Governor Doyle Signs into Law BadgerCare Plus Basic

FITCHBURG – Governor Jim Doyle today signed into law Senate Bill 484, the BadgerCare Plus Basic Bill. This bill creates a new, entirely self-funded health care plan option for nearly 43,000 adults without dependent children who are on the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan waiting list.

“Here in Wisconsin, we have worked hard to protect people who have lost their jobs and health insurance in this national economy through no fault of their own,” Governor Doyle said. “I am proud to sign into law BadgerCare Plus Basic to help tens of thousands of Wisconsin residents who so badly need health care purchase basic health coverage – at no cost to taxpayers. For $130 a month, people enrolled in BadgerCare Plus Basic will be able to go see a doctor, get the generic prescriptions they need, and receive catastrophic coverage, without costing taxpayers a dime.”

The Basic plan is not designed to be a long-term health coverage plan, but instead will be an elective plan to keep individuals healthy while they wait for coverage on the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan. More than 64,000 individuals are currently enrolled in the state's Core Plan, which suspended new enrollments last October due to budget limits. Since that time, nearly 43,000 individuals have been placed on a waitlist for the program.

BadgerCare Plus Basic will be paid for through a monthly premium of $130 plus reasonable co-payments. Members will have access to catastrophic coverage plus:

Up to 10 physician visits each year;

Limited hospitalization;

Coverage for first inpatient hospital stay and five outpatient hospital visits;

Subsequent stays after $7,500 deductible;

Up to five emergency room visits each year;

Some generic medications; and

Badger Rx Gold discount drug membership.

To be eligible for Basic coverage, individuals must have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, have no dependent children, and be included on the waiting list for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan. Starting on June 1, 2010, individuals on the Core waiting list can sign up for BadgerCare Plus Basic. Basic coverage will begin on July 1, 2010. To find out more or to apply for the waitlist, please visit: http://www.badgercareplus.org/.

Governor Doyle thanked Senator Erpenbach for his hard work to get the bill to his desk. The Governor also recognized Senator Robson, and Representatives Richards and Roys for their work on the bill.

Governor Doyle signed the bill into law at the Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin Hatchery Hill clinic in Fitchburg . The Governor was joined by Linda Churchill from Lyndon Station, a resident who has lost her job and health insurance in the national economic downturn, and plans to enroll in BadgerCare Plus Basic.

BadgerCare Plus Basic builds on Governor Doyle’s work over the last seven years to make Wisconsin America’s health care leader. Under Governor Doyle’s leadership, Wisconsin now ranks second in the country in the percentage of people with access to health care and first in health care quality. Every Wisconsin child now has access to health care through Governor Doyle’s BadgerCare Plus plan. In addition, since 2009, the Governor’s BadgerCare Plus Core Plan has provided standard health benefits for low income adults without dependent children.

The Governor is also working hard to position Wisconsin to lead in the implementation of national health care reform. Earlier this month, Governor Doyle created the Office of Health Care Reform co-led by the Secretary of Health Services and the Commissioner of Insurance. The Office will develop an implementation plan that uses national health care reform to build on Wisconsin ’s successful efforts and existing programs. Beginning in 2014, most enrollees in the Core and Basic plans will be eligible for the full BadgerCare Plus benefit as a result of national health care reform. In the meantime, programs like Core and Basic serve as important bridges to keep people healthy while health care reform is implemented.

For more information on national health care reform, the phases of implementation, and how changes may benefit Wisconsin residents, please visit: http://www.healthcarereform.wisconsin.gov/.

Press Release: City Receives $200,000 Grant for South Shore Redevelopment

(Oshkosh, WI) The city of Oshkosh is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The grant is for environmental remediation for the South Shore Redevelopment Area.

The specific location is 1 East 8th Avenue, known as the former Miles Kimball printing building. The city currently owns the property and the funds from the grant will help aid in the clean-up of some prior environmental contamination the city was aware of.

If you have any questions regarding this grant, please contact Community Development Director Allen Davis at (920) 236-5055.

Press Release: Street Reconstruction Program Update

(Oshkosh, WI.) The city of Oshkosh would like to notify residents that work will begin on the second concrete paving and utilities project in the city’s annual street reconstruction program in a variety of locations starting Monday, May 3, 2010.

The construction will start on Broad Street between Irving Avenue and Parkway Avenue, on Powers Street between New York Avenue and Nevada Avenue, and on Tennessee Avenue just east of Powers Street.

Construction activities on Melvin Avenue are not expected to start until the week of June 14th, when the school year is over. Construction activities on Grand Street will start approximately one to two weeks after construction activities start on Melvin Avenue.

If you would like more information, please contact Public Works at (920) 236-5065.

Rep. Hintz to hold Office Hours

OSHKOSH- Representative Gordon Hintz will be holding office hours at the Oshkosh Senior Center to discuss issues important to Oshkosh residents. The event is open to the public and those with questions regarding state issues are encouraged to attend.

Anyone with questions or comments is encouraged to contact the office of Representative Hintz toll-free at 888-534-0054 or via e-mail at rep.hintz@legis.state.wi.us.

Who: Representative Gordon Hintz
What: Senior Center-Office Hours
When: Friday, April 30th 9:00 - 11:00 am
Where: Oshkosh Area Senior Center - 200 North Campbell Road

Drug Drop Box is Open!

The Oshkosh Police Department, in collaboration with a wide variety of other agencies in Winnebago County , installed a permanent prescription drug drop box in the Safety Building Lobby (across from our Front Desk area). The Box was “dedicated” on April 22, Earth Day. This Box is available to receive any unwanted/unused medications 24/7/365 (including over the counter and pet meds). The Box is for use by any citizen in Winnebago County . There are brochures with more information on the big, red box in the lobby.

Please leave the medications in the container and mark-off (blacken) your name and other personal information if you wish. The medications that are deposited are handled only by law enforcement and pharmacy personnel and are secured after the deposit.

The new drug drop box is just one effort in a comprehensive drug control strategy to combat the growing drug problem in our community. We can help prevent victimization by getting unused, unneeded or expired prescription drugs out of our homes, and off our streets and playgrounds by dropping them off at our drug drop box.

Please share this information with others in the community. Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for getting this information out to the community.

