Op-Ed from Supreme Court Candidate Linda Clifford

[we have received the following press release and are pleased to publish it here...]

This Tuesday, Wisconsin will select our next Supreme Court Justice for a ten-year term. As you compare the candidates' backgrounds and qualifications, consider who offers the principles and values you envision for the Supreme Court.

I come from modest beginnings. My father was a factory worker and my mother, who dropped out of school at the age of 16 to help support her nine siblings, was a homemaker. My parents couldn't have provided better lessons – the value of hard work, the importance of integrity, and the need for fairness. These are the values I will bring to the Supreme Court.

I also will bring 32 years of quality experience and leadership in the law. I have served as an Assistant Attorney General and as a lawyer in private practice for more than three decades, representing the State of Wisconsin, municipalities, individuals and businesses in a variety of practice areas before state courts and agencies. I understand the job of Supreme Court justice because I've handled more than 30 appellate cases. I'm the only candidate who has argued before the Supreme Court.

My work as a lawyer has earned awards and recognition such as “Leader in the Law,” “Wisconsin SuperLawyer,” and “Best Lawyers in America.”

My candidacy has earned the endorsement of some of the most independent-minded leaders in the state: Democratic Senator Russ Feingold, former Republican Governor Lee Sherman Dreyfus and independent Ed Thompson.

I believe that the cornerstone of our justice system is public confidence in the integrity of the lawyers and judges who serve it. That's why for nine years I served the Supreme Court by investigating grievances against attorneys and recommending discipline for ethical violations.

And that's why I'm so troubled by the disturbing facts disclosed about my opponent’s performance as a judge. Court records in 46 cases reveal her conflict of interest involving a bank that loaned her over $3 million, that rents space from her family, and where her husband serves as a paid director. In each case, she failed to recuse herself or disclose her conflict of interest to the parties as required by the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Judge Ziegler has yet to take responsibility or explain whether she just didn't know about the rule -- or knew about it but decided not to follow it. Instead, she claims that discussing this serious issue with Wisconsin voters is “mudslinging.” I think Wisconsin voters are smart enough to see past Judge Ziegler’s rhetoric and understand the seriousness of her conduct.

People who come to our judicial system to resolve disputes deserve a level playing field free of favoritism – free even of the appearance of favoritism. That fundamental principle will drive my service as a Supreme Court Justice, as it has my legal career.

Judge Ziegler and big-business special interests have spent an unprecedented $2 million trying to mislead voters about her record on the bench, including a claim that she's “tough” on sex offenders. Putting aside the reality that Supreme Court justices don't sentence criminals, the public record shows that Ziegler actually has a record of leniency on sexual predators. In more than half of her cases, she let off child sex predators with a year or less in jail.

Wisconsin voters deserve to know the truth.

On Tuesday, the choice will be clear. I will bring the high ethical standards, integrity, quality experience, legal scholarship, independence, and commitment to justice you deserve on Wisconsin's highest court. I would be honored to have your vote.

www.lindacliffordforjustice.org

Press release sent on letterhead containing the following disclaimer...
Authorized and paid for by Linda Clifford for Justice, Mary K. Rouse, Treasurer

Hintz calls for end to phony issue ads, introduces campaign advertising disclosure bill

[we have received the following press release and are pleased to publish it here...]

MADISON – State Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) joined eight other freshman Democratic members of the State Assembly at a press conference at the Capitol calling for an end to the unregulated phony issue ads that have come to influence recent elections. Hintz and Representatives Cory Mason (D-Racine), Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire), Kim Hixson (D-Whitewater), Ann Hraychuk (D-Balsam Lake), Phil Garthwaite (D-Dickeyville), Andy Jorgenson (D-Fort Atkinson), Steve Hilgenberg (D-Dodgeville) and Jim Soletski (D-Green Bay) introduced a bill requiring full financial disclosure of these phony so-called “issue ads” used by groups to avoid current campaign finance reporting laws.

“It is time the legislature closes this loophole that allows individuals and groups to spend unlimited amounts of unregulated money to influence elections. The public deserves to know who is spreading some of the dirtiest negative ads and where their money comes from,” said Representative Hintz.

Under this proposed bill, groups who run advertising that identifies a specific candidate or otherwise identifies a specific electoral office within 60 days of a primary or general election would be treated the same as regulated independent campaign ads. These groups would be required to register with the State Elections Board, file reports that disclose the source of their funding, and unable to take illegal corporate contributions.

“The one thing the nine of us completely agree on is the need to clean up how we run elections in Wisconsin. Almost all of us were subjected to the same negative attacks in our 2006 campaign by outside groups who did not have to disclose who or how much they paid for their ads. You can only contribute $500 to an Assembly candidate. However you can contribute $50,000 to an organization that will use phony issue ads against a candidate. We are committed to restoring accountability to our elections process,” said Hintz.

An estimated $15 million was spent on phony “issue ads” in last fall’s legislative, attorney general and gubernatorial races including some of the dirtiest negative ads. Outside groups have combined to spend an estimated $1.7 million on phony issues ads in an increasingly negative Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Without regulation, the funding sources of these ads will remain obscured from public view.

“In his State of the State address, Governor Doyle asked the legislature to pass this reform and I hope the legislature will take this crucial step to ending these ads that plague our current campaign system,” concluded Hintz.

Oshkosh Public Library wants your input, suggestions

An effective library listens to the community it serves. The staff at the Oshkosh Public Library knows people in the Oshkosh area have ideas about what they want in and from their public library, and they want to hear what you have to say.

They have designed three surveys where they are soliciting input from the public. The surveys include: Focus on Community, Focus on Teens and Focus on Children. In the lobby of the main entrance there is a table set up where people can find the survey forms and fill out the one most applicable to their situation. People wanting to fill out a survey can also visit the library's web site at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org, then click on the LIBRARY SURVEY option in the Quick Links box. Surveys can also be downloaded and printed, completed, and then either mailed back to the library or dropped off in person. Surveys will be solicited until May 1, 2007.

UPDATED INFO to story entitled "Complaint filed with D.A. against mayoral candidate Esslinger"

[3/30/07 - there is another update on this story; scroll to bottom of piece to read the latest...]

Winnebago County Democrat Party chair Jef Hall has filed a complaint with the Winnebago County District Attorney’s office against mayoral candidate Paul Esslinger regarding “Esslinger's use of city resources for campaign purposes.”

