If you have been following Governor Doyle's proposed budget at all, you know that it is filled with tax increases, unwanted new government programs, new fees, and a whole host of other overreaching legislation.

According to a JSOnline article, all of these spending measures will result in a $91 dollar or 3.2% property tax increase on the median home in Wisconsin. Since the median home assessment in the state is around $167,000, that means most of Brookfield will see tax increases greater than $91.

Republican legislators called the property tax increases irresponsible, saying they would pinch homeowners struggling to pay bills and keep their jobs while their homes lose value.

"People shouldn't have to worry over whether they can afford to live in their own homes," said Republican Sen. Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau. "Governor Doyle's budget makes it more difficult for families to afford to live in Wisconsin."

I attended the public hearing on Doyle's budget on March 25th. It was very crowded! People were lining up to address the budget committee. (At the rate they were going, they would be lucky to be finished by 9pm!) I found one familiar face though, fellow conservative blogger Randy Melchert was there video taping.

I struck up a conversation with a group of people who were independent gas station owners. They were wearing red T-shirts that said, WE ARE NOT BIG OIL. The new 3% tax would not stick it to the BIG OIL men as Gov. Doyle suggests, but harm the little guys like these--the independent gas station and convenience store owners.

They explained that the Governor's proposed 3% oil profits tax would be detrimental to station owners near the state borders because Wisconsin gas would need to be 3% higher in cost than at the neighboring out of state station. Unlike the similar tax proposed last year, this one was NOT to be passed onto the customer. If that was true, they said there was not enough profit margin to absorb a 3% cost increase for them. They would be forced out of business. According to Rep. Petersen's The Inside Scoop:

Regardless of your opinion about oil companies and profits, one must realize they sell and compete on a worldwide market. If the state charges a tax which is forbidden from being passed on to consumers, what is an oil company’s incentive to do business in Wisconsin?

The fee will only serve to discourage the wholesale distribution of fuel into the state. When supplies are short, Wisconsin will be last on a distributor’s list when surrounding states do not impose an “Oil Franchise Tax.” Due to the law of supply and demand, prices will definitely increase as the supply decreases.

By the way, our transportation fund wouldn't need shoring up if Doyle didn't keep raiding it to plug unrelated holes in the budget in the past...

Since he [Doyle] was first elected six years ago, Governor Doyle has raided more than $1.1 billion of the money you’ve paid in gas taxes and Department of Motor Vehicle fees to spend on programs other than roads. In this budget he pledges to raid another $77.5 million. 

...and the future:

Governor Doyle balanced his budget in part with $271 million in revenue generated from the [his] "oil profits" tax on big oil.

The  Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association group, or WPMCA have been running radio ads and sending out postcards urging residents to call their legislators at 1-800-632-9472. Their postcard features this stereotypical oil man and states: "They say Big Oil will pay, but experts agree Wisconsin families will get stuck with the bill."

On another front, Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke Jr. spoke at the public hearing urging the Joint Finance Committee to "Remove the early release provision" for prisoners. He says Doyle is not taking into consideration the recidivist factor. He also wanted to dispel the myth of the non-violent offender, saying these people who are locked up for drug offenses are mostly drug dealers from major street gangs. "It might save $24 million," but it doesn't take in consideration the expense to local communities and the 90% re-offending rate. 

But Gov. Doyle isn't concerned about local community expense or what effect a tax or a raiding of funds will have down the road; all he wants to do is prop up his budget and extravagant spending now. Stealing from funds and shifting expense to others are just 2 of his methods of funding his plans.

This one is of concern to me, possibly because I am now more familiar with the needs of the elderly and infirmed. It's the mandatory unionization of home care workers. State Senator Michael Ellis spoke about this fact on Mark Belling's show in February. He also wrote about it in a press release, The Wheel Report: (My emphasis)

A little-known provision in Governor Doyle’s proposed budget would make the state a union organizer for personal care workers and would require most people who hire personal care workers to hire only those in the union, a requirement that will certainly increase health care costs...

“This provision is shocking in its scope,” Ellis said. “The state is becoming a coercive union organizer....

“The state is requiring all home care providers to become members of the union or they won’t get hired, because the state is requiring all people who hire home care workers to hire only those workers who are on the registry and members of the union.

