Devil’s Advocates Radio: October 4, 2017
The Devils ask Scot Ross about provisions and vetoes in the state budget. They also talk Foxconn and the university free speech bill. [Devil's Advocates Radio]
Budget
Gov. Scott Walker Mum on Trump-Pence-Ryan Proposed Tax Hike on Wisconsin
Hardworking Wisconsin Taxpayers Could Be Paying More So Wealthy, Multi-National Corporations Can Pay Less
New Runways for Corporate Jets, Massive Subsidies for Foreign Corporations, Bupkis for Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers
Today, Gov. Scott Walker, on the two year anniversary of the suspension of his 71-day run for President, signed the 76-day late 2017 state budget into law.
GOP Senate Budget Holdouts Stake Opposition on Bigotry
A troika of suburban and rural white men are withholding their votes on the 2017 state budget unless a handful of changes are made
Wisconsin paid $4 million for tiny airport for Republican mega-donor’s golf course
Meanwhile the rest of us will continue to have to deal with crumbling roads and bridges and delayed projects as these same Republicans take a budget mulligan. [RawStory]
$4M for tiny Wisconsin airport near golf course
It sure looks like Mr. Keiser's campaign contributions to Scott Walker and Republicans teed up millions in taxpayer-funded improvements. [Associated Press]
Jenni Dye: Scott Walker’s weakness leaves Republicans wrangling over budget
What leadership has Gov. Walker shown to rise above the infighting and repudiation of major sections of his budget by fellow Republicans? None. [Capital Times]
Donald Trump Releases All One Page of His Plan on Taxes
It won’t be long before people figure out they’re scheming to tilt the system even more in favor of the wealthiest and big corporations.
Battle over manufacturing tax break continues
One Wisconsin Now said the Walker administration itself could not back up any claims of job growth due to the credit. [Lakeland Times]
Study: Manufacturing tax credit added 21,000 jobs
One Wisconsin Now sought records from the Department of Revenue to back up a claim that the credit was creating jobs. The department said it did not have any records. [Milwaukee Business News]
Despicable Duey: Legislator Exploiting Loopholes to Cut His Own Taxes Wants To Hike Property Taxes on People Voting to Support Their Public Schools
State Sen. Duey Stroebel is pushing a property tax increase on communities that approve referenda to support their local public schools.
Dan Feyen Vote Threatens Defense Contracting Jobs in Oshkosh
Dan Feyen put right-wing ideology before the jobs of Wisconsin workers in his own Senate district with his vote today for a Constitutional convention.
Testimony Before Joint Hearing on Constitution Convention Resolution
A group of state legislative Republicans think that now, 230 years after our first and only constitutional convention, is a good time to rewrite the Constitution.
Wisconsin conservatives seek constitutional convention on balanced budget
Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, argued in written testimony that anything could come up once a convention were held. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Is a Billionaire-Funded Coup to Rewrite the Constitution upon Us?
One Wisconsin Now, puts it more bluntly: “The balanced budget talk is a fig leaf to let them change America into a right-wing alternative universe." [AlterNet]
Wisconsin GOP moving to call for constitutional convention
Scot Ross, executive director of liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, warned that ASL’s internal rules won’t be able to control what happens at the convention. [Associated Press]
No Help for Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers, Again, in Gov. Scott Walker’s 2017 State Budget Plan
Scott Walker’s budget has a huge deficit of common sense, again failing to include student loan reforms like allowing borrowers to refinance.
Gov. Scott Walker Uses Budget Address to Kick Off 2018 Campaign
Two-Year Tax and Spending Plan Introduced by Governor More About Trying to Get Himself Re-elected Than Fixing Damage Done During His Time in Office.
Rexnord workers caught in Trump vs. union war of words
“Tax credits are the government putting their finger on the scale,” said Jenni Dye, research director for One Wisconsin Now, a liberal public policy group in Madison. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Rep. Kathy Bernier’s Twisted Tax Logic: Giveaways to Millionaires, Sales Tax Hikes for the Middle Class
A tax loophole Rep. Kathy Bernier voted to create is projected to give an average break of $120,000 to the millionaire Wisconsinites who claim it.
Dan Feyen Looking to Cash In On Support for Tax Break for Millionaires
Dan Feyen supports a massive tax break for the wealthy and corporations that will send an average of $120,000 to Wisconsin millionaires who claim the credit.
Group that backed upping gas tax rips Democrat for same view
"WMC is attacking a Democrat for supporting the same policy that they do, and that his opponent does," said Scot Ross of liberal group One Wisconsin Now. [Associated Press]
Duey’s Dirty Dealings: State Sen. Stroebel Takes State, Federal Government Handouts, Reports No State Tax Liability in Multiple Years, Tries to Cut Pay of Hard Working Wisconsinites
State Sen. Stroebel Takes State, Federal Government Handouts, Reports No State Tax Liability in Multiple Years, Tries to Cut Pay of Hard Working Wisconsinites.
One Wisconsin Now to State Big Business Lobby: ‘Invitation Accepted’
We’ll debate whoever the state big business lobby wants about this giveaway of millions of our tax dollars to a handful of multimillionaires anytime, anywhere.
