Drunk Driving Reform

The Wisconsin State Assembly just passed SB 66, a comprehensive drunk driving reform bill. The Senate is going into session within the next five minutes or so to debate the bill. If you wish to follow along you may click the link below and watch the floor debate live.

http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/index.htm

School Days

I had a nice day visiting two schools in my Senate District. I started the morning with a meeting and school tour with Principal Smith at Whiterock Elementary School in Waukesha and headed out to Hartland Arrowhead to visit with four classes of Freshman and Sophomores.

I gave the students a brief update on what's going on in Madison and took questions for the remainder of each period. It turns out the kids are concerned about the same things we all are. They wanted to know about the state of our economy, if their parents would be able to retire on their 401ks, what is going on with possible mayoral control of MPS and expressed their thoughts on health care and the environment.

It is always interesting to visit our next generation of citizens and leaders. I had a great time.

Zoo Interchange Column: Paying for the Sins of the Past

There's a lot of chatter about the Zoo Interchange and how we got where we are today. Here's my latest column:

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In February of 2005, I held a press conference at the Medical College of Wisconsin with the college’s CEO and former Waukesha County Executive Dan Finley. The event highlighted the need for the state to move ahead with reconstructing the Zoo Interchange. The Zoo, with over 300,000 vehicles traveling through it each day, was then, and still is now, the busiest interchange in state.

Despite the facts, and ignoring that The Zoo is located in the middle of the economic engine of Southeastern Wisconsin, Governor Doyle announced the I-94 North South (NS) Corridor would be the next section of the freeway system to be reconstructed after completion of the Marquette Interchange. In a letter attempting to satisfy proponents of the Zoo project, the head of the Department of Transportation said “as the NS Corridor progresses, the state will in due time turn its attention to the full reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange.”

Since then, the Governor has turned his back on the Zoo Interchange project. Within six months of his commitment, Governor Jim Doyle vetoed almost all of the Legislature’s $38 million appropriation to the interchange in the 2005-2007 State Budget. That veto, and the Governor’s subsequent refusal to fund the Zoo with any sense of urgency, is responsible for our current crisis.

So why did the Governor choose to place the NS Corridor in front of the Zoo? Why not focus our limited resources on the area of greatest need, the area that would most benefit the region and the entire state?

The answer is indicative of the leadership style of Jim Doyle; he took the easy way out. He was under pressure from political forces in Milwaukee opposing a critical portion of the Zoo project, the widening of I-94 from Miller Park to the Zoo. A major source of that political pressure was Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Just weeks prior to the Governor’s budget veto, Mayor Barrett wrote a letter to legislative leaders in opposition to the Zoo’s $38 million budget line item. Demonstrating his own lack of judgment, much like Governor Doyle’s, Mayor Barrett’s letter argued against the funding stating, “…the Zoo Interchange will stand long enough for us to resolve these issues.”

Now flash forward to last week. The Department of Transportation announced the need for an emergency replacement of three bridges within the Zoo Interchange with total estimated cost reaching $22 million.

If Doyle and Barrett would have made the right call and the Zoo project had moved forward on its original timeline, reconstruction would have been right around the corner in 2012, not pushed off until 2016 and beyond. Would we have known about these structural deficiencies earlier? Would we would have been able to shift the project forward and fully incorporate the emergency repairs into the final product? We’ll never know for sure. What we do know, however, is we’re now faced with an incredibly expense bill, for a temporary fix, to a massive problem.

Our leaders should have made the right decision in 2005 instead they made the easy one. A little backbone or even the hint of leadership and judgment from Governor Doyle and Mayor Barrett would have gone a long way. Undoubtedly, we would be better positioned to address this critical situation.

My response to Mayor Barrett’s Claims on Zoo

I issued the following statement this afternoon after Mayor Tom Barrett's Chief of Staff made several comments on the Zoo Interchange. If you wish to read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article by Tom Held click the link below to take a look:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/70677812.html

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(Madison) November 21, 2009…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) issued the following statement today in response to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s claims on the Zoo Interchange:

“Mayor Barrett’s long opposition to reconstructing the Zoo Interchange is undisputed. Even today, while the bridges are about to undergo an emergency repair, the Mayor refuses to admit his incredibly poor judgment and lack of leadership on this important issue. Despite his public admission of lobbying Governor Doyle on the Zoo, he refutes politics was ever a factor in his opposition.

For Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee and a liberal, former Member of Congress, to suggest his lobbying of Jim Doyle and the legislature was not political in nature is laughable.

On June 28, 2005, Mayor Barrett wrote a letter to former Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz and former Senate Minority Leader Judy Robson in opposition to funding the preliminary engineering for the Zoo Interchange. Demonstrating Barrett’s lack of judgment he stated:

‘…the Zoo Interchange will stand long enough for us to resolve these issues.’

The letter was so fraught with errors and misstatements the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission responded with its own letter to legislative leaders indicating a number of Mayor Barrett’s statements were ‘without foundation.’

Then on July 21, 2005, Mayor Barrett issued a statement praising Governor Doyle’s partial veto of Zoo Interchange money and took a political shot at Waukesha County in the process:

‘Governor Doyle took the appropriate action in vetoing the Legislature's $38 million appropriation for the Zoo Interchange. The funding was excessive and the message it sent, divisive. I thank Governor Doyle for recognizing that Milwaukee-Waukesha regional cooperation is not a one-way street.’

Tom Barrett’s statements and the Governor’s actions made the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange into a political issue. Now Mayor Barrett is on the defensive and unfortunately for all of us, continues to put politics ahead of safety and economic development.”

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Zoo Interchange

As you may know, I have a long history working to fix the Zoo Interchange. Governor Doyle has been blocking my efforts for years and his buddies in Madison have been willing accomplices.

Even Mayor Tom Barrett has gotten in on the act. In 2005, he praised Governor Doyle for vetoing $38 million in much needed funding to move the project forward. Also in 2005 he went so far to say the Zoo could be placed on the back burner because "the Zoo interchange will stand long enough for us to resolve these issues."

Wow, he could not have been more wrong!

Here is a copy of my statement today on the Zoo Interchange reconstruction and a copy of my 2005 release on Barrett:

(Madison)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) issued the following statement in response to the Department of Transportation’s emergency action to repair the Zoo Interchange.

“I’ve been calling for the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange since 2005 and now the bridges are falling down. Over that time, the governor and legislative Democrats raided the Transportation Fund to the tune of $1.2 billion and chose to ignore what was happening to the busiest interchange in the state. It’s irresponsible to sit back any longer and watch it disintegrate. The facts speak for themselves; we need to rebuild the Zoo and do it now.”

To learn more about Senator Kanavas or the 33rd Senate District please visit his website at: http://www.senatorkanavas.com.

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Mayor Barrett Does Not Get It
Kanavas Questions Mayor Barrett’s Judgment on Zoo Interchange


(Madison) June 30, 2005… Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) today questioned the judgment of Mayor Tom Barrett regarding the funding of preliminary engineering on the Zoo Interchange reconstruction project. Yesterday, in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz and Senate Minority Leader Judith Robson, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett embraced the Democratic Party line to nix funding for the Zoo Interchange.

“The Mayor needs to understand that the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange is vital for the economic development of the region. The preliminary work is being funded now so that businesses and local communities are able to plan and grow. They need to know that the Zoo Interchange will be able to handle the increased traffic demands of an expanding economy,” stated Kanavas.

In his letter to senate leadership, Mayor Barrett was eager to criticize SEWRPC’s freeway plan as baseless and divisive. He went on to say that funding of the Zoo Interchange should be further delayed despite the facts. The Zoo Interchange handles more vehicles in one day than the Marquette Interchange, the Mitchell Interchange, or I-94 at Wisconsin/Illinois border.

“Mayor Barrett needs to decide from which side of his mouth he wants to speak. On one side he talks about the need for economic growth of the region so that the City of Milwaukee can benefit. On the other side he is attempting to kill a project that will create the infrastructure to support growth. The Mayor just does not get it. It is ironic that the Mayor’s letter was sent a day before it was announced that Milwaukee is no longer a top 20 city in America. Without a viable Zoo Interchange Milwaukee will not be a top 30 city in ten years. He needs to understand that the answer to growing the City of Milwaukee is not shrinking Milwaukee and Waukesha counties,” Kanavas concluded.

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Waukesha Christmas Parade

This Sunday, I'll be joining my good friends Bill and (former Senator) Jodi Huelsman in the Waukesha Christmas Parade. The parade begins at 4pm and heads right through downtown.

It's a great event for the whole family! Come down and see us.

