JSD administrators were notified of their bonuses through in-district email on Thursday. Should be part of that Freedom of Information Act thing.

Caddy haven't heard that one, but idf that is true, why isnt the Gazette reporting on it?

Stupid headline. Teachers never listen.

caddyshack, that bonus money will come from the $20+ million Fund 10, which has been built up on the backs of the teachers. Will the teachers get a bonus?

Spark, nice video.

It's amazing that Democrats use the words Hitler, nazis, and fascism yet these words correlate more with their party.

Have you heard of Jonah Goldberg? He just wrote a book called "Liberal Fascism" and it reminded me so much when I saw the video.

Here's something to maybe re-direct your conversation: The school board on Tuesday once again asked the 3 school district unions to reconsider making concessions. Well, the school district today handed out performance bonuses to the administrative and non-union staff. If this district is so in debt, which it is, then why are the highest wage earners receiving bonuses? And where is that money coming from, the union concessions?

What I am trying to figure out here is how being liberal or not liberal on any issue is at all related to freedom? I actually find the argument funny in its nature, especially since the root of the word liberal is LIBERTY.
I also like how the rise of liberalism is associated by some as the loss of freedom. You mean like the Patriot act? Hows about Roe v Wade? It seems to me that both parties enjoy making rules based on their beliefs/ideologies. Many I agree with on both sides, but to say that one impedes "freedom" any less than the other is really laughable to me.

Anti - when you are done calling everyone that doesn't agree with your political view childish names, spend some time and enjoy watching this. Good lesson for you and some others that need a little reality check when it comes to your accusations.
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-oS4WLui...

Anti, you need to stop.

Yes, because liberal doesn't actually mean liberal to the same group of people who think they still own something and are taxed on it after they are dead.

"freedom (liberalism)", Now that is delusional and funny.

Yes because the belief in freedom (liberalism) is such a delusion. RAF, why do you hate America?

" I am intolerant of deluded belief systems based on no facts" Oh, like liberalism.

First off, Christians are already intolerant of non-christians, thus the term heretic and the use of excommunication. I am intolerant of deluded belief systems based on no facts or evidence just as the courts and science are.

Anti and fear

Be mindful of certain things that the left does, such as preaching tolerance while they openly bash Christians.

Yeah, Fear only the right wing dimwits get to invoke Jesus. You are not allowed to talk about how Jesus disdained money and those who hoarded it. You are not allowed to use their religion against them in pointing out how they are not actually following its tenets. Only the right is allowed to use Jesus to hate people.

The money from the criminal was returned what more is there to say about it. At the time I never condoned the illegal donations and my opinion hasn't changed. Regardless neither this or the other company was handed contracts in the fashion you first described.

To your comments on morality, parties, and claiming not to be liberal whatever. People have morals parties don't. You can claim to be whatever you want, I can only comment on how you post.

Also the same reason why Tim Michels(who ran for office as a republican) gives so much money to any and all political campaigns would be to garner political favors no? Why else would a road construction company's owner donate so much to political campaigns? Because he/they believe so much in the political system? Or maybe oh maybe is there something behind it? Are you really that naive to believe that political donations don't come with expectations? But of course unless there has been a court case proving it to be true, there is just no way it could be right RAF?

I also find it funny how you seem to be focused on Michels, and not on Southern Rail? Maybe because that one has been tried and convicted, and HAS proven to show a result of 14 million in a government contract? LOL

See your problem is that I am no liberal, no matter how you like to paint your picture. I am just asking the right wingers who claim to be the party of morality , the party of wanting prayer in schools, the party of christianity, where their christian values are. But when you have no answers you like to label others.
Again make labels all you like, I am just pointing out some facts here, but hey whatever works for you.

Religion and poiltics? All the progressives, really liberals, have always claimed these need to be seperated now you want to discuss how these go together? Strange.

fear stated "I still wonder why the Michels corporation gave so much to the Walker campaign if not to expect favorable treatment."
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So is that the reason they gave money to all the other people too? Their employees gave money to Jim Doyle and Tom Barrett but you are silent on that connection, wonder why. What about the money to Rodger Breske, Alice Clausing, and Chuck Chvala; those are just off the top of the first of five pages listing donations from employees of that company to people in politics. But you want to claim only the donations to Walker are a problem, you are indeed getting further out in left field.

http://www.wisdc.org/index.php?module=wi...

Waiting for a conseervative to tell me how the current tax system, health care system, and the education system dreamed of by some conservatives, would adhere to the teachings of Jesus Christ, or christian values in any manner?
Look forward to a constructive conversation on that issue.

Fair enough ezoner, enjoy the stimulating discussion, merry christmas back atcha:)
I didn't invoke the messiah to do anything other than to point out that if you actually READ the bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ, that you may change your mind if you are a sincere Christian, that's all.
I would say that if you lok at it from a truly Christian point of view, I would say that Jesus would be disappointed with the conservative viewpoint on health care, education, income despairity, wouldn't you? If you aren't a Christian then you aren't being hypocritical, but if you call yourself a Christian and hold conservative viewpoints to be your truth , I would call you a hypocrite. OR I would say that you hold MONEY above humanity and MONEY is your God not Jesus. Tell me where I am wrong because I happen to know the bible and the teachings of Christ quite well. Not from a bible thumper standpoint, but a historical point of view and I am aware of Jesus the man, are you??
Merry Christmas anyways Bebe, because unlike you no matter how much of a hypocrite you are , or selfish your views make you out to be, I hope you have a merry Christmas season and health and happiness to you and your family throughout the new year. My God help you, and may God and the spirit of Jesus help us all to see the error in our selfish ways and begin to understand that we are all a part of the same family, and at somepoint we need to start to move the HUMAN race forward for the benefit of everyone, not just the most fortunate among us.

Fear -- we will never agree..... We would need allot of beer and some good sausage to settle it.....

Have a Merry Christmas.....

@fear-you have Jesus on your side because of your beliefs but any conservative leaning person doesn't??????????? Your statement invoking Jesus is disgusting -but I guess I have come to expect no less from you.

EZ- Im not missing any point. A legitimate point about 30 million dollars essentially being left out of the process while the district screams red ink and threatens layoffs? How can you just blow it off?
As long as the price of everything keeps rising so will taxes, its just a reality of life. Ther are also many other areas of government that could be slashed far before we start destroying public education.
Don't give me this whole "both sides are corupt" stuff, I am well aware of that , why I choose not to participate. What we need so taxes can STAY low for everyone is to become a protectionist nation and put people to work for decent wages, not ship them over to third world nations so stock holders and wealthy CEOs can be aroused. Increase the tax base not the tax rate. Lowering taxes is stupid, especially with a failing economy where unfortunately because of cronyism more and more people have no choice but to rely on the social programs that you hate.
I also love how you dodge specific questons of raises given by the current administration, funny. I also like how you believe that people are not entitled to certain things, the certain things that made this a great nation. Which we are no longer I am afraid, because we are a nation of lollipops with Stockholm syndrome. Cheers!

Fear -- your missing the point. Both sides are corrupt, both sides are not ideal, boths sides have issues, both sides -- its the least ugly side of a two sided coin. So once you get past that -- fund 10 -- fine drain it dry -- then what happens after that? The problem still exists, which is more cost than the tax base/tax payers can support and the money collected. Thats the same a payroll tax holiday -- its dumb. Fix the tax system, make changes that lower taxes, if debt is lowered because theres more money in taxpayer hands thats not a bad thing long term. Lower spending significantly, meaning less government and changes to Social Securtiy and healthcare. I dont care who caused the problem, thats not important now. Its what is the fix and who of the people available today can get it done. We should entertain ALL ideas, but none that raise taxes. We need to cut costs. We have all had to live with less, now its the governments turn and public employees.

Being that this is the Christmas season, I need to ask my conservative friends, do you consider yourselves Christians? If so how do you think Jesus would percieve the positions of the current republican party on education, treatment of the poor, and education? Merry christmas!

Someone hacked Vatos name or he is feeling the power of Jesus, I dont know.:)

unny Ezoner you have yet to address the HUGE fund 10 balance of your tax dollars that the district seems to be hiding, why?
You also fail to address the raises and appointments of political friends to government positions (Deschane) from this administration. These are specifics , as you say very "objective statistics" attached to the current administration whom decided that state workers in general dont get a raise? Cindy Archer gets a 65% raise? and a large list of others getting 10-45% raises for the same positions in the ever evil dDoyle administartion? How do you defend the positions these people have taken when THEY are constantly "talking out of both sides of their mouth"?

""Free education for all at any level and any cost?"" not at any cost but YES education SHOULD and IS a right of passage in this nation. It is and always has been the great equalizer in this country. People that have an education make SIGNIFICANTLY more money than those who are not educated. It seems that you would not include large impoverished segments of society from education in order to make the balance sheet look better, to make your statistics of test scores look better. Which I find funny since you and others have admitted that kids cannot all be held to the same standard when it comes to learning, and then out of THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH you like to talk about "ridiculously low test scores". AGain if you want to criticize others for doing that maybe you should re-read your own post.

The main difference here is that I see education as a RIGHT not a priveledge, the same view I hold on health care. These are issues that are what turned me away from being a republican, which I have been most of my life. That is why I enjoy the "far-left" label that is bestowed to me by so many foxies. Why do I say foxies? Because that "far-left" term was coined originally by Mr Bill Orielly. LOL.
And just so we are clear I am not a union guy, never have been, BUT I see the neecd for them in many positions, and I also feel that the slide down the income despairity slope in this country has everything to do with the decline of unions. Teachers and public safety workers need protection from politicians with an ideology, which is why they need a union. Unions are political donors , yes, but it seems that they are the only financial support the left wing has , if they go away we live in a one party system , and that party is not doing very much in the benefit of the majority of the people. While I wish all money would get out of politics, so we could just have a discussion of ideas be they right or wrong not right or left. Instead we are stuck in the mud on sites like these fighting over scraps, whiule the elite laugh at us all and those especially who seem to have Stockholm syndrome and vote against their own interests.