Hall’s chief complaint has to do with the fact that some of Esslinger’s Internet ads on the Oshkosh Northwestern’s web site click through to his biography on the city’s web site; therefore, he maintains Esslinger is using city resources for campaign purposes, giving him an unfair advantage over his opponents. Hall concedes that the State Elections Board has said there is no precedent for Internet links, however, they also say there still could be a problem. Having read Hall’s entire posting about the complaint on his site this afternoon, he does seem to make some valid arguments. You can read the specifics of Hall’s complaint by going here.

UPDATE ON EVENING OF 3/28/07: Apparently there has been a change in the way the Oshkosh Northwestern site link now clicks through. Jef Hall explains the change in this updated post on his blog site.

UPDATE ON EVENING OF 3/30/07: There are more developments in the story concerning Paul Esslinger's earlier use of the city's web site for his political campaign by linking his political ad to his bio on the city's site. Today, the Oshkosh Northwestern ran a story about Jef Hall's complaint about that use. When comparing comments made by Esslinger in the Oshkosh Northwestern article to comments made by his friend and campaign helper Kent Monte on his blog, the two versions seemed to be in direct conflict with each other. As a result, Jef Hall has published another piece, this one about the differences between what Esslinger and Monte each have said. It is interesting reading, to say the least.

Majority of council displays "business as usual" attitude

It's business as usual down at 215 Church Avenue: City administration not fully disclosing to the Oshkosh Common Council complete information that it, and the public at large, should have before development agreements and other matters are voted on, and a majority of our Common Council – including Meredith Scheuermann, who is seeking re-election next week - sending the message that such behavior is acceptable.

Two weeks ago the council approved a development deal that required an additional $2.7 million in public funding to reinvigorate the redevelopment of the old Mercy Medical Center property on Hazel Street - something that Ben Ganther failed to accomplish under his agreement with the city. One day after that approval it was learned that a principal player in the company that has the "new" development deal was a partner of Ganther’s in the original concept five years ago, though he and his father severed their ties with Ganther about a year or so later and sold their 50 percent interest in the project to Ganther for $1. The earlier relationship came as a surprise to nearly everyone involved in the process, including the city manager.

Yet community development director Jackson Kinney said the prior relationship was a matter of public record (note that persons involved in the "new" agreement operated under a different name five years ago) and he was so focused on the present and future that he never really thought to mention the previous relationship. Sounds more like a convenient excuse than an oversight to me, and there has since been a outpouring of public rage over the nonchalant attitude by Kinney; the lack of accountability coming from city hall; the failure to fully disclose to the council all pertinent details of matters coming before it; and the ties to and additional work being given to Ganther, even though he has a history of continually being in arrears in his property tax payments to the city on properties involving public-private partnerships. And to add insult to injury, Ganther will still be involved in and benefit from this project as a designer/builder.

Councilor Paul Esslinger brought the matter back for reconsideration last night, but unfortunately only two other councilors - Bryan Bain and Dennis McHugh - felt it was important enough to reconsider, so the matter was essentially dead on arrival.

Among those who refused to reconsider the development deal were two people leaving the council: William Castle and Shirley Mattox. Burk Tower and Meredith Scheuermann were the two others who did not vote in favor of reconsideration. Shame on all four of these councilors for this attitude.

Have they not been hearing the public’s concern and displeasure, or do they just not care? According to this morning's Oshkosh Northwestern, Mattox and Scheuermann each said their questions had been fully answered since the last meeting and they saw no reason to reconsider the proposal. I wonder exactly what those questions were that they asked and why they seem to think the public doesn't have a right to hear those “tough questions” asked and answered in a public venue at the council meeting rather than on the phone, in person or via email - which seems to be Scheuermann's preferred style? And does the fact that Scheuermann has received campaign contributions from Ganther in the past have anything to do with her refusal to reconsider a project that he will still directly benefit from? That is up to each voter to decide. She and Mattox may have gotten their questions answered privately before the meeting but it should have been done in public. And by not allowing the matter to come back before the council for consideration, the other council members didn't have an opportunity to get their questions asked and answered in a public setting, either. This is not the kind of “leadership” we need from our elected representatives.

Bottom line: I am not saying this deal should not have been left to stand when all is said and done; after all, something needs to be done with the property and no one else has really stepped up to the plate. But had the council been fully informed of all the details two weeks ago, I can assure you that some of the questions would have been asked differently and new ones would have come up. That could have happened last night, but it didn’t. The public deserves better than it got last night and we were owed a discussion in public. More importantly, the way business continues to be conducted by city staff and some city council members has to stop. I hope that voters will remember this when they go to the polls next Tuesday.

Rep. Hintz wants your input on state budget process

[we have received the following op-ed piece by State Rep. Gordon Hintz from the 54th Assembly District and are pleased to publish it here...]

State Budget Process Needs Your Input

In my first two months in the legislature, I have met with many individuals and organizations. Although there are many issues confronting the legislature, our primary challenge is adopting the 2007-2009 state budget.

Every two years the Governor proposes a budget to fund our state government for the next two years. This is the beginning of the budget process. Over the next few months, the legislature will consider what programs are worth funding, how much should be spent, and where that money should come from. By now you have seen headlines and heard radio and TV spots highlighting the programs, costs, and potential impacts of the proposed budget. The size and complexity of the state budget can be overwhelming. But the decisions and programs included in the budget affect all of us and it is important to understand what is being proposed.

During the campaign, the issues I heard most about were often local (garbage fee) or national (the Iraq War). Yet over the next two years Wisconsin is budgeted to spend more than $27 billion of our general fund tax dollars on programs, many of which impact us directly. Over the next few months, I will be soliticiting your input. After all, this is your state budget.

Some of the decisions we need to make as a state include:

Can we afford to provide health care to all children and the uninsured? The Governor has made an ambitious proposal to cover all children and increase eligibility for childless adults. The funding for this proposal comes from an increased assessment on hospitals, a tax on tobacco, and increased federal matching funding.

How much should the state spend on K-12 education and what is proposed budget’s impact on the Oshkosh Area School District? Many of the challenges our school district faces on spending, closing schools, and revenue caps are affected by decisions made by the legislature. Is the proposed funding for K-12 education in Wisconsin enough to provide quality education in Oshkosh and to keep property taxes under control?

How much should the University System and UW Oshkosh receive? For the first time in several budgets, there is a significant increase in funding for the UW system, including money to support UW-Oshkosh’s Growth Agenda and increased financial aid.

What is the cost of tracking sex offenders and hiring additional DNA crime lab analysts and how much should we spend? There has been increased attention on how to effectively deal with sex offenders as well as the need for additional DNA analysts in our state crime labs. This budget includes increased funding for both of these.