Clink the link for details:

http://www.downtownwaukesha.com/event.php?ID=183560

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Fish Fry

This Friday, I will once again be serving as a celebrity waiter at the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) 19th Annual Fish Fry. It's a great event with lots of great people and a wonderful dinner. Please join me and show your support for Waukesha!

Friday, November 20, 2009
4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Country Springs Hotel
Waukesha

For additional information you may contact RSVP at:
Phone: (262) 549-3348 ▪ Fax: (262) 549-0436
www.interfaithwaukesha.org

Waukesha GOP Event

I will be speaking at tomorrow's Waukesha Co. GOP County Chairman's Circle Leadership Celebration in Delafield. I have included some information below if you are interested in attending.

When: 11/17/2009 6 p.m.

Where: St. John's Northwestern Military Academy,1101 N. Genesee St., Delafield.

For details or to RSVP please contact Cathy Waller 262-542-8532 or cwaller@waukeshagop.org.

I hope to see you there!

Interview for the "Inside Scoop"

Click on the link below to hear my 11/5/09 interview with Rick Sense of the Inside Scoop.

http://www.theinsidescoop.us/

Statement on Senate Democrats' Economic Development Plan

Kanavas Statement on Senate Democrats’ Economic Development Plan

(Madison, WI)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) released the following statement in response to Senate Democrats’ unveiling their new economic development plan:

“What jobs will be created by passing this bill? Capital is leaving our state by the millions of dollars and the Democrats’ plan to reverse the state’s economic death spiral is to hire a grant writer and a regulatory ombudsman?

Our state is dying. Businesses and people cannot move out of state fast enough and at this time of nearly unprecedented joblessness the Democrats have a plan to do as little as possible. Where are the tax cuts to spur growth? Where is the expansion of the R&D tax credit to encourage innovation in existing companies? Where is a cut in the capital gains tax so businesses don’t leave Wisconsin?

They could not have done less and still said they had a plan.”

To learn more about Senator Kanavas or the 33rd Senate District, please visit www.senatorkanavas.com.

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If you want to read the plan for yourself you may do so at the Wheeler Report's website:

http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/nov09/nov9/1109demcorejobs.pdf

Town Hall Meeting in Hartford

Back to Washington County and Hartford! I am about to head out to a Town Hall Meeting hosted by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner. The meeting starts at 9am at the Hartford City Hall. I will be there to answer any questions you may have on state issues, while Congressman Sensenbrenner will address any questions on issues voted on in Washington, D.C.

I am sure the Democrat's plan to nationalize healthcare will be high on the list of topics. If you want to have your voice heard, nothing beats a face to face meeting. I hope to see you there.

Here is a preview of Tuesday's upcoming Senate Calendar

First Order. Call of Roll.

Second Order. Chief clerk's entries.

Third Order. Introduction, first reading and reference of proposals.

Fourth Order. Report of committees.

Fifth Order. Petitions and communications.

Sixth Order. Referrals and receipt of committee reports concerning proposed administrative rules.

Seventh Order. Advice and consent of the Senate

QUESTION: Shall the appointment be confirmed?
Armstrong, Stephanie, of De Forest, as a member of the Professional Standards Council for Teachers, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Bachhuber, Michele, of Marshfield, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Basting, Thomas, of Madison, as a member of the Educational Communications Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2013. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Bronston, Carolyn, of Wausau, as a member of the Medical Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Christman, Blane, of Ladysmith, as a member of the Rural Health Development Council, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Dallas, William, of Medford, as a member of the Professional Standards Council, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2011. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Everson, Diane, of Edgerton, as a member of the Educational Communications Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2013. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Exo, Karen, of Portage, as a member of the Professional Standards Council, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Furness, Ian, of Fond du Lac, as a member of the Podiatrists Affiliated Credentialing Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2013. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)
Gaier, John, of Neillsville, as a member of the Professional Standards Council for Teachers, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Hase, Paula, of Wausau, as a member of the Professional Standards Council for Teachers, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Heyning, Katy, of Whitewater, as a member of the Professional Standards Council, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2010. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Mulligan, Thomas, of Germantown, as a member of the Professional Standards Council for Teachers, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Patterson, Leslie, of Greenfield, as a member of the Rural Health Development Council, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Rambo, Larry, of Waukesha, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Severson, Deborah, of Eau Claire, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Stroede, Jane, of Wisconsin Dells, as a member of the Physical Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2013. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Swain, Katherine, of Beloit, as a member of the Professional Standards Council, to serve for the term ending June 30, 2011. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Thorman, Michele, of La Crosse, as a member of the Physical Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Timmons, Cecelia, of Madison, as a member of the Cemetery Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2012. (Report confirmation recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Eighth Order. Messages from the Assembly.

QUESTION: Shall the amendment be concurred in?

Senate Bill 107. Relating to: the sale, disposal, collection, and recycling of electronic devices, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing penalties. By Senators Miller, Jauch, Hansen, Robson, Erpenbach, Wirch, Lehman, Risser, and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Bernard Schaber, Black, Hebl, Sherman, Milroy, Shilling, Parisi, Berceau, Benedict, Molepske Jr., Pope-Roberts, Richards, A. Ott, Clark, Smith, Hintz, Dexter, A. Williams, and Hubler.
Assembly Amendments 3 and 4 pending

Ninth Order. Special Orders.

Tenth Order. Consideration of motions, resolutions, and joint resolutions not requiring a third reading.

QUESTION: Shall the joint resolution be adopted?

Senate Joint Resolution 47. Relating to: the second anniversary of WisconsinEye's commencement of broadcast operations. By Senators Jauch, Miller, Holperin, Hansen, Schultz, Risser, and Darling; cosponsored by Representatives Barca, Pope-Roberts, Pasch, Berceau, Roys, Hilgenberg, Clark, Jorgensen, Sinicki, Turner, Vos, Pocan, Toles, Zepnick, and Ballweg.

QUESTION: Shall the joint resolution be concurred in?

Assembly Joint Resolution 72. Relating to: the life and public service of Edward Moore Kennedy. By Representatives Nelson, Hilgenberg, Parisi, Soletski, Zigmunt, Garthwaite, Black, Pocan, Young, Roys, Jorgensen, Milroy, Danou, Benedict, Kessler, Hixson, Pope-Roberts, Hebl, A. Williams, Grigsby, Molepske Jr., Sinicki, Seidel, Hraychuck, Van Akkeren, Steinbrink, Turner, Vruwink, Schneider, Hubler, Zepnick, Pasch, Bernard Schaber, Cullen, Clark, Staskunas, Toles, Barca, and Sheridan.

Assembly Joint Resolution 73. Relating to: honoring the life of Francisco Rodriguez. By Representative Colon; cosponsored by Senator Wirch.

Eleventh Order. Second reading and amendments of senate joint resolutions and senate bills.

QUESTION: Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Senate Bill 17. Relating to: special distinguishing registration plates for certain vehicles owned by members of the national guard and making an appropriation. (FE) By Senators Hansen, Wirch, Lehman, Schultz, Taylor, and Leibham; cosponsored by Representatives Hilgenberg, Kaufert, Roth, Spanbauer, and Gunderson. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 41. Relating to: indoor environmental quality in public and private schools. (FE) By Senators Sullivan, Olsen, Miller, Hansen, Vinehout, Lassa, Taylor, Darling, Erpenbach, Schultz, Risser, and Lehman; cosponsored by Representatives Grigsby, Pope-Roberts, Cullen, Hilgenberg, Black, Benedict, Fields, Berceau, Mason, Toles, Hintz, Molepske Jr., Zepnick, Hebl, Pocan, Parisi, Milroy, Roys, and Hixson. (Report passage recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 73. Relating to: the lifetime limit under the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan. By Senators Vinehout, Erpenbach, Robson, Lehman, Carpenter, Wirch, Taylor, Coggs, Hansen, and Miller; cosponsored by Representatives Bernard Schaber, Hraychuck, and Berceau. (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 74. Relating to: health insurance coverage denials for eligibility under the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan. By Senators Vinehout, Erpenbach, Robson, Lehman, Carpenter, Wirch, Taylor, Coggs, Hansen, and Miller; cosponsored by Representatives Bernard Schaber, Hraychuck, and Berceau. (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 80. Relating to: the Volunteer Health Care Provider Program. (FE) By Senators Coggs, Holperin, Olsen, Kapanke, Schultz, Grothman, Lazich, and Kreitlow; cosponsored by Representatives Kaufert, Benedict, M. Williams, Grigsby, Brooks, Hintz, Gottlieb, Staskunas, Gunderson, Steinbrink, Kerkman, Ziegelbauer, Knodl, LeMahieu, Lothian, Mursau, Murtha, Petersen, Petrowski, Ripp, Roth, Spanbauer, Stone, Strachota, Tauchen, Townsend, Van Roy, and Vos. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 87. Relating to: increasing the maximum annual loan amount under the property tax deferral loan program of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. (FE) By Senators Lassa, Hansen, Vinehout, Lehman, Darling, Coggs, Taylor, and Robson; cosponsored by Representatives Berceau, Hebl, Hintz, A. Ott, Fields, Young, and A. Williams. (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 103. Relating to: restrictions on the operation of motor vehicles by persons using electronic text messaging devices and providing a penalty. By Senators A. Lasee, Cowles, Lehman, Carpenter, Risser, Lassa, Harsdorf, Taylor, Darling, Schultz, Olsen, and Hansen; cosponsored by Representatives Barca, Townsend, Van Roy, Bies, Spanbauer, Lothian, Petrowski, A. Ott, Friske, and Strachota. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2, Ayes 6, Noes 1, passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 2)

