Thread: Short but sweet news in Wisconsin

School Zone: The Journal Sentinel education reporters offer news and notes from their beat


Milwaukee, Wisconsin

District swings from deficit to surplus with newly enacted employee contributions

June 29, 2011

Cost savings from worker contributions to health care and retirement, taking effect today as part of the new collective bargaining laws, will swing the Kaukauna School District from a $400,000 budget deficit to an estimated $1.5 million surplus, the Post-Crescent in Appleton reports. The district tells the Post-Crescent that it plans to hire teachers and reduce class size.

District swings from deficit to surplus with newly enacted employee contributions - JSOnline

Byron York, a columnist for the Washington Examiner picked up on this vignette. After a few calls he was able to determine things are getting much better under the new law pushed by the governor. One benefit being the school district can shop around for health insurance. It's no longer required (by the union agreement) to purchase health insurance solely from an insurance company created by the union.

Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district
By: Byron York | Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him [at]ByronYork | 06/30/11 8:05 PM

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signs his first budget in front of supporters gathered at Fox Valley Metal Tech in Ashwaubenon, Wis., on Sunday, June 26, 2011. The budget helped save the struggling Kauk

"This is a disaster," said Mark Miller, the Wisconsin Senate Democratic leader, in February after Republican Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget bill that would curtail the collective bargaining powers of some public employees. Miller predicted catastrophe if the bill were to become law -- a charge repeated thousands of times by his fellow Democrats, union officials, and protesters in the streets.

Now the bill is law, and we have some very early evidence of how it is working. And for one beleaguered Wisconsin school district, it's a godsend, not a disaster.

The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of $400,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. And it's all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.

In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they'll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated $1.2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.

Of course, Wisconsin unions had offered to make benefit concessions during the budget fight. Wouldn't Kaukauna's money problems have been solved if Walker had just accepted those concessions and not demanded cutbacks in collective bargaining powers?

"The monetary part of it is not the entire issue," says Arnoldussen, a political independent who won a spot on the board in a nonpartisan election. Indeed, some of the most important improvements in Kaukauna's outlook are because of the new limits on collective bargaining.

In the past, Kaukauna's agreement with the teachers union required the school district to purchase health insurance coverage from something called WEA Trust -- a company created by the Wisconsin teachers union. "It was in the collective bargaining agreement that we could only negotiate with them," says Arnoldussen. "Well, you know what happens when you can only negotiate with one vendor." This year, WEA Trust told Kaukauna that it would face a significant increase in premiums.

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Then there are work rules. "In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they're going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students. Those changes would not have been possible without the much-maligned changes in collective bargaining.

Teachers' salaries will stay "relatively the same," Arnoldussen says, except for higher pension and health care payments. (The top salary is around $80,000 per year, with about $35,000 in additional benefits, for 184 days of work per year -- summers off.) Finally, the money saved will be used to hire a few more teachers and institute merit pay.

It is impossible to overstate how bitter and ugly the Wisconsin fight has been, and that bitterness and ugliness continues to this day with efforts to recall senators and an unseemly battle inside the state Supreme Court. But the new law is now a reality, and Gov. Walker recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the measure will gain acceptance "with every day, week and month that goes by that the world doesn't fall apart."

In the Kaukauna schools, the world is not only not falling apart -- it's getting better.

Byron York, The Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork[at]washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears on Tuesday and Friday, and his stories and blogposts appear on ExaminerPolitics.com.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district | Byron York | Politics | Washington Examiner

Originally Posted by attaboy

How is the news article relevant to my topic?

It ain't but the Lib-Tards have to say something. At least you weren't called a Racist! That's their favorite rebuttal when out of facts.

According to it's web site, Kaukana is "an excellent school system which is located on the northeast side of Appleton.... We have approximately 4,100 students and approximately 500 staff members." So not exactly a large sample group.
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In fairness there is at least one piece of common sense in the legislation though, as opposed to just reducing costs by reducing employee benefits. This being the fact that the District can shop around for Health Insurance, rather than being restricted to just one vendor, which in this case was owned by the union. While remaining with them as insurer, good cost savings were realised here because of their ability to take other quotes. Opponents of Health Insurance take note.

