Category: State budget

A Wisconsin circuit court judge has invalidated a controversial law designed to limit the power of public-sector unions in the state ? legislation that prompted massive protests in Madison, the state capital and brought international attention to Wisconsin earlier this year.

Quoted: ?Some state senators who were involved in passing the legislation have to be wondering whether or not taking action in June is the right thing or wrong thing politically, a month before facing voters,? says Barry Burden, who teaches political science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

In yet another twist in Wisconsin?s bitter fight over the unions, a judge Thursday struck down the Republican-sponsored bill to strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights, moving the battle to the state Supreme Court. Quoted: Charles Franklin, professor of political science.

A judge has struck down the collective bargaining bill, ruling that the state?s open meetings law was violated.

In a decision issued this morning, Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi ruled that Republican lawmakers violated the Open Meetings Law when they scheduled a conference committee meeting to advance a stripped down version of the Governor?s collective bargaining bill with less than two hours notice.

Gov. Scott Walker?s controversial proposal to split UW-Madison from the UW System and grant the university public authority status through Chancellor Biddy Martin?s New Badger Partnership is dead, Republican officials said Thursday.

Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to award the University of Wisconsin-Madison public authority status is dead, Republican officials confirmed Thursday.

Union supporters were handed a huge ? although possibily temporary ? victory Thursday morning, when a Dane County judge struck down a controversial bill that stripped most collective bargaining rights from public employees.

MADISON, Wis. — A Dane County judge has struck down a law taking away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most state workers. Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi ruled on Thursday that Republican legislators violated Wisconsin?s open meetings law during the run up passing the controversial measure. She said that renders the law void.

In her ruling, Sumi said that there was “no conflicting Senate, Assembly or joint rule in effect on March 9, 2011, that would have excused compliance with the public notice requirement” of 24 hours notice. She went on to say, “The evidence also demonstrated a failure to obey even the two-hour notice allowed for good cause if 24-hour notice is impossible or impractical.”

A three-month debate over the way the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the rest of the UW System are run has shown that all state universities are going to need more freedom from state rules to remain competitive and to offset deep proposed budget cuts, state lawmakers say.

The Joint Finance Committee was scheduled to take up the budget of the Wisconsin Technical College System during a meeting Thursday. But Joint Finance co-chair Robin Vos, R-Rochester, announced at the start of the noon conference that the WTCS and Department of Instruction budgets would not be addressed as previously scheduled.

This story appeared first in the Sunday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper.

UW-Oshkosh leaders argue they could save $20,000 a year by buying cheaper trash bags. UW-Madison officials say they could complete a $400,000 remodeling job in Sterling Hall in four months, rather than a year-and-a-half. And the UW-Parkside chancellor contends she would have an extra $50,000 each year in tuition revenue.

These are examples offered by University of Wisconsin System leaders of ways they could save money and time ? if only they had more freedom from state bureaucracy.

State support for the UW System now makes up less than a quarter of the system?s total spending, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. Decades ago, state dollars funded almost half of the university system?s needs, but today, the colleges are far more dependent on tuition and fees paid by students. Lawmakers are considering Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to split off UW-Madison as a public authority.

Thousands of protesters massed at the Capitol on Saturday in an effort to show that outrage over Gov. Scott Walker?s budget proposals is not dead, three months after he unveiled his plan to curtail collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Increasingly, government entities are required to run more like businesses. UW-Madison is no exception. To that end, the university seeks a New Badger Partnership with the state that allows it to search out efficiencies, recruit top talent and set priorities like any private company does. As Wisconsin?s major research university, UW-Madison requires a different way of doing business and should be established as a public authority.

Families in town for college graduation ceremonies this weekend can check out or join protests at the State Capitol, where a big “We Are Wisconsin” rally is set for Saturday afternoon. The Wisconsin AFL-CIO is calling on its union members to rally again against Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican-dominated Legislature and legislation drastically limiting collective bargaining for public workers.

The battle over the future of the University of Wisconsin System continues. UW-System leaders Wednesday sent an open letter to all state legislators calling for new leadership flexibility, as contained in their Wisconsin Idea Partnership.

Wisconsin?s state universities need a new business model. It is mistaken to see the best first step as allowing UW-Madison to go it alone. [Letter to the editor from Robert L. Burns].

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker refused Wednesday to back down from his plan to take away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers and force them to pay more for benefits, despite news that the state?s budget is in better shape than previously expected. Walker pushed for the collective bargaining concessions as a way to help address the state?s projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall. But on Wednesday, a new economic forecast said the state will receive $636 million more in tax collections than expected when Walker unveiled his plan _ almost double what would be saved through forcing workers to pay more for health and insurance benefits. No matter the spin, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau?s more positive economic forecast will almost certainly increase the pressure on Walker and the Legislature to rethink some of the most dramatic cuts in the governor?s budget. Those include $1 billion in cuts to schools and local governments, a $250 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System, and changes to the popular SeniorCare prescription drug program.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker refused Wednesday to back down from his plan to take away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers and force them to pay more for benefits, despite news that the state?s budget is in better shape than previously expected.

The battle over the future of UW-Madison continues. In his two year budget proposal, Gov. Scott Walker suggested breaking the university off from the current UW-System.

Wisconsin will get more revenue than previously estimated.

Governor Scott Walker says encouraging new state revenue projections don?t change the need for changes to collective bargaining. The state is projected to collect some $636 million dollars over the next two years, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau and state Revenue Department.

MADISON (WKOW) — New income projections released by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau show the state should collect $636 million in tax revenue by the end of 2013.

Wisconsin?s budget has gotten a $636 million boost over three years thanks to a new, improved tax collection projection.

Republican legislative leaders sought to dampen enthusiasm over an improved budget forecast Wednesday, saying the $636 million in additional tax revenue shouldn?t be used for new spending or to replace savings that would come from forced benefit concessions from state workers.

Attempts to break the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the UW-System are wrong in their central view. Wisconsin?s state universities need a new business model. It is mistaken to see the best first step as allowing UW-Madison to go it alone.

Together, Wisconsin?s public universities, two-year colleges, technical schools and private institutions produce a highly educated workforce. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is proud to be a part of this collaboration and shared legacy of excellence.

We are competing against research organizations and universities throughout the world for top researchers, students and research dollars. UW-Madison competes for and wins over $1 billion in research funds per year. This reflects the significant difference in the mission of UW-Madison and UW-Oshkosh. This is not elitism. The campuses are not better or worse than the other, just different. These different missions drive the need for a different set of operating rules.