How should we pay for highways? For years, Wisconsin’s gas tax automatically increased with inflation, leading to steady funding for a quality transportation system, but it also created the second highest gas tax in the U.S. The legislature repealed the automatic increase last year and the Governor has proposed taxing oil company profits to pay for the additional highway infrastructure.

What is the best way to pay for state services and what can we afford? The Governor’s budget does not increase the income or sales tax, but does increase fees and other taxes on cigarettes, hospital and oil company profits, while providing a number of targeted tax cuts and exemptions.

Decisions on what programs to fund and whether we can afford them will require more than the opinion’s of legislators. It will require the feedback of people such as you. I will be hosting several public forums to discuss the state budget and I really hope that people will attend to ask questions and provide comments. If you cannot attend, you are always welcome to contact me directly.

The first forum will be held on April 5, from 7pm to 9pm at the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Avenue in Room A & B.

Gordon Hintz

Oshkosh receives brownfield money from state

MADISON - Governor Jim Doyle announced $1.7 million in grants to assess contamination at abandoned or underused properties in 30 communities across the state. The grants will fund 47 projects that help redevelop brownfields, which are abandoned, idle, or underused industrial or commercial properties where redevelopment is hindered by contamination.

"Cleaning up brownfields is about more than just renewing damaged or vacant land - it is about renewing the pride of a community, and restoring jobs and productivity," Governor Doyle said. "The cleanup and safe reuse of brownfield properties not only helps redevelop these properties, it also helps spur additional reinvestment in these communities over the long haul."

The DNR Brownfields Site Assessment Grants (SAG) provide seed money to local governments for demolition, environmental assessments and removal of abandoned tanks and containers. To receive funding, local governments must provide a 20 percent match.

More than half the grants - 26 total - were awarded to rural communities or counties looking to spur economic growth in less populated areas. Small grants (up to $30,000) make up 38 of the awards, while nine are large grants (between $30,000 and $100,000). The grants will provide funds for environmental activities on 195 acres of land. Activities include 78 site assessments and investigations, the demolition of 79 buildings or structures and the removal of more than 230 tanks, drums and other abandoned containers.

Since this grant program began in 1999, the DNR has awarded approximately $11 million to 180 communities to begin investigation and cleanup on more than 1,100 acres. These activities included more than 600 site assessments and investigations, the removal of more than 440 storage tanks and containers, and the demolition of more than 450 structures and buildings.

The following local governments are receiving grants:


City of Algoma Former Metal Ware Riverfront $ 30,000

City of Antigo McMillon Hotel $ 30,000

Village of Bangor Dutch Creek Redevelopment $31,289.17

City of Black River Falls Winnebago North $ 30,000

City of Bloomer Bloomer Co-op Feeds $ 29,500

Burnett County Former Bashaw Store $ 15,500

City of Chilton Larson Cleaners Redevelopment $ 29,900

Clark County Orlando Olson Property $ 30,000

City of Colby Division Street Redevelopment $ 30,000

Village of Cross Plains Zander's Creamery $ 30,000

City of Cumberland Former Isle Movie Theatre $ 61,040

City of Green Bay Younkers Redevelopment Site $ 30,000

City of Greenfield Former Allis Chalmers Landfill $100,000

City of Greenfield Former Foundry Sand Landfill $ 75,000

City of Greenfield Former Gravel Pit $ 75,000

City of Janesville Cochand Property $ 30,000

City of Janesville 915 S. Jackson Street $ 6,000

City of Kenosha 4710 47th Avenue $ 29,900

City of Kenosha 4722 27th Avenue $ 29,900

City of Kenosha 2916 Sheridan Road $ 27,000

Marinette County Former Sefarian Site $ 90,000

City of Marinette Colonial Building Property $ 30,000

City of Menomonie Former Amberg Oil Bulk Plant $ 30,000

City of Milwaukee 9168 N. 124th Street $ 29,700

City of Milwaukee 522 W. North Avenue $ 20,000

City of Milwaukee 1419 W. North Avenue $ 20,000

City of Milwaukee 603 E. Locust Street $ 16,510

City of Milwaukee 3111 N. 8th Street $ 15,000

City of New London Former Simmons Property $ 30,000

City of Oconto Kelly Pickle Redev. (Parcel A) $ 30,000

City of Oconto Kelly Pickle Redev. (Parcel B) $ 30,000

City of Oconto Kelly Pickle Redev. (Parcel C) $ 30,000

City of Oshkosh Former Mercury Marine Plant 24 $ 30,000

City of Peshtigo Former Badger Paper Mill $ 30,000

City of Prairie du Chien Herreid Parcel $ 30,000

City of Richland Center 254 E. Haseltine Street Project $ 47,770.83

City of Richland Center Richland Electric Co-op $ 25,000

Sawyer County Former Ackley Oil $ 16,590

Village of Solon Springs Bednar Oil Mobil Station $ 30,000

City of Wausau Former Edsomatic Transmission $ 30,000

City of West Allis Former Pressed Steel Facility $ 99,900

City of West Allis 7725 W. National Ave. $ 29,900

The following redevelopment and community development authorities are receiving grants:

RDA of Milwaukee 612 W. Pierce Street $ 29,700

RDA of Milwaukee 3709-11 W. North Avenue $ 20,000

City of Platteville RDA Ubersox Property Redevelopment $ 29,900

Prairie du Chien RDA Wood Treating Site Redevelopment $100,000

City of Wausau CDA Former Dry Cleaner Facilities $ 30,000

Jim Lovell to introduce 'Apollo 13' movie at EAA AirVenture 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JIM LOVELL TO INTRODUCE 'APOLLO 13' MOVIE JULY 27 AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH'S FLY-IN THEATER

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. - (March 19, 2007) - Capt. James Lovell, who commanded the near-disastrous Apollo 13 moon mission that became a model of crisis ingenuity and teamwork, will be a featured guest at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, "The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," which will be held July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis.

Lovell, a longtime EAA member and aviator, will be in Oshkosh on Friday, July 27, to introduce Apollo 13, the popular movie based on Lovell's book about the mission that stars Tom Hanks as Capt. Lovell. The movie will be shown at the EAA Fly-In Theater, the giant outdoor theater on the grounds, which is sponsored by Ford Motor Company and Eclipse Aviation.

"We are always honored to welcome Jim Lovell to EAA AirVenture, as he has been an active participant in EAA activities over the past two decades," said Tom Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture chairman. "This event is something quite special, however, as he provides unique insight into the Hollywood version of the true-life drama that was the Apollo 13 space mission."

The Fly-In Theater activities begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. on July 27 with Lovell's introduction, with the movie shown on the five-story-high outdoor screen beginning at about 9 p.m. The presentation, as with all EAA Fly-In Theater events, is included with AirVenture admission. Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating on the large grassy area near the screen.

