Governor Scott Walker

[BrianW]

There is much at stake here.
The basis of the progressive liberals machine is at stake.

If WI, which has been a liberal mainstay for some time folds, it could be just the first domino to fall.

This is one of the biggest events in political history if you look at it in those terms.

Evidently others do as well if the Reverand Jackson and Obama's hacks are involved.

Yes, it does look like Wi is becoming our "Greece" of sorts.

What's the old Chinese curse/proverb - "May you live in interesting times."
We's soitenly does!

[luvmylabs23139]

RK, are the WI conservatives doing anything to counter the public protest? Such as their own march etc...?

Not RK, but the conservatives will march today. They were busy actually working during the week unlike the teachers illegal strike.

[Uncle Bill]

Not RK, but the conservatives will march today. They were busy actually working during the week unlike the teachers illegal strike.

UB

[Uncle Bill]

Of course they are, and that IS the crux of the problem. By not contributing anything to pension and or health care, or a bare minimum, all of the burden falls on the tax payers in the case of public employees. No one can have it both ways anymore, it cannot be sustained. Econ 101.

Look at the auto industry pensions. a figure I recall is it takes $7000.00 per car just to try to meet current obligations. How in the world can a payout like that continue and still allow cars and trucks to be within reach of the average individual. Public pensions are no different other than the tax payers are the ones footing the bill and have no choice in doing so.

I commend you Golddogs....you are spot on with every one of your posts and comments. You have it nailed. I appreciate your views and involvement in this discussion.

UB

[Sue Kiefer]

I can't remember who or when but........... It was mentioned about special needs students and sports $$$.
I personally do think that sports SHOULD be paid out as a separate cost. (to play BB for example).
In youth Hockey I pay $300 a yr. for my Squirt level son to play + I check the box for volunteer to sell 25 calendars($20 each) and work so many hrs. at the rink(concession, cleaning, ...).IF I choose NOT to check the box THAN I pay another $400 yr. to the rink.
AND I drive my son to his games (OMG)or carpool with others.

My daughter,who plays BB at the local Middle School, I pay an athletic fee of $45. Good Grief.
Should be at least $100, charge an admittance fee to the games, have a volunteered concession stand,a fundraiser,and drive your own kid to the games.(Or carpool)
And yes, I know some parents can't afford it, ..........How about those parents putting in more volunteer time doing something for the school,or selling more whatever...........(fundraiser)
Thoughts..........
Sue

[dnf777]

I can't remember who or when but........... It was mentioned about special needs students and sports $$$.
I personally do think that sports SHOULD be paid out as a separate cost. (to play BB for example).
In youth Hockey I pay $300 a yr. for my Squirt level son to play + I check the box for volunteer to sell 25 calendars($20 each) and work so many hrs. at the rink(concession, cleaning, ...).IF I choose NOT to check the box THAN I pay another $400 yr. to the rink.
AND I drive my son to his games (OMG)or carpool with others.

My daughter,who plays BB at the local Middle School, I pay an athletic fee of $45. Good Grief.
Should be at least $100, charge an admittance fee to the games, have a volunteered concession stand,a fundraiser,and drive your own kid to the games.(Or carpool)
And yes, I know some parents can't afford it, ..........How about those parents putting in more volunteer time doing something for the school,or selling more whatever...........(fundraiser)
Thoughts..........
Sue

Agree, agree, and agree.

If anyone has a gripe about taking sports out of schools, I would ask why nobody is raising a ruckus that PE classes have been eliminated in many places to allow more "test prep" classes for the wonderful NCLB mandated testing?

A one hour PE class, and a recess is what we got. In North Allegheny school district, we taxpayers are funding a rowing team, and let me tell you, those long skinny rowboats ain't cheap! Nor this the local attorney who coaches the team for a not so reasonable fee! Nor is a 900,000 press box for the local highschool field....or the astroturf....need I go on?

[Uncle Bill]

I can't remember who or when but........... It was mentioned about special needs students and sports $$$.
I personally do think that sports SHOULD be paid out as a separate cost. (to play BB for example).
In youth Hockey I pay $300 a yr. for my Squirt level son to play + I check the box for volunteer to sell 25 calendars($20 each) and work so many hrs. at the rink(concession, cleaning, ...).IF I choose NOT to check the box THAN I pay another $400 yr. to the rink.
AND I drive my son to his games (OMG)or carpool with others.