But here's the bottom line-

Patrick Meyer, a Kaukauna High School teacher who co-chairs the negotiations committee for the Kaukauna Education Association, the teachers' union, rejected Walker's characterization of Kaukauna's changes as a success story.

"I think what they're trying to portray is that (the collective bargaining law) is a good thing and that it has rescued this one district from financial trouble," Meyer said. "The part that gets left out is that Gov. Walker created the crisis by his budget. To me, there's a fallacy of logic there. How can you claim that Act 10 saved people when you're the one who made them need saving?"
Kaukauna schools are test case for Wisconsin collective bargaining changes | Green Bay Press Gazette | greenbaypressgazette.com

Which is basically the latter day Republican methodology-
1- Precipitate a crisis by reckless fiscal policy & budget management.
2- Bail out the fat cats, then further reward them by slashing taxes on the rich & corporations.
3- Then reduce benefits and wages to help pay for the crisis & financial shortfall you precipitated.

Exactly the same approach as is happening at the Federal level. Basically, the whole GOP approach is to take from the majority to further mollycoddle the Rich- kind of a reverse Robin Hood philosophy. Crises- even when caused by the Rich- are just used as an argument to accelerate this process. I'm sure the electorate is wise to this by now, guess we'll find out at the next Presidential elections.

Certainly, the kind of America the GOP has in mind is one godawful country to live in, considering it's wealth. If that is what the American people vote for, then that is what they deserve,

Originally Posted by attaboy

The Democrats have been misleading the people of Wisconsin for years. Look at the simple solution.

Democratic state Sen. Dave Hansen of Green Bay was the first of nine state senators to face a final recall election, and he easily survived Tuesday.

Hansen won a lopsided victory over his Republican challenger, wind farm developer David VanderLeest of Green Bay, against whom Democrats and their allies have been hammering away on his personal and legal problems.

The victory keeps Democrats in control of a seat that Hansen, 63, has held since 2000.

Snip

Democrats are seeking to regain control of the state Senate, which the GOP now controls 19-14. If they get a net gain of three senate seats, Democrats could use control of the Senate to provide a counterweight to Republican Gov. Scott Walker's agenda.

One down. Eight more (two Democrats, six Republicans) to go, next month: Democratic senator Hansen retains seat in recall attempt - JSOnline

Originally Posted by attaboy

Cost savings from worker contributions to health care and retirement, taking effect today as part of the new collective bargaining laws, will swing the Kaukauna School District from a $400,000 budget deficit to an estimated $1.5 million surplus, the Post-Crescent in Appleton reports. The district tells the Post-Crescent that it plans to hire teachers and reduce class size.

The Wisconin electorate will decide if Governor Walker's budget cutting and union-busting have been a success when they vote on August 9th to recall 6 Republican state senators. Walker himself will very likely be recalled early next year if recent opinion polls are any indication. The arrogant turd apparently dropped out of Marquette University before his first macroeconomics course. Slashing government spending during a recession or depression has historically made things worse in just about every instance. I would trust economic history before a single story about one school dsitrict.

^ dopey

Unions are a major cause for the US being so corrupt and fcuked up

Originally Posted by Lorenzo

^ dopey

Unions are a major cause for the US being so corrupt and fcuked up

Tea Party one-liner nonsense usually doesn't even dignify a response, but it's a slow day. There's very little evidence that labor union strength is related to economic decline. In fact, if you look at the world's strongest economies, they tend to have vital labor union movements. Eliminating labor unions is usually done in communist or fascist dictatorships and banana republics. Ever heard of a country called Germany? They have a very strong labor union movement and its economy is in better shape than the USA's. Even with a high wage scale, Germany exports a lot more than they import. The US standard of living and median income have been in decline for almost 40 years. Curiously, that's when labor unions began to lose their power and when labor union participation began to drop. The very opposite of what you're saying is true. Facts matter.