Senate Substitute Amendment 1 and Senate Amendment 2 pending

Senate Bill 121. Relating to: requiring the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish a career conversations program. By Senators Lassa, Taylor, Wirch, Olsen, Darling, and Holperin; cosponsored by Representatives Berceau, Sinicki, Richards, Petrowski, A. Ott, Zepnick, Spanbauer, Toles, and Townsend. (Report passage recommended by committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2)

Senate Bill 154. Relating to: school safety plans, pupil records, and school bullying. (FE) By Joint Legislative Council. (Report passage recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 6, Noes 1)
Senate Bill 162. Relating to: requiring that personal flotation devices be worn by certain underage persons in certain boats. (FE) By Senators Sullivan, Taylor, Lehman, Cowles, Lassa, Risser, Wirch, and Miller; cosponsored by Representatives Clark, Staskunas, Hebl, Zigmunt, Jorgensen, Petrowski, Pasch, Berceau, Townsend, Smith, A. Ott, Hraychuck, Steinbrink, Cullen, and Zepnick. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 2)

Senate Bill 163. Relating to: requiring health insurance coverage of colorectal cancer screening and granting rule-making authority. (FE) By Senators Wirch, Taylor, Lehman, Hansen, Erpenbach, Risser, Darling, Kapanke, Plale, Coggs, Carpenter, and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Colon, Barca, Benedict, Steinbrink, Hixson, Grigsby, Turner, Clark, Hubler, Milroy, A. Williams, Berceau, Jorgensen, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Young, Pope-Roberts, Mason, Townsend, Wood, Pasch, and Bernard Schaber. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 6, Noes 1)

Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 182. Relating to: statute of limitations for intentional torts. By Senators Sullivan, Taylor, Wirch, Grothman, Plale, and Risser; cosponsored by Representatives Roys, Berceau, Townsend, Smith, A. Williams, Murtha, Cullen, J. Ott, Richards, Colon, Spanbauer, and Kessler. (Report passage recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 191. Relating to: podiatrist-patient privilege, immunity exemption for podiatrists providing emergency care at athletic events, allowing podiatrists to determine an illness or injury and complete forms for the purpose of granting assistance to needy veterans, allowing podiatrists to determine disability for the purpose of issuing certain hunting permits, cooperatives organized to provide sickness care, the Podiatrists Affiliated Credentialing Board, allowing podiatrists to certify driver school instructors' physical fitness, allowing Medical Assistance recipients to freely choose among podiatrists, and giving equal weight to certifications of disability by podiatrists for insurance purposes. By Senators Lehman, Taylor, Plale, Schultz, Wirch, and Holperin; cosponsored by Representatives Barca, Zigmunt, Benedict, Turner, Kerkman, Steinbrink, Friske, Mason, Townsend, Zepnick, Ballweg, Berceau, and Petrowski. (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 198. Relating to: donating drugs and dispensing donated drugs. By Senators Robson, Lassa, Lehman, Vinehout, Taylor, Olsen, Harsdorf, Cowles, Carpenter, Darling, Schultz, Miller, Risser, and Hansen; cosponsored by Representatives Nygren, Pope-Roberts, Black, Sherman, Smith, Molepske Jr., Van Roy, Suder, Montgomery, Townsend, Vos, Turner, Benedict, Soletski, Tauchen, Kerkman, Petersen, Grigsby, Ripp, Petrowski, Bies, Ballweg, Friske, Gunderson, Kaufert, Knodl, Nass, A. Ott, Spanbauer, Gottlieb, and Strachota. (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 224. Relating to: notice of proposed vacation of certain highways. By Senators Holperin, Lehman, Miller, Plale, Kreitlow, Hansen, and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Steinbrink, Petrowski, Turner, and Molepske Jr.. (Report passage recommended by committee on Commerce, Utilities, Energy, and Rail, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 252. Relating to: the duty to stop at the scene of, and to report, a motor vehicle accident. (FE) By Senators Erpenbach, Carpenter, Risser, Kedzie, Darling, Grothman, A. Lasee, and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Davis, Staskunas, Ballweg, Berceau, Brooks, Kerkman, Knodl, LeMahieu, Lothian, Murtha, Nerison, A. Ott, Pasch, Petersen, Pocan, Ripp, Smith, Spanbauer, Strachota, Townsend, Vos, Gunderson, A. Williams, Kaufert, and Suder. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 253. Relating to: traffic control devices used by school safety patrols. By Senators Kreitlow, Lehman, Taylor, and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Dexter, Wood, Suder, Berceau, Pasch, Steinbrink, and Petrowski. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 264. Relating to: trespass by operators of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and other off-road vehicles. By Joint Legislative Council. (Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1, and Senate Substitute

Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 266. Relating to: creating a Nonmotorized Recreation and Transportation Trails Council. By Joint Legislative Council. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 278. Relating to: U-turns on highways and providing a penalty. By Senators Sullivan, Kanavas, Taylor, Holperin, Plale, and Hansen; cosponsored by Representatives Steinbrink, Nerison, Townsend, Brooks, Petrowski, Vos, M. Williams, and Turner. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 280. Relating to: personal liability of officers, directors, and employees of child care providers. By Senators Jauch, Vinehout, Coggs, Darling, and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Grigsby, Jorgensen, Pasch, Pope-Roberts, Berceau, A. Williams, Fields, Sinicki, Mason, Barca, and Petrowski. (Report passage recommended by committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 284. Relating to: designating and marking USH 63 as the Gaylord Nelson Highway. (FE) By Senators Kreitlow, Jauch, Harsdorf, Hansen, Lehman, Coggs, Sullivan, Miller, Schultz, Wirch, and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Hraychuck, Danou, Sherman, Milroy, Hebl, Roys, Black, Berceau, Turner, A. Ott, Sinicki, Molepske Jr., Kessler, Zigmunt, Jorgensen, and Pope-Roberts. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 6, Noes 1)

Senate Bill 288. Relating to: Indian child welfare. (FE) By Senators Jauch, Holperin, Vinehout, Coggs, Taylor, Lassa, Kreitlow, Lehman, Hansen, Robson, Risser, Plale, Erpenbach, S. Fitzgerald, Grothman, Olsen, and Hopper; cosponsored by Representatives Hraychuck, Sherman, Grigsby, Roys, Pasch, Young, Berceau, Sinicki, Pope-Roberts, Seidel, Turner, Benedict, Hilgenberg, Shilling, Hubler, Clark, Mason, Nelson, Radcliffe, Soletski, Vruwink, Smith, Sheridan, Mursau, Roth, Kleefisch, Friske, Tauchen, Huebsch, Vos, Brooks, and Ripp. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Amendment 2, Ayes 5, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Amendment 3, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Amendments 1, 2 and 3 pending

Senate Bill 299. Relating to: public disclosure of certain information when child abuse or neglect results in death or serious injury or involves aggravated circumstances or when a child in an out-of-home placement commits suicide or is sexually abused by a caregiver. (FE) By Committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Amendment 2, Ayes 5, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Amendment 3, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Amendments 1, 2 and 3 pending

Senate Bill 309. Relating to: ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Association of State Prosecutors for the 2007-09 biennium, covering employees in the assistant district attorneys collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE) By Joint Committee on Employment Relations.
Senate Bill 310. Relating to: ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Professional Employees in Research, Statistics, and Analysis, WFT/AFT, AFL-CIO, for the 2007-09 biennium, covering employees in the professional research, statistics, and analysis collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE) By Joint Committee on Employment Relations.

Senate Bill 311. Relating to: ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Teaching Assistants' Association, AFT, Local 3220, AFL-CIO, for the 2007-09 biennium, covering employees in the program, project, and teaching assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Extension collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE) By Joint Committee on Employment Relations.