-------------------------------
A 32-year-old River Falls, Wis., woman was arrested over the weekend after allegedly spitting on a woman who was collecting signatures to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
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That's not spit, that is just the snake on a don't tread on me flag hissing....hahahaha. I love the lengths that Patriots will go to protect my interests. Keep up the Patriotism lackeys.

This is awesome. Blaming teachers for the economic meltdown, while pimping for even lower taxes for rich folk. Merry Christmas to me! Beautiful.

We need to avoid extremism everyone, and find middle ground. I admit I have been guilty of extremism.

Hi, my name is vatoloco, and I have been an extremist in the past.

Fear -- You talk out of both sides of your mouth... You want politics out, but that is completely unrealitic until the unions are out, you hammer donors on the right yet donors on the left are off limits. Unions are for all practical purposes businesses. They have leaders that act as corporate management, using power and money. Should we fund both campaigns on public money? What is that solution then. So cronyism to union contracts is acceptable, but any other version is not? The fact is, both sides expect something and the something is more than deserved or better yet affordable. So back to education -- what is the solution -- just throw more money at the same broken system? Or maybe we fix it. Our nation as a whole scores reduculously low, but then again, all must be educated the same and together. Whereas in other countries that doesnt exist. Free education for all at any level and any cost? Who pays in the end when the $$ dries up, no more loans, no more forgeign investment. The reality is that both sides have driven farther apart than ever before and the country is at a cross road. We have european socialism or American capatalism to choose from and it will take more effort than left or right wing ideas. My point is that you only speak negatively of the right, so either you are far left or just choose to ignore that left is doing the same thing or worse. What most on the extremes of both sides dont get, is that the public in general is sick of it. My positions are fiscally conservative, socially liberal, which creates a balance. I am pro-choice, balanced budget. I want to see social security live on for those that truely need it. I want illegals to become legal or get out, say a 3 year time frame and close the borders. I am for true free and equal trade, only if equal. I do not want to impose our societal norms on others, but would encourage nations to treat their citizens appropriately, but I cannot and will not force that, its non of my business in the end. It goes on and on-- you cannot cherry pick positions and there is a wide spectrum of discussion on each element, however, you come accross as one sided - far left. I reviewed data from several sites, on SAT scores and very few did a complete analysis and evaluated the data objectively. The site I selected was a conservative site, however, the data presented was objective, not the conclusions, the data. It showed IL as No 1, however, only 5% participation, so it meant very little. Penn. has 73% participation, so the scores collected over 10 years meant something and with a 75% increase in educational spending, scores remained unchanged. Its better to ask why, than run your mouth off about left and right wing. What did that data say and why. The why may be that we try to educate all abuilities as though they are the same.

Thank you Mr Loco, though I agree with you that cronyism is bad. I regret to say that it has been around since the beginning of our country and has to do with the nature of campaigning. We shouldn't decry lobbying because in a sense we are all lobbyists for those things we hold dear. What we should be against are professional lobbyists who are paid to stand in line at hearings so as to get better access.

Isn't it time we all quit justifying "our" side by pointing out similar flaws in the other side? Get rid of every current elected official and start over. Would that mean losing some good ones, perhaps, but few. It certainly would be an improvement. Stand up WI & America!

"Except for one thing loco, Obama wasn't such a coward as to claim public employees were the haves and responsible for the deficit when they weren't"

I have said that Walker should have approached this in a different way. I feel that very good teachers have been alienated by this repair law. I don't think it's fair to punish those who truly make a difference in children. We should be paying teachers a lot more for what they do in our society. We should not punish all teachers for the actions of a few.

"Obama isn't taking away salary/benefits from local teachers"

I can live with that. If it's one thing I support Obama for, it's education.

Except for one thing loco, Obama wasn't such a coward as to claim public employees were the haves and responsible for the deficit when they weren't. The difference is that Obama serves the country as a whole while Walker only serves himself and his Koche masters. And saying that everyone else is doing it is the very moral relativism the right complains about of the left.

vato - agreed, obama has become the very thing he promised us he never would be, why I won't be voting for him this time around.
Obama isn't taking away salary/benefits from local teachers , The Walker administration is. I have no more patience for cronyism, especially when the rhetoric is that we are in an economic crisis.

"HOWEVER, the unavoidable facts are that there is way too much rewarding of political friends going on here, raises being given , state contracts being rewarded, all while claiming we need to tighten our belts. It seems if you are a friend or donor of the governor your christmas is a little bit merrier than everyone elses. "

Hello Fear

It happens on all sides. Obama is extremely guilty of rewarding his friends or campaign team with jobs.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/report-ob...

"The report says that 184 out of 556 2008 Obama campaign "bundlers," donors who agreed to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a campaign -- or their spouses -- joined the administration in some role."

Ezoner, please stop with the far lfet wing website rhetoric. The democratic party website is far left? Are all the unions democratic? YES. 7 of the top 10 political donors monetarily give to the right wing, so in my view the unions are all the democrats have.
That being said, I DO NOT want exucation to be political. HOWEVER, the unavoidable facts are that there is way too much rewarding of political friends going on here, raises being given , state contracts being rewarded, all while claiming we need to tighten our belts. It seems if you are a friend or donor of the governor your christmas is a little bit merrier than everyone elses.
What I ask you Ezoner and others is to look at these facts. Look at the raises given to certain appointed positions, SIGNIFICANT raises given when the great majority are taking large reductions, including teachers.

I also ask you and others once again to ask about the fund 10 balance, how it was created, and why the district cntinues to make threats to our teachers when they have and account created by saving from health insurance that is 3 times the "projected" defecit. These are obvious red herrings that so many of you continue to ignore, why?

Far left websites? Like the allegheny think tank that you posted from yesterday? Pot meet kettle.

RAF- I still wonder why the Michels corporation gave so much to the Walker campaign if not to expect favorable treatment.
I also would ask about the railroad deal, funny to me how you didn't address that, but I suppose that everything is on the up and up in the railroad contract in your eyes? I don't have enough time to research Michels more thoroughly but my points that I pasted in here were from a PDF I uncovered, I also pasted the link, I believe they are also on the Dem site as well. My reasons for pasting are simple, many people (Not you) do not follow the links and are un aware of the facts.

Fear -- you do state you do not want education to be a partisan political issue.... Yet, your statements throughout this forum are partisan. You continually post links to far left sites and if we are going to be real here, Unions are almost always democratic supporters and donors. So the credibility of teachers needs to be muted somewhat -- meaning listedn but ask questions and be careful the answers you get.

Anti -- suggested that all should be educated, I agree, my point is you cannot stick them all in one classroom and not affect both ends and the middle of the spectrum of learning. When ability is varied as widely as it is today in the classroon, plus we restrict teacher methodology, we implement tenure which impedes incentive, no measure of success (which is not easy, especially with the ability mix in a classroom). What we see is the dmbing down of the educational system. Anymore a 4 on a 4.0 grading system means little. SAT scores are all that we have, but mean little anymore. My point is not that vouchers (as displayed on the website I referenced) are the only solution, but it is A solution. Right now all I see is arguing about pay, when there are school systems operating on much less with good success, and evidence that more taxation does not mean a better education.

Personally -- on spelling -- I really dont pay much attention. I look for content.

"Which they admittedly won with a low bid"
-
So I guess this is different than the "handing out" earlier declared?

http://boycottwalker.bsharp.org/walker-b...
Nother list of contributors by company and name. Every donation is not by an individual, many companies give very large sums of money. Do they expect something for their "investment"? Looks like Southern rail did and got it.

Souther Wisconsin railroad recieved 14 million in state contracts. see 1:55 post. Looks to me like "people" at the railroad were instructed by the CEO to give money, thats why he was convicted of a felony.http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/opencms/export/nr/modules/news/news_2948.html_786229440.html

Michels construction GAVE money as a company to Walker in large sums, see list at 1:53. Those are EmpLOYERS that gave large sums to his campaign. They have recieved a very large contract to help rebuild highway 41. Which they admittedly won with a low bid. Did their contributions get them a seat at the table? Hmmmm

Thanks for the clarification. People from these two companies gave money to Walker. If you are through pasting info from the wisconsin dem website to recall walker could you provide information on what people from the two previously listed companies received in the form of contracts? Thanks.

•Tim Russell, a Walker campaign aide, bounced throughout various Milwaukee County departments and agencies and was the county's housing administrator when prosecutors seized his computer in 2010. Russell has gone missing and is thought to have a role in an ongoing corruption probe centering on the Walker campaign. [Authorities seize computer of Walker aide," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Aug. 23, 2010]

http://d21971ua898zk6.cloudfront.net/39/...

•Walker privatized custodial services for county buildings as Milwaukee County Executive and, after bypassing the county board, awarded a $1.2 million contract to the company owned by Edward M. Aprahamian, one of Walker' 'longtime supporters' and a longtime Republican donor, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ['Incoming custodial firm faces a stink,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/13/09]

•Walker' 'budget repair bill' originally proposed to sell 37 state-owned power plants to private contractors without bids or review by the state' Public Service Commission, even going so far to let the state determine what a 'fair selling price' for the plants would be, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. ['Walker administration still intends to sell state power plants,' Wisconsin State Journal, 3/19/11]

•Walker installed Renee Miller, a Republican campaign worker with 'no experience with land records and vital records,' as the register of deeds for Marinette County and passed over three other more experienced candidates, according to the Sentinel. Miller is a friend and campaign worker of Republican Rep. John Nygren. ['Another Walker pick causes stir,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/20/11]

•Brian Deschane, the son of the executive vice president and lobbyist for the Wisconsin Builders Association – a major Walker donor – landed a job with an $81,500 salary in the Walker administration, even though the 27-year-old had 'no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions,' according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Walker demoted Deschane after the Journal Sentinel broke the story –and a week after Walker' spokesman Cullen Werwie said Deschane was a 'natural fit' for his job at the Department of Commerce. Deschane later resigned. ['No degree, little experience pay off big,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 3, 2011] ['Walker demotes son of campaign contributor,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/5/11]

•Walker' 'budget repair bill' allowed several dozen civil service jobs to be filled by political appointment rather than by a competitive hiring process. Some in those positions – notably former top Walker aide Cindy Archer – have received hefty raises under the new system. Archer, for example, made nearly 65 percent more than the previous legislative liaison at the Department of Children and Families, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ['Archer profited when job shifted from civil service to appointment,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

•Walker' 'budget repair bill' allowed several dozen civil service jobs to be filled by political appointment rather than by a competitive hiring process. Some in those positions – notably former top Walker aide Cindy Archer – have received hefty raises under the new system. Archer, for example, made nearly 65 percent more than the previous legislative liaison at the Department of Children and Families, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ['Archer profited when job shifted from civil service to appointment,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Southern Railroad;
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/04/1058...