This law will affect any person hiring a home care worker. It is rather like Doyle saying all baby sitters must be unionized. Certainly it will impact senior citizens or anyone who depends on home care workers to help a loved one stay in their home longer. It also negatively impacts the service provider company--many of which are just mom and pop type businesses. With unionization, firing an inferior worker becomes much more difficult.

How about Gov. Doyle's backdooring gay marriage by providing Domestic Partner benefits despite 59% of the voters in our state voting to ban gay marriage in 2006?

Same-sex couples could form domestic partnerships and receive dozens of the same legal benefits as married people under a proposal by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle.

So Doyle's budget sticks its nose into the Domestic Partner issue but does nothing to prohibit using the state funded Madison Surgery Center to perform 2nd trimester abortions. His motives are pretty clear.

Rep. Vukmir informed me, "The first executive (voting) session for JFC is on the 16th and only a small part of the budget will be considered." So at the very least, contact the Democrat co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee with your concerns: Senator Mark Miller and Representative Mark Pocan

Here are the email addresses of all the Joint Finance Committee members if you wish to send a group email (The last 4 addresses are Republican members of the committee): Rep.Pocan@legis.wisconsin.gov, Sen.Miller@legis.wisconsin.gov, Sen.Hansen@legis.wisconsin.gov, Sen.Lassa@legis.wisconsin.gov, Sen.Lehman@legis.wisconsin.gov, Sen.Robson@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Sen.Taylor@legis.wisconsin.gov, Rep.Colon@legis.wisconsin.gov, Rep.Grigsby@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Rep.Mason@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Rep.Sherman@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Rep.Shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Sen.Darling@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Sen.Olsen@legis.wisconsin.gov,  Rep.Vos@legis.wisconsin.gov, Rep.Montgomery@legis.wisconsin.gov

If you wish to call the Joint Finance Committee members, they can be found on Leah Vukmir's State Budget Hearing page.

Please register your comments with your representatives in Madison too. Both of Brookfield's Assembly Representatives Leah Vukmir and Rich Zipperer and Senator Ted Kanavas are against Doyle's tax increases.

(R) Rep. Leah Vukmir 414-759-1100, Leah@LeahVukmir.com

(R) Rep. Rich Zipperer's Boondoggle Alert page  262-264-0655, rich@richzipperer.com

(R) Senator Ted Kanavas  (608) 266-9174, (800) 863-8883, email:Sen.Kanavas@legis.wisconsin.gov

(D) Senator Jim Sullivan   (608) 266-2512, (866) 817-6061, email: Sen.Sullivan@legis.wisconsin.gov

There are of course many, many more spending measures that are just a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. "High Speed Rail" to Madison's airport anyone? Raising sin taxes again? Hospital Bed/nursing home tax? Just take a look at his plan: 2009-2011 Executive Budget  These and many of the other tax increases will be discussed by the legislature in the upcoming weeks, but since Republicans are in the minority in both houses, don't expect much cutting.

Fight Back Wisconsin! Remember, The Wisconsin Tea Party Tax Rally is April 15th, 11:30 am on the steps of the Capitol on the King Street side, in Madison. You do NOT need to register to attend. There is a shuttle service if you are driving, or you can opt to take a bus, which you MUST register for, check the locations then click here for Bus Registration

CORRECTION: Can't get to Madison on tax day? How about Downtown Milwaukee at the Federal Building, 517 East Wisconsin Ave. (east of US Bank) at RED ARROW PARK at noon? (920 N. Water Street) Johnathan emailed me to say this is where he will be on April 15th instead of the Fed. Building. 

Previous Post: Public Hearing on Doyle's Budget, March 25th, State Fair Park 

Links: 

Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, BetterBrookfield, Vicki McKenna, Jay Weber, The Right View Wisconsin, Randy Melchert, Mark Levin, The Heritage Foundation, CNS News

What if I had a cure for Parkinson's, leukemia, diabetes, or paralysis caused by spinal cord injury? All you would have to do is take an infant, remove all of its stem cells (sorry, the infant dies), tweak the cells, and transfer them to the ill patient.