Originally Posted by GooMaiRoo

doesn't even dignify a response

the only thing you said that makes any sense

union slob chai mai

Originally Posted by sabang

But here's the bottom line-

Patrick Meyer, a Kaukauna High School teacher who co-chairs the negotiations committee for the Kaukauna Education Association, the teachers' union, rejected Walker's characterization of Kaukauna's changes as a success story.

"I think what they're trying to portray is that (the collective bargaining law) is a good thing and that it has rescued this one district from financial trouble," Meyer said. "The part that gets left out is that Gov. Walker created the crisis by his budget. To me, there's a fallacy of logic there. How can you claim that Act 10 saved people when you're the one who made them need saving?"

You're taking the word of a union member who is actively involved in union issues to the point that he is described as an union official. I wouldn't believe a word out of his mouth if it were accompanied with sign a language translation by Mother Teresa.

The Gov. didn't create the problem as Mr. Meyer says. The state was running a $3.6 billion deficit in it's two year spending cycle. The Gov. found a way to solve it.

The district will add more teachers, lower the classroom size, and set money aside ($300,000) for merit pay because now they can pay for performance and hire and fire based on merit.

From the same Greenbay Press Gazzete article:

Todd Arnoldussen, School Board president, shrugged off criticism of the board's decision to apply the Act 10 changes and reject teachers' union concessions estimated to save the district $1.8 million.

"I feel extremely confident in the decision we made," Arnoldussen told Gannett Wisconsin Media this week. "I think Kaukauna's in a better place. I think the school district's in way better shape because of it. Only time will tell."


Though the teachers' union argued the changes would sully the workplace climate in Kaukauna, Arnoldussen said there's no evidence to support that claim. In fact, he said, some 400 people applied for a recently posted elementary school position.

"I guess that should sum it up pretty well," Arnoldussen said. "I could sit and banter back and forth, (but) the point is we made a decision. … Change is sometimes difficult. But for Kaukauna, we just felt it made a lot of sense."

From the same article:

(Patrick) Meyer predicted a "negative climate" would "permeate" classrooms when school resumes in the fall.

"I worry about the mental and physical health of our members," Meyer said.

It sounds as though union official Patrick Meyer is threatening a slow down. It sounds as if the union official is threatening to poison the learning environment of students. Students who are innocent of the political maneuvering by adults.

Suddenly all of the union bs of pending "disaster" and "catastrophe" is wiped away and the school district has a $1,200,000 surplus and they are free to choose. Halleluya! This is what freedom is like. People had forgotten.

As time passes taxpayers will see how things are clearer and brighter without the poisonous whispers of a Wormtongue union offical or a Wormtongue Democratic leader.

Unions outside the state of Wisconsin have pumped $20 million into the recall of nine Republicans. $20 million. All this to insure that the Governor's attempt at change will fail. The unions have spent $20 million to insure failure. They are dedicated to return schools to the former dreary state of hopelessness. The unionized workers can then return to reassuring children that their failure is not their fault. They are victims. Victims of whom?

Originally Posted by attaboy

The Gov. didn't create the problem as Mr. Meyer says.

Beg to differ,…………

In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state's budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million.

To the extent that there is an imbalance -- Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit -- it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January.

You can read the fiscal bureaus report here (PDF). It holds that "more than half" of the new shortfall comes from three of Walker's initiatives:

$25 million for an economic development fund for job creation, which still holds $73 million because of anemic job growth.

$48 million for private health savings accounts -- a perennial Republican favorite.

$67 million for a tax incentive plan that benefits employers, but at levels too low to spur hiring.

In essence, public workers are being asked to pick up the tab for this agenda.

link: Wisconsin Gov. Walker Ginned Up Budget Shortfall To Undercut Worker Rights | TPMDC

Unions outside the state of Wisconsin have pumped $20 million into the recall of nine Republicans. $20 million.