Twelfth Order. Second reading and amendments of assembly joint resolutions and assembly bills.

Thirteenth Order. Third reading of joint resolutions and bills.

Fourteenth Order. Motions may be offered.

Fifteenth Order. Announcements, adjournment honors, and remarks under special privilege.

Sixteenth Order. Adjournment.

Ethanol Mandate…It’s back….

Did you ever think the issue of an ethanol mandate would really be gone? Of course not. This week the Committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology is holding a hearing on Senate Bill 279. The bill does many things, but most importantly, it creates an ethanol mandate in Wisconsin.

As a member of the committee hearing the bill on Wednesday I am going to take an active roll in this debate. I continue to be strongly opposed to a statewide ethanol mandate and hope people take a few moments to contact their legislators and express their opinion on this important issue.

If you want to read the bill you may do so by following the link below:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/SB-279.pdf

The specific section of the bill allowing for the mandate to be created can be found on the bottom of page 25 and continued on to the top of page 26. Basically, the bill sets a goal of ethanol sales in the state. If the sales don’t meet the goals a government agency may create “annual requirements” for ethanol sales.

Read it for yourself:

(5) RENEWABLE FUEL SALES REQUIREMENTS. If the department determines under
sub. (4) (a) 4. or 5. that requirements for renewable fuel sales would likely result in
sales of volumes of renewable fuels that meet the goals in sub. may include any of the following in rules promulgated under this subsection:

(a) Reporting, record−keeping, or testing requirements.

(b) Annual requirements for sales of renewable fuels in this state.

(c) Quarterly or monthly requirements for sales of a renewable fuel if the
department determines that these requirements are necessary to maintain the
availability of the renewable fuel in the state and to prevent harm to markets for the
renewable fuel in the state caused by fluctuations in demand for the renewable fuel.

Voluntary Photo ID bill introduced today!

Here is a copy of the press release issued by State Representative Bill Kramer and I today:


Kanavas/Kramer Introduce Voluntary Voter ID Bill

(Madison, WI)…Today, State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) and State Representative Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) introduced the Protect My Vote Act. The bill creates a voluntary photo ID program in Wisconsin so people can ensure their vote does not get stolen on Election Day.

“We know voter fraud exists and we have to take steps to eliminate it wherever and whenever we can. At a minimum we should be protecting people who are concerned about their vote being stolen and their rights being violated,” stated Kanavas.

The Protect My Vote Act, circulated today to solicit legislative cosponsors, creates a voluntary program allowing voters to request they be asked for a photo ID in order to vote on Election Day. Senator Kanavas introduced the bill at the request of a constituent who went to the polls in 2006 only to discover someone had already voted using his name. Under the Kanavas/Kramer legislation, the names of voters who opted-in to the program will be highlighted on the voter rolls requiring the election worker to ask for the person’s photo ID.

“In a little over a year, voters will be going to the polls for a statewide election. People need to have confidence in our electoral system and know that when they arrive to vote they’ll be able to do so,” added Kramer.
Legislators have two weeks to sign on as cosponsors of the bill at which point it will be given a bill number and assigned to a Senate committee.

###

Waukesha GOP Health Care Breifing/Washington County GOP Gala Dinner

Tonight is a busy night.

5:30pm marks the beginning of the Waukesha County GOP Health Care briefing at the Oconomowoc Lake Club. The event, hosted by State Representative Leah Vukmir, is open to the public and will provide everyone with important information on the GOP's plan for health care and how we will stop the Democrat's Healthy Wisconsin plan, their version of government-run health care, from becoming state law.

Later this evening I will be attending the Washington County GOP Gala dinner at Scenic View Country Club. This annual event is always a great time with good food and wonderful folks from across Washington County.

I hope I get a chance to see you there.

Vicki McKenna interview on 1310 WIBA, Madison 3:00 pm today

I will be on the Vicki McKenna radio show (listen online here) this afternoon at 3:06pm to talk about a letter Representative Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) and I sent to Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan and Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority Executive Director Antonio Riley about the possibility of state taxpayer dollars being sent to ACORN.

If it turns out the state is giving taxpayer money to ACORN Rep. Kramer and I will immediately introduce legislation to stop it.

In case you missed the whole ACORN scandal you can catch a glimpse of the story by watching this video:

http://www.breitbart.tv/shock-undercover-video-shows-acorn-workers-advising-pimp-prostitute-to-avoid-law/


You may also read the text of our letter below:


Throughout 2008, and again in recent weeks, there were several news reports surrounding the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, or ACORN, and disreputable practices of providing advice to low-income individuals on tax evasion and fraud.

ACORN, whose purported mission is to serve low-income communities, maintains offices in both Madison and Milwaukee. From their website:

Since 1970, ACORN has been building community organizations that are committed to social and economic justice, and won victories on thousands of issues of concern to our members, through direct action, negotiation, legislative advocacy and voter participation. ACORN helps those who have historically been locked out become powerful players in our democratic system.

Recent media revelations have disclosed that ACORN staff in Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, New York, NY, and San Bernardino, CA gave advice on tax evasion, manipulation of the tax code, and in one extreme case, murder, should give us all pause on the role of this organization in civil society.

Recognizing the gravity of the history of allegations and criminal conduct surrounding ACORN, the United States Senate voted 83-7 to defund ACORN activities in the federal Housing and Urban Development budget. Additionally, the United States Census Bureau has cancelled a contract with ACORN that would have employed its assistance in the decennial census next year.

ACORN receives tens of millions of dollars in state and federal grants and contracts to provide certain services to low-income individuals. Our fear is that they may be receiving Wisconsin tax dollars as well. Several other states have requested reviews of their official relationships with ACORN.

Today we write to request that you review all contracts, grants, and other official relationships that the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority may have with the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN). If indeed WHEDA does maintain official relationships with the organization, please provide our offices detailed descriptions of the relationship – including any past or projected financial outlays – and any steps you are prepared to take to ensure that Wisconsin taxpayers are not subsidizing an organization that has clearly fallen into disrepute.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.

Warmest regards,



Bill Kramer
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
97th Assembly District



Ted Kanavas
STATE SENATOR
33rd Senate District

Session this afternoon

The Wisconsin State Senate is in session starting at noon today. You can view today's Senate calendar and follow the session live online.

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/insession/senate/index.htm

Dozer Days in Sussex

Dozer Days is going today from 9-4 today. It is a fun community event for families and benefits a great cause, the Hamilton Education Foundation. If you are in and around Sussex stop by.

http://www.dozerday.com/index.html

A Wisconsin Version of ObamaCare?

We are all very familiar with the health care debate raging in our nation’s capitol and in town hall meetings across the country. The issue of whether or not the federal government should grab control of our current system and create its own socialized brand of medicine has been making national headlines for months. But, I wonder how many people remember what happened right here in Wisconsin just two years ago.

If you recall, Democrats in the Wisconsin legislature were running around the state holding public hearings touting an Obama-like government-run health care plan. For the most part, no one really knew anything about it. You may vaguely remember they had a plan, but folks are sure to be soft on the details and likely know little of the plan’s potential impact on our economy or the size of state government.

Despite minimal public input at the time, the Democrats tried to ram this through as part of the state budget. Every Democratic senator in Southeastern Wisconsin, in fact, every Democrat in the Wisconsin State Senate, voted to make their beliefs of what your health care should be, part of the last state budget.

Their plan would have implemented a tax on Wisconsin business to pay for a government-run health care model. Much like the plan being tossed around in Washington, the Senate Democrats would place your health care decisions in the hands of bureaucrats. Luckily for us, Republicans, who controlled the State Assembly at the time, were able to purge the plan from the budget. But what happened to the Democrat’s plan? Where is it now? Is it dead?

No, it’s not dead.

Democrats here in Wisconsin know the public is furious about the national plan and don’t want to take the flack their Washington cohorts are taking so they’ve decided to sit back and watch the carnage. If their friends in D.C. get the job done and force us all into a socialized health plan, then state legislative Democrats can slowly back out of the room, pretend like they had no input on the deal and come out clean as a whistle. If the national Democratic Party fails in their quest, however, look for the Wisconsin plan to be resurrected.

Despite their inactivity, legislative Democrats still believe in the government-run model. They still believe that your government should be involved in your health care decisions. They still believe businesses need to be taxed in order to pay for their employee’s health care and the care of people that don’t currently have insurance.

Their plan, or course, would be devastating to Wisconsin businesses and our economy. People without insurance from the across the Midwest and the entire country would flock to Wisconsin for free health care and businesses would move out of state as quickly as they could; taking jobs and families with them. We would have a net gain of people dependent on government and a net loss of producers, job creators and taxpayers. It would complete our state’s death spiral.