Lovell's Apollo 13 adventure in April 1970 was the final chapter in an impressive career as a NASA astronaut that began in 1962. He piloted the Gemini 7 space flight in 1965 that included the first rendezvous of two manned spacecraft, and commanded the Gemini 12 mission in 1966 that perfected extra-vehicular operations for astronauts. In December 1968, he was command module pilot and navigator for the historic six-day Apollo 8 mission, which became the first manned flight to orbit the moon.

In April 1970, Lovell was commanding Apollo 13, which was to be the third manned lunar landing, when the spaceship's oxygen system failed, causing an explosion in the command module. Lovell and crewmates Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, along with a massive engineering and logistical effort on the ground, where able to successfully nurse the crippled spacecraft back to Earth.

After retiring from NASA, Lovell became a successful businessman and advocate for space exploration. He has also remained popular on the speaking circuit for more than 30 years.

After Lovell's book about the Apollo 13 mission, originally titled Lost Moon, was published in 1994, Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard developed a major motion picture starring Hanks, Ed Harris and Kevin Bacon. The movie has grossed more than $400 million worldwide since its release in 1995.

The Apollo 13 presentation is one of seven planned for the EAA Fly-In Theater during AirVenture 2007. EAA will announce the schedule for remaining films, including the publicly voted "Greatest Aviation Movie of All Time," in the coming weeks.

EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH is The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration and EAA's yearly membership convention. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. EAA AirVenture information is also available through the World Wide Web at www.airventure.org.

Upcoming events for Democrats and Progressives in the Fox Valley

[we have received the following information for publication and are pleased to do so...]

Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party,

Here is an update of events for Democrats and Progressives in the Fox Valley:

1. Indigo Dinner This Saturday (Details Below)

2. Healthcare Forum – March 26th 4-6PM – Thompson Community Center, Appleton

3. Calumet County Democratic Party Meeting – March 26th 7-9PM – Eagles Club, Chilton

4. Manitowoc County Democratic Party Meeting – March 27 7-9PM – Two Rivers Senior Center

5. Lt. Governor Lawton Dialogue on Women, Money and Politics – March 29th 7-9PM – Reeve Ballroom, UW Oshkosh (Details Below)

6. Democratic Party Unity Breakfast – March 30th 7-8:30AM – BJ Clancey’s, Appleton

7. Green Lake Area Democratic Party – March 31st 10AM-12PM - Caestecker Library 518 Hill St, Green Lake

8. Jefferson County Democratic Party Meeting – April 5th 7-9PM – Jefferson Public Library, Jefferson

9. Outagamie County Democratic Party Meeting – April 9th 7-9PM – Columbus Club, Appleton

10. Winnebago County Democratic Party Meeting – April 11th 7-9PM – the Delta Family Restaurant, Oshkosh

11. 6th Congressional District Democratic Convention – April 21st 10AM – VFW Hall, Princeton (Details Below)

12. 8th Congressional District Democratic Convention – April 21st 10AM – Bugsy & Gina's, Oconto Falls (Details Below)



This is the last chance to attend the 3rd Annual Winnebago County Democratic Party Indigo Dinner.

When: March 24th, 2007
Social Hour Begins at 6:00 PM
Dinner and Program Begins at 7:00 PM
Where: La Sure’s Banquet Hall
3125 S Washburn St – Oshkosh

Speakers will include:

• Lt Governor Barbara Lawton
• Congressman Steve Kagen
• Representative Gordon Hintz
• DNC Member Stan Gruzinsky
• Supreme Court Candidate Linda Clifford

Also featured will be Wisconsin’s first straw poll of the 2008 electoral season. Come out to support your early favorite in the race to repair eight years of Bush!

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and can be purchased by contacting Barb at 920-734-1105 or Mike at 920-426-1051.

Dinner Menu:
Baked Haddock, Garlic Chicken Breast, Stuffing, Glazed Carrots and Desert!

Bring an item for the silent auction! Bring money for the raffles!


Lt. Governor Lawton: Kicks Off Dialogue on Women, Money and Politics at UW-Oshkosh

Contact:
Beverly Speer
608-255-4260
speer@wisdc.org

Justin Mitchell
920-410-6180
justin_mitchell1@yahoo.com

Oshkosh – Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton will kick off the Thursday, March 29, public forum on Women, Money and Politics: Who’s Winning? Campus and community members will gather for a discussion with prominent public leaders and advocates for political reform to connect quality of life issues with the need for Clean Election reforms for Wisconsin. The program, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Reeve Memorial Union Ballroom, 748 Algoma Blvd.

Participants will build a better understanding of the important role of an engaged citizenry in a real democracy as they link progress on improving women’s health, equity, and building political capacity to the health of our democratic institutions. Despite political exclusion, women have a proud and long history of fighting for improvements on their personal lives. Currently, the most pervasive obstacles for women in the fight for equity are the challenges they face running and winning elections.

“The greatest obstacle to equal participation in politics is the unequal voice in the political process created by undue influence of large private contributions to political campaigns,” said Kathy Propp, president of the local League of Women Voters. “Clean elections provide for public financing of election campaigns that eliminates this political advantage.”

An expert panel will present their experiences and suggestions for fixing our broken campaign finance system and necessary steps toward reclaiming our democracy and bringing respectability back to Wisconsin politics. Peg Lautenschlager, former Democratic state Attorney General, legislator, and public advocate for open and accountable government, has been invited to share her unique insight. Terri McCormick will discuss her experiences with election campaigns and our campaign finance system as a Republican candidate for both the state Assembly and U.S. Congress, as well as a successful independent business woman. Carolyn Castore, Program Director for Midwest States Center and voting rights issue chair for the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Legislative Committee, will present a public advocate perspective for Clean Elections reform.

Women and minorities have suffered most by a campaign system increasingly reliant on large contributions from powerful special interests. Publicly financed elections eliminate this chase for campaign cash. Clean Elections provide a healthy political environment where women and men of diverse economic, social and cultural backgrounds can participate equitably and practically in our democracy.

“Because of the dominating role of money in politics we are no longer living in a functioning democracy,” said Beverly Speer, advocacy director for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. “Money decides who runs, who wins and what [public policies] they support. Clean Elections, also referred to as Voter-owned Elections, will cultivate the necessary hope, rebuild trust and confidence, and give us back our democracy.”

Sponsors of this event are the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Earth Charter Oshkosh, League of Women Voters of the Oshkosh Area, American Democracy Project at UW Oshkosh, UW Oshkosh Women’s Advocacy Council, UW Oshkosh Political Science Student Association, and UW Oshkosh Women’s Center.