My daughter,who plays BB at the local Middle School, I pay an athletic fee of $45. Good Grief.
Should be at least $100, charge an admittance fee to the games, have a volunteered concession stand,a fundraiser,and drive your own kid to the games.(Or carpool)
And yes, I know some parents can't afford it, ..........How about those parents putting in more volunteer time doing something for the school,or selling more whatever...........(fundraiser)
Thoughts..........
Sue

Agree totally, Sue. That's how ALL the non-school related programs are run in our city. Little League baseball...Pop Warner FB...boys and girls soccer. There's always an organization or two that see to it those less fortunate players are properly funded to be on these teams and play these games.

Since Title 9 brought in all the girls teams involved in sports, it was expected that high school sports was now one big pool, and the games that made the big bucks, made up for the games that lost. That has bled over into colleges and universities as well.

However, in many small towns that provide a full array of sports for all kids, even their most well attended games like boys FB and basketball, and girls volly ball are not coming close to offsetting the costs of running those programs. Money spent for lesser sports like soccer and track programs, regardless of gender, are a drain on the schools general fund.

When you attend these functions, about all that are in attendance are the players relatives, so you wonder why tax payers are required to fund these events. How can this be much different than Planned Parenthood...lots of tax payers funding the benefit of the few.

It's all great when the coffers are full of $$$...but when all the sources are broke, it's time to revaluate what the importance of these extra cirricular activities are, and which ones can be continued to be funded by tax payers, or need to be cut.

The free-wheeling of the nation has run out of the funds to keep that life style operating. At the Federal level it's out of control. And many of the states were caught up in the euphoria of the times, but unlike the Fed, the states don't have the unlimited ability to borrow and print the money to pay for these bloated budgets. And now, when reality sets in, those that have been on the receiving end of this national largess think it can just continue as if they aren't part of this disaster.

So now they are finding THEIR ox in the game, and when it gets gored, they are flabbergasted the chickens have decided to roost on their roof.

WAKE UP AMERICA! You've been led down the primerose path by your politicians for far too long. Now the piper needs his due. This is going to get a lot worse before it even begins to get better, so cinch up and be prepared. This is just the beginning of a long haul.

UB

[dnf777]

Many have argued that the only fair tax is a flat tax. Everybody pays the same percentage.

Why has this not been applied to budget cuts?

Some useful programs get completely abolished, while other pork projects just get a small trim, that doesn't curtail their wasteful existence?

wouldn't a flat-rate cut in spending for all programs be the fair way to effect cuts?

[Marvin S]

I can't remember who or when but........... It was mentioned about special needs students and sports $$$.
I personally do think that sports SHOULD be paid out as a separate cost. (to play BB for example).
In youth Hockey I pay $300 a yr. for my Squirt level son to play + I check the box for volunteer to sell 25 calendars($20 each) and work so many hrs. at the rink(concession, cleaning, ...).IF I choose NOT to check the box THAN I pay another $400 yr. to the rink.
AND I drive my son to his games (OMG)or carpool with others.

My daughter,who plays BB at the local Middle School, I pay an athletic fee of $45. Good Grief.
Should be at least $100, charge an admittance fee to the games, have a volunteered concession stand,a fundraiser,and drive your own kid to the games.(Or carpool)
And yes, I know some parents can't afford it, ..........How about those parents putting in more volunteer time doing something for the school,or selling more whatever...........(fundraiser)
Thoughts..........
Sue

Let me relate my own experience - In the mid-70's when the distict had suffered it's 3rd levy defeat. Sports went on the block, I suggested that we charge fees for kids to participate, met with a clamor of what about the kids who can't afford a fee. I suggested there was enough work around the district that needed to be done that they could be work credit. When asked for an example I mentioned the new softball field that needed the rocks picked up. The headline 2 days later on the regional rag (now defunct) "Sundstrom Proposes Putting Children on the Rock Pile". The reporter, who was a friend of my Lead at the big kite factory, died two years later of ???. He asked me how I felt about that & Ireminded him of her very biased headline.

A fund raising effort was launched, of which I personally raised more than 10% of the total, though I had no kids that would be affected. Not one of the parents who had kids who would be affected thanked anyone, they were only interested in Suzy & Horace getting something where their effort would be minimal. I've coached a lot of little league sports & founded the basketball program so know what parents & sports combo's are like.

Also at that time I noticed that most of the skills positions at the HS were populated with the children whose parents were public employees. When I brought this to the Superintendents attention, his response was "Please don't go there". So that's why they didn't want to charge for participation!!!! Fee based participation is quite common today.

I personally believe that a well run program is a benefit to the children at a fraction of the cost of classroom activity. Additionally it is a guage on how well the district as a functioning entity is performing. I also believe that less than 10% of the coaches are qualified in their sport, sort of like the classroom.

[huntinman]

Not RK, but the conservatives will march today. They were busy actually working during the week unlike the teachers illegal strike.

Isn't that the truth?!!