If we are really going to prevent the government from intruding into our lives and impacting personal decisions between our loved ones and our doctors, we not only have to keep up the pressure on Democrats who represent us in Washington, D.C., we have to keep up the pressure on our representatives in Madison who still believe in the socialist dream and are coyly waiting in the wings for their turn to pounce.

Time change for the Brookfield Town Hall Meeting

The Wednesday, September 2nd, Town Hall Meeting at the Brookfield Safety Building on Calhoun Road will now begin at 3:30pm.

Town Hall Meeting Schedule

Upcoming Town Hall Meetings

Town Hall Meetings are an important opportunity for me to listen to concerns and get input from constituents. I hold these events several times a year and invite you to stop by and share your thoughts with me. Meetings will be held at the various times and locations listed below:

September 2, 2009

9:00-9:30am - Sussex Village Hall, N64W23760 Main Street, Sussex
10:00-10:30am - Merton Town Hall, W314N7624 Highway 83, Merton
10:45-11:15am - Merton Village Hall, 28343 Sussex Road, Merton
12:00-12:30pm - Richfield Village Hall, 4128 Hubertus Road, Hubertus
1:30-2:00pm - Lannon Village Hall, 20399 W. Main Street, Lannon
2:15-2:45pm - Brookfield Safety Building, 2100 N. Calhoun Road, Brookfield

September 3, 2009

10:00-10:30am - Hartford City Hall, 109 North Main Street, Hartford
11:00-11:30am - Menomonee Falls Public Library, W156N8436 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls
1:00-1:30pm - Pewaukee Village Hall, 235 Hickory Street, Pewaukee
2:00-2:30pm - Waukesha State Bank, Community Room, 100 Bank Street, Waukesha

Richfield Days

Richfield Days is this weekend. There is always a lot to see and do. Fish Fry on Friday night, fireworks on Saturday night and a big parade on Sunday. Because of a very busy weekend, I will only be able to go for the parade. If you can make it I would love it if you stopped by to say hi.

The parade starts at high noon.

For more information on the Village of Richfield and Richfield Days you may follow the link below,

See you there~

http://www.richfieldwi.gov/index.asp?Type=B_EV&SEC={82FAA517-DA7D-4BF8-BAAC-C09CDD721D5E}

Zoo Interchange

I have been talking about the need to reconstruct the Zoo Interchange for years. It is the most heavily travelled interchange in the entire state, including the Marquette Interchange, and work to rebuild it must be accelerated.

Governor Doyle has repeatedly delayed the reconstruction project and we are paying the price.

Here is a link to a JS Online story in today's newspaper.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/53574857.html

Les Paul

Rest in peace to Waukesha's own Les Paul.

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/les-paul-passes-away-at-94-813/

August Showdown for Brewers

Well Gang, this is it. The Brewers have an easy schedule in August and need to make it happen. The old adage is that you can't win without pitching and the Brewers are going to need to patch it together for the next month and win with what they have. Can they do it? Only time will tell.

My prediction is two or three games back in the Central come September 1. However, the bad news is that their September schedule is pretty tough. This might not be the Brewers' year, but the bandwagon should be full for a while...

When Did We Vote ‘YES’ on Trains?

My new column on trains:

Have you noticed a steady increase in the number of news reports about trains? Over the past several months and weeks, newspapers have been covered in stories about light rail, high speed rail, federal stimulus money for trains, Spanish train manufactures, KRM, regional transit authorities, a loop around downtown Milwaukee, and routes to Madison, Minneapolis and Green Bay.

When did all of this happen? At what point did Wisconsinites decide we were all in on the train game?

Since the beginning of the year the legislature has been focused on one thing, the budget, and rightly so, it’s the most important vote of every two-year session. Right now, the whole budget mess seems like a Jedi mind trick, a slight of hand, to get our attention focused on billions of dollars of new taxes and not on what was going on with trains.

While the rest of the people in the state were distracted with real world problems like trying to keep their jobs and paying bills, the liberal elites like Governor Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett were off cutting deals on trains. As Wisconsin companies were leaving Wisconsin for greener economic pastures, Governor Doyle was in Spain making new friends. Those friendships led to a foreign train manufacturer landing a $47 million no-bid contract to build high speed rail cars for use between Milwaukee and Chicago. Sounds like a sweetheart deal for the Spanish company, but now taxpayers have to pay for track upgrades to make the new cars truly “high speed”.

That’s the thing with trains, the start up costs are just the beginning. Cars, new tracks, track upgrades, maintenance, future route expansions all cost money, and lots of it.

For a state that raises taxes year after year and is carrying over a $2 billion deficit into the next budget, I have one question: Should we be spending money on things that could end up costing us hundreds of millions of dollars down the line? If we can’t afford to pay for transportation priorities, like reconstructing the Zoo Interchange, can we afford to take on another huge financial burden?

These are questions that need answering. The issue of transportation, including rail, needs to be debated and voted on. After all, when did we vote “yes” on trains?

Where is the strategic plan on rail? It appears there are independent plans on rail systems offer by individual interest groups, but how do these plans link together? The fact is, there is no twenty-year plan on rail. These issues have never been debated. The individual proposals were negotiated by two groups sitting on the same side of the table. The same thing is going on behind the scenes of other rail related headlines.

Just last week, Governor Doyle traveled to Chicago and put Wisconsin in the middle of a mad grab for federal cash targeted at train projects. The only chance to get a piece of the pie was to tout our own big plans for rail and to sit down with the Mayor Daley to cut a Chicago-style deal. Those deals rarely benefit anywhere but Chicago. The Daley-Doyle deal was no different. The Governor agreed to support Chicago-centric proposal paid for by federal stimulus money in the hopes that Wisconsin might get some of the leftover pocket change to chug north.

If any federal money does make its way here, it will never cover the long term costs of the project. Wisconsin taxpayers will be paying the bills in perpetuity.

If, at some point in the future, we determine this is what the state needs then so be it, but we need to think it through. We need to debate the issues, lay out the facts and make an honest decision if rail is the right way to move our state forward. Before we get “all aboard,” we need to ask ourselves if the way we are spending money will give us a solid return on our investment.

We can’t afford to get it wrong. The stakes are too high.

Column: An Opportunity Lost?

Here is my latest column...

-----------------------------------

Recently, the Wall Street Journal described how truck manufacturer Oshkosh Corporation was awarded a $1 billion defense contract to build a Humvee-like vehicle for use by troops in Afghanistan. The article gives an overview of how the Wisconsin-based company landed such a huge government contract and its impact on the labor market in the Fox Valley.

I, for one, could not be happier for Oshkosh Truck, the city, and the entire valley. This contact alone is expected to create 500 to 600 new jobs; great news for a city with an unemployment rate hovering around 8 percent.

Undoubtedly, it’s a great story, but could it have been better? Should it have been?

Oshkosh Truck had been preparing for the possibility of landing this contact for months. Engineers had been working around the clock to ensure its design, and its bid for the work, would best its competitors. As a private sector company it had to be prepared for anything, have an answer for any question, a solution for any problem or complication.

Their hard work paid off when Oshkosh Corporation was awarded the sole contact that could ultimately be worth upwards of $12 billion. The contract was so big in fact, the company’s Wisconsin facility could not handle all of the workload. In addition to hiring hundreds of people here, the company recalled over 500 laid-off employees in Pennsylvania. Terrific news for people in the Keystone State, but could those jobs have been created here?

If Governor Doyle thought more like the people at Oshkosh Truck, being prepared for anything, expecting the unexpected, he would have done something, anything to keep those jobs in Wisconsin in the months leading up to the contract announcement?

The Governor’s lack of a plan has once again hurt Wisconsin. If he would have thought of the folks in Janesville the story of Oshkosh Truck may have been even better. He should have been prepared to offer tax cuts, credits, exemptions, anything to put our citizens back to work and encourage Oshkosh Truck to retool the Janesville GM plant to help build the new vehicle.

Governor Doyle isn’t leading the gang that couldn’t shoot straight; he’s leading the gang that won’t shoot. Retaining and creating jobs is more than putting on a show, sending a letter or making one phone call to a CEO when the newspaper reports the tale of yet another company leaving Wisconsin. The tale of economic development is; if it’s in the paper it’s already too late.

When Thomas Industries left Sheboygan for Louisiana, the Governor said he personally called the company. That’s not going to cut it. The cost of doing business in Louisiana was less than Wisconsin. The company could save millions in labor costs by relocating. The decision to move was a no brainier from the business side.