Report: State tax credit benefits wealthy
Budgets are about choices and Gov. Walker and the Republican Legislature chose to give a $300 million tax break to millionaires and billionaires. [Associated Press]
Sweeping manufacturing and ag tax credit reaches full force
“Walker’s slashed public education and higher education funds… to pay for these trickle down policies,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now. [Capital Times]
Report: Property taxes, rates drop in southeastern Wisconsin
Republicans have repeatedly cut general fund support to K-12 schools and the UW System to pay for tax breaks disproportionately benefiting the wealthy and corporations. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
One Wisconsin Now Statements on Walker Signing Special Interest Budget
One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements about Gov. Scott Walker signing the biennial state budget during an unexpected day spent in Wisconsin.
Sen. Duey Stroebel: Lawmaker, Lawbreaker?
Stroebel crossed the line of what’s legal in Wisconsin with his action publicly demanding a vote on that bill as a bottom line demand for giving his vote in favor of the state budget.
Assembly Speaker Vos Claims He Can Pass Milwaukee Bucks Arena Deal in GOP-Controlled Assembly
At a Madison press conference Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos revealed the full details of a secretly negotiated deal to help build a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks and claimed he could pass it in the State Assembly.
Why are Republicans wary of arena deal? Check the scoreboard
Republicans can't claim surprise when politicians who rode into office on the backs of their special interests attacks over a $5 million scoreboard for the Milwaukee Bucks aren't lining up to support a $500 million arena for the Milwaukee Bucks. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Big budget: Scott Walker is up against a deadline on his latest spending plan
He’s trying to “get out of here” and run for president. [La Crosse Tribune]
Guest view: Scott Walker’s Wisconsin is no model to follow
People who read Gov. Scott Walker’s recent column deserve to know the truth about his record on the economy. Tax cuts for corporation do not create jobs. Education creates jobs, which creates customers for small businesses. [Holmen Courier-Life]
Budgets
As governor, Scott Walker’s approach has been to reward the wealthy and corporations with tax cuts, both in the budget and through special legislation.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Owes Sears Up to $50,000: Report
Both Walker's household and the deficit-laden state of Wisconsin under his purview are spending far more than they bring in. Seems Scott Walker might want to change his slogan to 'Do as I say, not as I do.' [People]
Twenty-Five Years of School Privatization, Twenty-Five Years of Failure
On its silver anniversary, the Wisconsin school privatization experiment is the gold standard for failure and lack of accountability. But that won’t stop its champions like the Bradley-funded propaganda machine.
Third Time Not a Charm as Nonpartisan Analysis Finds Gov. Walker Breaks Campaign Pledge to Keep Policy Out of State Budget, Again
Gov. Scott Walker has produced a third straight state budget larded with policy which has no fiscal impact, despite as a candidate vowing to halt the practice.
Arena plan prompts different reactions from area groups
Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal group, said his organization had "serious questions about the priorities of Gov. Walker." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Scott Walker budget would remove oversight of for-profit colleges
"The for-profit college industry has engaged in the kinds of tactics and activities that should earn them more, not less, scrutiny," said Analiese Eicher, program director for the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. [Capital Times]
Gov. Walker Sticks Middle Class, Schools and Students With Tab for His Fiscal Mismanagement
Walker’s higher education budget is a recipe for more even more student loan debt for a nation that already has 40 million Americans who worked hard for their education or job training.
Scot Ross: Scott Walker’s budget would explode student loan debt
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recently unveiled higher education budget plans would only exacerbate the burgeoning student loan debt crisis. [Capital Times]
Take it to the Bank: Gov. Walker’s Budget Plan Will Explode Student Loan Debt In Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recently-unveiled higher education budget plans will only exacerbate the burgeoning student loan debt crisis.
GOP Puts ‘Supreme Injustice’ Partisan Power Grab on Legislative Fast Track
Legislative Republicans have fast-tracked resolutions to undo Wisconsin's 125 year-old system of selecting the Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court.
Gov. Walker’s Math Problem Much Bigger Than Spelling Woes
We agree with Scott Walker and his sycophantic friends in the right-wing media that we can now move past his embarrassing ‘molotov’ gaffe. But an analysis of Gov. Walker’s abysmal math is much more explosive.
Scott Walker Polling Voters on Presidential Run
Walker’s campaign is polling voters on his planned presidential run, asking favorability questions about various Republican and Democratic candidates, including fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan.
Assembly Speaker’s comments on Bucks arena funding causes controversy
"I thought it was just a really blatant and unmistakable message that Speaker Vos was sending to people in Wisconsin and that's, 'you play by my rules or you don't get to play." [WKOW-TV]
New ‘jock tax’ proposal for Bucks arena stirs up controversy
Vos says he wants to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee. But political visits are not making his job to convince law makers across the state any easier. The liberal group, One Wisconsin Now, has requested Vos be criminally investigated for breaking a state law that does not allow any political moves to be made, based […] [WITI-TV]
Walker 2016: Well, That Didn’t Take Long
One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that Walker’s weekend presidential posturing follows his election night speech in which he made mention of “Washington” as frequently as “Wisconsin.”
Mentions of ‘Washington’ Equal ‘Wisconsin’ in Gov. Walker’s Election Night Speech
Walker's eleven-minute speech mentioned Wisconsin ten times, Washington nine times and America twelve times. A stunning display that Wisconsin's Governor has already moved on to his next electoral objective.
Walker Ad Can’t Hide Failing Record on Higher Ed, Student Loan Debt
In a deceptive new ad, the flailing campaign of Gov. Scott Walker is trying to whitewash his disastrous record on student loan debt and higher education.