The investigation began in May 2010 when the railroad CEO's ex-girlfriend informed GAB attorney Michael Hass that Gardner asked her to donate $10,000 to Walker in her name, but with Gardner's funds. The subsequent investigation uncovered several years, and tens of thousands of dollars, of Gardner's election misdeeds. Gardner cooperated with the joint investigation by the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) and the Milwaukee DA's office, with the GAB imposing a $166,900 fine (the largest in state history) and the DA granting no jail time in exchange for Gardner pleading guilty to two felony charges.
GAB Director Kevin Kennedy also noted that WSOR "has received millions in grants and loan subsidies from the state." For example, last month Walker awarded Gardner's railroad $14 million to maintain or upgrade freight rail infrastructure, and the DA's complaint quotes the company's chief financial officer saying state money is "essential" to the railroad.

Employers ($5000 or more in contributions)

■ABC Supply Co
■Agrecol Corp
■AMK Concepts & Services
■Anew Health Care Services Inc
■AO Smith Corp
■Apache Stainless Steel
■Artisan Partners
■Atlantic DQ
■Audio Implements/GKC
■Badger Meter
■Baraboo Growth
■Bevco Ergonomic Seating
■Blomquist Benefits Consulting
■Boerke Co Inc
■Bradley Foundation
■Brian Retzlaff Trucking
■Briggs & Stratton
■Burke Properties
■Burlington Northern Santa Fe…
■Call Solutions
■Campbell Wrapper Corp
■Carpenter
■CD Smith Construction
■Chambers & Owen
■Charro Restaurante
■Charter Manufacturing
■Church Mutual Insurance
■Cobalt Partners LLC
■Commonwealth Development Corp…
■Continental Properties Co Inc
■County Concrete
■Couri Insurance Agency
■Custom Pak Products
■EBY-Brown Co
■Einhorn Associates
■Emergency Medicine Specialists
■Endeavors Group
■Fabco Equipment Inc
■Fashion Angels Enterprises
■Feather Larson & Synhorst…
■Fiduciary Management
■First American Funding
■Fisher Barton Inc
■Glenora Co
■GMR Marketing
■Gogebic Taconite LLC
■Gold Leaf Development
■Hal Leonard Publishing
■Hammes Co
■Harris Associates
■Hay Creek Pallett
■Heartland Advisors
■Hexagon Investments
■High Crossing Development Corp
■Holton Brothers Construction
■Horton Group
■Hovde Financial
■Hy Cite Corp
■I-Robot
■Iconica
■Inpro Corp
■Insight Industries

■Irgens Development Partners
■Johnson Controls
■JSD Professional Services Inc
■Kapur & Associates
■Koss Corp
■Krier Foods
■Kwik Trip
■Lorman Education Services
■Lubar & Co
■M&I Bank
■Meissner, Tierney, et al
■Michels Corp
■Midwest Neurosurgical
■Milksource
■MJ Construction Inc
■Morrison Creek Cranberry
■Nicholas Company Inc
■Nova Surgical LLC
■Orthopaedic Associates of…
■PACUR
■Panduit Corp
■Paper Machinery Corp
■Payne & Dolan
■Pinstripe Inc
■Plastic Surgery Group
■Prent Corp
■Promotions Unlimited
■RCI FirstPathway Partners
■Reiman Publications
■Richardson Industries
■Rite Hite Corp
■Roehl Transport
■Salomon Smith Barney
■Sargento Inc
■SC Johnson & Sons
■Schneider National
■School Choice
■Sendik’s Food Market
■Shannon Sales Inc
■SIG Financial Holdings
■Specialty Underwriters
■St John Properties Inc
■Standard Process Laboratories
■Stark Investments
■Super Steel Products
■Tamarack Petroleum Co
■Tankcraft Corp
■ThedaCare
■Tries & Rice
■Uihlein Wilson Architects
■US Counseling Service
■US Oil Co
■V Duane Rath Foundation
■Wausau Homes
■Wausau Paper
■West Allis Salvage
■West Bend Clinic
■Zenith Tech (read less)

Source:http://scottwalkerwatch.com/boycott-center/

"the governor and his administration are handing out HUGE government contracts to large political donors like Michels construction and Wisconsin Southern Railroad?"
-
I couldn't find donations by either of these employeers in the Wisconson Democracy Campaign database for donations to Walker. Where did you get this information from and could I get a link to it please? Thanks.

While it is EASY for some to be condescending and namecall, it should be just as easy to ask certain questions of politicians and expect real world answers. Instead we see simplistic people that refuse to look up facts and accept whatever it is their "party" tells them is the answer.
Be condescending when presented with facts all you like, but I find it very difficult to accept that we were somehow presented with a choice between medicaid and everything else, especially with the few facts I have presented here. Believe me that is just the tip of the iceberg.
The facts are that ACT 10 was far from necessary financially, Walker so admitted it to congress himself. This is a power grab , nothing more. When presented with facts that prove it to be true, all you have to rhetort is "vomit", just added you to the list of hot air machines.
Could you please post some factual evidence that points to your contention of the choice between medicaid and education? Last time I checked the state budget was over 66 billion dollars , with many programs that cost money, medicaid and education being 2. Funny how a 500 million dollar cut and 65,000 less people on badger care constitutes this false choice you seem to believe. Its called a straw man argument, ask your hero Paul Ryan, hes been all over TV setting them up and claiming others are doing it!!LOL, what a joke!

Are you also aware that the current administration is handing out increases to certain state employees in excess of 65%?

Are you aware that the governor and his administration are handing out HUGE government contracts to large political donors like Michels construction and Wisconsin Southern Railroad?

Are you aware that the JSD holds a 25-30 million dollar account built on the self-funded insurance of the JEA?

For JV so it doesnt get lost:
DO you know what the fund 10 balance is?

Boy when presented with numbers and facts about how the government is wasting money all I am presented with is "vomiting"?
JV why not try to address the cronyism that is going on in the state instead of doing your own bit of purgung.
Sorry your attention span doesn't go beyond a couple of paragraphs, its too bad really, maybe that is why you think this problem is as simple as medicaid vs eduction, bc you refuse to read more than a couple of sentences at a time.
With nothing to offer to the conversation, I find your comment as useless as beebees, maybe you are another one of those conservative posters on here with multiple personality disorder.

jv93, who's arguing about where the biggest expenditures are? I'm referring to cuts in shared revenue to communities. If you took the time to read these comments a little slower - your responses wouldn't be so flippant.

No youkillme, but if you took the time to look at the state budget you'd find the biggest expenditures are to shared revenue and medicaid. Pretty easy to see actually.

jv93 writes -- "Where'd the money go? Great question. It went to shore up medicaid. Plain and simple. The gov was forced to choose between health care for poor people or money for teachers unions. Easy decision." ------------------- So every time Walker needs a few hundred million for any state program, whether it's Medicaid or whatever, he'll just dip into state aid for communities and public employee compensation because afterall, why should he make the tough choice on taxes and cuts for his own budget when it's easier to push the responsibility onto the locals to replace the lost revenue.

fear, please be more concise instead of vomiting. Can you summarize your point or question into maybe 2 or 3 sentences? Please proofread your posts to make sure your thoughts are linear.

Jv looking at just these few examples of political cronyism put forth by the governor in his short tenure, how can one deduce that the money is all in medicaid? These don't even include the contracts awarded to large donors to the governors campaign.

Mike Wagner kept his job as the Department of Revenue's legislative liaison and received a 5% pay raise. He now makes $64,160, up from $61,074.
Restructured posts. In some cases, essentially new positions were created. For instance, the Department of Financial Institutions hired George Althoff as its communications director, paying him $90,000 a year.
At the Department of Tourism, new spokeswoman Julie Feldman is making $85,000 a year. To create that job, the department eliminated a marketing specialist job that paid $65,002, or 31% less than what Feldman is making.
Kristen Ruesch makes $80,000 as a spokeswoman for the Public Service Commission. Until earlier this month, she was a lobbyist for TDS Telecommunication Corp. and the Green Bay-based utility Wisconsin Public Service Corp.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reveals that Walker is using state funds to pay more than $81,500 a year to the 26-year-old son of a major campaign donor with no college degree and two drunken-driving convictions.
Cindy Archer served as Walker's deputy administration secretary until last month, when she abruptly shifted into a job as legislative liaison at the Department of Children and Families. She is being paid $99,449 a year - $39,129 more than the $60,320 the last person to hold the job made.Until taking the new job, Archer was making $124,000 as Walker's deputy administration secretary. Before that, she was Walker's top aide when he was Milwaukee County executive.Thought we were broke? Thougt state workers get no raises? Hmmm!65% raise?
Mark Rinehart was kept on as the Department of Justice's legislative liaison, but saw a $10,747 raise when the job was made political. That 18% boost put his salary at $70,992.

 The Department of Justice brought on a new spokeswoman, Dana Brueck, at $78,000 a year. That is 10% higher than the $70,702 that former spokesman Bill Cosh made.

Cosh left the DOJ job recently to become the Department of Natural Resource's politically appointed spokesman. Cosh is now being paid $87,696. That is a 24% pay hike for him, but his pay is the same as the previous DNR spokesman.