Ultimately that’s the side of the equation the Governor Doyle doesn’t get. He doesn’t understand it, it’s outside of his comfort zone and that’s why he refuses to engage with the business community.

Right now we need a Governor that understands business and what it takes to create real jobs. 1,200 people lost their jobs when the Janesville General Motors plant closed. The city has an unemployment rate of 13.2%. Do you think Janesville could use a Governor that knows how to create real jobs?

I believe we lost a real opportunity to put Wisconsinites back to work on a large scale. The question about Jim Doyle now becomes: will he be ready the next time?


###

A Texas-Sized Problem

A week or so ago I wrote a column called “My Friend the Lawyer.” The column was based on a conversation with a friend who told me some of his clients were considering leaving Wisconsin in favor of lower-taxed states in the southwestern United States.

The response to the column was a bit unexpected.

The Democrat’s got defensive, which on its own is not unusual. I’d be a little sensitive too if I had to face my constituents after raising taxes and fees by $2.1 billion, bumping up property taxes by $1.5 billion, significantly increasing state spending and making it nearly impossible for Wisconsin businesses to create jobs.

Also not entirely surprising was a liberal special interest group attacking me for having the gall to point out that we’ve reached the tipping point in our state; people and businesses are leaving because we’re taxed too much and the job climate is only going to get worse. You would think if they really believed the Democrat’s budget was good for economic development, job creation and the future of our state they would want the media to remain focused on the budget and all the good is was doing. In reality the Democrats and like-minded third party groups are talking about anything but the budget.

The really unexpected bit started to arrive in my e-mail inbox a day or so after the article was posted on my website. Mixed in with contacts from my senate district were three e-mails from Texas. Not the Town of Texas, Wisconsin in Marathon County, represented by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, but the State of Texas; Austin, Lubbock and Sachse to be precise.

Unlike the Democrats who attacked my column and my take on their budget, the Texans liked it. They appreciated that someone recognized the benefits of lower taxes. One person went as far to express disappointment that the Democrat’s tax and spend policies are “not only ruining wonderful places like Wisconsin, they have infiltrated [Washington] DC, and will soon have our national economy, and worse the entire country on its knees if they have their way with us.”

If people in Texas understand what is happening here in Wisconsin why can’t our legislative Democrats understand?

If you were having trouble making ends meet, living pay check to pay check, would you go out and buy a more expensive car and increase your monthly payment? I would hope not, but that’s what the Democrats did this year. Their budget increased state spending 6.8%. To make matters worse, this week, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau published a report indicating our state’s structural deficit is now over $2.0 billion.

So in the last few weeks, the Democrats negotiated a deal amongst themselves to increase taxes, increase spending and grow the deficit and are now pretending like it never happened. They have shifted their focus to other things, like keeping an arm’s length away from $5.0 billion in new taxes before their constituents figure who is responsible.

Maybe if Senator Russ Decker and the Democrats would have focused more on the 1,700 people living in the Town of Texas, Wisconsin we wouldn’t have to worry about good Wisconsin businesses moving to the Lone Star State. Until they realize we have to keep job creating businesses right here at home, we are going to have a Texas-sized problem on our hands for years to come.

Kanavas Column: My Friend the Lawyer

I was at an event in Milwaukee last week and I bumped into a prominent local attorney. Many of his clients are the types of businesses that drive our economy; the small and midsized companies that employ anywhere from 10 to upwards of 500 or so people. These companies are established businesses, supporting real Wisconsin families. The conversation immediately turned to the budget and I asked him what his thoughts were on Wisconsin’s business climate and how he thought the budget was going to affect it.

From my perspective, as a businessman and legislator, the conversation did not go well. He was quick to point out that several of his clients were soon leaving the state. Two companies in particular have plans to move to Texas or the southwest. This comes at no surprise of course. Texas has no state income tax and has been adopting policies that favor business growth and job creation for years. What was a surprise though, was that both of his clients mentioned Governor Doyle’s budget as a contributing factor in their decision to leave.

I’ve received hundreds upon hundreds of phone calls, letters and emails about the budget over the last few months. Often the caller or writer will say something like “I just can’t take it anymore,” “our taxes are too high,” “I can’t afford to live here any longer,” or “I’ll be forced to leave this state if this budget becomes law.” I’ve heard it, I’ve read it, but I’ve wondered how many people are going to actually do it?

The conversation with my lawyer-friend was proof it was really happening. We have reached the point where businesses, which means jobs and people, are leaving Wisconsin because of what the Democrats have done and are doing in Madison. Unfortunately, when these companies do leave it isn’t going to be like General Motors; splashed over the front page of the newspaper. These businesses are going to quietly tip-toe out of town and the employees are either going to be out of work or moving out of state.

This scenario is a disaster, and it’s a disaster for a reason that may not be on the top of your mind. Not only does it mean that the Democrats unfettered control of the state legislature and governor’s mansion is driving people away from our state, but it also means things are only going to get worse.

I know it’s hard to imagine a situation worse than the one we’re in right now. The Governor just signed a budget bill containing $2.1 billion in new taxes and fees, increased spending by 6.8% and allowed property taxes to go up by $1.5 billion. Couple that with the state’s unemployment rate at roughly 9% and you would think we could only improve from here. But let’s not forget those companies we just forced out of town. They will have an impact on our future.

When the companies leave they’ll take their tax dollars with them. Those companies will not be paying property taxes or corporate income taxes. Their employees will not be paying property taxes on their homes or personal income taxes.

So what happens next year when the state crunches the numbers and discovers that fewer companies and fewer people paid taxes in Wisconsin? The situation will be worse. Deficits will be greater. The unemployment rate will be higher. These numbers will not go down until we change the way we do business. The economy is falling apart around us, and here in Wisconsin we raised taxes by $5 billion since January, grew the size of government and increased state spending.

People have to take a long hard look at the policies being pursued in Madison and realize they just don’t work. Our state is going to experience a net out-migration of producers and a net in-migration of people who are more dependent on government.

We are killing our economy and our future.

If we don’t change and change soon, I may bump into my lawyer friend again, but it just might be in Texas.

4th of July Activities

I already kicked of my annual 4th of July parade circuit.

On Sunday, I took some time away from volunteering at GreekFest, and walked in the Hartland 4th of July Parade. It was a great crowd as usual. I saw some old friends and enjoyed the beautiful walk down Main Street.

Later in the week I will be in parades in Oconomowoc, Menomonee Falls, the Town of Brookfield, City of Brookfield, Hartford and Pewaukee. It is one of my favorite weeks of the year.

I have attached some links from the Channel 4 website (below) so you can find the celebration nearest you.

Waukesha County:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/promotions/49019031.html

Washington County:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/promotions/49018996.html


I hope to see you out there celebrating America!

Budget Vetoes

Governor Doyle signed the state budget today. It's official, the Democrats have raised taxes by $4.8 billion since January.

If you want to read the Governor's spin, you may read his veto message by following the link below:

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/debf/pdf_files/2009-11VetoMessage.pdf

Kanavas Casts Vote Against State Budget

(Madison, WI)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) released the following statement after casting his vote against the Democrat’s 2009-2011 State Budget Conference Report:

“People across the state are going to be shocked tomorrow when they read the morning paper. The Senate Democrats used a late night session to punish taxpayers by passing $2.1 billion in new tax increases and $1.5 billion in property tax increases; sparing no one.

“The state took a gigantic step backwards tonight. Plain and simple, this budget is going to make it harder for Wisconsin’s economy to turn around and it will make it nearly impossible for any job growth to occur over the next 12-18 months.

“One thing is for certain; we’ll be back here in less than a year to fix the mess they’ve made.”

In all, the Democrats 2009-2011 state budget raises taxes by $2.1 billion, raises property taxes by $1.5 billion, and increases spending by 6.8%. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 17-16.

To learn more about Senator Kanavas or the 33rd Senate District, please visit his website at: www.senatorkanavas.com.

Your State Budget!!!

Here are the budget numbers from the conference report (the state budget agreement).

All fund spending...6.8% increase!
New taxes and fees...$2.1billion!
Property Tax increase...1.5 billion!
Borrowing...$2.9 billion!

All told with Act 2 (the mini budget passed in February) the Democrats have raised taxes $4.8 billion in the last six months!!!

This is disgusting!!!

New Website

The redesign on my state website is now complete.

I just uploaded some video clips from Wednesday night's budget debate. Feel free to take a look around, read my recent press statements and releases and sign up for my e-mail update list.

Just go to www.senatorkanavas.com or click on the link below to check it out:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sen33/news/.

I voted 'NO' on the state budget

The State Senate just took the vote for final passage of the budget. I voted no. Despite numerous attempts by my Republican colleagues and I to amend the bill, all Senate Democrats voted in a block, and defeated all of them.