6th Congressional District Convention

Apr 21st, 2007 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

VFW Hall - 136 N Farmer St - Princeton, WI

9:00 AM: Registration Opens

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM: Invited Speakers

11:00 AM to 12:00 PM: 6th CD Officer Nominations

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM: Lunch

1:00PM to 4:00 PM – Elections & Resolutions


8th Congressional District Convention

WHEN: Apr 21, starts at 9:00 am
WHERE: Bugsy & Gina's Sports Bar 211 N Maple Ave, Oconto Falls, WI 54154 (920) 848-9910 (From Highway 22 / Main Street in Oconto Falls, turn on Maple Street)

TIME: 9:00 AM Registration opens

10:00 AM Convention Opens - Speeches by Elected Officials, Invited Guests

12 Noon Registration Closes / Lunch is Served

1:00 PM Convention resumes / Election of CD Officers

PRICE: $20.00 Per Person – Pre-registered – Delegates, Alternates and Guests $25.00 Per Person at the Door

Send your pre-registration fees no later than April 11th to: Ken Flood, 8th CD Treasurer 802 West Prospect Ave. Appleton, WI 54914

Please email your Resolutions no later than April 11th to: Dottie LeClair - dotdem@aol.com (if email is not available, mail them to Dottie at 510 East Circle Street, Appleton, WI 54911)

Another take on voter fraud

While we continue to hear stories of alleged election fraud and see the push for some kind of voter I.D., you can read here how our state representatives (some of them, anyway) feel about it. There is also an interesting editorial piece on voter fraud written by Marie Cocco for Truthdig that you may enjoy reading.

Doyle administration responds to Shell Oil complaints

MADISON - The Doyle administration yesterday responded to complaints by Shell Oil that it is unfair to ask oil companies to give relief to taxpayers and help pay for transportation needs.

Instead of raising taxes on consumers or forcing residents to pay tolls, Governor Doyle has proposed an oil company assessment of 2.5 percent per barrel, with criminal penalties if oil companies try to pass along the fee to consumers. This morning, speaking at a forum on energy issues, Shell Oil Company President John Hofmeister said that the Governor's proposal amounts to "corporate discrimination." (Wispolitics.com News Summary)

Shell Oil reported corporate profits of $25.4 billion last year, while Wisconsin consumers paid near-record prices to fill up their tanks.

Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan made the following statement:

"The fact that the oil companies are attacking the Governor's proposal tells me we're doing something right. Governor Doyle is simply asking the oil companies - for once - to pay their fair share and give consumers a break. If anyone has been discriminated against, it's consumers, not a company that made $25 billion last year by charging the public exorbitant prices at the pump.

"The Governor's proposal is fair, reasonable, and enforceable. It protects consumers with anti-pass through provisions that have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, and includes criminal penalties on the oil companies if they break the law. Most importantly, it helps the state create thousands of jobs and build a sound transportation infrastructure without forcing taxpayers to pay more.

"I hope the Legislature will show the courage to stand up to this special interest, and do what's right for taxpayers and consumers who have already paid their fair share. Wisconsin can turn the tables on Big Oil."

Elected officials and vote abstentions

Much has been made of the issue of Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education candidate Teresa Thiel’s need to abstain from certain votes, if elected, because her husband is a teacher for the district. There have also been questions raised about whether she would need to abstain from certain other votes because of her employment as a CESA 6 grant writer (she does not need to, by the way). Though it has been discussed by some voters, it has been made an issue in public forums and candidate debates by fellow school board candidates Dan Becker and Michelle Monte. Now that Eye on Oshkosh has completed all its scheduled candidate interviews, I want to try putting this in perspective for readers/voters before the April 3 election.

The situation being what it is DID NOT preclude Mrs. Thiel from voting on approximately 96 percent of the issues which came before her when she served on the school board. Additionally, her need to abstain in those rare instances DOES NOT PREVENT HER from doing the work involved in actually developing the budget, etc. It ONLY affects her ability to vote on the budget, and that is only in certain cases. Mrs. Thiel can certainly better address this issue than I, and I think she has done so in a number of venues already, including Eye on Oshkosh, but here is where some common sense must come into play.

Mr. Becker has said voters have a right to expect a full-time board member and someone who can do 100 percent of the work. In the first place, no board member is full-time – they are all part-time positions, and as such, are paid accordingly. Moreover, Mrs. Thiel’s occasional abstention essentially counts as a “no” vote, meaning there needs to be one additional “yes” vote to “offset,” if you will, her abstention, in order to pass the budget. Given the fact that some board members have a history of not liking the budgets as presented (Mr. Becker included), it seems this would be a good thing from where they stand.

I would also suggest to you that it is rather hypocritical for Mr. Becker to complain that a board member may have to occasionally vote “present” or abstain on the budget vote when his own campaign message last year suggested you should vote “yes” for him so he can vote “no” for you. It seems to me that someone who so proudly states they will be a naysayer, is someone whose mind is closed and, therefore, is probably less effective than someone who occasionally must abstain from voting for legal reasons. (And don’t even get me started on the votes in April 2006 that Mr. Becker wanted to toss out during the recount. He talks about board members being able to vote on every issue, but clearly didn’t want every vote to count in another kind of setting.)

Mrs. Monte has also used the argument of being able to do 100 percent of the work. When she appeared on Eye on Oshkosh she “accused” Mrs. Thiel of cashing 100 percent of the paychecks when she was on the board, despite her occasional abstentions. I asked Mrs. Monte about her problem with Thiel’s occasional abstention and followed it up by asking her if she would be elected, and missed just one meeting for any reason, be it illness, work, or whatever, would she resign from the board or at least vow not to run again in the future. (After all, if we’re going to use her and Mr. Becker’s argument, such an absence would then make her unable to do 100 percent of the job and she should not serve either.) She did not answer that specific question, but instead, made other comments trying to defend her position.

While I have my choices for the school board, I will also say that all four candidates have some good qualities to offer. That being said, I think this issue of Mrs. Thiel’s “inability” to do 100 percent of the work is a ridiculous and petty argument being made by candidates Becker and Monte. The simple fact of the matter is that at one time or another practically every elected official needs to abstain from a particular vote or misses a meeting – and, as a result, all the votes on the agenda items scheduled for that meeting. That should not prohibit them from being elected to serve in a general sense. I would also venture to say that even though Mrs. Thiel has had to occasionally abstain from a vote, she has probably given more time and energy to the district than various other members of either the present or past school boards. One need not vote on 100 percent of the issues to give 100 percent or more of their effort and commitment to the district. I hope that voters will see this cheap ploy for what it is and exercise their own common sense on April 3. And if they choose to vote for someone other than Mrs. Thiel, that is their right; but I hope it would be for the some other reason and not something as silly as an occasional abstention.

