Freshmen legislators call first year a success
MADISON — Despite the angry protestors marching on the state Capitol steps this spring and the looming threat of recall elections, the area’s freshmen Republican lawmakers wouldn’t change a thing.
After their first year of legislative sessions, local state Assembly Reps. Tyler August and Joe Knilans believe legislation in 2010 helped bring fiscal responsibility back to Wisconsin.
“We’ve been getting a lot of stuff done, obviously, despite the big issue—collective bargaining debate—that overshadowed a lot of the good things we’ve done,” said August, R-Walworth. “As I go down the list of things I campaigned on, there are checkmarks next to virtually all of them.
“It’s been a pretty successful first year.”
With a Republican majority in both houses of the Legislature, lawmakers passed voter ID regulations and legalized concealed carry. The most significant change was a sweeping bill that stripped a majority of public workers of most of their collective bargaining rights.
The bill sparked outrage and led to a massive protest that continues to have a small presence at the Capitol. August and Knilans, R-Janesville, didn’t expect the issue to draw such attention, especially because they consider the move to be consistent with their campaign promises.
Rep. Steve Nass, R-La Grange, was critical of security at the Capitol, claiming police were not doing enough to maintain safety for elected officials. August agreed, saying there were threats and protesters banging on office windows that required security escorts for some legislators to get to work.
He said the experience brought him and his colleagues closer together.
“We all kind of went through this together, and we became a close-knit group here,” August said.
Except for a small percentage, the protests were peaceful, he said.
“Were there some tense moments? Absolutely. We had some concerns about that, and the state police did their best to address those concerns.”
Knilans said he gets asked a lot if he regrets running for office, and his answer is no.
“I feel it’s an honor to represent the people of Janesville, and it’s an honor I’ll never forget,” he said. “You can’t judge a job by one thing that happened.”
Each lawmaker pointed to accomplishments in their first year.
August authored a bill that requires a two-thirds vote to raise certain taxes, and Knilans introduced a provision to the budget that would have allowed school district employees to reopen contracts without affecting their collective bargaining rights.
No school district unions took advantage of the legislation, he said, but Evan Wynn, R-Whitewater, recently introduced similar legislation that would allow municipal employees to do the same.
The lingering question is whether the changes go far enough to address a deficit that was projected to be $3.6 billion when Gov. Scott Walker’s administration took office. August believes they have, but that partially depends on the stability of the national economy.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau this summer projected Walker’s budget will create a surplus of more than $300 million.
“With the national economy, you never know if those numbers are going to flush out,” August said. “In Wisconsin, we’re doing a lot better than most states, and I think we put ourselves in a position that even if the economy takes another dip, we’re going to feel it a lot less in Wisconsin.”
With the heavy lifting of the state budget completed, August said he has “a bunch” of bills he hopes to get done. He recently proposed discontinuing the state blue book, saving an estimated $300,000 in printing costs, but he believes that bill has stalled.
August said the state must address legislation related to a large-scaled iron mine in northern Wisconsin. He said it could create a lot of good-paying jobs.
He also hopes “Cindy’s law” will continue to gain traction. It would require stricter GPS monitoring of those who violate domestic violence restraining orders and victim notification if the offender enters restricted space.
The law was named after Cynthia Bischof, who in 2008 was killed by her ex-boyfriend after he violated a restraining order.
Mar 4, 2012 at 3:05 p.m.
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916 - The "billion dollar theft" came only from the middle class public employees. The savings didn't go to all middle class folks ,but to wealthy corporations.
Mar 4, 2012 at 2:58 p.m.
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916WI, the $ billion dollar theft came from the take-home pay of public workers, who in turn have curtailed their spending accordingly.
Mar 4, 2012 at 2:56 p.m.
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wislady, the hang-up with the mining bill has nothing to do with the Walker-led jobs disaster in WI during the past 6 months. The WI debacle is all about money being taken out of circulation in the state's economy due to Walker's economic policies.
Mar 4, 2012 at 12:55 p.m.
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Wow if you believe that I guess if I look out the window I will see pigs flying. Nice try Joe, Good Luck to you on your future endeavors.
Mar 4, 2012 at 12:36 p.m.
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Gandalf....That's a completely ignorant comment. Where do you think your "billion dollar theft" originated from?? Despite what most libs seem to believe, there are not magic money trees growing at our state's capital. The billion dollars would have come straight from the middle class property owners. This one is extremely happy that Walker and the rest of the Republicans were totally successful in getting this legislation through......Keep up the outstanding work!
Mar 4, 2012 at 12:05 p.m.