 Stephanie Smiley, the spokeswoman at the Department of Health Services, is being paid $91,099, or about 8% more than her predecessor. The raise was included because the job was expanded to include external and internal communications, Smiley said.
Hard to claim that we are broke when you are handing out raises and favors to political friends, isn't it?

Why on Earth would any teacher want to come to Janesville, Wisconsin to teach? This is a very toxic environment and any educated professional would tell the JSD to pound sand.
When will this obsession of cutting public education stop? You people do realize that costs of EVERYTHING continue to rise right? Gas, energy,food,cleaning products, EVERYTHING. So it actually is resonable to understand that spending on education would rise as well. Test scores across Janesville are rising, and how owould we reward our teachers? A huge pay/benefit decrease? Really?

WHat is fund 10? How is it there is a 20+ million dollar fund sitting there when the district(BOE) constantly claims they are in the red? Ask questions DEMAND answers. I would also ask every single customer of phones plus that has a signed contract , to ask for a renegotiation due to tough economic times. Only reasonable since the owner of Phones Plus seems to be spearheading this negative campaign against teachers and begging them to open their contracts. I believe that any customer of his should be held to the same standard as he holds the teachers to. Why is he a BOE member? Run for city council, please, get out of education.

First off thank God Beebee is gone, Jerry McGuire? You need to debate with 10 year olds, you might have a chance. Nothing but hot air and nothing to offer.

Jv- the governor didn't have to do this, it was an ideological choice plain and simple, as he admitted before congress. He could have negotiated concessions, just like every other governor has for over a half a century. Instead he tried to dictate , and now he is being recalled mainly for abuse of power, and gross incompetence.
All of that being said I would like the majority of you to address the 20-30 million dollar fund sitting around in the coffers called fund 10. Are you aware that is essentially a "checking account that the district has built up over the last decade from the SAVINGS made from the teachers in Janesville's self funded health insurance? THAT is themoney that should be used to plug this hole to save jobs, not these threats of mass layoffs. Like last year and then many were called back because as usual the district completely over-estimated the hole. THEN when many of the more qualified teachers do not answer the call backs it allows the district to hire cheaper teachers.

Where'd the money go? Great question. It went to shore up medicaid. Plain and simple. The gov was forced to choose between health care for poor people or money for teachers unions. Easy decision. Your seemingly confused point about me being a hypocrite is not entirely clear. Education is publicly funded but people should be able to take that money and move it to a school that can do its job. It really is that easy. Greatplain, you should look into that study deeper. I think you'd find its a sham. Sluggo, I don't know what else to say. I mean really, should we get into a series of no you're wrongs? Kinda like tag, your it.

Too bad your education isn't a hamburger you buy off the shelf. An education is a right as afforded in the state's Constitution. Private schools get to pick and choose their students and the parents of those children hold their children to account. It's the parents stupid. Children who go to private school do better because their parents are paying for them to go to private school. Have you been to a private school? Drill and practice is just as mind numbing in private school as it is in public school.

I find it sad that the generation that had everything paid for now doesn't want to pay for anyone else. I think we call that socialism.

The notion of ability is absurd. It has been proven time and again that geniuses aren't born, they are made. Try Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers.

jv93: I work in Milton and am associated with the schools through my wife. The teachers there did make concessions, though JEA must do what is right for them. We're out about 3K since last summer. I have worked against the voucher program in Wisconsin through activity and lobbying. When the legislature did a one time study to compare test scores of Milwaukee kids and the Milwaukee voucher system schools, guess what? No different or worse for the voucher schools. Vouchers are a scheme.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/1...

jv93 - You're wrong. About Janesville's private schools not getting money.

JV93, you are a hypocrite.
In one post you put

"But even if my kid goes to private school I still have to pay for a product I don't want. My taxes are still collected and that school district still gets to count my kid when it comes to state shared revenue. Which oh by the way is NOT shared with the private school. Good deal eh?"

And in the next post you say "Jim Doyle, being the union lackey he was capped this program. I guess he had a problem with some minority kids getting a better education."
So in essence, it is ok for you to not pay taxes for everyone's education (minorities included) but when Doyle refuses to send kids to private school and pay for it he is a "lackey". Hmmm..... seems like the same thing to me, actually seems like you are worse. He was at least willing to pay for some education.

Jv93
So are you saying they are going to make up 9 million in layoffs? That is what they are projecting to need to make up. Even if they cut to bare bones they may make up 3 million? where is the rest coming from? Layoffs are going to happen regardless. And education is going to suffer so lets blame it on the teachers. Lets not take into account that the district can't manage a checkbook. Lets not take into account that they have been making money on insurance when other districts have been losing money on it and are still better off. Lets not take into account that Janesvilles taxes are lower than other comparable districts and always have been. Lets not take into account that in keeping taxes low the JSD board has screwed the school district by not gaining more money from the state. And no I do not believe more money always makes for a better education. But I sure don't believe cutting millions from a district is helping either. Please tell me it is. Let me guess, there is no money. Wierd because my taxes stayed the same but millions were cut from education. So where did that money go? To companies to bribe them to stay hear, while at the same time these companies are complaining because there are no skilled workers out there. So lets cut spending on education, that should help that scenario.
Also, you don't feel like you should have to pay a couple hundred in taxes for a system that is broke but you expect me to pay 4G's to it plus what you pay. I don't have kids here. Maybe nobody should pay for it. It should all go private. Screw the poor kids. They don't need school, going to end up in jail anyways. Competition will keep the price down right? Just like college. Plenty of them around and it is damn near free. Keeps getting cheaper. Times are tough private schools should be cheaper.

Youkillme, I believe that is the school voucher program. It is only available in certain urban areas (Milwaukee) in WI. It has been vigorously opposed by the teachers unions because MPS exists solely for the teachers union and not for education of kids. Thankfully some low income kids can be saved from the massive failure of MPS and can go to private schools outside the reach of the unions and bureaucratic employment agency that is MPS. I don't believe public schools in our area are anything like MPS in terms of a complete disaster but the private schools do not receive the state aid that public schools do. They are entirely self funded. In MPS a parent enters a lottery and is able to take that state money and move it to a school where their child can actually get an education. Jim Doyle, being the union lackey he was capped this program. I guess he had a problem with some minority kids getting a better education.

Sluggo, I can assure you I am 100% sure. Realist, people like me have decided to stay here and make changes. Instead of choosing a different product I can vote and send people to represent me. They have. I am not saying nobody should have benefits. Simply put, public employees need to be contributing more for theirs including teachers. If they staunchly refuse to do so I could level the same claim on them that they care nothing about education and care only about the the "almighty dollar." I don't begrudge them their contract but I offer only a warning. Stick with your contract, which is your right to do, but understand in doing so you are looking at massive layoffs. The choice is yours.

In Milwaukee, low-income students are eligible to receive up to about $6,500 in public money to attend private schools. Why is that? Why are they getting $6,500? Why not get just the amount their parents are paying into the public school system through their property taxes or apportioned through their rent? I'm certain it's nowhere near $6,500. So why then are all public taxpayers subsidizing private schools?

jv93 --- Are you sure? Most do get some money from the government.

donnaw, And you really don't think that a CEO salary like that doesn't affect what you pay for health services (even at another facility)? Imagine how many more nurses could be serving the patients on the CEO salary. Certainly it is your choice to support such salaries or think they don't matter, but nobody is worth that kind of money. It's very difficult for me to understand how one can accept those kinds of CEO salaries and at the same time complain about a teacher's salary (no matter how you rationalize it). But again, it is your choice. I do have to wonder if you truly believe that or if you are just unwilling to acknowledge how ridiculous that is.

jv93
You are telling people that if they don't like mercy it is simple, go somewhere else. If you don't like how your taxes are being used in Janesville it is simple, go somewhere else. Same thing isn't it? You have all the answers. Here is one for you. . "We the voters sent Sodemann, Walker, Fitzgerald, (insert name here) et al to represent us". They are representing you and trying to balance the budget on the backs of teachers. Well sorry it didn't work this year in Janesville. Quit crying about it and live with it. That is what everyone is saying about the dems who are trying to recall walker. Same thing isn't? Suck it up and deal with it. The teachers have a contract. Oh wait let me guess, you are concerned about education in Janesville that is why you want them to open it. You don't give a rats a.. about education, all you care about is your almighty tax dollar. Well guess what your taxes aren't going up anymore this year no matter what the teachers do so get over it and quit crying because you don't have as good as benefits as the teachers. If you don't have it nobody should. I am pretty sure I learned that in preschool that I don't get everything I want and if I really want it to go get it. Not cry because someone else has it better than me. Go back to school and teach if it is so great.

But even if my kid goes to private school I still have to pay for a product I don't want. My taxes are still collected and that school district still gets to count my kid when it comes to state shared revenue. Which oh by the way is NOT shared with the private school. Good deal eh?

@fear-you're just nothing more than a Jerry McGuire"show me the money" persona-because that will cure all in your feeble worlld-and as usual the public sector with their "poor me attitude" has no responsibility-good night, I have more intelligent people to talk to.

Shovel your block while your at it please, do what you can to help cut the need for services, thank you!

You also have a choice in schools donnaw, send your kids to private ones, no one is ofrcing you to send your kids there. While your at it burn your trash too.
As usual nothing beebee, not that I expected it from you, because you have NOTHING to offer. I am so sick and tired of hearing about the poor private sector, guess what , the private sector is the reason the economy is in the tank. No ideas, just wind. Liberal this , left wing that, and not one tangible thought, just more political banter from someone that wants to confront. You cannot point out one scenario that improves accountability OR improves education by cutting funding, NO ONE can.

Nomore&MH...the comparison was made between the salary of the Mercy CEO and teachers salaries and how we complain about the latter and not the former. My point was there is a difference between who is paying for them. I have to pay my taxes but I don't have to pay for healthcare at Mercy if I dont want to go there. I have a choice. And yes my taxes do go for police, roads, etc. and I can complain about that if I am unhappy about firefighters' benefits and the condition of the roads. I have that right as a taxpayer, just as you do. But if you don't like the way Mercy does business, go somewhere else.