Scott D. Greuel
Chief of Police
City of Oshkosh

Library phone service to be temporarily down part of next week

There will be no telephone service at the Oshkosh Public Library from 7 a.m. on Tuesday, April 27, through about noon on Wednesday, April 28. Phones will be out while lines connecting the library to the city of Oshkosh phone system are replaced.

The public will be able to use the library’s Internet computers while the phones are out. Customers can continue to access library resources and information at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org. Through the web site, customers can search the library catalog, reserve and renew materials, get a list of items they have checked out, use online research tools and get information about library hours, programs and events.

As a convenience, library users can receive e-mail messages three days before items are due, when library cards need to be updated and when items on hold are ready for pickup. To take advantage of e-mail service, visit http://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/ and click on “Your Account.” Customers can change or delete their e-mail addresses at any time using this same feature.

Rep. Hintz Praises Assembly's Final Passage of Payday and Auto Title Reform Legislation

[We received this press release from State Rep. Gordon Hintz shortly after midnight after the measure was passed Thursday evening, April 22, 2010.]

Madison – The Wisconsin State Assembly passed the final version of Senate Bill 530, with a strong bipartisan vote of 72 to 25. The bill regulates both Payday and Auto Title lenders.

“Tonight we have done something we can be very proud of,” said Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh). “We have passed Wisconsin ’s first payday and auto title reform law providing protections against the worst practices of the industry. The days of someone paying five times the amount of their original loan are over in Wisconsin .”

On Tuesday, the Assembly amended SB 530 to include auto title loan regulation in the compromise bill. The Senate took up SB 530 earlier today and further amended the bill. The bill came back to the State Assembly for final passage.

“It has been a long and winding road to get to this point, but we stood up to this predatory industry on behalf of Wisconsin ’s consumers,” said Rep. Hintz. “The biggest problem with this industry is that it sets people up to fail by lending more money than can reasonably be paid back. That ends tonight.”

Governor Doyle has stated he would sign this legislation into law.

Key Provisions in the final bill:

· The package would limit payday loans to $1,500 or 35% of monthly income, whichever is less. Auto title loans would be limited to half the value of a vehicle.

· For example, if someone earns $2000 a month, they could receive a loan plus interest and fees totaling $700. However, that is the limit and no additional interest or fees can be added that would exceed 35%, which in this case would be $700. There will be no more stories of people with thousands of dollars of debt from a $500 loan.

· Database to track payday loans and provide data currently unavailable about the volume and amount of loans being lent which will help tremendously in efforts to address better financial services for those in need.

· Any loan with a repayment term exceeding 90 days will also be required to report to credit bureaus as is standard practice for installment loans.

· Limit rollovers to only 1. Rollovers account for around 90% of all payday lending profits.

· Strong auto title provisions:

o Title lenders would be required to notify borrowers before the seizing and the selling of their vehicles

o Only allow lenders to charge borrowers a “reasonable” storage fee if they repossessed their vehicles

o Require lenders to give borrowers cash back if they sold their vehicles for more than the amount of the loan.

Governor Doyle Statement on Education Reform

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today issued the following statement after the Legislature passed and sent to his desk an education reform bill:

“This is a significant step forward for Milwaukee’s education system. This bill will give the State Superintendent clearer, stronger powers to turn around struggling schools in Milwaukee and will put in place a system for placing top-level teachers and principals in those schools that need the most help. We have a strong State Superintendent and this bill will help him lead critical reform efforts needed in Milwaukee to not only improve student achievement, but also put Wisconsin in a better position to win federal Race to the Top funds.”

Walker to Pay for Part of $2 Billion Tax Cut Plan for Rich, Big Business By Cutting Seniors, Family from Health Care Coverage

Walker to Pay for Part of $2 Billion Tax Cut Plan for Rich, Big Business By Cutting Seniors, Family from Health Care Coverage

Neumann Joins Call for Irresponsible Tax Cuts Just for $225,000 Income Earners, Out-of-State Corporate Tax Shelters

[Walker] said he was studying whether the state should change eligibility standards for the state's Medicaid program, which provides health care for the poor, elderly and disabled. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/13/10]

Madison -- Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's budget-busting tax giveaway to the rich and big business is under a new assault after Walker offered cutting seniors, people with disabilities and working families and children from health care coverage as a way to pay for his much-maligned plan to double Wisconsin's projected $2-billion state budget deficit with a series of tax breaks that mostly benefit corporations and high-income people.

"Scott Walker is finally telling us who will be paying for his $2 billion in tax cuts for the rich and big business and it's our seniors, people with disabilities, working families and our children," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "It is irresponsible for one senior or one person with disabilities or one child to go without health care so that he can give an income tax cut exclusively to those making more than $225,000. Has he no decency?"

Walker offered the health care cut proposal in an interview published Tuesday. If Walker were to cut eligibility, Wisconsin would have to repay hundreds of millions of dollars in federal Medicaid funding provided under the Recovery Act and put at risk hundreds of millions of additional Medicaid dollars planned at the federal level. Currently, more than 1.1 million Wisconsinites rely on Medicaid.

Walker has been under fire for promising nearly $2 billion in tax cuts on top of the state's non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau over-$2 billion deficit projection for 2011-13. The four components of Walker's oft-repeated $1.85 billion biennial tax cut plan include:

•Slash income taxes for the top one percent of income earners who make more than $225,000 a year -- two-year budget cost: $287 million.
•Reopen the "Las Vegas Loophole" which allows Wisconsin businesses to shelter their tax obligations to Wisconsin families through phantom "offices" in states without corporate income tax -- two-year budget cost: $375 million.
•Repeal changes made to the capital gains tax deduction, despite the fact 70 percent of capital gains filings are from those earning more than $200,000 a year -- two-year budget cost: $243 million.
•Shelter the assets of the wealthiest Wisconsinites even more by a radical end to tax paid on retirement income, regardless of income -- two-year budget cost: $920 million. [Legislative Fiscal Bureau , 2/23/09, 7/8/09, 1/25/10; "Upfront," WISN-TV, 11/8/09; La Crosse Tribune, 11/24/09]

Multi-millionaire developer Mark Neumann is also now calling for several of Walker's irresponsible tax cuts items, which would total $1 billion. Neumann's income would likely make him part of the top one percent of income earners who would be eligible for the tax cut for the rich he and Walker are supporting.

