formed for the blue collar industrial worker so they would have a safe working environment, fair pay, regular days of rest, and so on; however, times have changed. Today, workers have many different outlets for their greivences and they also have plenty of government agencies that are already funded to help protect their rights. The powerful public unions of today represent a vastly different slice of America and have become all too powerful.
Joe Klein, editor of Time magazine, made this distinction:
“Public employee unions are an interesting hybrid. Industrial unions are organized against the might and greed of ownership. Public employee unions are organized against the might and greed…of the public?”
Private companies have profits that can be used to negotiate wages and benefits with their union. Public unions are negotiating for taxpayer money. This money is not limitless. How many voters know that their hard earned tax money is going to fund these lucrative benefits?
When it comes to advancing their interests, public sector unions have significant advantages over traditional unions. Using political process, they can exert far greater influence over their members’ employers. This means that public unions actually help elect the politicians who act as management in their contract negotiations.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned that unionizing government employees was dangerous and would lead to corruption. He wrote in 1937 to the head of the National Federation of Federal Employees:
“Meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the government. All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations … The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for … officials … to bind the employer … The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives.”
Time magazine reported in 1973 that the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) were “teaching local unionists how to organize political rallies, telethons, and letter-writing campaigns.” Quoted AFSCME’s president, Jerry Wurf: “Before we were afraid to politicize the union and we got nowhere, so now we’re political as hell” (Time Magazine-Labor: Public Workers’ Powerhouse, Monday, May 21, 1973). As a matter of fact, the AFSCME website boasts, “All candidates across the country, at every level of government have learned to pay attention to our political muscle. We elect our bosses, so we’ve got to elect politicians who support us and hold these politicians accountable. Our jobs, wages, and working conditions are directly linked to politics.”
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the nation’s fastest growing union. At a budget hearing in 2009, an official of the union was recorded telling lawmakers to give the union what it wanted – or else. “We helped get you into office, and we got a good memory,’ she says. “Come November, if you don’t back our program, we’ll get you out of office”(YouTube SEIU Threat). SEIU was clearly appreciated by the Obama administration. SEIU spent $67 million to elect Barack Obama and other Democrats in 2008. In the first nine months following Obama’s inauguration, union president Andrew Stern visited the White House 22 times, more than any other visitor. Several top SEIU officials were appointed to posts in the new administration, including Patrick Gaspard, who became the White House political director, and Craig Becker, who was named to the National Labor Relations Board. “SEIU is on the field, it’s in the White House, it’s in the administration,” gloated Andrew Stern in a video to his members.
According to the http://www.opensecrets.org website, AFSCME is ranked third on their top ten all time political donors list along with other influential unions such as the American Federation of Teacher’s and the National Education Association.
The union maintains and defends the “right to collective bargaining.” Collective bargaining is not a right; collective bargaining is a privilege given to unions by friendly lawmakers; nothing more. In 1959 A.F.L.-C.I.O. Executive Counsel gave this advice:
“In terms of accepted collective bargaining procedures, government workers have no rights beyond the authority to petition Congress-a right available to every citizen.”
A federal district court in North Carolina put it quite powerfully in a decision upholding North Carolina’s law prohibiting public sector bargaining, saying, “All citizens have the right to associate in groups to advocate their special interests to the government. It is something entirely different to grant any one interest group special status and access to the decision-making process.” A law granting public-sector unions monopoly bargaining privileges gives a union, a special interest group, two bites at the apple. First, it uses its political clout to elect public officials. Then it negotiates with the very same officials.
When you consider that between 70 and 80 percent of all local government expenditures are personnel costs, you begin to understand the magnitude of the power such laws give unions.
Another big issue is the public unions’ ability to purchase insurance coverage through the WEA Trust, an insurance company established by and closely related with the union itself. About 64% of Wisconsin’s 426 districts carry this insurance. The few dozen districts that have managed to discontinue the WEA Trust Insurance have managed to save at least six figures their first year by choosing a different carrier, and maintained these steady rates for years, while still offering high quality health coverage. Other districts that want to withdraw from the WEA Trust insurance are having a difficult time because the Trust refuses to share claim histories with other carriers, which is necessary for these companies to formulate an accurate bid.
It is clear to me through all of the media attention lately that the unions have succeeded in bargaining for outlandish wages, benefits, and pensions for their members at the expense of the taxpayers for far too long. Many states are facing bankruptcy because of expensive pensions that the unions have negotiated and these unions must finally face the consequences of initiating these irresponsible dealings.
I do not dispute the fact that public sector workers are necessary, and that their roles in society appreciated, but we have allowed the public union to overstep its bounds by corrupting the process of bargaining for these worker’s. After discovering what I have about the public unions, I can only hope that other states will have the courage that Governor Walker has shown in facing the unions.
Sources
(i) July 5, 2011 Legislative Fiscal Bureau Memo http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/2011-13%20Budget/2011_07_05%20structural%20deficit.pdf
(ii) Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Data
(iii) July 15, 2011 Legislative Fiscal Bureau Memo
(iv) Budget in Brief http://www.doa.state.wi.us/debf/pdf_files/bib1113.pdf
(v) 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report by the Department of Employee Trust Funds
(vi) 2011 Legislative Fiscal Bureau Informational Paper 84 http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Informationalpapers/2011/84_Wisconsin%20Retirement%20System.pdf
(vii) http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=28
(viii) Federal Figures Show Wisconsin School Spending 5.5% Above U.S.
http://wistax.org/publication/school-update-ii-wisconsin-vs-us
(ix) http://walker.wi.gov/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=6093&locid=177
(x) http://walker.wi.gov/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=177&prid=5675
(xi) http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume23/Vol23No2/Vol23No2.html
(xii) http://walker.wi.gov/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=177&prid=5674
Click to access wasdasurveyresults.pdf
(xiii) http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/publications/budget/2011-13-Budget/Pages/act32.aspx
(xiv) http://walker.wi.gov/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=5809&locid=177
About Me
I was born in Wisconsin and have lived here most of my life. I am third youngest of eleven siblings, all of which now have their own families, but all still reside in Wisconsin. We choose to live here because we appreciate the fine quality of life that Wisconsin provides. I felt compelled to write about this very hot political issue because I am a concerned citizen; for myself, my friends, family, and government. My parents were both Liberal Democrats, however I believe most of my family today are either Republican or Independent voters. I would vote for a candidate whose platform revolves around less government, fiscal responsibility, anti-abortion, and campaign reform to mention a few. At this particular time, when our federal government is experiencing an out-of-control deficit, I believe our country needs more ethical, and economically responsible politicians, whichever party they are from.