Pet food recall

During the course of the last several days, many of us have heard about a massive pet food recall in the United States following the deaths of several pets and even more becoming ill. Many popular brands of pet food, including Iams, Purina and Science Diet, are part of the Menu Foods recall. But there is also some confusion as to whether the recall affects only canned/wet food, or dry food, as well. For a list of products and product codes, consult the Menu Foods web site or call 866.895.2708. You can also read more about the story by going here.

Lt. Governor to kick off dialogue on Women, Money and Politics at UW-Oshkosh

Oshkosh – Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton will kick off the Thursday, March 29, public forum on Women, Money and Politics: Who’s Winning? Campus and community members will gather for a discussion with prominent public leaders and advocates for political reform to connect quality of life issues with the need for Clean Election reforms for Wisconsin. The program, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Reeve Memorial Union Ballroom, 748 Algoma Blvd.

Participants will build a better understanding of the important role of an engaged citizenry in a real democracy as they link progress on improving women’s health, equity, and building political capacity to the health of our democratic institutions. Despite political exclusion, women have a proud and long history of fighting for improvements on their personal lives. Currently, the most pervasive obstacles for women in the fight for equity are the challenges they face running and winning elections.

“The greatest obstacle to equal participation in politics is the unequal voice in the political process created by undue influence of large private contributions to political campaigns,” said Kathy Propp, president of the local League of Women Voters. “Clean Elections provide for public financing of election campaigns that eliminates this political advantage.”

An expert panel will present their experiences and suggestions for fixing our broken campaign finance system and necessary steps toward reclaiming our democracy and bringing respectability back to Wisconsin politics. Peg Lautenschlager, former Democratic state Attorney General, legislator, and public advocate for open and accountable government, has been invited to share her unique insight. Terri McCormick will discuss her experiences with election campaigns and our campaign finance system as a Republican candidate for both the state Assembly and U.S. Congress, as well as a successful independent business woman. Carolyn Castore, Program Director for Midwest States Center and voting rights issue chair for the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Legislative Committee, will present a public advocate perspective for Clean Elections reform.

Women and minorities have suffered most by a campaign system increasingly reliant on large contributions from powerful special interests. Publicly financed elections eliminate this chase for campaign cash. Clean Elections provide a healthy political environment where women and men of diverse economic, social and cultural backgrounds can participate equitably and practically in our democracy.

“Because of the dominating role of money in politics we are no longer living in a functioning democracy,” said Beverly Speer, advocacy director for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. “Money decides who runs, who wins and what [public policies] they support. Clean Elections, also referred to as Voter-owned Elections, will cultivate the necessary hope, rebuild trust and confidence, and give us back our democracy.”

Sponsors of this event are the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Earth Charter Oshkosh, League of Women Voters of the Oshkosh Area, American Democracy Project at UW Oshkosh, UW Oshkosh Women’s Advocacy Council, UW Oshkosh Political Science Student Association, and UW Oshkosh Women’s Center.

Oshkosh Waterfront developers keep their promise by seeking public input

As most people in Oshkosh know the Five Rivers Resort concept sunk before it even left the (floating) dock. But quickly behind it came Tim Rikkers, his father and their business partners – including Akcess Acquisition Group and Cherokee Investment Partners – with a new concept for something more down to earth and likely to succeed. The nice thing about the Rikkers group is that they have spoken before the Oshkosh Common Council – and in public rather than behind closed doors – and have vowed to include the citizens of Oshkosh in the planning stages of the Oshkosh Waterfront project.

In keeping with their promise, they have launched a discussion board seeking comments and input. Interested parties can visit that discussion board by going here. How refreshing to see a developer that respects the citizens of Oshkosh enough to include us and seek our comments.

You can learn more about the Waterfront project as well as read an entire history of events regarding development efforts along the Fox River by going here.

Where are the accountability and honesty in city hall

I waited until the remaining candidates for city council and mayoral candidate Frank Tower were interviewed before posting this. Now that they have, I cannot tell you how disappointed, frustrated and angry I am to see that the accountability and honesty problems at City Hall are continuing.

One day after approving an additional $2.7 million in public financing for Community Retirement Living (CRL) to renovate/reconstruct the old Mercy Medical Center property on Hazel Street, we learned that the managing member of that firm – Dan Anbar – and his father had an agreement several years ago with the current owner of the property and developer, Ben Ganther, to redevelop the property.

The specifics were outlined in this piece by the Oshkosh Northwestern but in a nutshell, there was a business relationship between the two parties in 2002, that was soon after severed and Ganther was essentially left on his own to do something with the property. He failed to do so, has consistently been in arrears on his property tax obligations on the property, and CRL is now stepping into the picture to get something done with the property.

The news of the past relationship between the CRL partner and Ganther came as a surprise to city council members, as well as city manager Richard Wollangk, according to the paper. Several council members have expressed displeasure and frustration since learning of the prior relationship. Bryan Bain has posted this and this about the situation. And councilor/mayoral candidate Paul Esslinger has said he intends to bring the matter back for reconsideration at a future meeting.

Meanwhile, community development director Jackson Kinney says he didn’t bother telling anyone about the prior relationship between the two because (a) it was a matter of public record, (b) he didn’t see it as a factor in the new proposal, and (c) he’s looking forward rather than backward.

While it may be true that the prior relationship was public knowledge, perhaps the reason it wasn’t recalled by anyone on the council – in particular Esslinger, Shirley Mattox or Bill Castle, all who were on the council in 2002 – or by Mr. Wollangk, is because the 2002 deal was between Ganther and Arcom, a development company that partners with CRL, yet from what we can glean from the news, appears to have some of the same key personnel. Frank Tower was also on the council at the time of the 2002 arrangement, and when interviewed by Eye on Oshkosh last night, said he did not recall the relationship between Ganther and the CRL people either. Again, perhaps that’s because the names were different. Or maybe it’s because councilors vote on hundreds of issues a year and this was five years ago already. One can’t possibly remember every detail of every vote they make.

Whatever the reason, Jackson Kinney had a responsibility to bring the relationship to the attention of Mr. Wollangk, the city council and, ultimately, the public at large – big deal, in his mind, or not. His failure to do so is another reason why the confidence level of the public toward our local government is what I would venture to say is at one of the lowest points in our city’s history. This kind of thing happens far too often in City Hall and it is time the council demand that Wollangk get a better handle on his department heads and formally discipline them for these kinds of actions.