The problems with this budget bill are too many to get into tonight (like the $48 million in pork). We'll have to wait and see what they come up with during the conference committee.

PS- I am going to vote against that too!

Here is the release I sent from the office:

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Kanavas Votes Against State Budget

(Madison, WI)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) released the following statement in response to his vote against the 2009-2011 State Budget:

“Senate Democrats are claiming to look out for taxpayers but the budget they just passed drops the ACME anvil on our hard-working citizens.

The Democrats did what was nearly impossible, they managed to take a horrible budget and make it worse. This bill is riddled with billions of tax and fee increases, highlighted by a new $485.6 million tax on capital gains.

Capital gains were paid by 248,000 Wisconsin tax-filers last year hitting small businesses disproportionately hard. Small businesses are the engine of economic growth in our state and the capital gains tax provision is exactly the wrong thing to do at exactly the wrong time.”

To learn more about Senator Kanavas or the 33rd Senate District, please visit his website at: www.senatorkanavas.com.

Senate Calendar for June 9, 2009

The Senate is in session tomorrow morning beginning at 11:00am. If you would like to take a look at the calendar ahead of time, or follow along tomorrow as we proceed, simply follow this link:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/insession/senate/index.htm

Kanavas Column: It's Because We're not Growing!

Billions of dollars in debt, cuts in state programs, businesses laying off workers, moving out, closing down. This sums up the state of the State. At some point we have to ask ourselves how did this happen? How did we get here?

Obviously this problem didn’t just sneak up on us. Over the past six years or so, every time Governor Doyle gave a major speech about the economy or delivered his budget address he touched on the same themes: times are tough; everyone must sacrifice; we must tighten our belts. It’s almost as if he thought by shinning a light on the situation, then Wisconsinites, and more importantly, voters would not hold him accountable for our problems.

If we credit the Governor for sounding the alarm, must we not then ask what has he done to put out the fire? If you looked back at the budget he and the Democrats proposed two years ago, you would discover that while the alarms had sounded, the budget contained $1.78 billion in tax and fee increases in addition to a $1.2 billion property tax increase. I wouldn’t call that belt tightening. Nor do I believe that this year’s budget is any different.

During his budget address this February, Governor Doyle mentioned the words cut, cuts, or cutting over 40 times. His budget, however, actually raises taxes by $1.7 billion and increases spending by an astounding 7.7%. These tax increases, on everything from gasoline, to hospitals, to phone bills are what are really killing our economy and preventing us from growing.

Ultimately, that’s the problem, we’re not growing.

If Wisconsin had a tax climate that encouraged growth, and invited people and businesses to relocate here, we wouldn’t be in the situation we are in today. If our population increased at a steady rate, the influx of taxpayers and their tax dollars would help us survive the tough times. Governor Doyle and his tax-hiking record in office have stifled growth and created our current problems.

Despite the Governor’s claims that our lack of economic growth is a national issue, it isn’t. Let’s use the example of North Dakota. North Dakota’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased 7.3% in the first quarter of this year. Not surprisingly, North Dakota started their legislative session with a $1.2 billion surplus. Wisconsin’s GDP grew by 0.07% and our state is billions in the hole.

Each time the Governor and the Democrats raise taxes, another family or another business has to figure out how to pay for it. At a time when personal income rate is stagnant if not declining, and bottom lines are bottoming out, people are forced to decide if they can afford to stay in Wisconsin. And you can forget about people moving here to pick up the slack, it’s just not happening.

If we don’t institute policies that reverse the course we are on; if we don’t grow; we’ll never get out from under our mountains of debt. Growth in our economy and population and our ability to pay our bills are directly related. The Governor can blame Wisconsin’s problems on a national crisis, but in reality it’s a Wisconsin crisis.

The alarm sounded long ago, but the fire is still burning.

Upcoming Memorial Day Schedule

Here is my tentative parade schedule for Memorial Day: Monday, May 25, 2009.

10:00am Menomonee Falls Parade
10:30am Elm Grove Parade
1:00pm Sussex Parade

Hope to see you all there!

Senate Calendar for Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The issue on the floor tomorrow drawing the most attention is SB 181, the statewide smoking ban bill. The bill is going to pass overwhelmingly, but I will be voting for several exemptions to preserve private property rights for Wisconsin business owners.

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First Order. Call of Roll.

Second Order. Chief clerk's entries.

Third Order. Introduction, first reading and reference of proposals.

Fourth Order. Report of committees.

Fifth Order. Petitions and communications.

Sixth Order. Referrals and receipt of committee reports concerning proposed administrative rules.

Seventh Order. Advice and consent of the Senate

QUESTION: Shall the appointment be confirmed?

Beil, Martin, of Madison, as a member of the Deferred Compensation Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2009.

Drury, Michael, of Merrill, as a member of the Deferred Compensation Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011.

Macareno, Amelia, of Milwaukee, as a member of the Banking Review Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2013.

Eighth Order. Messages from the Assembly.

QUESTION: Shall the amendment be concurred in?

Senate Bill 51. Relating to: judicial discretion in certain John Doe proceedings and the provision of attorney representation of state employees at John Doe proceedings. (FE) By Senators Kreitlow, Erpenbach, Taylor, Vinehout, Schultz, Hansen, Lehman, Holperin, Kapanke, and Hopper; cosponsored by Representatives Hintz, Spanbauer, Townsend, Ballweg, Shilling, Van Roy, Kaufert, Berceau, Ziegelbauer, Garthwaite, Jorgensen, Sinicki, and Friske. (Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly amendment 2 adopted)

Assembly Amendment 2 pending

Ninth Order. Special Orders.

QUESTION: Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Special order at 11:15 A.M.

Senate Bill 181. Relating to: prohibiting smoking in indoor areas, in sports arenas, in public conveyances, and at certain outdoor locations and providing a penalty. (FE) By Senators Risser, Ellis, Robson, Jauch, Miller, Darling, and Coggs; cosponsored by Representatives Richards, A. Ott, Seidel, Zigmunt, Milroy, Benedict, Parisi, Berceau, Black, Roys, Soletski, Gottlieb, Clark, Bernard Schaber, Mursau, Toles, Hilgenberg, Cullen, Sinicki, Townsend, Pope-Roberts, Smith, Pasch, Hintz, Spanbauer, and Montgomery. (Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 6, Noes 1, passage as amended recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 5, Noes 2)

Senate Substitute Amendment 1 pending

Tenth Order. Consideration of motions, resolutions, and joint resolutions not requiring a third reading.

QUESTION: Shall the joint resolution be concurred in?

Assembly Joint Resolution 9. Relating to: proclaiming May 15, 16, and 17, 2009, Syttende Mai Weekend.

Assembly Joint Resolution 50. Relating to: the public service of Allen J. Buechel.

Eleventh Order. Second reading and amendments of senate joint resolutions and senate bills.