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Read an accurate account of Wisconsin.
http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsrelease...
Since the price of gas has gone up, is that the same as Obama taking money out of my pocket?
SHAME on democrats and RINO Schultz for not adding jobs in Wisconsin, by turning their back on negotiating the mining bill. They would rather see Wisconsin fail.
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:43 a.m.
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The legacy of the freshmen Republicans: WI is the only state to lose jobs during every one of the past 6 months. This is the direct result of taking over $1 billion dollars out of the economy with the theft of public worker's pay. http://www.jsonline.com/business/us-addi...
Mar 3, 2012 at 11:04 p.m.
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it's Jon Erpenbach, and more power to him!
Mar 3, 2012 at 10:28 p.m.
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Congratulations to the area’s freshmen Republican lawmakers, and all other legislators that stayed within the state and got a lot of work done.
And shame on those Wisconsin politicians that 'crossed the line' by fleeing to Illinois. Who were these runners you ask? Let me see if I have a list of them. Oh, here it is: Chris Larson, Dave Hansen, Fred Risser, Jim Holperin, Joe Erpenbach, Julie Lassa, Kathleen Vinehout, Lena Taylor, Mark Miller, Robert Jaunch, Robert Wirch, Spencer Coggs, Tim Carpenter, Timothy Cullen
Mar 3, 2012 at 10:10 p.m.
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Glad they enjoyed their "Freshman" term...because there won't be a "sophomore" one.
Mar 3, 2012 at 9:48 p.m.
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The freshman Republican legislators, including Knilans and August proved very well that they can use a damaging chainsaw when a scalpel would have been the correct tool.
Mar 3, 2012 at 9:14 p.m.
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But then again, like I've said in previous posts, nothing in Janesville surprises me anymore. The people complain about their property taxes yet they elect people like Yuri Raskin and Sam Liebert that are open liberal tax and spend democrats. Maybe Janesville still is a little foolish?
Mar 3, 2012 at 9:06 p.m.
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I think the citizens of Janesville are a little smarter than that fear. I think they are able to do some math and see what their property taxes would have been to maintain spending at Doyle levels. I think the citizens of Janesville were able to see through the public employee union temper tantrum and understand that if Wisconsin is to move forward reform of public employment had to change. Somebody like Knilans stepped up and did what had to be done. Its called courage. Something his opponents will lack because they answer only to their union masters. Oh I'm sure Kevin Murray and Sam Liebert will try all they can to portray themselves as centrists so they can get into office. They will then spend our money like drunken sailors but hopefully the people of Janesville are not that naive to believe that would benefit them in the long run.
Mar 3, 2012 at 8:33 p.m.
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Knilans has N O chance of re-election. The ONLY reason he even won election is because Mike Sheridan was awful and would have been beaten by a cardboard box with an R on it. Janesville area is generally pretty democratic and Knilans will be one and done. Especially with his little stunt he played with the state budget and trying to get the JEA to open their contracts.
Time to move out of your brothers basement Joe, talk about corrupt!
Mar 3, 2012 at 8:10 p.m.
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I meant to say January's numbers haven't been released yet. Wanker appears to be withholding info that shows how poorly he has managed the states economy.
Mar 3, 2012 at 8:05 p.m.
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"In Wisconsin, we're doing a lot better than most states." Stick to the party talking points even though the evidence tells a much different story. Seven straight months of job losses is the worst in the nation. The DWD has not even released February's job numbers because they are so pathetic.
Nov 13, 2011 at 2:49 p.m.
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Success? Where are the jobs??
Nov 12, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.
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typo--"post exactly that with regard"........sorry.
Nov 12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
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tthompson.......I would post exactly with regard to Obamacare. I am quite sure that those who voted for Obama were very pleased when he was pushing his socialized HC agenda. His supporters seem to absolutely love entitlement programs and the idea that the government should provide these things for "free"
Nov 12, 2011 at 7:08 p.m.
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916: The EXACT same thing could be said regarding obamacare, somehow I don't think I'd see you post anything close to what you just did about that. Just sayin;)
Nov 12, 2011 at 6:54 p.m.
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If you call a butcher job a success.
Nov 12, 2011 at 6:45 p.m.
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"Pleasing the corporate masters"?? Huh?? "Pleasing the people who voted for you" would be MUCH more accurate. The legislation that was implemented is exactly what the Wisconsin voters who put these people in office have been asking for years.
Nov 11, 2011 at 4:49 p.m.
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If you call success pleasing your corporate masters and voting the party line as directed while doing nothing to encourage job creation, then it was a successful year.
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