Funny you didn’t mention how much David Koch/Americans for Prosperity were pumping into Wisconsin, supporting Rethugs.

http://wisconsinbudgetproject.blogspot.com/2011/02/doa-document-puts-2011-13-deficit-at-36.htmlct
From the Wisconsin Budget Project. Dated Feb. 8, 2011. WBD: An initiative of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families. You'll find the $3.6 billion mentioned.

Funny you didn’t mention how much David Koch/Americans for Prosperity were pumping into Wisconsin, supporting Rethugs.

That's because the topic of the $20 million is the recall.

Who do you think pumped in more money during the attempted defeat of Act 10, the unions and their allies or the Koch Bros? Who do you think pumped in more money during the Prosser- Kloppenburg election, the unions or the Koch Bros.?

All that money spent for naught. If they keep losing, the union will have to raise the dues. Keep doubling down! Keep that outside money rolling in, the locals respect outside influence.

Germany, the worlds largest exporter, has a very strong trade union movement. They earn a good deal more than Americans too. I don't hear any complaints from there about the trade union movement, and nationally they are making the US look distinctly third world.

With less than 16% of it's workforce unionised, how can unions be blamed for the decline of US industry? Most of the large unions left in the US are public sector anyway.

Originally Posted by Lorenzo

Originally Posted by GooMaiRoo

doesn't even dignify a response

the only thing you said that makes any sense

union slob chai mai

Before I went on to earn my juris doctor degree, I actually worked as a Teamster sorting mail for United Parcel Service. It was one of the toughest jobs I ever had. Years ago, I also worked for a white collar union at Cuna Mutual Group. We had a very tough entrance test just to get into the union. That job was similarly demanding. I form my opinions through personal experience, education and critical thinking. You just might be one of those people who has nonsensical, negative stereotypes about union workers poured into your brain pan by right-wing radio and TV talk shows. It's sad how many Foxbots and Tea Partiers in the USA think exactly like you do.

Originally Posted by sabang

Germany, the worlds largest exporter, has a very strong trade union movement. They earn a good deal more than Americans too. I don't hear any complaints from there about the trade union movement, and nationally they are making the US look distinctly third world.

With less than 16% of it's workforce unionised, how can unions be blamed for the decline of US industry? Most of the large unions left in the US are public sector anyway.

Well, if we could trust Germany with a sizable military, I'd love to see their citizens pay for it and use it as part of NATO operations. Let's see their standard of living when they have to pay their way as a member of the free world. They benefit so why not pay? How many German naval vessels are patrolling the Indian Ocean to keep the sea lanes open?

I don't have a problem with the union concept. It protects people from being exploited and it protects people from getting killed. It also protects people who get drunk on the job and get their fellow workers seriously hurt. It protects workers while they do shoddy work like the "negative climate" Patrik Meyer is threatening in Wisconsin. It protects workers who perform slow downs like the one Patrik Meyer is threatening to stage in Wisconsin. It protects the snowplough drivers of NYC who left the streets unploughed during a massive snow storm. The union showed the mayor who is boss. Nevermind, people died because they couldn't get to the hospital.

The union demands in Wisconsin are not realistic. the public didn't notice and wors yet the government administrators didn't care because running a deficit and accumulating public debt wasn't considered irresponsible. it was considered "investing in our future".

I have a problem with government workers being unionized. A government can meet the demands of the union by raising taxes or issuing bonds. It's too easy to go along. The union workers then pay their dues and the union uses those dues to kick back to the politicians who acquiesce to union demands. It's an insidious corrupt circle. I don't wish to support a system which teaches corruption is acceptable.

Originally Posted by GooMaiRoo

I actually worked as a Teamster sorting mail for United Parcel Service. It was one of the toughest jobs I ever had.

That is really funny. Couldn't have made the point better myself. It may be the toughest job YOU ever had but it is a well known career of lazy do nothings as the USPS looses 6 billion a year.

Originally Posted by Lorenzo

It may be the toughest job YOU ever had but it is a well known career of lazy do nothings...

Well known? So your opinion is formed by secondhand knowledge? Your comment tells me that you likely as not haven't done any work in a place like that.