@fear-give us all a break-you don't want more accountability because you argue against it at every turn-paying third parties to evaluate performance should not be a problem for you because your answer is to always give the system more money-but you really don't want that either because you would argue they are not qualified to judge-and you're seriously defending a 3 year system of probation and holding it up as a model for the rest of us???? Almost everyone out there in the private sector would be long gone before 3 years for poor job performance-and rightfully so-and NOWHERE have I argued for immediate dismissal-nice try at deflection however.Present to all of us unenlightened souls what would be acceptable to you and we can start to have a discussion - instead of you defending the mediocre status quo and yhe liberal mantra of "we need more money"

""-is that there continues to be no accountability in the system to weed out the bad educators."" your statement beebee. Which is totally and completely FALSE!! Its just not the accountability that you would like, aparantly.
AND YES I am biased toward teachers because as a group they are the most important group of public servants in our society. They do not deserve the bashing and demonizatin of those that have a political axe to grind, as you obviously do.
You offer nothing but generalized statements and say many things that are just false. If you have ideas lets hear them, so I can agree or disagree based on YOUR OWN ideas, not some kind of repeated rhetoric that keeps on keeping on, and is becoming quite predictable.

No beebee- the rhetoric that youj post might suggest that "we all know" that but in REALITY we all don't. I will ask you again how many other professions have a 3 year probation period? You continue to villify the system with blanket statements and rhetoric, and offer nothing in the way of ideas to increase accountability. How would you, in your infinite knowledge, address accountability? Test scores? Pay a third party to review teachers and their performance? (more spending)
You offer more rhetoric and false statements , and no real IDEAS to the argument. Creating false choices is a "straw man" argumennt, and essentially that is what you are doing here.
AGAIN, I wil ask you to provide some form of accountability for all of the mediocre teachers that you claim that are out there. How do you hold parents accountable for their kids dragging down the system because their kids are failing, many times to no fault of their own.
I want accountability, REAL accountability. But I ask anyone what exactly do you mean by that? How do you measure it? Who judges it? Do you immediately terminate a teacher who isn't achieving to your standards? If you want more accountability are you prepared to increase education spending to get it? Are you prepared to prperly reward excellent teachers who deserve it? Or will you tell them that they are lucky to have a job? Questions that need answers , not rhetorical partisan garble.

@fear-"there is accountability and a system for weeding out bad teachers"-you say that with a straight face? Really? We all know that "system" is an absolute and utter joke/failing. Our kids deserve better but you continue to defend a mediocre system at best and refuse to entertain any thought that it could be improved. Sounds like you follow more "party" dogma than anyone else out there. Again-do you know too many poor teachers that won't stand up to scrutiny with a more accountable system?

Interesting read Ezoner, of course the Allegheny institute is a conservative think tank , which I know you are aware of. I just point that out because EVERY single time I link an article or website many have a problem with the source so lets just help folks to understand that one IS slanted and and has a political master to serve.

Kind of like linking the Macyver institute and claiming its not partisan, when it most certainly is.

My problem is that I do not think this should be a partisan politics issue. It should be a best methods issue, and by best methods I mean best methods to provide a chance to all kids regardless of parents who lack, because most times its not the child's fault.
I will say it again, I don't see a scenario in which huge cuts to education funding helps produce better educated kids, and attracting better professionals to do just that.

To you small government conservatives, look around on the internet, there are so many places to cut spending (non-defense) where funds could be shifted, and or cut that are NOT education.
Maybe as wars end, we can start looking t doing the job of restoring this nation to greatness, starting with properly educating THIS generation.

BTW Ezoner how is it PC to offer all kids a chance to recieve a quality public education? Isn't that better for society as a whole? I always thought that public education was viewed as a right in AMerica. Now, you need to go get it and work for it, BUT, please tell me you don't think that every child through no fault of their own deserves a chance at an education so they can possibley dig themselves out of a hole that they had NO part in creating themselves? Or is it your position that we should just not include certain parts of our population, because it makes statistics look bad? Curious is it right vs wrong, or PC?

Ezoner- We dont totally disagree here, BUT its NOT a partisan argument here, no matter how much you try to make it one.

""Yet all are taught using a fixed menu of teachingmethodologies and subject material, to target standardized testing success. It simply doesnt work."" This is a result of the no child left behind farce put forth by GWB. I will aslo tell you that methodologies are NOT fixed, they just aren't. Plus I would point out to you that the republicans in the state legislature just passed a bill that ties test scores to teacher performance. So , based on your statement about teaching to a standardized test, could I assume that you are opposed to this republican legislation?

Fear -- for your reading pleasure

http://www.alleghenyinstitute.org/compon...

beebee- not ignored , there is accountability and a systme for weeding out bad teachers. In every single contract there is a process to follow. Calling anyone names doesn't make any points it just shows that as usual you offer nothing.
People like you want teachers that don't make the grade to be fired IMMEDIATELY without a chance to improve first. The facts are that bad teachers are and can be weeded out. BUT they all are given chances to improve first. Try to remember that teachers have 3 years of probaton where they can be very easily removed for poor performannce. Are you aware of any other profession that has 3 years of probation to prove ones self? after that passes it is admittedly more difficult to remove an under performing teacher, but certainly not impossible. SO your contention that there is nothing in place is a LIE. Not surprising that you would call names while spinning more ignorant rhetoric and calling for an accountability system without understanding that there is already one in place. On top of that you want accountability and offer nothing in the way of solutions. Just more partisan based rhetoric.

Keep the pointless name calling beebee it really makes my argument for me, and as usual you are incapable of arguing facts. Only Partisan gobbledy Guuk!

I understand reality, but in the PC world we must educate all as equal, but we are not equal. We have people of varying degrees of ability, not financially challenged, but having a differnet level of ability, or desire to apply themselevs. WHat I have experienced, is that underchanllenged kids act out their frustrations, they are bored -- being in a class with others that lack ability or desire to learn - for whatever the reason. Yet all are taught using a fixed menu of teachingmethodologies and subject material, to target standardized testing success. It simply doesnt work. Perosnally, I dont care which party came up with the idea nor the reasoning. Also -- I would not declare WI performance on tests as better -- look at SAT scores, yes IL and WI are in the top - yet there is only a 5% participation rate, so is that really a valid measure. Would a vote be valid with 5% participation? The idea that tax $ have an impact on test scores is blind. Look at the Pennsylvania study. No affect found by increasing $$ per pupil, because, money is not the solution. So yes when I here the left rhetoric, the union rhetoric and bull, that we need to spend to get quality, it ticks me off a little, when not only is t here little or no evidence that its true, there is actually evidence that it is a waste of tax $$ to increase spending without changing the process and it will take a major change. Segregation of learning ability, teachers that understand requirements to grow minds from where they are to the next level, whatever that may be. BUt we cannot continue to throw einstein in the same classroom as dumb and dumber and expect good results. We cannot as parents expect the school system to raise our children, we cannot teach athletes that as long as they perform, there will be a possible big check without a quality education. We cannot secure teaching positions and pay regardless of the product we get.

In trouble?

Wisconsin ranks 3rd in the nation in SAT scores, but with a participation rate of just 4%. On the ACT, with a much more representative partcipation rate of 69%, it was tied for 17th. In comparison…
•Virginia was 34th on the SAT with 67% participation, 13th on the ACT with 22% participation.
•Texas was 45th on the SAT with 53% participation, 33rd on the ACT with 33% participation.
•Georgia was 48th on the SAT with 74% participation, 34th on the ACT with 44% participation.
•North Carolina was 38th on the SAT with 63% participation, 20th on the ACT with 16% participation.
•South Carolina was 49th on the SAT with 66% participation, 44th on the ACT with 52% participation

Those 5 states that are compared here are states that have similar limitations to collective bargaining that Scott Walker has implemented. Just so you know where we are heading.

@fear-your long winded buffoonery is not surprising-it is your typical knee-jerk reaction when it comes to education because you obviously have an extreme bias towards teachers.My main problem with public schools -over and above money -is that there continues to be no accountability in the system to weed out the bad educators. But you continually ignore that part of the conversation-is that because you only know mediocre teachers/educators who would be in danger of losing their jobs if thay didn't meet some reasonable measure of job performance?

Cutting $ will not make a difference? The states that spend the least have the lowest rated systems. Please explain your position on why the system is failing, take the "value" of dollars spent. How do you even quantify that? Janesville test scores are UP across the board!! Failing? The reason that blowhards have an argument that the system is failing is because large urban numbers drag the overall numbers down. Many times these are the teachers that are the most challenged with classroom variables that you continue to ignore. Ezoner as soon as you start with the Liberal/democrat banter, you are exposed. Its should not be a partisan argument here, it should be about educating kids effectively , not about what we invest or don't in education. And your solution is to just cut,cut,cut and......no solutions, NONE, not even a suggestion.

WHZ- Enough said? Maybe that is correct based on a 40 hour work week during contracted hours. How many teachers punch a clock and work 40 hours in any week? Again a situation where black and white just doesn't cut it.

""What I see is kids with no fathers or parents teaching them respect, honor, integrity. Self reliance and taking personal responsibility, hard work and striving for more. The same could be said of most of our educational system, which is burdened with underachieving teachers, administartors, and self serving unions."" I wont bash your spelling Ezoner bc I make mistakes too, but that is twice in one day bashing education with spelling errors. I suggest running the Gazette website in firefox , there is a built in spellcheck!:)
That being said, this is exactly what I am talking about with you, you don't like it when people take your statements and make assumptions , yet you make blanket statements like this and they are FULL of assumptions. Are there fatherless families out there? SURE? What percentage? MINUTE less than 10%? Most of the educational system burdened with "under achieving teachers" that is an absolutely ridiculous statement again by you , and another blanket statement that makes it easier to make assumptions about not your background, but your level of knowledge of reality in schools, and your perception of teachers and education being "burdened" and "self-serving", it shows that your ENTIRE view is completely distorted by your hate for unions, not by the reality of the kids and teachers TRYING to work together to succeed. IMO you are just as self-serving as any union would be, so is beebee, and the rest of the haters spouting the same old rhetoric without understanding REALITY.

