Posted on 09/11/2014 6:25:17 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Mary Burke’s position as a member of the Madison Metropolitan School District board has played a minimal role in the governor’s race so far.
Gov. Scott Walker tried to change that Sept. 3, 2014, calling on Burke and the board to find savings by using his signature Act 10, which dramatically curtailed collective bargaining for most public employees, including those of the district.
In a campaign news release, Walker said Madison "will be the only school district left in the state out of 424 to ignore the law and not take advantage of Governor Walker’s reforms into the 2015-16 school year."
Walker was playing off the fact the Madison board in 2014 signed a far-reaching contract with its teachers union despite the fact that Act 10 only allows for limited negotiations on base wages.
Burke, who opposed Act 10 and who supported negotiating with school district employees, countered that the Madison district is being fiscally responsible, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
~snip~
And does that mean (Madison) is ignoring Act 10?
To back the claim, the Walker campaign pointed us to a Madison Teachers Inc. flier on contract negotiations that said only seven of the state’s public school districts "have contracts for the current school year, and MTI is the only union to have contracts for 2014-15, and now, upon ratification, for 2015-16."
~snip~
(The) Madison teachers union flier is very likely correct, based on our interviews with experts on both sides of this issue.
Madison’s teachers, however, challenged Act 10 in court and in 2012 won an initial round before a Dane County judge, which opened a window in which technically they were not covered by the provisions of the new law, noted James Scott, chairman of Walker’s Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
(Excerpt) Read more at politifact.com ...
So? Why isn’t this claim ENTIRELY true? Could the Journal Sentinel be biased against Walker? Oh, never, they say. But I believe my eyes.
Act 10 has been the greatest tool in Walker’s tool box and has allowed most teachers to keep their jobs when 10,000 were slated to lose their jobs in Milwaukee alone.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
The City of Madison also negotiated their contracts while the law was not being enforced due to the court order. So, every year at budget time, some employees are informed that their jobs are subject to being cut, and they have to write up justification. Most, if not all, of the State of Wisconsin employee’s unions were decertified, and there have been no more unpaid furlough days, or threats to jobs, since Act 10.
I live in Dane County. Our school district has not lowered our property taxes since Act 10. I believe they also snuck in a quick long term contract before the law went into effect. They are also not obligated to take advantage of things like getting out of the mob-like teacher-run medical insurance scam. They might still be paying for that expensive health plan rather than looking elsewhere. We are leaving Dane County ASAP. Our taxes are ridiculous, even by WI standards of Tax Hell.
You might have reaped some benefit from Act 10 without realizing it. That needlessly marked up health plan reduced its charges by half when they found that they had to compete in the free market with other companies. Of course, the Dane County schools probably didn’t share the savings with you.
They sure don’t share any savings with us. We are surrounded by liberals. I can’t wait to leave Dane County. Looking for a small farmette in northern Green County if you hear of anything for sale.
“We are leaving Dane County ASAP. Our taxes are ridiculous, even by WI standards of Tax Hell.”
Me, too. Fixing up the farm/house, selling at a ridiculous profit :) to ignorant, leftover 60’s Hippies and/or their offspring and I’m moving on.
FU Dane County!
I could not agree more, I am SO tired of stupid Dane County!
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