Originally Posted by Lorenzo

Originally Posted by GooMaiRoo

I actually worked as a Teamster sorting mail for United Parcel Service. It was one of the toughest jobs I ever had.

That is really funny. Couldn't have made the point better myself. It may be the toughest job YOU ever had but it is a well known career of lazy do nothings as the USPS looses 6 billion a year.

Uh, sorry to put a damper on your moment of glory, but United Parcel Service (UPS) is a well-known and profitable delivery company that has nothing whatsoever to do with the US Postal Service. You should read posts a little more carefully before responding to them unless you simply want to continue spewing uninformed opinions.

Wisconsin Dems file complaint over ‘Koch brothers-funded scheme to suppress votes’

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a complaint on Tuesday seeking to stop what it called a Koch brothers-funded scheme to suppress Democratic votes in upcoming Republican recall elections.

Politico reported that Americans for Prosperity sent absentee ballots to Democrats in two Wisconsin state Senate recall districts with instructions that could render the votes ineligible.

Ballots must be received by August 9 to be counted, but the instructions say to return the paperwork two days later, by August 11.

The complaint (PDF) alleged that Americans for Prosperity "displayed a continued pattern of tampering with the electoral process in Wisconsin with elaborate, illegal and fraudulent schemes designed to suppress Democratic votes."

Americans for Prosperity was started by oil billionaires Charles and David Koch, and has been associated with the tea party movement. The Koch brothers' political action committee gave Republican Gov. Scott Walker roughly $100,000 in campaign contributions during the 2010 election.

"Scott Walker has sought the help of the corporate front group 'Americans For Prosperity,' and here they come with dirty tricks clearly meant to meddle in our elections and suppress votes against the Koch Brothers' agenda," Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Monday in a statement.

"Wisconsin's election authorities must stop the black hand of the corporate special interests and their front groups who are trying to strangle democracy in our state and support the six Republican senators now facing recall," he added.

Matt Seaholm, the State Director for Americans for Prosperity, told TMJ4 that the misinformation was "just a typo." (ya believe him?)

Under Wisconsin law, preventing the delivery of absentee ballots carries a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in prison per violation.

link: Wisconsin Dems file complaint over ‘Koch brothers-funded scheme to suppress votes’ | The Raw Story

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Wisconsin Dems file complaint over ‘Koch brothers-funded scheme to suppress votes’
...
Ballots must be received by August 9 to be counted, but the instructions say to return the paperwork two days later, by August 11.

The complaint (PDF) alleged that Americans for Prosperity "displayed a continued pattern of tampering with the electoral process in Wisconsin with elaborate, illegal and fraudulent schemes designed to suppress Democratic votes."

It gets worse. Governor Walker's legislature passed a photo ID law making it more difficult for the elderly, the poor and others without driver's licenses to vote. He then proceeded to order the closing of 10 state offices where residents could obtain photo IDs. Not surprisingly, these offices are all in Democratic voting districts. This is the sort of crap that one would normally see in banana republic, not in an American state with a long progressive tradition. I'm betting that this douchebag Walker will be recalled and bounced out of office next January.

WI Gov Shuts Down DMV Offices -- In Dem Districts | Democratic Strategist

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by attaboy

They benefit so why not pay?

What has Germany gained from the failed operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, apart from a few dead people and a taxpayers bill for several million dollars that they never wanted? What has the average American for that matter?

I think it's better to ask what has Germany gained from not having to maintain a real military? Also, what has Germany gained from the US navy keeping the trading lanes open? It matters. Of course it doesn't matter if the Germans are Willy Brandt-type Germans who longed for Western Germany to be united with Eastern Germany on the Soviet side of the wall.

Originally Posted by attaboy

The union demands in Wisconsin are not realistic.

What 'union demands'- there were none as best I'm aware.

It's not hard to find. The union muscled the school district into buying their insurance from a union created insurance company. That sort of thing isn't going to be tolerated any longer, unless the $20 million in outside union money can revert things back to the union way of doing things.