Your wrong Fear -- The differnec in taxes is between 3 and 4 to 1. If you can understand ratios from a cost perspective. There is no way to justify that. The ration is Illinois is even greater -- more like 4 or 5 to 1. Spending more money or even the same amount is not the solution, its not rhetoric, its reality. When the administration, educators and parents begin working together to improve the system, its performance and the educational experience, only then will there be value in the tax money spent. It can be done, and done as good or better than in WI, its what is the value for the money spent. ANyone that ignores that is a fool. WI public education system is in trouble, not because of the lack or shortage of money, but because the system is broken and big changes are needed. Comparing to other states that are failing more than WI should not be the measurement of success which is what all progressives and liberals will do. They misdirect as opposed to confronting the real issues and fixing them. Dont get me wrong, I do not want bible study either. I want a great education for the $ spent and the value is not there anywhere in the US, but until the value and quality improves, throwing more tax dollars at it certainly wont help either. Cutting tax dollars will have little impact on a system that is failing anyways.

Govt labor statistics show that teachers earn $59 an hour with wages and benefits for hours worked compared to private sector employees that earn an average of $28 an hour worked in 2010. Enough said!

Want to have a reality based discussion about public education, or a rhetorical one?
Ezoner I make NO assumptions about your background, what I know is MY background. NOT based on unions, based on reality of classroom situations, what is yours? I have been vlunteering for years and have seen the REAL WORLD of instruction, FIRST HAND. I come from a family FULL of teachers at ALL levels. My observations of a classroom has NOTHING to do with unions, it has to do with reality.

There are plenty of areas of government that can be cut, look around, you will find programs that will make you wonder about so much. WHat is the deal with you small government people attacking education every single chance you get? Again if you want to cut look elsewhere, education should be AUTOMATICALLY increased year by year, and like anti stated, the COST of everything involved with maintaining a school inflates yet we slash educational spending? Take teachers salaries out of it, everything increases, energy, etc... why is it so hard to understand? That is BLACK and White.

No matter what rhetoric you want to introduce , or what talking points you have to repeat, there isn't a scenario where these MASSIVE cuts to education funding improves education in Wisconsin. Which BTW Beebee is considered by almost ANY poll/study that you can find is at or near the top in the USA. AND in Wisconsin, public school teachers outperform their private counterparts by almost all standards with all of the variables working against them, because they cannot cherry pick their students.

Ezoner and bebe- more unfounded silly rhetoric, which is what I have come to expect from the both of you. Teachers do teach, the things that you both and many others of your ilk fail to recognize, over and over again, is that there are other factors in every classroom is that there are VARIABLES , be they behaviors, LD, financial and at home challenges. Like it or not these are real world problems. A public school teacher CANNOT just kick a child out of the classroom with MAJOR behavior problems, and when you get ZERO help from a parent to reinforce what a teacher needs to be able to INSTRUCT every other child in that classroom. Unfortunately for your "black and white" farcical argument, it holds no water. Hard work is a great value, but this whole tough guy attitude just does NOT hold water in a classroom, I am telling you from experience. All kids/adults in this world SHOULD work hard to achieve, but like anything you cannot force anyone to do anything. SO in a classroom of 20-30 kids how many disruptive kids do you have? Does that affect the ability of a teacher to instruct? Affect the ability of the other kids to learn? The answer to both questions is YES!! The FACT is black and white , tough guy , just "pull up your bootstraps" mentality is cute to address rhetorically, unfortunately unless you have taught in a real world environment or been in a classroom more than a couple of hours to understand all of the different variables then you just don't know and really look silly even trying to address the issue. It would be like a factory worker trying to perform urgery, just NOT qualified to speak to it. EZONER you are just not there. Refering to things like these just in reference to budgets and dollars and cents, makes NO sense.
Where has it gotten us? Educated! High population of kids going on to pursue a degree, but not high enough. The reasons we NEED a union for teachers is to protect them from people with an agenda who do NOT have a clue on the dynamics in a classroom. It would be nice if they could be paid and compensated what they deserve without a union, but unfortunately the NEED is greater for teachers to have a union because of people who think they know what it takes to INSTRUCT effectively and think the answer is all in a standardized test, it just isn't.
As usual Bebe nothing to offer from you but insults and partisan nonsense.
I will point out to anyone that wants to have a REAL educated informed discussion on what it takes to be a teacher in todays world. It isn't 1+1=2, Its 2a(3b+c)(5d+2e)=f, in short instruction is about VARIABLES a PRODUCT of many different factors, not just a sum of teach + learn= test scores. WHY? Because Kids are all human beings , all different individuals with different needs, THAT MY friends is the reality of the situation.

@antireactionary-"So you want to make teachers accountable for behavior that is not their own"-Where was that ever stated?? Sounds to me like my tax dollars were totally wasted on your education also-I will expect my refund soon

@antireactionary-"So you want to make teachers accountable for behavior that is not their own"-Where was that ever stated?? Sounds to me like my tax dollars were totally wasted on your education also-I will expect my refund soon

Teacher of the Year is a popularity contest and has nothing to do with actual effectiveness. You can't even actually prove teacher effectiveness because without student effort nothing happens. Schools don't hold anyone back and the students know it. So, you want to make teachers accountable for child's behavior that is not their own. Right wing dimwits: hating the nanny state while it raises their children.

Ezoner when will you be paying the tax payer back for the public education that was wasted on you.

You have given more and more because the state's and federal government have enacted legal mandates and because energy prices have gone up morons. Remember, the school is required to bus all those children. The school is required to serve everyone, even children with disabilities. School was cheap in the fifties because they didn't serve minorities or the disabled. Never have so many stupid people, tortured so many with their ignorance of the facts.

Ezoner can't spell but he knows how teachers should teach and what they think. Talk about feeling entitled. My name is Ezoner and I know how everyone else should do their job that I know nothing about.

@fear-we have given more and more money to education over the past few decades and where has it gotten us-certainly not a better education for our kids in public schools as the statistics continually prove. What we need besides more money is more accountability from our educational system-where we can reward and motivate the good teachers and get rid of the bad-and not fire a "teacher of the year" at the expense of seniority as the only criteria. And don't tell us that there are no bad teachers-that argument gets old. And as for the teachers in the schools where the poverty rate has gone up-I would argue that those are the schools that need the best teachers and the best effort from those teachers because that is the most at risk segment of the population

Fear -- it is black and white period. You are paid to do a job, that job is teach. If you do more, then great, but you should not expect additional pay nor should you expect me to donate more in taxes. The reality is -- some feel they are entitled to more, because of what they choose to do on their own. Then -- its not for the ultruistic reasons you indicate. So it is prety clear. Just teach. I grew up in the environments you mentioned and everyday I wished that the irresponsible, misbehaving, disruptive kids would have been removed, so that I and others that wanted to learn could. Again -- you are making unfounded assumptions about people (me) you know nothing about. My background and experiences are direct from the environments and I am sick of people that want to take what I have earned from hard work, effort, and a focused attitude and give it to others, without strings attached to performance, behavoir and attitude, be that teachers or students.

What I see is kids with no fathers or parents teaching them respect, honor, integrity. Self reliance and taking personal responsibility, hard work and striving for more. The same could be said of most of our educational system, which is burdened with underachieving teachers, administartors, and self serving unions.

I have traveld and seen districts in very poor remote areas that achieve much better performance, with much less. Without multiple school boards per county (a singular county wide school administration), working towards a common goal, pooling resources. What I see is self serving boards that would never submit to the type of structual changes that would bring about real change, positive change, economically wise decisions that would improve the educational system. Parents that would protest the type of change needed, yet would drop off their kids and never communicate with the teachers. All of these districts do it on 1/3 the taxes collected for our school districts, 1/3 the budget. And they perform.

You need to look beyond WI to see what can be done, but instead you will just ask for more money, its always more money, more benefits, more more more. Others make it work.

I love how none of the morons who complain about teachers are actually qualified to be a teacher.

Ezoner is a bigoted moron who clearly has never worked a hard day in his life. He makes vague claims and provides no facts or evidence to back it up. Some imaginary teachers and parents are bad and some imaginary teachers and parents are good. If you hate imaginary people you don't know, you are an ignorant bigot looking for an excuse for you to be an ignorant bigot.

"". I was acknoeledging that in some cases teachers do more than teach, but feel that they should not be expected or required to. What I do expect is a quality education and do not feel our children are getting that and its not the result of money or throwing more money at it.""

Ezoner- I suggest that you volunteer your time at a poor urban school in Milwaukee or even Beloit which is much closer. Then tell me how your opinion of what a teacher has to do to respond to the needs of their students. You arguments are financially based only and very simplistic in nature. You will not find that a teacher doesn't take social responsibility for their students problems, and gladly helps them with NO thought of reward. I personally know of some elementary teachers on the south side of Janesville at an elementary school that has seen its poverty rate go from 15% to over 40% in the last 5 years, PAY for some of their students milk so they aren't left out, with no thought of reward , no thought of re payment. These are the people that will have less now because of these politicians actions. These are the people that put KIDS FIRST, that also fight for their own wages/benefits, and are constantly under attack by certain people that do NOT realize what these people do, how MUCH they care, how much they do. But all donnaw has to say is it comes out of our pockets? Again simplistic arguments from simistic people who seem to like addition and subtraction, and don't understand Algebra(variables), if you dont understand that argument then you are a black and white person , in a Gray world.

http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-ne...

More examples of how certain groups resond to opposition. How dare you excersise your rights!!