This is not the first time Scott Walker has indicated he would pay for the tax cuts for the rich and big business at the expense of health care for those most in need. In October, Walker told a Madison television, "he thinks BadgerCare has become an entitlement program, rather than temporary assistance." [Source: WISC-TV, 10/09/09]

Paying for the near-$2 billion in tax cuts would require Walker to end health care assistance to over 100,000 families (two adults, two children) per year enrolled in the state's BadgerCare programs.

As county executive, Walker inherited the successful Milwaukee County General Assistance Medical Program, which helped approximately 30,000 county residents not qualifying for Medicaid or could not afford private health insurance. GAMP was under threat from Walker and he proposed in 2005 to wipe funding out for it entirely. GAMP has been folded into the BadgerCare Core Plus program, where it is currently protected from Walker cuts. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/25/05]

"When everyone in America is focused on increased access to affordable health care, Scott Walker wants to cut access to seniors, people with disabilities, working families and our children," said Ross. "It's appropriate Scott Walker's last solution-free television ad was called 'Saturn,' because his promises to cut taxes for the rich on the backs of our seniors and our children are just as bankrupt."

For more information about Walker's tax and spending record, including the 84 percent spending hikes he voted for in the State Legislature, visit http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/.

# # #

One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

Oshkosh Common Council “love-fest” weird, sickening, at times even a little inappropriate

For anyone who watched or attended the April 13 Oshkosh Common Council meeting, they saw an over-the-top, somewhat sickening, yet not entirely surprising, display of back-patting and butt-kissing between outgoing council member Dennis McHugh and our embattled mayor. Even Deputy Mayor Palmeri chimed in, trying to make certain actions by McHugh and Esslinger look less offensive to our sensibilities than they were. Add to that, members of the “Paul Esslinger Fan Club” who stepped up to the microphone to praise him and defend some of his more recent actions. And before you get the wrong idea, I’m not talking so much about the praise given McHugh at the end of the meeting, though that, too, contained a few odd moments.

About that, let me say, like many in Oshkosh, I appreciate Dennis McHugh’s many years of service to the community – both on the school board and on the Common Council. To honor him with a portrait and some nice words at the end of the council meeting was deserved and proper, though I can’t recall it ever being done to this degree for other outgoing council members. Paul Esslinger apparently did some fundraising and, I have heard, bought some advertising to honor Mr. McHugh. I can’t recall that ever being done for outgoing council members either. Deserved? Perhaps. But could it not have been done in a less public setting where it could not be viewed that a precedent has now been set? Then to hand McHugh an envelope containing the remaining cash that was raised, but not spent, was just plain tacky and even looked to some to be a little inappropriate. Now, because Esslinger seems to have trouble distinguishing between people fairly criticizing his actions and people saying he’s doing something criminal, let me emphasize, I said some felt it LOOKED a little inappropriate; I said nothing about them thinking it looked criminal, or even suspicious. But enough of that. Let’s talk about the two agenda items that directly involved Mayor Esslinger and which really elicited the feeling that I needed to grab the nearest barf bag.

The first thing that happened, and something that was certainly in character for Esslinger, was when he stepped down from the dais and handed the gavel over to Deputy Mayor Tony Palmeri. It wasn’t that he stepped down, but what he said in doing so. As usual, I think Esslinger showed immaturity and a lack of decorum, class and professionalism by trying to get a couple digs in on some of his critics, saying that there had been allegations of criminal wrongdoing and that he was going to step across the street and change his name to Al Capone. In his failed attempt at retaliatory humor, he made himself look like an ass, and not only gave his critics even more justification for their past comments, but more fodder for future ones.

In point of fact, no one to the best of my knowledge, ever publicly accused him of any criminal wrongdoing. The point was made he should step away from the dais and should not vote on these issues for a variety of reasons. Those were excellent points and, as he now knows, ethically correct. And if someone made such an accusation to him privately, he should not have made such comments publicly. It seems to many of us that Paul Esslinger likes to view himself as a victim of unfair criticism and personal attacks. But there were no personal attacks either. He was criticized – and rightly so – for his actions – after which, he assumed his usual defensive posture, then turned it around and said he was being attacked because of personality differences, basically. Knowing Paul, I see how he would view it that way. Much better to shift the blame on his critics than admit he handled certain things poorly. The fact that he feels it necessary to do that so often when he receives criticism, shows that he is not nearly as thick-skinned as DM Palmeri said he was Tuesday night. Dennis McHugh also spent a fair amount of time talking about how poor Paul has been so embattled in light of these two proposals. Perhaps he wouldn’t be the lightning rod for controversy and criticism, if he’d think things through a little more clearly before doing them. Much of what has been going on the last year with his mayorship has been brought on by him, and no one else.

Now specifically to the pending legislation at Tuesday’s meeting, the repealing of certain fees that mostly affect bars and restaurants that serve alcohol was the first item considered. After first being told he could vote on this, then being told that upon further review he probably should not, Esslinger acted like a child and wanted a formal opinion from the Government Accountability Board. Really? He needed a formal opinion for something that was so painfully obvious to most of his constituency. He should not have needed to go this extra step. From an appearance sake alone he should have stepped aside from this issue. But I suspect he was concerned that without his vote, the fees would not get repealed – and guess what, they didn’t? Although, even if he had voted, this would not have passed.

It is funny though, how Esslinger actually wanted to be able to vote on this issue (and the fire truck reimbursement issue) when it was only a few years ago he complained rather loudly that councilors should have to abstain from voting on issues involving anyone who donated something, even as small as $50 or $100 to their campaign fund when seeking election. Of course, this is the same man who recently said that his own future votes on issues would not be influenced by donations someone involved in those issues might have made to his antique fire truck fund. Double standards and hypocrisy seem to abound in an Esslinger administration.

Regarding the repealing of fees issue, Pat Purtell from the local tavern league got up to speak and spent several minutes rambling about the good things the local bars do, yet he never once took a position on the actual proposal, nor did Palmeri stop his diatribe – something he should really have done because it had nothing whatsoever to do with the proposed ordinance change. Nor was anyone accusing the bars of doing anything wrong at this meeting.

