WI's governor has promised to use the National Guard against workers
- Thread starter ColdBlooded
- Start date
Madison, Wis. (Learfield) - Wisconsin’s 20-year-old mandatory recycling law would be tossed in the garbage under Governor Scott Walker’s next state budget.
The Republican Walker says communities would no longer be required to have recycling programs – and those that do would stop getting state money to help run them.
Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie says the goal is to help communities cut their costs by reducing state mandates, while helping fix the state’s budget deficit at the same time.
But Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Walker “doesn’t want us to recycle.” And he says the governor is quote, “continuing his assault on any environmental program he can see.” Barrett said Milwaukee’s landfill costs would jump by two-and-a-half million dollars a year due to higher dumping fees that won’t go away.
Lynn Morgan of Waste Management said Wisconsin needs to grow recycling, not gut it. Her company has spent up to 35-million dollars on recycling facilities in southeast Wisconsin, most of it for a plant in Germantown. She said garbage is marketable, but it needs state mandates and subsidies to flourish.
But Waukesha County administration director Norm Cummings vows to keep recycling alive. He said high prices for metals have allowed his programs to build up some reserve funds to keep programs going. .
The Republican Walker says communities would no longer be required to have recycling programs – and those that do would stop getting state money to help run them.
Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie says the goal is to help communities cut their costs by reducing state mandates, while helping fix the state’s budget deficit at the same time.
But Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Walker “doesn’t want us to recycle.” And he says the governor is quote, “continuing his assault on any environmental program he can see.” Barrett said Milwaukee’s landfill costs would jump by two-and-a-half million dollars a year due to higher dumping fees that won’t go away.
Lynn Morgan of Waste Management said Wisconsin needs to grow recycling, not gut it. Her company has spent up to 35-million dollars on recycling facilities in southeast Wisconsin, most of it for a plant in Germantown. She said garbage is marketable, but it needs state mandates and subsidies to flourish.
But Waukesha County administration director Norm Cummings vows to keep recycling alive. He said high prices for metals have allowed his programs to build up some reserve funds to keep programs going. .
Raw Video: 12 News Camera Captures Lawmaker Being Tackled By Police
http://www.wisn.com/video/27074185/detail.html
Democratic state Rep. Nick Milroy (South Range) was tackled by police Thursday evening while he was trying to make it inside the Capitol in Madison.
Click link for video
http://www.wisn.com/video/27074185/detail.html
Democratic state Rep. Nick Milroy (South Range) was tackled by police Thursday evening while he was trying to make it inside the Capitol in Madison.
Click link for video
What happened in Wisconsin tonight
By Ezra Klein
Here's what just happened in Wisconsin: the rules of the state's Senate require a quorum for any measures that spend money. That's how the absence of the Senate's Democrats could stymie Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget law -- it spent money, and thus it needed a quorum.
But in a surprise move earlier today, Wisconsin's Senate Republicans rewrote the bill and left out all the parts that spent money. Then they quickly convened and passed the new law, which included the provisions stripping most public-employee unions of their collective bargaining rights but excluding everything in the law that spent money.
What happens next? Expect the protests over the next few days to be ferocious. But unless a judge rules the move illegal -- and I don't know how to judge the likelihood of that -- Walker's proposed law will go forward. The question is whether Walker and the Republicans who voted for it will do the same.
Polls in Wisconsin clearly showed that Republicans had failed to persuade the public of their cause. Walker's numbers dropped, while Democrats and unions found themselves suddenly flush with volunteers, money, and favorable media coverage. And they plan to take advantage of it: Eight Wisconsin Republicans have served for long enough to be vulnerable to a recall election next year, and Democrats have already begun gathering signatures. Now their efforts will accelerate. "We now put our total focus on recalling the eligible Republican senators who voted for this heinous bill," said Mike Tate, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. "And we also begin counting the days remaining before Scott Walker is himself eligible for recall."
By Ezra Klein
Here's what just happened in Wisconsin: the rules of the state's Senate require a quorum for any measures that spend money. That's how the absence of the Senate's Democrats could stymie Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget law -- it spent money, and thus it needed a quorum.
But in a surprise move earlier today, Wisconsin's Senate Republicans rewrote the bill and left out all the parts that spent money. Then they quickly convened and passed the new law, which included the provisions stripping most public-employee unions of their collective bargaining rights but excluding everything in the law that spent money.
What happens next? Expect the protests over the next few days to be ferocious. But unless a judge rules the move illegal -- and I don't know how to judge the likelihood of that -- Walker's proposed law will go forward. The question is whether Walker and the Republicans who voted for it will do the same.
Polls in Wisconsin clearly showed that Republicans had failed to persuade the public of their cause. Walker's numbers dropped, while Democrats and unions found themselves suddenly flush with volunteers, money, and favorable media coverage. And they plan to take advantage of it: Eight Wisconsin Republicans have served for long enough to be vulnerable to a recall election next year, and Democrats have already begun gathering signatures. Now their efforts will accelerate. "We now put our total focus on recalling the eligible Republican senators who voted for this heinous bill," said Mike Tate, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. "And we also begin counting the days remaining before Scott Walker is himself eligible for recall."
Republican senators have left the building (reports are they are at the Best Western near by).
People have forced open doors to the capitol and entered through windows in bathrooms and are now reoccupying the building for what appears to be another indefinite occupation disregarding the most recent court ruling.
Statewide student walkout planned for tomorrow.
Much more talk of a general strike.
Second floor of the capitol is being blocked to protesters.
People have forced open doors to the capitol and entered through windows in bathrooms and are now reoccupying the building for what appears to be another indefinite occupation disregarding the most recent court ruling.
Statewide student walkout planned for tomorrow.
Much more talk of a general strike.
Second floor of the capitol is being blocked to protesters.
"It's all about the budget.." "It's all about the budget.." "It's all about the budget.." "It's all about the budget.." "It's all about the budget.."
Weeks later, we find out (as if we didn't already know..) that *gasp* IT WASN'T ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET?! REPUBLICANS LIED AGAIN?! WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?!
All I have to say is props to state Sen. Dale Schultz for being the only one with the BALLS to vote against this bullshit..
Weeks later, we find out (as if we didn't already know..) that *gasp* IT WASN'T ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET?! REPUBLICANS LIED AGAIN?! WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?!
All I have to say is props to state Sen. Dale Schultz for being the only one with the BALLS to vote against this bullshit..