Ezoner if you don't like ASSumptions about YOUR statements then maybe you should find better ways to word them. Its not a crazy assumption based on the verbage you continue to use.
I also enjoy the contention that somehow CUTTING education dollars will improve the system. A system that some seem to think is broken , that offers ALL children an equal opportunity at the American dream, which begins and ends with a quality education. The facts of the matter is there are plenty of other areas of government that can be cut , that do not include slashing education funding. We need MORE money in education. We need to "throw" MORE money towards education in order to improve it. You will NOT continue to attract the best and brightest to the profession by demonizing and cutting, PERIOD! Making salary/benefits less attractive to college students considering a career will not improve education, and TEACHERS ARE the education system like it or not.
Like I said there are PLENTY of areas in government to cut that do not include education and public safety.

Donnaw, please make an argument instead of asking me to take drugs or drink something to "calm down". I am sick and tired of this whole real world crap, because thats what it is. Make a factual argument, and have a discussion, please stop with conjecture and fear mongering. Demonizing teachers who make AT BEST a middle class salary, because they have worked hard for it, is absolutely STUPID. If you truly want responsibility in government then please have consistency in your arguments. Ask your governor why he has handed very large raises to many people that he has appointed to positions upwards of 35% to 65% raises over their predecessors. Is that responsible? Appointing people who are GROSSLY underqualified with multiple OWI convictions to state jobs that make north of 81,000K a year, because his father was a large contributor. Is that responsible government? Is that the "real world"? Keep your arguments in the context of the cronyism that you favor , and the cutting of the MOST IMPORTANT civil servants that "come out of your pocket" forgetting that every one of them provide a service for their salary. YOU the taxpayer are NOT their employer. You are not the employer of a plow driver, a garbage collector, a police officer, a firefighter, a city inspector, any of them. You pay for SERVICES!! You use them, that is why you pay TAXES. Enough with the montra that you are somehow the employer, YOU ARE NOT!!

Fear -- See the problem is you ASSumed I was talking about the poor. Irresponsible parenting isnt limited to the poor. MY point was that responsible parenst bare the tax burden of irresponsible ones if teachers feel the need to do anything more than educating our children. What I am pointing out is that we could save all taxpayers money if the extra effort required to parent children is weighed against those that basically make their children wards of the state to raise. I was acknoeledging that in some cases teachers do more than teach, but feel that they should not be expected or required to. What I do expect is a quality education and do not feel our children are getting that and its not the result of money or throwing more money at it. I have relatives that make the same wages you mentioned with the same burdens on educational payments and commitments. They pay for their own retirement and benefits out of the same salary. It takes a change in life style. No big screens, no cell phones. Its a choice and instead of making that choice you are advocating that we should just pay more. Thats not the answer. More would respect your comments if you spent time understanding comments instead of assuming intentions.

'WE pay the teachers thru OUR taxes. It comes out of OUR pockets! The CEO's pay comes from the hospitals profits'

I wonder where whose pockets those profits come from...

donnaw, I never called 911 in my life, never had a fire,never had an accidents. I'm still paying tax for fire fighters and police. And I'm fine with it. I also don't have a kid who goes to elementary school anymore but I love to see my tax goes to all the elementary teachers.Those kids are going to take care of me someday in the future. I want to make sure that they get good education. I don't see your point. You don't want to pay tax for anything if YOU are not using that service?

donnaw, when you're going elsewhere for health care do you take roads other than those you have to pay for to get there? Do you buy other police and fire protection? Some things are there because of the common good they provide. We are also paying for the governor and the legislature because we have to, but many people don't like that. Sadly the 1 or 2 % have successfully used the divide and conquer strategy to use against the middle class, It's disappointing that many like you have bought into it.

fear...first take a pill (or a sip or a smoke, whatever calms you down) and stop and think what the difference is between the Mercy CEO and the teachers. WE pay the teachers thru OUR taxes. It comes out of OUR pockets! The CEO's pay comes from the hospitals profits. If I don't like Mercy, I can go somewhere else for medical care. But I HAVE to pay the school taxes.

This whole real world crap is getting old. Like if you work in a hospital, auto garage, restaraunt, etc... YOU are a member of the real world. Yet a teacher who has spent years in higher education, spent tens of thousands of dollars, pays taxes , co pays on their insurance, 80-20 portions of most health care bills, pays all their bills (including very large student loans) all while making an obscene 35-50K a year is not a part of YOUR hypothetical "real world" because part of their TOTAL compensation package includes health care and a DECENT(not exorbitant) pension? That is some real high level crap on a stick. Jealous much? Bitter much?
Funny how when the Gazette has an article about Mercy CEO making a HUGE salary you have these conservative cheerleaders claiming that everyone is "jealous" of his life and shouldnt be railing against this guy. And then in the same breath have the nerve to post garbage about teachers not being a part of the "real world". Seriously , you can make an ineliigent point without the hyperbole and rhetoric. On top of that it just makes you look dumb, because that is EXACTLY what statements like that lead me to believe that you are not a member of the real world. My GOD!!

""Tax those parents that are not doing their jobs as parents, but instead its the responsible ones that get the extra taxes, and the irresponsible ones that feed off the system"" Really? And of course you can substantiate that right? Because I see plenty of well-to do financially families that are terrible parents! That is absolutely irrational , irresponsible, silly statement even for you. WIth ZERO to back it up I find it to be full of hyperbole to attempt to support a FALSE ideology.

jv93, We are talking now, not what has happened over the years (that you've taken pay cuts, etc.). Were you standing up supporting the teachers when they were saddled with the QEO years ago? So often I hear from people like you that teachers wages, etc. are different from the private sector because, as you've stated, you're kind of like their employer, but when it's more convenient for you to argue that they should be treated like the private sector then you do that. Have you been ranting because the police and firefighters (public employees) aren't being treated the way teachers are? I am not encouraging that, I'm just curious as to how you feel about that. Personally, I'd rather see the middle class (even you, if you fall into that category) flourish and the outrage directed at the 1 or 2 % who are making obscene amounts of money at the expense of the rest of us. We can disagree, but the world will be a better place when we have a strong middle-class vs. a society of huge wealth disparity. If it makes you feel good to feel that teachers are the problem then so be it, as for me, I don't believe in-fighting amongst the middle-class will serve us well.

AntiReact-- Actually -- I would prefer the teachers to keep their hands off my children when it comes to taking care of them as you speak, I would prefer to have then focus upon education. I take care of my children just fine. So thats where you have it wrong. I see needless field trips, needless events, and medeling in my private life. Stay out and focus upon your job as educators. The problem these days is the teachers want to spend time on things they have no part in doing. Tax those parents that are not doing their jobs as parents, but instead its the responsible ones that get the extra taxes, and the irresponsible ones that feed off the system, same goes for teachers, its the good ones that educate and the poor ones that ride the bus at the tax payers expense. In the end, the teachers are a union, so they want the union label and to be treated as one, then the good and bad go together and are lumped in together. They need to contribute as the tax payers do.

Again nomoreres, we are already doing that in the private sector and have been for years. Many of us have taken large pay cuts, increasing premiums, and are fully responsible for our retirement. Our taxes have gone up just like theirs. Our healthcare and retirement have gone up just like theirs. You said, "Bottom line, what you're asking of them would be like asking you to pay your taxes and then in addition to that, take your remaining salary and give more (like you want them to do)." Ding ding! You are correct! I say to them ain't the real word fun? Welcome to it!

When the financial industry, which caused all this financial mess with their fraud, handed out contracts, the right defended them as legal. However, when public workers get contracts for educating and taking care of children that parents don't want to take care of, we need to renegotiate. What a bunch of dbags.

"If either side could get past the fear mongering, name calling, and finger pointing, put on their collective big boy / big girl pants, and work toward the future instead of arguing about the past, THEN maybe we will move toward a solution. We won't get anywhere while we are ruled by drama."

That's why I am saying. My goodness.......these folks need to grow up and be mature.......the kids are in the middle.......

RECALL WALKER!

Sorry, make that jv93.

jv63, I hope you didn't hurt yourself. My point of reference is "at this point in time" that you want them to give, not over the history of your/their careers/contracts, etc. Please find a soft place to land as I'm sure you won't agree to this anyway. People like you want them to give back what they have already bargained for. Your "giving" (taxes) is similar to what they have already given (taxes). You want them to pay both while you pay only once. You are simply hung up on who pays their salary. I realize you can't get past that so it makes no sense to try to convince you. Bottom line, what you're asking of them would be like asking you to pay your taxes and then in addition to that, take your remaining salary and give more (like you want them to do). Happy landing.

If either side could get past the fear mongering, name calling, and finger pointing, put on their collective big boy / big girl pants, and work toward the future instead of arguing about the past, THEN maybe we will move toward a solution. We won't get anywhere while we are ruled by drama.

There certainly is delusion going on , but why drum up the same argument with the same group of parrots? Its getting mighty old, see what happens and dole out blame however you like. SOme would enjoy an ever continuing trend of slashing of teacher pay until simply because they are public employees. No vision of the future and how education will progress, just CUT slash and let it all burn up. And in the process, demonize the most important public servants, what a bunch of clowns you are.

So the Koch brothers are running the Janesville School District now? The delusion deepens.

Think future...Sounds like that is more the plan of the unions as opposed to the tea party. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the "tax to the max" chant that we keep hearing from the union and it's supporters affects Janesville's middle class much more than it affects the Koch brothers or the rest of the 1%...no??

RikRaff,
You are a sheep. Don't know anything except what you saw on a commercial.
"If they'd have listened and done as most other communities have done, they would not be in this mess now would they." BAAAAAAAA, let me jump in line behind you and as long as we follow walker he will eventually lead us to the slaughter house. BAAAAAAAAAA

Soaking up the Walker commercials, eh?
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Reality check: Most school districts are suffering from the reduced aid, despite teacher concessions. See the data.
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http://dpi.wi.gov/eis/pdf/dpinr2011_127....
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Even with union concessions, the SDJ would be suffering through massive budget deficits.
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The Republican/Tea Party plan works perfectly as middle classers beat each other up, public schools are bled to death, and public workers are vilified--while the Koch brothers and other 1%ers feel no pain.