During this same discussion Palmeri praised Dennis McHugh for making fee structures set by the city an issue when he first ran for office. So why have we only first heard of it really being pushed for in the last several months or so? More importantly, we’ve heard talk of the council and city manager wanting a workshop on the fees the city charges, so why did this particular issue have to come forward separately from everything else and at this particular time? And why were only certain ones – and only a handful, at that - pulled from a list of approximately 671 fees the city charges?

According to Purtell in an Oshkosh Northwestern article, Esslinger began complaining about these specific fees since he became a bar owner last year. Is it then any wonder that people believe Esslinger put McHugh up to bring this forward at his behest? Of course not, and if certain members of the Oshkosh Common Council would look at it in an unbiased way, they would see exactly why people have that opinion.

McHugh tried convincing people that he brought this forward on his own. How interesting then, that Esslinger was present during the meeting when suggestions were made on which fees could be repealed. And by the way, had this passed it would have saved Esslinger a minimum of $360 a year – that’s about $30 or so a month. If he has trouble paying that maybe he should stick to a less “costly” line of work. Of course, let’s not forget, Esslinger has twice voted to raise the fees during his tenure on the council and now, in retrospect, claims he didn’t know how they affected those involved, and was quoted by the newspaper as saying no one ever said they wanted them changed. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a laughable excuse and sign of a poor “leader.” Many decisions made by the council don't directly affect council members. So should we have all those things undone too? DM Palmeri praised Esslinger for coming forward, saying other small business owners are often afraid to do so themselves. Give me a break. The Tavern League on a state level is one of the strongest lobbying organizations there is, and on a local level I imagine they wield a certain amount of strength and pull, as well. I don’t believe for one second that, while many people may be afraid to come forward on their own, as an organized group, the league would not have been “brave” enough to step up for what they thought were unfair charges by the city. Further, we have seen several small business people and developers challenge the city over the years, whether it be over certain charges, or their property assessments. So Palmeri’s argument wasn’t very convincing – at least not to me.

Let’s also not forget about some of those other things Esslinger’s voted in favor of during his time on the council, most of which private citizens have to pay for out of their pockets and can’t deduct it from their taxes. At least these fees he has to pay are a cost of doing business for poor Paul and, as such, are tax deductible. I’m also quite certain he knew about them before taking over this bar last year. And if he’d not bought a fire truck for approx. $5,700 (his cost after being reimbursed $4,000 under another proposal the other night, which passed), he would have had enough money to pay these fees for about 15 years or more.

Thankfully, the proposal to repeal these specific fees was shot down and hopefully all fees will be looked at in a workshop setting. And if there are fees to be repealed or reduced in some way, it will hopefully be done en masse and in a way that is fairer, more across-the-board and less advantageous to just one councilor or his fellow bar owners.

The second item on the agenda that directly involved Esslinger was a proposal to reimburse him the money that had been donated so far for his antique fire truck and to continue those payouts for the remainder of the year, if other donations were subsequently made. Before the meeting Esslinger agreed to a different agreement and the council changed the proposal to reflect his only being reimbursed the aforementioned $4,000. During the discussion about this item, the love-fest continued, with Esslinger supporters and council colleague McHugh praising Paul for what a swell guy he is and citing some of the things he’s done for the city.

One Esslinger supporter came forward to praise Esslinger and essentially condone his actions concerning the fire truck. He and Esslinger then high-fived each other after his “speech.” Ben Schneider II, president of the local school board, also stepped to the microphone and made a ridiculous comparison between past council votes to spend taxpayer money on legitimate city business and his friend Paul Esslinger spending his own money on the fire truck, then asking the city to reimburse him for his expenses. Schneider also made the same mistake so many others have by calling this a donation. Until the vote was taken it was nothing anywhere close to resembling a donation. A donation is something you give with no expectation of getting something in return. That was never the case – until Tuesday night. With Esslinger accepting only $4,000 and “eating” the remaining $5,000 or so himself, I guess he’s donating part of a truck.

One other problem with Schneider’s comparison: While some people may not agree with the votes council members have made on various past issues before them, they were at least doing what they were charged with as elected officials. By comparison, there’s nothing that says an elected official should or must spend their own personal money on something, then try to get reimbursed, especially without a fair hearing where your constituents could be heard on the matter before you took such action.

There was even more slobbering all over each other with praise and kudos Tuesday night. For example, among the things McHugh praised Esslinger for was Esslinger’s attempts to get the mayor elected by the city, not the council. Sure, he was partly responsible for that, but he didn’t do it all alone. There were other people who helped in that cause, so to give him props like it was a one-man show is an absolute overstatement. McHugh also offered up congrats for Esslinger resurrecting the Mayor’s Breakfast. Never mind that there were as many schools of thought as to why he did that as there were reasons why the previous breakfast organizers pulled out in the first place after he was elected mayor.

Oh, and one other weird thing about this council meeting had to do with the removal of a section of proposed sidewalks in one neighborhood. We all remember how Esslinger initiated and helped shove sidewalks down the throats of residents in the River Mill neighborhood a few years back. Yet Tuesday night, when one woman expressed a desire on the part of herself and some neighbors that sidewalks not be continued as far as the Department of Public Works was proposing because they would lead nowhere and the neighbors didn’t want them, Esslinger supported that request without uttering a single word. Granted, the situations may be somewhat different, but if he truly believes sidewalks should be everywhere, then he should stand by that and not pick and choose which sidewalk proposals he’ll support and which ones he won’t. Some people are still waiting for them to be installed along parts of the frontage road and in other high traffic areas where people on foot or in wheelchairs have a tough time getting around in a safe manner. How long do they have to wait and why has this so-called leader not done anything to hasten those sidewalk installations?

In summary, if Paul Esslinger would stop doing things that appear so questionable, self-serving and even, in some cases retaliatory, maybe he would be criticized less and his friends wouldn’t then have to come to the Council chamber podium singing his praises in hopes of defending or legitimizing his actions. Because for all their pontificating Tuesday night, it doesn’t seem to have changed people’s minds; it’s only given them more things to talk about. And believe me, they are.

