Gwen Moore's solution to Student Loan Rates is to ......

It's the Milwaukee way.  

See a problem - call it out - strike a holy pose - do nothing.

For Cryin' Out Loud.  Gwen Moore you're a Congresswoman, you just bragged at the DPW State Convention on how you're going to change things and the best you've got is a news conference with no solution?

The sign of a true leader is to come up with a road map to a problem. Even if it's not the final answer it's action rather than pretending you care with worthless rhetoric.

Election Reform - A GRAND idea for Wisconsin

The Assembly Campaigns and Elections Committee moved ahead with a brokered campaign/election bill today.  The Republicans on the committee were worked over by the Democrats to "push" through this compromise.

The bill which will be voted on Wednesday is far different from the original proposed by Rep. Jeff Stone and defended at last Thursday's hearing by Speaker Robin Vos. Included in this compromise is a raising the amount of money a candidate can receive.  For the Assembly it's $1,000 and for the State Senate it will be $2,000.  I'll bet that was an issue that was discussed for about one minute before the Democrats and Republicans said it was great idea.

Now word on the street is that election reform will be brought up in the legislatures fall session which will address some of the concerns conservatives have.

I think that would be a grand as in $1,000 idea.

A Cesspool of Red Tape or a Dupe in Progress

JSOnline reported a story about a new business on the corner of North and MLK.  Originally it was to be a full service food store but the owner of the property Anup "Andy" Khullar has changed direction and it looks to become a Dollar Tree store.

This has caused a bit of an uproar as the food store would fill a great need in the area.  What I find interesting is underlying story in this story.

Conservatives talk about a smaller government with less regulations and this story seems to be a thought provoking example of the issue.

Mr. Khullar was a granted a $325,000 low interest city loan when he informed officials that he would not be able to proceed with plans to turn the property into a full service food store.  His reason - "He said the city and health department were causing him to spend too much money to have a grocery store."

If taken at his word it seems that City of Milwaukee regulations and red tape killed the project.

The kicker here is the reaction of Ald. Nik Kovac who had this to say concerning the business killing regulations "if he was experiencing too much red tape from the city, he could have asked for assistance."

So Ald. Kovac's solution is to step deeper into the cesspool of regulations to help yourself stand on solid ground.  Someone's been a politician a bit too long. 

It seems to me that a wiser reaction would be for the alderman to look at the business killing regulations on the books in Milwaukee.  Businesses are created to earn money - not to pay taxes in all their forms to support the municipality they are located in.

Alderman, help turn the city around and start by stream lining the process to open and operate a business in this great city.

Kind Words

Democratic Congressman Ron Kind gave an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and like it was some surprise attacked Gov. Scott Walker and his goal of gaining 250,000 jobs during the Governors first term.

It seems that Rep. Kind is laying the groundwork for his own run as Gov. or is paving the way for someone else to lose in 2014.  One of the negatives for Kind is that should he choose to run he has to give up his congressional seat.  With Walker's 52% approval rating that is one heck of gamble for the flip flopping congressman.

A potential negative for Rep. Kind is his support of Obamacare and as more and more people are shying away from their excitement for what's been misconstrued as "free healthcare" to a more costly healthcare option, this will potentially be an anchor around his higher office ambitions.

Milw County Board Committee Changes

County Chairperson Marina Dimitrijevic seems to have lost the love with her changes on the Milwaukee County Board.  I'm sure we will hear a unique spin coming from her office, but there was retribution in the air.

Some of the winners in the transmutation were David Bowen who replaces Deanna Alexander on the Finance, Personnel and Audit committee.  Interesting modification as Alexander is the only accountant on the board.

Theo Lipscomb, a Dimitrijevic accomplice, gained the chairmanship of the Judiciary, Safety and General Services while giving up the chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee to fellow collaborator Jason Haas.