It is also disappointing that neither CRL’s point person at the council meeting Tuesday night nor Ganther himself thought the relationship was important information for anyone to have, especially since Ganther will still have a relationship with CRL to design/construct the new project. Had the council had that information, it may not have changed the vote on the new proposal, nor do I know that it should have. But it certainly would have changed the direction of some of the questions.

Bottom line: We need to stop doing business with people like Ben Ganther who do not pay their taxes. Further, this matter is ripe for reconsideration and kudos to Paul Esslinger and Bryan Bain for taking steps to see that it is handled properly and that such mistakes are not repeated in the future. Finally, it is time for the city council to demand that city manager Wollangk run a tighter ship where his department heads are concerned. Until he does, we will continue to have these problems, developers will continue to walk all over us and the city will continue to have egg on its face and trust issues with the public footing the bills.

Opportunity to donate to an awesome cause and be put into a raffle at the same time

WINR - Wisconsin Interfaith Need Response is a donated wheels program now celebrating their 10th year anniversary by holding a raffle to help with expenses of the program. I am currently a member of the board and have some tickets left to sell. So you get my email request - lucky you!

Really though, the raffle I know is one of the more expensive ones but it is really about a donation to a very successful program. In exchange for that donation, you get a chance at winning a car. Just since the first of the year WINR has put 8 local families/persons into a vehicle to help with employment, medical care and all the other little things we take our vehicles for granted for. There are currently 3 more cars waiting to be placed, with 2 promised to be donated any day. Participants must attend and complete a car maintenance class and a budgeting class before they get placed, so those will be done very soon.

WINR has recently changed it's name from Winnebage Interfaith to Wisconsin due to the expansion of our programs into Waupaca, Portage and soon Brown Counties. WINR originally only served Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties. Other counties in our region are also working on getting a program setup soon.

Now the question - if the cars are donated - why does WINR need money? The money is used for the staff needed to take applications and process them to be sure the people who get the cars know how to care and can afford them. A large majority of the funding is used for repairs to the cars we receive. The goal is to get the car in shape to run 2 years to help the recipients on the road to self sufficiency. If that is not possible, the car is sold for the best possible price and different ones are purchased.

Please think about a donation to the program and in doing so I will hook you up with the winning ticket! Although you can't all win - sorry (-:
Here is their website for more information - especially if you ever have a car to donate!

www.winronline.org

Also if you know of ANYONE that may want to buy a ticket, or if you just want to forward this on to as many people as possible we would LOVE the help.

Thanks for considering - hope this finds everyone healthy and looking forward to Spring!
Lynn Brenner

THE FAMILY PET EXPO RETURNS FOR 2007

[we have received the following press release and are pleased to publish it here..]

ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF PETS GETS UNDERWAY ON MARCH 17 AND 18 AT THE SUNNYVIEW EXPO CENTER IN OSHKOSH.

BIG DOGZ PROMOTIONS AND ITS SPONSORS ARE PROUD TO BRING BACK THE FAMILY PET EXPO!

THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION WILL FEATURE THE WILDLY EXCITING DOCK DOGS COMPETITION! SEE BIG AIR DOGS FROM ALL OVER THE MIDWEST LEAP IN COMPETITION TO WIN A REGIONAL TITLE! COMPETITIONS ARE SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY! DON'T MISS OUT!

THE PET EXPO WILL BRING DOZENS OF EXHIBITORS WITH THE LATEST AND GREATEST PET GEAR AND PET PROFESSIONALS! YOU CAN BRING YOUR PET SOME GREAT NEW STUFF BACK FROM THE EXPO!

AREA RESCUE GROUPS WILL BE ON HAND TO OFFER INFORMATION ON ADOPTABLE PETS AND A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO THE OSHKOSH AREA HUMANE SOCIETY

ADMISSION IS JUST $10 FOR AGES 12 AND OVER FOR A WEEKEND PASS - OR $7 DAILY. FAMILY WEEKEND PASS IS JUST $40. KIDS UNDER 12 ARE FREE! THERE IS NO PARKING FEE!

HOURS ARE SATURDAY FROM 9AM - 5PM AND SUNDAY FROM 10 AM - 4PM.

DUE TO INSURANCE REASONS PETS MUST REMAIN AT HOME. ATTENDEES WILL FIND IT JUST AS ENJOYABLE TO SHOP AND SIT IN THE STANDS AND WILL BE ABLE TO SHOP AT A LEISURLY PACE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.BIGDOGZLLC.COM.
CALL 920-203-2983 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE PET EXPO IS SPONSORED BY PETCO, NUTRO, CUMULUS BROADCASTING, TIME WARNER CABLE THUNDERA MULTIMEDIA AND DPI, INC.

THE FAMILY PET EXPO IS A BIG DOGZ PROMOTIONS PRODUCTION AND EXISTS TO EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN AND FIND PERMANENT HOMES FOR ADOPTABLE PETS!

Candidate Forum replay times

If anyone missed the "live" version of the League of Women Voters Candidates Forum for the Oshkosh Common Council or Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education candidates, replay times are listed at www.ocatonline.com. Though the mayoral forum is not being done with a studio audience, it will be videotaped this Thursday and aired live, with replay times for it also found at www.ocatonline.com. Meanwhile, Eye on Oshkosh continues interviewing candidates and those interviews will continue airing each week. Check out our What's Playing section to the right side of this page to see when specific candidate interviews will appear. It is updated each week.

Update: Live Dog Lab at Medical College of Wisconsin

I am sorry to announce that, despite everyone’s determined efforts, the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) went forward with its live dog lab on Feb. 26, 27, and 28. Sadly, about 60 dogs were killed—but these animals did not die in vain. With your help, we were able to raise public awareness about the dog lab and urge the school to implement humane alternatives. MCW has felt enormous pressure to change, and our efforts will continue.

On Jan. 25, more than 100 people peacefully demonstrated in front of MCW. I was gratified to see such a huge turnout. We asked MCW to cancel the lab, and we encouraged students not to participate. We held another demonstration on Feb. 26, the day the lab began, and more than 60 people joined me in front of the school. Two smaller demonstrations, both well attended, were held on Feb. 27 and 28. For every day the dog lab took place, we were present at MCW to encourage the school to end its use of live animals. And that’s just the beginning of the many successes we have had with this campaign so far:

* To date, MCW has received more than 4,000 e-mails urging the school to cancel the live animal lab program and implement humane alternatives.
* PCRM gave MCW petitions signed by more than 550 physicians from around the country who oppose the use of animals in medical education at MCW and other medical schools.
* PCRM garnered extensive media coverage, including news coverage on local radio stations and all four Milwaukee television stations as well as numerous articles and opinion pieces in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other newspapers.
* In January, PCRM and the Wisconsin Humane Society sponsored a billboard on a Milwaukee freeway that called on motorists to visit PCRM’s Web site about the dog lab and humane alternatives.