One Wisconsin Now Members Message to the Tea Party: 'I AM My Brother's Keeper'

One Wisconsin Now Members Message to the Tea Party: 'I AM My Brother's Keeper'

Positive Messages Featured on Mobile Billboard at State Capitol Thursday

Madison -- Citizens from across Wisconsin have joined One Wisconsin Now in sending a decisive message to the Tea Party and conservative elected officials who want less investment in the middle class and less support for children and working families: "I AM My Brother's Keeper." One Wisconsin Now will display responses of its members who participated in a statewide online survey about why America works on a mobile billboard at the state capitol Thursday.

"Wisconsinites are tired of the anger and resentment coming from the Tea Party and poll-watching politicians, and they want real solutions that invest in jobs and the middle class," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "From across the state, One Wisconsin Now's members have said America can meet the challenges we face if we work together and look out for each other."

A sample of the responses which will be displayed on the billboard:

"God Bless America and all people, rich or poor." -- Colleen, La Crosse
"I love that our country takes care of young children and families who need support." -- Stacey, Portage
"Differing opinions are a part of our Democracy, intimidation is not" -- Vivien, Hales Corner
"I'm proud of Wisconsin's social services." -- Joanne, Bayfield
"Taxes pay for roads, utility infrastructure, and our military. America is worth paying for." -- Evelyn, Madison
"Health care for all -- even you." -- Greg, Hudson
"I understand your frustrations. The problem is corporations, not 'the government.'" -- James, Baldwin

One Wisconsin Now hopes the contest will focus attention on the critical public investments Americans have made working together to create the middle class and support the American Dream.

"Coming from a family of teachers, my message is 'Public schools are worth fighting for,'" said Ross. "We have to remember that the middle class was built by deliberate decisions to empower working Americans."

One Wisconsin Now will have videos and footage from the event, including reaction to its billboard on its website, as well as Twitter and Facebook. One Wisconsin Now will continue to remind the public about the important of community involvement and working towards its vision for a Wisconsin with equal economic opportunity for all.

"The investments in our neighborhoods and are communities are why America serves as a shining example to the world," said Ross. "We are all our brothers' and our sisters' keepers."

Van Hollen Supported Electronic Signatures for Law Enforcement, Opposes for Voters

Van Hollen Supported Electronic Signatures for Law Enforcement, Opposes for Voters

In March Praised Electronic Signatures for Law Enforcement

"...the ability to transmit a complaint with an E-signature will allow law enforcement submitting the complaint to reduce time and travel, while allowing the use of modern technology to file a complaint. This legislation allows us to adapt our law to current technology and allow public tax dollars to do more work." [Van Hollen Press Release, 3/4/10]

Madison -- In a partisan effort to use the taxpayer-financed resources of the Wisconsin Department of Justice to derail the Wisconsin Voter Protection Act, Attorney General JB Van Hollen issued an opinion opposing the common sense bill because it allows electronic signatures from the driver's licenses and state-issued photo identifications for use in voter registration. Just last month, Van Hollen praised passage of a bill allowing the use of electronic signatures for law enforcement personnel, citing the need to adapt to "current technology."

"Attorney General JB Van Hollen is not only complicit in a deliberate disinformation campaign to reduce access to polls for eligible Wisconsin voters, but he is doing it with brazen hypocrisy," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "He has literally turned the Department of Justice into the taxpayer-financed legal team for the partisan leaders of the Republican Party."

Earlier this week in advance of a press conference featuring the state's Republican legislative leaders, Van Hollen cobbled together a list of discredited Republican talking points in a misguided attempt to add credibility to partisan objections to the plan to modernize voter registration, increase access to the poll for eligible voters and reduce voter suppression and intimidation.

Fair Elections Wisconsin, an independent pro-voter rights organization, first raised the issue in a letter to Van Hollen April 14, reminding Van Hollen that "millions of Americans will file their income taxes electronically, requesting a refund, without a physical signature. Yet they are responsible for the content of the forms."

"April JB Van Hollen needs to have a conversation with March JB Van Hollen so they can get their stories straight," said Ross. "Our military troops and their families, seniors, rural and city voters and students who would most benefit from the Wisconsin Voter Protection Act deserve better from Van Hollen."

One Wisconsin Now notes this is the latest in a series of anti-voter efforts in which Van Hollen has engaged in less than two years:

As state Co-Chair of the John McCain for President campaign, Van Hollen filed a frivolous lawsuit in 2008 that could have disenfranchised as many as 1 million eligible voters, and did so after documented contact between the Republican Party of Wisconsin and Van Hollen's top DOJ staff.

Van Hollen refused to investigate after an email was leaked from the Republican Party of Wisconsin in the waning weeks of the 2008 election recruiting partisans to assist in potential voter suppression efforts in the city of Milwaukee.

Van Hollen refused to investigate a suspicious mailing by the Republican Party and the McCain campaign which could have invalidated the voter registration for countless eligible Wisconsinites, ignoring dozens of formal complaints filed by recipients of the mailing.

"Van Hollen's shameful effort to prevent eligible voters from having full access to the ballot box is an affront to Democracy," said Ross. "Wisconsin needs more, not less, voices standing up and exercising their right to vote."

Oshkosh Area School District Participates in Wisconsin Graduation Summit

MADISON— The Oshkosh Area School District was one of 46 Wisconsin school districts participating in a statewide summit focused on raising high school graduation rates.

The Wisconsin Graduation Summit, a part of the national Dropout Prevention Campaign organized by America’s Promise Alliance, supported State Superintendent Tony Evers’s agenda of ensuring that every child graduates ready for further education and the workforce. The alliance is the educational foundation established by Colin Powell and his wife, Alma. Two additional corporate partners, State Farm Insurance and AT&T of Wisconsin, financially supported the summit.

“For this summit, we invited districts facing a range of challenges regarding graduation rates,” Evers explained. “Though these challenges are undeniably complex, we must surmount them—for the sake of our students and our communities. By learning from the effective strategies of our own schools and from the advice of national experts, we will find ways to make sure every child graduates ready for employment and future education.”

Researchers have been attempting to quantify the long-term impact on wages of the nation’s dropouts had they completed their high school education, as well as the contributions they would have made to their communities. A recent study estimated that dropout rates in the Milwaukee area alone cost the public an average of $7 million in lost tax revenue every year.

The March summit in Pewaukee featured educators, national experts, and youth sharing their experiences with successful strategies for dropout prevention, especially among students of color and students with disabilities. Twelve breakout sessions will be presented by Wisconsin educators, national researchers, and community-based organizations on a range of strategies to increase graduation rates. One of the plenary sessions will have students engaged in a conversation with educators about these issues.