Would you do it?

Most people wouldn't and would consider that murderous act barbaric. Yet those who favor embryonic stem cell research are in effect doing just that in the eyes of those who are pro-life.

If you believe that life begins at conception, then even using an embryo for research purposes is an act of murder.

President Bush has been adamantly opposed to federal funding for embryonic stem cell research for that very reason. (The Bush stance only opposes federal funding--not outlawing private research.)

McCain has voted for existing embryonic stem cell research in the past, but those measures failed. John McCain is opposed to embryonic stem cell research that would encourage growing embryos for the purpose. The Republican platform is against any federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, but THEY ALL, BUSH, McCAIN, and PALIN FAVOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ADULT STEM CELL RESEARCH! 

The outrageous Obama radio ad that distorts McCain's position includes a woman talking about her diabetic daughter. She says that John McCain is opposed to stem cell research. It goes on to say that medical research, benefiting millions, shouldn't be held hostage by a few.

So why do the Democrats constantly tell people that McCain and Bush are against stem cell research?

Two reasons: One, they want to portray the Republicans as heartless cretins, too stuck on religious principal to care about the ill. Two, if the Democrats can get people to buy into the necessity for embryonic stem cell research, it will dilute the anti-abortion/sanctity of life position of conservatives.

The issue should become moot in time, according to CNS, which is consistent with what I have seen reported*,

Stem cells obtained from adult humans have been widely acclaimed for their ability to promote human health and stave off dreaded illnesses. Stem cells obtained from human embryos, however, have not been successful in yielding results in scientific research thus far.

 

It will be wonderful to cure some of these diseases in the near future. McCain and Palin are in favor of curing these diseases too, just not at the expense of another individual! Remember that next time you hear an Obama ad saying they aren't.

PS Nick Reed (substitute for Vicki McKenna) called the mother, Jody Montgomery, from the ad to ask if she knew she was telling a complete lie. Turns out, this is the same woman who used the same type ad against Mark Green 2 years ago. Listen to the podcast from the 10am hour on Sept. 24th to hear more.

*Nick Reed just name some of the 73 benefits to human patients obtained from ADULT stem cell research on the same radio program. He continued the stem cell discussion into the 11am hour. He mentioned the 73 benefits at about 11:20am if you were listening to the podcast. See Stemcellresearch.org 

Brookfield District 7 Info meeting, Wed., Sept. 24, 2-3pm or 6:30-7:30pm City Clerk Kris Schmidt will be in attendance to answer questions or concerns regarding recent news about the Van Hollen lawsuit against the state elections authority.

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

Seems kids and pets always get sick in the evening, on the weekend, or worse yet, on a holiday. We've been blessed never to have needed the emergency room for our son, but our little pooch, Zipper, is another story.

A few summers ago, Zipper and I were out working in the yard. He was having a blast exploring the woods while I pulled weeds. But when he emerged from the brush, I noticed something was very wrong. Zippers' eyes were rimmed in red and swollen; his lips looked puffy too.

As I examined him more closely, I saw he had many red welts on his head. Oh, my goodness, wasp or bee stings?

Wouldn't you know, it was on a holiday. Now what?

We called our vet in Glendale. Their phone message directed us to the Animal Emergency Center. I called them and let them know we were coming in.

What a blessing! They are open 24 hours a day, every day--even holidays. They were easy to get to and quickly attended to our pet.

Poor Zip must have encountered a wasp nest or minor bees in our woods? He had around 20 stings. If I had not seen him in time, he might have met his Maker!

After a few hours at the emergency center, we were able to take our dog home. We were very grateful to have found a place to take him in his hour of need.

Just in case you may have a pet emergency...

The Animal Emergency Center is at 2100 W. Silver Spring Dr., Glendale, WI  53209, 414-540-6710

I took I-94 to I-43 north to Silver Spring west exit, then west on Silver Spring to 21st street. The emergency center is on the north side of the street.

Hope you never need them!

Click here to sign the DRILL HERE. DRILL NOW.

PAY LESS.  domestic drilling petition and see the latest links to related oil news (updated every day).

Drill Here is now over the 1.27 million mark. The goal is 3 million signatures by the Democratic and Republican Conventions. 