Teachers listening...
Teachers that listen? Wow...
And they AGREED to listen.
To listen instead of dictate.
Really... This I got-a see.
If they'd have listened and done as most other communities have done, they would not be in this mess now would they. Most other communities waited on the Walker budget and now have the money to hire and do more.
But not Milwaukee or Kenosha or Janesville. The only three that are having problems are those three.
A teachable moment???

Nomoreres, I fell off my chair laughing. "If you were to be willing to contribute what you expect them to then you would have some credibility."

I think most if not ALL in the private sector are contributing way more for their health insurance and retirement. So...you were referring to credibility?

Stand fast you teachers and the other unions. You CAN NOT TRUST Billy and the board. Any concessions made by you folks in anticipation of trust and a benevolent gesture by the BOE is going to be met with a red hot poker on July 1 of 2013.

It's truly amazing to read all the myopic comments from those not negatively effected by the suggestion that the teachers open their contracts. If you were to be willing to contribute what you expect them to then you would have some credibility.

So GuessWho , why should they? Because you or your king walker say so? Maybe then all contracts should be able to be opened at anytime. If your mortgage company isn't making enough--open all the contracts so you can pay more to help them out. Cable,Phone,open them all whenever! Should be a great county soon--OPEN EVERY CONTRACT!!!!!!!

Should the union open the contract and make concessions to pay more towards their health care and benefits...absolutely. Will they, absolutely not. This article is a joke. There is no way this will pass if passed to a vote. Quite wasting time/space in the gazette for this.

Thinkfuture....I am glad that you are beginning to use rational thought. So you too are completely against any property tax increases on Janesville residents to help bridge the gap between what the city can afford to pay and what the teacher contracts demand. Your support is noted and welcomed.........

It is truly amazing that anyone would buy into "the evil union thugs are to blame" crud. Look at what the "administrators" and "managers" are making and how many there are compared to the people actually doing the work.They are making 3-4 times as much,can give themselves raises and bennies but no outrage from the brainwashed walker puppets. Truly amazing.

The FCIC found plenty of blame on government and Wall Street.
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http://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/fci...
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Problem is that Wall Street (1%) owns the government.
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Regardless, middle-class public workers are footing the bill for misdeeds of reckless investors and politicians. Public workers are looked at as the solution, when they were not the cause of our problems. Tax the millionaires, not middle-class public workers.

Thinkfuture - the collapse of our economy was in the beginning caused by the corrupt dealings of Fannie and Freddie. They are now in the news as finally being invetigated for all their corrupt wrong doings. And we all know what Democrat was in charge of all of that now don't we. The rest has been a domino affect. There is greed and corruption on both sides and in the middle. So to just blame one segment is unjust. Most of us have had to belly up to the bar because of this, and now it is time for the rest to do the same.

Fedup: You forgot to blame the teachers and their supporters for the snowfall the other night. You've blamed them for everything else.

realist, well said.

A reminder that this budget crisis was caused by reckless investors who spurred a housing boom and get off now during its crash to contributing one additional dollar to the budget deficit.
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Blaming unions and public employees for the revenue shortfall is shortsighted. Let's keep our eye on the ball. Tax the rich.

It's amazing that the unions are allowing their puppets to even listen to the real world.

fear..the unions have you snookered!

WRONG!

It is the politcians on the left that continue to over spend. It has been the democratic controlled WI government that has continued to accept union contract after union contract so as to line their own campaign coffers. Very unethical behavior.

This will be a big deal over NOTHING. It will simply be teachers agreeing to allow thw district to change some things with the health insurance, but it will not include ANY of the provisions of act 10.
With a 20-30 MILLION dollar "checking account" created by savings the district has already gained from teachers insurance, why oh why would they or should they give more back?
The fact of the matter is we have a completely incompetent school board and superintendant. What to expect: slight moves to save a few bucks , a bunch more threatened layoffs and about as many attempted callbacks. PATHETIC!!
This community needs to change the way these people get "elected" there is no way there should be people that can constantly get elected to the school board with 20% of the vote, its absolutely stupid. I would also like to point out that COSTS go up, CONSTANTLY for EVERYTHING! Yet the district has been very irresponsib;e with the tax levy for a decade! Costing the district MILLIONS in state matching funds! Absolutely unnacceptable! Tapped? That is a talking point, we as a society are taxed at a lower rate than in over 50 years, so spare me the "over-taxed" garble, because repeating the same old crap just doesn't work. Just because Career politicians on the right repeat it doesnt make it true. At some point the cut, cut, cut mentality has to stop and we have to start to invest in future generations, and yes that means SPEND more on teachers, less on roads, less on raises for political pals, make certain "non-profit" companies locally(Mercy) give up their non-profit status and start contributing to the base. Enough of this overpaying Executives , and pony up.

Donnaw - nicely put, but you left out parasite.

+1 wahoo.......don't compromise. As long as the union makes it clear to their members that the most recent hires will be looking for new jobs and those that remain will have to cover the responsibilities of those that no longer work there. If the teachers are willing to accept those terms, then I completely agree that there is absolutely no need to compromise...

Do what Walker did to you. No compromise!

sluggo, it didnt happen over the last two years. We all share some of the blame. Some on parents for giving their children everything they wished they had had, not making the kids work for what they wanted, and some parents chasing the almighty dollar to the neglect of their kids---and some parents not caring for their kids at all. IMO accepting single moms as the normal way to raise kids and neglecting the importance of a dad. I blame society for being so afraid of offending someone that morals and values are neglected. When you don't stand for something, you stand for nothing! I blame schools for including so many extraneous classes and the core classes are short changed. I blame the govt for failing to take the role of the adults with the people's best interests and instead want to line their own pockets and campaign for next election, doing the bidding of the highest campaign contributors. So there's a lot of blame to go around. But I have faith in Americans and think we can rise to the occasion as a nation when we have to. Are we there yet?

Imagine how much education -- reduced class sizes, teaching specialists, etc. -- we could get if we just eliminated our spy (and predator) drones? The one that Iran got cost an estimated 6,000,000. That's a lot of teachers.

Sodemann is your favorite whipping boy, we get that. What you fail to understand jnsvlteacher is that your community is tapped out. We the voters sent Sodemann, Walker, Fitzgerald, (insert name here) et al to represent us and say WE HAVE NO MORE MONEY. Why do people like you still fail to get that? It's a no-brainer.

I said this in a previous article and I'll repeat it:
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As a former Janesville teacher (one who was laid off last year due to budget cuts), I cannot believe Sodemann has the audacity to ask the teachers again to open their contract when he is clearly not willing to make the tough decision to raise taxes. Walker's plan was to push the burden to the local community (whether or not you like it, that's his plan). Then, when our school board discusses taxes, they choose not to use the "tools" provided by Walker. Why should the teachers have to make up for Sodemann et.al's decision? If he would have raised taxes to the maximum allowed by law, I would say the board has every right to ASK the teachers again. But, since they CHOSE not to, it's a no-brainer in my eyes. NO!

I agree - Donnaw, very nicely stated.

These are my thoughts.

1. Leave CB in place, however, strengthen the ability to eliminate teachers who are not being ineffective through observations and evaluations. I don't think it's fair to alienate our awesome teachers who deserve to be paid great benefits. We pay our senators and congressmen and women 174,000 a year and look at what they don't do or do with our country. Walker should have approached this differently. He should have made attempts to sit with all sides.

It is safe to say that the teachers who put up the most resistance are the ones who are ineffective and don't care about the kids. If I was an awesome teacher I would ask why am I getting punished because of others.

This is a sad state of affairs. Alot of the good teachers are taking early retirement. Some of the younger ones are on the edge of doing something else totally unrelated. Teachering is a profession that deserves respect. They have to put up with children everyday that are struggling. I have seen first hand for years the energy and time and to say nothing of their own money going to help your children. When the kids come to school without breakfast, lunch, school supplies because parents are to damn lazy and put education of their children last on the list. They want the teachers to raise their children. Luckily for these parents the teacher do it. They want the best for the students and they want them to succeed. Give them a break PLEASE.

donnaw - wasn't it the "crabby old people" who started the spiral into debt? This didn't happen in two years.

Most of these babys are just give me this & that
They have no idea what it really means to work to get more out of life

donnaw
Nicely stated

So have you rprp.Teachers are on the losing end no matter happens here, and it's because of people like yourself that bitch and complain because they don't like what they don't have. Quit your crying, you have what you have because that's all you have earned.

Disrespect is earned just like respect and the union has earned disrespect.

School board HAS 30million in their account. Use that money. Period. Ask teachers only that's not enough.

wando...honey, "us crabby old people" paid our bills, lived within our means, worked hard and long hours without complaining, paid our increasing annually health insurance premiums, saved for our retirement and raised you. While we're not so proud of some of you whining, lazy, "its someone elses fault," snot nosed, tat loaded, drug ingesting brats, some of your generation will end up paying for your bad choices.

I am sure that if the teachers don't come up with something to help, many will be out of a job. This some thing that no one wants to happen. The school board has its back up against the wall with no state aid to back this up and bills keep coming in. What do you do at home when bills keep coming and your income has deminished to almost nothing. You began to cut the good things in life just to put food on the table.

What a joke indeed! It's jerks like you that make teachers want to make their money while they can. Greedy?!? They have to put up with parents like you every day! And if you speak like this about teachers, I'm sure you're children aren't too much different. It's a wonder there are as many qualified teachers as there are. I wouldn't think anyone would want to get into a profession that gets treated so disrespectfully.

If there weren't so many crabby old people around with a "holier than thou" attitude, I bet the JEA would be more willing to open their contract. With the attitudes of people in Janesville, I see no reason for the JEA to give back what is rightfully theirs.

And the auto plant is reopening in 2 weeks. What a joke! These greedy people can enjoy their situations now but the fact remains that these contracts do expire.