To extend the reach of the presentations, the summit was videotaped and posted on-line for schools statewide. Oshkosh will be working with CESA#6 to plan post-summit activities to further the conversation they started at the summit.

“Dropping out of school not only affects our students and their families but the entire Oshkosh community. It is important that we continued to find alternative ways to ensure that in Oshkosh every student develops to his or her full potential and every student is a graduate” said Dr. Bette Lang, interim superintendent.

“The district is currently studying best practices in other districts and increasing the interventions provided to students as they enter high school. The district is also exploring partnerships with other educational agencies
such Fox Valley Technical College to provide additional educational opportunities for students at-risk for not graduating.”

Other graduation summit events included a welcome address by First Lady Jessica Doyle; an “Every Child a Graduate” call to action delivered by Evers; a business viewpoint on the importance of investing in Wisconsin’s future workers, presented by AT&T of Wisconsin President Scott VanderSanden; a keynote address from Sandra Covington Smith, a national dropout-prevention expert; and a video featuring Colin and Alma Powell.

Spotlight shines on community’s past for Oshkosh History Week

The Oshkosh Public Library and the Oshkosh Seniors Center bring together popular local historians, highlight local resources and present special free events to tell fascinating stories of Oshkosh past during Oshkosh History Week, April 19-24.

Oshkosh History Week is the first event of a new partnership between the library and seniors center. The goal of the partnership is to design programming that will appeal specifically to seniors, though all ages are welcome to attend Oshkosh History Week programs.

“Seniors are an active group in the community who enthusiastically engage in lifelong learning,” says Janice Dibble, Head of Reference and Adult Services at the Oshkosh Public Library. “We are always interested in developing programs and services at the library that seniors will find interesting and worthwhile.”

While some seniors use both the library and seniors center, others are familiar with just one of the organizations. “The library and the seniors center each have loyal groups of users,” explains Molly Yatso-Butz, Wellness Coordinator at the Oshkosh Seniors Center. “We would like to encourage more crossover so that local seniors can take advantage of the resources of both institutions.”

In addition to Oshkosh History Week, the library and seniors center will present Senior Leisure & Recreation Week, Nov. 8-13.

Oshkosh History Week will include the following free programs:

Monday, April 19

What You May Have Missed (@ Snapshots of History)

Learn the history behind the photos at the museum exhibit.

6:30 p.m.

Oshkosh Seniors Center - South

Larry Spanbauer, Oshkosh Memorabilia Club


Wednesday, April 21

Oshkosh: The Past & Present

One of the community’s favorite local historians shares colorful memories of Oshkosh past.

1 p.m.

Oshkosh Seniors Center - North

Clarence “Inky” Jungwirth, Oshkosh historian

Memories of the Grand Opera House


Enjoy stories of the Grand Opera House and the amazing performers who graced its stage.

7 p.m.

Oshkosh Public Library, Lower level

Julie Johnson, Oshkosh author

Thursday, April 22

Civil War Soldiers of Oshkosh & Wisconsin

Learn about the life of Union foot soldiers from the Oshkosh area.

1 p.m.

Oshkosh Public Library

Mike Breza, Assistant Director, Oshkosh Public Museum

Online history collections

A look at the library’s digital collections of historic postcards, photos, maps & more.

7 p.m.

Oshkosh Public Library, Lower level

Sharon Schwartz, Digital Librarian

Friday, April 23

Creating a Family Cookbook

Learn how to preserve family history by creating a cookbook, scrapbook or journal.

1 p.m.

Oshkosh Public Library, Lower level

Bill Bollom, Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological Society

The Winnebago County Historical Society also participated in this event, providing two of the program speakers. The Society’s future fundraising activities include the ever-popular Historic House Tour on June 27 and “Pie on the Porch” and tours of the 1884 Morgan House on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 5 – Sept. 25.

Ongoing activities related to Oshkosh History Week include special local history displays on the second floor of the Oshkosh Public Library and the Snapshots of History exhibit at the Oshkosh Public Museum, featuring more than 50 large-scale panoramic photos and artifacts from Oshkosh in the 1910s.

Detailed program information is available at the Oshkosh Public Library and the Oshkosh Seniors Center and at http://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/.

Sheridan, Hintz: Assembly Takes Action to Support Small Business Job Creation

MADISON – Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) and Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) today proudly announced bi-partisan Assembly approval of AB 853, the Small Business Jobs Investment Act. This legislation establishes a job creation incentive specifically for Wisconsin small businesses that hire people who’ve been struggling to find a job.

“We’re seeing encouraging signs of recovery across Wisconsin, but we have more work to do,” said Speaker Sheridan. “With the Small Business Jobs Investment Act, Rep. Hintz has addressed the immediate needs of small businesses and workers to move us another step closer to a stable, strong Wisconsin economy.”

“With small businesses responsible for more than half the jobs in Wisconsin, we can’t afford to ignore their needs,” said Rep. Hintz. “This tax credit will support real growth in our small business sector that directly translates into more opportunities for Wisconsin workers.”

To qualify for the credit, small businesses must hire employees who have been out of work for two months or more. Limiting the hiring pool in this way will ease the burden on state unemployment services and help families who are hurting the most. The incentive set up in the Small Business Jobs Investment Act can be multiplied, meaning the more jobs a business creates, the larger benefit it receives.

“Small businesses hold great potential for job creation,” said Rep. Hintz. “When we stand up for small business, we’re also standing up for Wisconsin workers – and building on our efforts to strengthen our economy.”

The Small Business Jobs Investment Act is only the latest economic development measure approved by Assembly Democrats. Earlier this session, they increased funding for worker training programs and approved more than $200 million in job creation incentives for Wisconsin businesses.

WISTAX Watch Shows 'Tax Freedom Day' Fraud

Madison -- With the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance and the Tax Foundation likely to spend Monday touting the state's mythic "Tax Freedom Day," One Wisconsin Now's WISTAX Watch is urging the public and the media to review its report showing both the flaws of the Tax Foundation numbers and the connections between WISTAX and the Tax Foundation and Americans for Prosperity. The big oil, health industry-funded AFP has the led the "Tea Party" efforts around the country to oppose the policies of President Obama.

