Wis. Dems in Ill. vow to fight gov's budget plan

[steve2470]

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/wisconsin&id=7988760

March 1, 2011 (GRAYSLAKE, Ill.) (WLS) -- Wisconsin's Gov. Scott Walker presented a budget Tuesday that would cut $1.5 billion from education and aid to local governments.


Fourteen Democratic senators from Wisconsin have been in Illinois for 12 days trying to prevent a vote on the collective bargaining issue.

A few of the Democrats gathered at a hotel in north suburban Grayslake to listen as Walker outlined the two-year budget.

"It was more that he put this out as saying theres is no negotiations on this budget repair bill, and really through out the negotiating table wanted to ram this thing through, and we said, that is not how we operate, that's not democracy. And we've been able to slow it down and bring attention to it," said State Sen. Chris Larson ( D), Wisconsin.

[howaboutme]

1. We can not continue to cover up the budget problems

which means we must start demanding that the rich and Wall St and the bankers and corporations and others with massive amounts of wealth start paying their fair share of taxes.

[nebenaube]

2. Yes, hold the line...

snip

On to Page Three of Governor Walker’s Budget Bill, third paragraph from the top, there is very interesting language that leads to the very important question for Governor Walker. The paragraph mandates that a study of the existing Wisconsin Retirement System be performed and it must “specifically address establishing a defined contribution plan as an option for WRS participating employees” and the deadline for completing this study is June 30, 2012. I don’t think that Walker would be adding retirement benefits for workers - so I am wondering if the Republican Governors that are trying to get rid of collective bargaining of retirement benefits, so that they can terminate the existing plans and recover excess assets for their state balance sheets.

If Governor Walker’s bill passes, and collective bargaining of retirement benefits is eliminated, then next year Governor Walker can decide it is in Wisconsin’s best interests to get rid of the existing plan and replace it with something less valuable for the employees. And the employees would have no say and no one can keep Walker from raiding your retirement savings.

Again, hard-working Americans are getting the short end of the stick. Do you think this is the American Way? We need to ask Governor Walker if he is planning to get rid of the existing Wisconsin Retirement System and raid your retirement plan!

more:
http://kristenemery.com/2011/02/23/does-governor-scott-walker-have-a-smoking-gun-buried-in-the-budget-bill/

Walker is going to go Gordon Gekko on the WRS pension plan.

[drm604]

3. I don't unstand why no one is paying attention to this story.

You've posted about it several times and I started a thread on it but it's just not getting anyone's attention. This is important and it's being ignored.