Newly elected and Confederate Flag supporting Khalif Rainey is the new Vice Chair of the Parks, Energy and Environment Committee and gained a seat on the Judiciary, Safety and General Services and Economic and Community Development Committees.

Tony Staskunas who also is new to the Board is now the Intergovernmental Relations Committee Vice Chair replacing Deanna Alexander.  The IGR also lost Steve Taylor, who is also a Franklin Alderman.

Russell Stamper III is now the vice chair of Health and Human Needs.

Those not really affected are Supervisors Broderick, Cullen, Johnson, Jursik, Mayo, Schmitt (who moved from Judiciary to HHN) and Weishan (who moved from Economic Development to HHN).  Peggy Romo West who recently admitted to ethics charges also was not effected.

The biggest loser in the committee shuffle was Deanna Alexander getting dumped from the Finance committee and losing the vice chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee.

Steve Taylor lost his leadership position on the IRG while Mark
Borkowski is now the vice chair rather than the chair of the
Judiciary, Safety and General Services and Economic Committee.

Now I'm not one to point out the obvious, but I don't think it is any coincidence that Alexander, Taylor and Borkowski held a news conference calling for Chairwoman Dimitrijevic to step down and were the big losers in this committee reconfiguration.

What's that old saying about a woman scorned?

Biking or Bilking Milwaukee

JSOnline is reporting that Midwest BikeShare is in need of a corporate sponsor for its goal of erecting 25 bike kiosks for their plan to build a bike share program in Milwaukee.  The City of Milwaukee has already committed $288,000 to the program.

I have some questions about this in general (like where will the kiosks be and will the city provide the space for free?) but my real question in researching this was why does Milwaukee need or have a Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Coordinator.  That's right there is a position in the Department of Public Works whose job it is to coordinate walking and biking.

Who is the Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Coordinator?  I'm not sure as Kristin Bennett is listed as holding that job on the Milwaukee Bike Web Page but if you click the "bike map" link on the website you're told Dave Schlabowske is the coordinator.

Whoever it is I'm sure the job is time consuming, I mean they probably ride to and from work, but you'd think that the department of bikes and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force whose mission is "To make Milwaukee more bicycle and pedestrain (sic) friendly", could update their website a bit more often then every 3 or 4 years. 

As of this writing the page is promoting the Oct 11, 2009 meeting of the volunteer task force.

 

Besides the $288,000 for the BikeShare program I'm not sure what we are paying for this department and position but I'd think expecting current information about Biking on the website would not be an out of line expectation.

County Board Shuffle

It will be an interesting week for the Milwaukee County Board as Chairwoman Dimitrijevic will be shuffling around committee assignments as she integrates the two new supervisors, Khalif Rainey and Tony Staskunas.

 I guess we'll get to see how much love is spread around and if the long arm of political payback will rear its ugly head.

Memorial Day Thanks

It's an honor to say thank you to those who've served and their families.

The Ying The Yang

One of the more interesting aspects of politics is how each side whines depending on who's ox is being gored.

The latest whine on the left is concerning Gov. Scott Walker attending 3 out of states events this week. This is somehow being played as the Gov is not doing his job as he attends these out of state events.

The yang of this whine is that the same people complaining are those who heralded the 14 Wisconsin Senate Democrats for doing their job by leaving the state in 2010.  This juxtaposition seems weird to me.

Now concerning the traveling Governor, I'm not against him attending events to talk about the events of 2010.  Every opportunity can be considered a chance to make contacts with business owners who may consider moving or starting a business in Wisconsin.  But on the other hand I'd like to see some more Wisconsin face time from Gov. Walker.

Information Lost

Some sad news on the blogging front this week.  Both Boots and Sabers and Fairly Conservative seem to be indicating they are take some time off or they are taking off.

Both have shared some interesting views on the news and in some cases have "broken" news for us junkies.  Though both will continue to have a place in my RSS Reader, I'll miss them.

I wish them both the utmost success in their future endeavors and remind them the blogging door is never really locked.