Links: 

I just got off the phone with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the smoke is still pouring out of my ears. I needed to call about an extension on an emissions test because the car in question is not drivable at present. Although I had just been to the actual emission test facility and stopped in the office to ask for the extension, the woman in the office said I needed to call. So, call I did.

I dialed the Milwaukee number. I listened through an extensive menu list. Finally at selection 5, I heard something that sounded like the department I needed. I punched in 5.

Now I had to listen through a whole host of other information about emissions. Finally after a few minutes the menu message stated to press 0 to speak to a PERSON. I pressed 0.

The message under 0 was this, that, and the other thing, and finally the recorded voice stated that the office was CLOSED!

Couldn't they have told me that 5 minutes and umpteen menus ago?

We have 2 vehicles with tags due in March. The cost to renew the plates of course is now $75.00 instead of the former $50.00 each. While at the emissions office I also picked up a Title Application form for a used car we just purchased. The cost on that form bears a hand written $69.50 instead of the printed in $45.00. Sarcasm here: Thank you Gov. Doyle for not raising our taxes. (That makes a total increase of $129.50 for our household of cars this year.)

I still have to call back tomorrow, but the thought came to me: Are people crazy that they think government run health care will be better and cheaper? 

I have needed to call my health insurance company. It is often not all that pleasant, but it is never as bad as calling the DMV! 

... 

OK, that was yesterday, now it is the next day. I called again. This time, after about 6 minutes, I did get a live body to speak to. The man told me I could not have an extension but that I would need to purchase a temporary license plate to get the car to the emissions test place after my tags expired! I told him the woman at the title window at the emissions place said if I called,  the extension would be granted. He insisted, no, he could not.  

Do you really want to deal with this kind of help when it comes to your health care?

Links: Betterbrookfield,  Vicki Mckenna 

This Wednesday, February 20th, there will be a Community Education Meeting to explain the new Family Care Program at the Waukesha County Expo Center 4H Forum Building, North Hall . (1000 Northview Road, Waukesha) You may choose to attend the 3 pm or 6 pm session. 

The meetings are sponsored by the Waukesha County Human Services and Health Department, Waukesha County Department of Senior Services, Care Wisconsin, and Community Care Inc. They will explain the new Family Care Program (formerly the Community Options Program) and they will have a Q & A opportunity too.

Basically, as I understand it, this program allows the elderly or those in need of assisted living to remain in their assisted living facility, even after their private funds run out. In other words, Medicaid would pay for assisted living.

In the past, Medicaid would only pay for the traditional nursing home after the patient used up their own private resources. But now, through this program, Medicaid will pick up the tab on assisted living facilities too.

In case you did not know, usually assisted living facilities are much less expensive than the traditional nursing home. Nursing homes run about $6,000+ a month while some assisted living apartments or homes cost closer to $3,000 per month. Thus this program saves the taxpayers some money. At those rates, it is easy to see how a senior could go through their hard earned savings very quickly.

The program is not automatic, you must plan for it. If anyone in your family is facing the prospect of assisted living or long term care, but has limited resources, this meeting could be beneficial. Check it out and visit the websites.

Websites: dhfs.wisconsin.gov/ltcare, familypartnershipltc.org,  

Links: Betterbrookfield,  Vicki Mckenna 

My State Assemblyman Leah Vukmir sent me the following email today, which I am pleased to share with you.

She and Senator Ted Kanavas are proposing a constitutional amendment that would give us the right to enter into private contracts for health insurance.

2007 Assembly Joint Resolution: To create section 27 of article I of the constitution; relating to: the right of the people to contract privately for health care services and health care coverage and prohibiting requiring a person to participate in a state−sponsored health care system or plan (first consideration).

Whoever thought it would come to this? But at the rate our government both at the Federal level with SCHIP and State level with Badger Care is expanding government run health care programs, I am glad to see this type of guarantee for our right to choose our own private health insurance introduced. (This measure does not discontinue the government programs.)

Be sure to contact your representatives in the Assembly and Senate as well as the Governor and Republican Majority and Minority leaders. I will be encouraging these legislators to co-sponsor and approve this measure. (Contact information follows the email)