QUESTION: Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Senate Bill 14. Relating to: the definition of sexual intercourse for the crime of incest. (FE) By Senators Lassa, Taylor, Sullivan, Coggs, Olsen, Lazich, A. Lasee, Darling, and Plale; cosponsored by Representatives Cullen, Zepnick, A. Williams, Sinicki, Staskunas, Gundrum, Kerkman, Ziegelbauer, Berceau, Townsend, Spanbauer, Vruwink, Strachota, Barca, Turner, and Soletski. (Report passage recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 31. Relating to: the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. By Senators Risser, Lehman, Cowles, Plale, Lassa, Miller, Robson, Taylor, and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Cullen, Fields, Stone, Davis, Smith, Zepnick, Turner, Berceau, A. Ott, Kaufert, Kestell, Benedict, Townsend, and Shilling. (Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Substitute Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 39. Relating to: cash value of life insurance regarding eligibility for the veterans assistance program. (FE) By Senators Kreitlow, Erpenbach, Taylor, Lassa, Plale, Lehman, Wirch, Vinehout, Schultz, S. Fitzgerald, Leibham, and Lazich; cosponsored by Representatives Milroy, Garthwaite, Hebl, A. Ott, Sinicki, Fields, Townsend, Richards, Smith, Gunderson, Toles, Berceau, Petersen, Bies, and Strachota. (Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 75. Relating to: the designation of Korean War Armistice Day. By Senators Vinehout, Hansen, Cowles, Coggs, Decker, S. Fitzgerald, Lehman, Lazich, Schultz, Plale, Wirch, Taylor, and Olsen; cosponsored by Representatives Radcliffe, Barca, Benedict, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Bies, Black, Brooks, Clark, Colon, Cullen, Danou, Davis, Dexter, Fields, Garthwaite, Grigsby, Gunderson, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Hintz, Hixson, Honadel, Hraychuck, Hubler, Huebsch, Jorgensen, Kaufert, Kerkman, Kessler, Kestell, Lothian, Mason, Milroy, Molepske Jr., Montgomery, Murtha, Nelson, A. Ott, Parisi, Pasch, Petrowski, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Pridemore, Richards, Ripp, Roys, Schneider, Seidel, Sheridan, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Smith, Soletski, Spanbauer, Steinbrink, Tauchen, Toles, Townsend, Turner, Van Akkeren, Vruwink, M. Williams, Zepnick, Ziegelbauer, and Zigmunt. (Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 76. Relating to: the designation of Vietnam Veterans Day. By Senators Vinehout, Hansen, Cowles, Coggs, Decker, S. Fitzgerald, Lehman, Lazich, Schultz, Plale, Wirch, Taylor, and Olsen; cosponsored by Representatives Radcliffe, Barca, Benedict, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Bies, Black, Brooks, Clark, Colon, Cullen, Danou, Davis, Dexter, Fields, Garthwaite, Grigsby, Gunderson, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Hintz, Hixson, Honadel, Hraychuck, Hubler, Huebsch, Jorgensen, Kaufert, Kerkman, Kessler, Kestell, Lothian, Mason, Milroy, Molepske Jr., Montgomery, Murtha, Nelson, A. Ott, Parisi, Pasch, Petrowski, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Pridemore, Richards, Ripp, Roys, Schneider, Seidel, Sheridan, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Smith, Soletski, Spanbauer, Steinbrink, Tauchen, Toles, Townsend, Turner, Van Akkeren, Vruwink, M. Williams, Zepnick, Ziegelbauer, and Zigmunt. (Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 112. Relating to: the possession of green skins of fur-bearing animals, the tagging of traps, and the sale, purchase, bartering, and trade of wild animals and their carcasses. (FE) By Senators Holperin, Kedzie, Olsen, and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Hraychuck, Gunderson, Milroy, A. Ott, Smith, and Vruwink. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 123. Relating to: regulating the transportation of aquatic plants and aquatic animals, the administration of federal funds for the control and eradication of noxious weeds, the placement of vehicles, seaplanes, watercraft, and other objects in navigable waters, the regulation of noxious weeds by municipalities, the disposal of invasive species, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE) By Senators Jauch, Holperin, Lassa, Lehman, Plale, Risser, and Sullivan; cosponsored by Representatives Milroy, Pocan, A. Ott, Fields, Hraychuck, Hubler, Richards, Seidel, Sherman, Sinicki, Spanbauer, Staskunas, and Steinbrink. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 137. Relating to: the definitions of motor bicycle and moped. (FE) By Senators Harsdorf, Holperin, Schultz, Taylor, and A. Lasee; cosponsored by Representatives Sherman, Berceau, Ballweg, A. Ott, and Townsend. (Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Twelfth Order. Second reading and amendments of assembly joint resolutions and assembly bills.

Thirteenth Order. Third reading of joint resolutions and bills.

Fourteenth Order. Motions may be offered.

Fifteenth Order. Announcements, adjournment honors, and remarks under special privilege.

Sixteenth Order. Adjournment.

RTA Tax

Looks like my tax campaign ended a day early. At this rate the campaign could have lasted until the 4th of July! The Joint Finance Committee introduced a motion at 1am and passed it by 2am.

Yet another tax for Southeastern Wisconsin!

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/44125027.html

Wisconsin Film Tax Incentives Saved by the Finance Committee

Late last night, or very early this morning, the Joint Committee on Finance voted 16-0 to improve and preserve the Film Wisconsin tax incentives. As the author of the Film Wisconsin bill, I am very happy.

I want to thank the members of the committee as well as all of the people affiliated with Film Wisconsin (Scott Robbe), Visit Milwaukee and folks from the Save the Film Incentives facebook group for all of their hard work.

Wisconsin needs theses incentives to keep moving forward. We need to recognize that we can't afford to turn our backs on opportunities to grow the creative economy. We must continue to cultivate new industries and create good, high paying jobs.

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By the way I was interviewed by the Wisconsin Technology Network on this very issue a few days ago. You can read the transcript here:

http://wistechnology.com/articles/6018/

Tax Awareness Campaign ends tomorrow.

My April Tax Awareness Campaign ends tomorrow with a press release on the $1.4 billion property tax increase in Governor Doyle's budget. In all I targeted $2.77 billion in tax increases that the Democrats are trying to jam down our throats.

I'm starting the day on the Jay Weber Show (AM 1130 Milwaukee) at 6:53am to summarize the final 10 days of the campaign. I hope you tune in!

Later in the morning I'll issue the final release and send a wrap-up email to people who have signed up for my email update list. To cap off the day I'll be at a Waukesha County business briefing at the Oconomowoc Lake Club. The briefing is designed to educate Waukesha area business people about what is going on with the state budget.

Jay Weber Show This Week

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I will be on the Jay Weber Show talking about my April Tax Awareness Campaign. Each day at 6:50am Jay and I will run through 10 days of the campaign and talk about the Democrat's plans for your money.

Tune in!

Boaters Beware!

Kanavas April Tax Awareness Campaign; 30 Days of Democratic Tax Increases
Day 23: Boat Registration Tax



(Madison)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield), as part of his April tax Awareness Campaign to raise the profile of Governor Doyle’s and the Democrat’s tax and spend proposals, today focused on the increase in the boat registration tax in the 2009-2011 biennial budget.

“Boating is a very important part of Wisconsin’s tourism and recreation industry. The Democrats know this, and they know that hundreds of family owned businesses rely on summer boating activities to survive, but they can’t pass on an opportunity to take more than $2 million out of the private economy,” said Kanavas.

The Governor’s 2009-2011 budget proposal raises the cost of a three-year motorized boat registration anywhere from $6.00 to $23.00 depending on the size of the boat. According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the tax increase will cost taxpayers an additional $2,150,000 over the next two years. In total, the Governor’s budget will raise taxes on Wisconsinites by $1.7 billion over the biennium.

“The Democrats fought to raise boat registration fee during the last budget and they’re back at it again this year. The tourism industry generates billions of dollars of economic activity and they see it as a bottomless piggy bank. I think it’s reasonable to expect they will continue to target tourism related activities for years to come,” said Kanavas.

This release is part of Senator Kanavas’ April Tax Awareness Campaign designed to educate Wisconsinites about the $1.7 billion in new taxes and fees contained in the Democrat’s 2009-2011 budget.

To learn more about Senator Kanavas’ April tax awareness campaign, Senator Kanavas’ initiatives and the 33rd Senate District please visit his website at: http://www.senatorkanavas.com.


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The Senate is in session today

I have provided a link to today's calendar in the Wisconsin State Senate. I hope you take a moment to examine what I'll be voting on and be sure to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&d=calendar&jd=top

You may watch the proceeding on the web at http://www.wisconsineye.com

Day 21: The Hunting Tax

Since I teased the release last night I figured I would post today's press release. I ended up going with the Hunting Tax. The beat goes on...

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(Madison)…State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield), as part of his April Tax Awareness campaign to raise the profile of Governor Doyle’s and the Democrat’s tax and spend proposals, today focused on the increased cost of hunting permits in the 2009-2011 biennial budget.

“Wisconsin does not even have an elk hunting season and Governor Doyle is raising taxes on it. Thousands of residents rely on tourism and outdoor activities, like hunting, to make their livings. The Governor is hurting those families by making it more expensive for people to enjoy the outdoors,” Kanavas said.

During the last budget cycle two years ago, Governor Doyle’s budget increased the tax on an elk hunting license from $49 to $75 for a Wisconsin resident and from $251 to $400 for non-residents. The budget provision also increased the application processing fee from $3 to $10. In both cases the legislature defeated his efforts to raise the fees. In his 2009-2011 budget Governor Doyle is back at it, proposing an increase in the Elk and Bobcat application processing fees by a total of $180,000 over the biennium.

“Tourism is one of the largest industries in Wisconsin and hunting is a huge part of that. Wisconsin is a destination for hunters and outdoorsman from throughout the Midwest and we should not be doing anything to discourage Wisconsinites or our neighbors from enjoying what our state has to offer,” Kanavas added.

This release is part of Senator Kanavas’ April Tax Awareness Campaign designed to educate Wisconsin citizens about the $1.7 billion in new taxes included in the Democrat’s 2009-2011 budget.

To learn more about Senator Kanavas’ April tax awareness campaign, Senator Kanavas’ initiatives and the 33rd Senate District please visit his website at: http://www.senatorkanavas.com


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