"The validity of the 'Tax Freedom Day' numbers is a pretty tall tale," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "An even taller tale is that WISTAX and the Tax Foundation don't have a conservative, pro-big business bias."

One Wisconsin Now's full report is available on the WISTAX Watch website at: http://rightwingwisconsinwatch.org/wistax_resources/wistax_resources_taxfoundation.

The report incorporates existing research and provides detailed criticisms about the Tax Freedom Day methodology from a number of organizations, including the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, the Institute for Wisconsin's Future and the Washington, DC-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

In addition the report details the deep and long-time connections between the Tax Foundation and Americans for Prosperity. In 2009, the Tax Foundation was a Silver Sponsor of the Americans for Prosperity's national "Defending the Dream" summit, where participants argued against progressive tax policy and even cheered that the United States had lost its bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Within weeks of the inauguration of President Obama WISTAX President Todd Berry was a featured speaker at the 2009 Wisconsin "Defending the Dream" summit, which included speeches by every leading elected Republican in the state. The summit was billed as a "massive show of force for our shared belief in lower taxes and more limited government."

WISTAX Watch has previously reported that 15 of the last 33 WISTAX board members have served on the board of the big business lobby group Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and its board members since Todd Berry took over have donated $1.3 million to Republican and non-partisan conservative political candidates -- 93 percent of its giving, as opposed to $100,000 to Democrats or liberal candidates.

Governor Doyle, Education Leaders Announce Education Reform Legislation

MILWAUKEE – Governor Jim Doyle today joined State Superintendent Tony Evers and state and local education leaders to announce education reform legislation that will help turn around struggling schools.

“This is a good framework to help turn around struggling schools, particularly those in Milwaukee ,” Governor Doyle said. “It’s a great sign that so many leaders have come together today to take this significant step forward for Wisconsin ’s education system.”

Under the plan, the State Superintendent will have greater authority to address struggling schools. Clear direction will be provided for local school districts to address struggling schools. A system will be developed to help ensure the right teachers are being directed into struggling schools, and that a good curriculum is being used to help improve student achievement.

The legislation also addresses some key issues with the state’s first round application for federal Race to the Top funds. The state recently received comments and scores on its initial application that stronger, clearer powers are needed to turn around struggling schools.

“This plan will give Wisconsin a much better shot at winning federal Race to the Top funds,” Governor Doyle said. “It is very evident that reform legislation is needed for Wisconsin to compete in the second round of Race to the Top funding. This legislation provides clearer, stronger powers to turn around struggling schools and a system for placing top-level teachers and principals in those schools that need the most help.”

Governor Doyle has pushed for education reforms to improve student achievement and has signed new bills into law to answer President Obama’s call on education. Last fall, the state removed the prohibition from using student achievement to evaluate teachers. New data systems are being built to measure student growth and success, and evaluate the success of education programs. Wisconsin is working with other states to develop internationally agreed-upon standards to better see where students stand in relation to students from other states and other countries. New tests will also better show student achievement, an important tool for teachers to help kids improve.

Van Hollen Has Yet to Produce Records on Frivolous Health Reform Lawsuit

[We have received the following press release from One Wisconsin Now and are pleased to publish it on their behalf.]

Van Hollen Has Yet to Produce Records on Frivolous Health Reform Lawsuit

Despite Past Statements, Van Hollen Unwilling to Meet Own Guidelines on Open Records Requests

Van Hollen said Lautenschlager's recent public support for the Open Records Law should ensure her prompt response to his request. Just this week, Lautenschlager filed suit against a Republican legislator alleging he took too long to respond to one of her requests. "I would expect to receive the requested information within ten business days," Van Hollen said. "That is if her office isn't too busy filing more frivolous, partisan nuisance lawsuits." [Van Hollen Press Release, 5/9/06]

Madison -- Wisconsin Attorney General has yet to fulfill a One Wisconsin Now open records request for communications his office had with members of the state legislature and interests inside and outside of Wisconsin in the weeks leading up to his attempt to file a partisan lawsuit to block implementation of the historic health insurance reform bill passed by Congress in March.

"Candidate JB Van Hollen said open records requests should be filled within ten days," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "Partisan Attorney General JB Van Hollen has chosen to flip flop to keep these records about who was pulling his strings unavailable for public scrutiny."

During his 2006 campaign, Van Hollen criticized federal lawsuits undertaken by the Wisconsin Department of Justice from Plan B contraception, No Child Left Behind and clean air regulation. Van Hollen also filed an open records requests in 2006 about several federal actions taken by then-Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, going so far as to document his opposition on a now-defunct website http://www.leavenospecialinterestbehind.com/.

"Before he tries to change the federal laws, Van Hollen ought to follow Wisconsin's laws," said Ross. "He needs to release these records and deal with the repercussions for his actions."

Van Hollen's efforts to intervene in the partisan lawsuit are by no means his first use of taxpayer-financed DOJ resources to serve the Republican Party. In 2008 while serving as state co-chair of GOP nominee John McCain's campaign, Van Hollen filed a lawsuit which could have disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of legal Wisconsin voters after pressuring from GOP leaders. Open records requests in 2008 showed a top Van Hollen aide had "multiple conversations" with Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair Reince Preibus preceding Van Hollen's intervention in that case.

Other Republican Attorneys General have engaged in similar stall tactics to keep information about how broad the national conspiracy to use taxpayer-financed state departments of justice to serve the interests of powerful Republican partisans and thwart the will of the American people, who support ending the stranglehold insurance companies have on the health care.

# # #

One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

Column for Consideration: No Stopping for the Middle Class on the TEA Party Express

[The following column was submitted to us by a research assistant for One Wisconsin Now. They are the author's own opinions and are published here for your review, consideration and comment. Eye on Oshkosh takes no position on the commentary either way.]

For one rainy day this week I followed the TEA Party Express hundreds of miles as it made its way through Wisconsin. I hoped to see firsthand the group's leadership offer real solutions to solve the woes of its financially-struggling followers.

Instead, I heard Wisconsinites being fed anger and resentment, which make for headlines but create neither jobs, nor hope.