Now it’s time to keep the pressure on MCW. School representatives claim that MCW may replace the live dog lab with a live pig lab. Please let MCW know that using any animal in a live lab is cruel and unnecessary. Call MCW Department of Physiology Chairman Allen Cowley Jr., Ph.D., at 414-456-8277 and politely ask him to end the school’s live animal lab program. While our automatic e-mail form is temporarily out of service, you can still use the address below to send Dr. Cowley an e-mail or letter:

Allen Cowley Jr., Ph.D.
Chairman
Department of Physiology
Medical College of Wisconsin
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226
Phone: 414-456-8277
Fax: 414-456-6546
cowley@mcw.edu

You can also help support PCRM’s efforts to end live animal labs at MCW and other medical schools by making an online donation today. Thanks to generous contributions from our supporters, we were able to initiate this wide-reaching campaign to convince MCW to use humane alternatives. But our work is not done at MCW or the 14 other schools that still conduct live animal labs. We need your help to continue this fight until animals are no longer killed as part of the curriculum at any medical school.

Thanks to PCRM physicians, members, our friends at the Wisconsin Humane Society, and countless others, the pressure we collectively put on MCW this year will greatly help our future work to end MCW’s live animal program. Please visit www.SaveMCWanimals.org to learn more about how you can help. If you have any questions, please contact me at rmerkley@pcrm.org or 202-686-2210, ext. 336. Thank you so much for your support.

Best regards,
Ryan Merkley
Research Program Coordinator
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

"Five Rivers Five" earn "Openness in Government" award

March 11-17, 2007 is National Sunshine Week. In order to help recognize the importance of it, for the first time the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is "giving awards in recognition of people and events that shaped the fortunes of open government in Wisconsin in 2006, for better or worse."

Among this year's honorees are the "Five Rivers Five," who have earned a COPEE (Citizen Openness Advocate of the Year) Award. You can find more information about the group and their efforts below. Paul Esslinger and I also received a mention for our participation in open government as it related to this incident. I would like to thank the council for this honor. And congratulations to all the honorees!

Following is part of the March 2007 "Your Right to Know" column, written by Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, reprinted with permission.

The honorees are:

* Political Openness Advocate of the Year (the “Popee”): Peg Lautenschlager. Throughout her four years as Wisconsin’s attorney general, Lautenschlager championed the public’s right to know. Charged with interpreting and enforcing the state’s open records and open meetings laws, she issued good advice and took courageous stands. In 2006, she filed a complaint against a state lawmaker for foot-dragging on a records request, among other actions involving public officials. And in an important case known as Buswell v. Tomah, Lautenschlager urged the state Supreme Court to affirm the need for public bodies to provide specific meeting agendas.

* Citizen Openness Advocates of the Year (the “Copee”): The Five Rivers Five. This ad hoc group tried to crash a February 2006 closed meeting between Oshkosh city officials and a developer, saying it violated the state’s Open Meetings Law. The five – Tony Palmeri, Pat Gentile, Gary Jepson, Dan Rylance and Rachel Aiken – were turned away. But the Attorney General’s Office later deemed that a portion of the meeting was improperly closed. Credit goes also to city Councilor Paul Esslinger, who objected to the meeting, and Cheryl Hentz, who helped draft a complaint to the AG’s office.

* Media Openness Advocate of the Year (the “Mopee”): The Lakeland Times. This twice-weekly paper published in Minocqua, with a circulation of under 11,000 and staff of 20, has emerged as one of the state’s leading defenders of openness and accountability. In 2006, it won the first stage of a lawsuit, also involving the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, challenging claims that new labor pacts require state agencies to withhold the names of public employees. And it won final judgment against a state agency that tried to suppress records of a disciplinary probe. The records were released, and the paper stands to recover much of its legal fees.

* Open Records Scoop of the Year (the “Scoopee”): Patrick Marley and Stacy Forster, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Last fall, some state lawmakers waxed indignant at reports that 80% of UW faculty claimed no sick leave in 2005, adding to a nest-egg they can later cash in for health care benefits. These enterprising reporters, using the Open Records Law, found that lawmakers were doing the same thing. In fact, over the last four years sick days were claimed by only two lawmakers – not including one who missed three months of work due to a shattered pelvis. She said she was unaware of the sick-leave program. Not anymore.

* No Friend of Openness Award (the “Nopee”): Tie: The Wisconsin Legislature and Weyauwega-Fremont school board. The state Legislature has exempted itself from records retention statutes, allowing lawmakers charged with crimes to obliterate past e-mails. Its members continue to caucus in secret and, in 2006, got into hot water for casting votes outside of public view. And many lawmakers resolutely defend their right to share bill drafts with special interests but not the public. All in all, a dismal record. Meanwhile, the Weyauwega-Fremont school board charged a newspaper $430 for the two hours its attorney spent blacking out parts of records, then refused to honor subsequent requests until this bill was paid. The paper sued, and the board recently paid $10,000 to settle, besides its own taxpayer-funded legal costs. The board’s president, Steve Loehrke, also ejected a board member from a closed meeting for taking notes, spurring another lawsuit that led to a $300 fine, plus legal fees.

* Dumbest Open Government Ruling (the “Dopee”): 1st District Court of Appeals. This court, in addressing a discovery dispute between parties to a civil suit (Sands vs. Whitnall), construed the Open Meetings Law to bar disclosure of anything said during a closed meeting, regardless of whether the reasons for closure still apply. This essentially immunized government bodies from any inquiry, at any time, into their conduct at closed meetings. A petition for review is now before the state Supreme Court – giving that body a chance to make next year’s award list, for better or worse.

Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (www.wisfoic.org), dedicated to open meetings and open records. Bill Lueders is the group’s president.

Proposed restructuring plan and long range facilities data released

Yesterday, Scenario 7 of the Oshkosh Area School District's possible restructuring plan was released, along with background data and information for developing and assessing long-range facilities scenarios. This information includes construction costs that would require a referendum of some $45.6 million, to be put on the ballot in the 2007-08 school year, if approved by the school board.

You can see a larger version of the map by going here.

And you can see the construction costs and other information by going here.

Thanks to Michelle Monte for providing this information to us.