The TEA Party Express is a faction of the conservative movement whose goal is media coverage through its cross-country bus caravan. The circus indeed came to town, as a gaggle of performers -- from right wing talk radio talkers to song-parody artisans, to Christian political activists, and the standard, fire-breathing TEA Party figureheads.

Like most of the acts on the tour, TEA Party chair Mark Williams took shots at the president, called Democrats socialists, and reminded the group about his new book available for sale. (Books are huge for TEA Party radio hosts, Glenn Beck raked in $12 million from book sales last year.)

But out in the field, TEA Party leaders like Williams still talk and walk on complicated ground as they try to fold into their flock middle-class Americans who have nothing to gain and everything to lose from the pro-big business agenda they seek to advance, much as the Republican Party has done for decades.

For example, I heard health reform called socialist too many times to count and that it needs to be repealed or defunded. What I didn't hear TEA Party leaders tell their crowd -- of which the majority looked to be seniors -- is if Medicare is socialism.

And while I heard TEA Party leaders rail against high taxes hurting Americans, I didn't hear them tell the crowd -- of which many are middle-class folks -- that their economic plan is to give tax breaks to the richest people in our state and to let corporations exploit our state resources like roads, bridges, and public education, all the while dodging the taxes that pay for these public services through setting up phony post office box headquarters in other states.

I heard TEA Party talkers complain about the bank bailouts, but nothing about the massive banking deregulation which helped cause the reckless behavior of Wall Street bankers and speculators that destroyed the housing market and cost so many Americans the roof over their heads.

I also heard a lot about voting out incumbents. "Every single one of them." But not if they're Republicans. In fact, while the TEA Party may have suffered a serious blow with the passing of health reform, they really have their sights set on November 2010 and beyond.

In the middle of the workday on April 15, Party leaders in Wisconsin are organizing a Tax Day TEA Party at our State Capitol in Madison. While I'm sure a good number of people will show up to listen to what TEA Party leaders have to say, the truth is most people will be at work or at home looking for the work they lost as a result of conservative economic policies that benefit big business and the wealthiest individuals.

It's for these people that my friends and I are organizing a mobile message board to send personal messages to the TEA Party on April 15. We are encouraging folks to go to our website www.onewisconsinnow.org and tell the TEA Party why America works.

The middle class didn't happen by accident. It was created because Americans made public investment a priority and because our laws protected working families. As long as the TEA Party is fueled by corporate profits and conservative intolerance, it will remain isolated and marginalized.

And it will be up the rest of us to protect the America we love.

Cody Oliphant is the Research Assistant for One Wisconsin Now (http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/) a progressive advocacy organization whose vision is a Wisconsin with equal economic opportunity for all.

One Wisconsin Now is a new-media online network of citizens from across Wisconsin committed to advancing progressive policy, leadership, values and ensuring equal economic opportunity for all.

Author shares true story of Middle East experiences

April 8, 2010 – An American woman follows her heart to a new life in the Middle East, embracing the culture and the people, only to end up fleeing the region to escape the man who brought her there. Area native Nancy Wall shares her harrowing story when she visits the Oshkosh Public Library on April 14 for an author talk and book signing at 7 p.m.

Wall will discuss her book, Pulled by the Heart: A woman’s real-life story of living and escaping the Middle East. A Valley native who today splits her time between Neenah and Chicago, Wall spent 10 years in the Middle East, starting in Lebanon and later moving to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi on the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. She became a Muslim to marry her Syrian husband, embracing the culture of the local people and quickly learning the language.

The book is an insider’s account – more personal and descriptive of everyday life than a basic travelogue. Life was no fairy tale amid Beruit’s bloody civil war and later, the sand dunes, camels and riches of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. But Wall thrived in the land of nomads and millionaires until a sudden change in her husband threatened her life and the lives of her two children.

“This is an amazing story of a woman who summons the courage to plan an escape, knowing that one misstep will get her killed,” says Janice Dibble, Head of Reference and Adult Services.

“As the story progresses, Nancy’s experiences are riveting and it really is difficult to tear yourself away from the book.”

Wall’s visit comes during National Library Week, April 11-17. This year’s theme is “Communities Thrive @ Your Library.” Bringing authors and readers together is one of the many ways the Oshkosh Public Library contributes to a thriving community.

“Fostering an appreciation for literature and the art of storytelling is one of the things that the library does that enriches our community,” Dibble explains. “Meeting the person behind the story and learning about their creative process enhances the reading experience.”

Copies of Pulled by the Heart: A woman’s real-life story of living and escaping the Middle East, will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Read Dibble’s review of the book and link to the author’s web site at http://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/. For additional information about the library event, call 236-5205.

Governor Doyle approves $2,298,994 project at Wittman Regional Airport

Governor Jim Doyle has approved $2,298,994 to complete the reconstruction of runway 18/36 at the Wittman Regional Airport, in Oshkosh. The Governor’s action releases $57,475 in state funds for the project and Winnebago County is contributing another $57,475. The Federal Aviation Administration is providing the remaining $2,184,044. U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl and U.S. Rep. Thomas Petri were instrumental in securing the FAA funding needed for these projects.

According to Terry Ripp, airport engineering specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the funding is for the second phase of the runway reconstruction project. Funding for the first phase was approved in January of this year.

The first phase of the runway reconstruction project will be complete and open to air traffic in time for the EAA AirVenture in July. The second phase will start in August and is expected to be completed by the end of November 2010.

Facilities at Wittman Regional Airport include four paved runways that accommodate over 92,000 aircraft take-offs and landings each year. The airport also hosts the annual AirVenture event (formerly called the EAA Fly-In), which attracts more than 10,000 aircraft and over half a million people each year.

Construction Set to Begin on Oakwood Road Detention Basin

(Oshkosh, WI.) The city of Oshkosh would like to notify residents that initial construction on the Oakwood Road Detention Basin is scheduled to begin on April 12, 2010. In addition to the construction of the basin there will be some lane restrictions on Oakwood Road to upgrade the storm sewer system.

The purpose of the Oakwood Road Detention Basin is to provide water quality and flood reduction benefits in the Sawyer Creek watershed. The detention basin will serve an industrial 100 acre watershed.

The excavation and restoration on the project is scheduled to be completed by the middle of July. The final planting of the safety shelf area will be completed by the middle of September.

If you would like more information, please contact Public Works at (920) 236-5065.