first published on WIvoices.org
- 1.5 tons - total weight of the paper petitions delivered by truck today
- 16,700 - average number of people who signed every day for 60 days
- 20,000 - number of petitions downloaded in the first 48 hours
- 30,000 - number of grassroots volunteers circulating the petitions
- 50,000 - number of people who signed in the first 2 days
- 540,208 -number of signatures needed statewide to trigger election
- 1 million + – number of signatures submitted to the GAB on 1/17/12
- Summer – special election; Incumbent Scott Walker and challenger
Hundreds of thousands of protestors have descended on the Capitol in Madison, WI in the last year. Tens of thousands of volunteers have mobilized petition drives, meetings, and rallies in their own communities. Numerous reports in the media cite “dislike” of Gov. Walker or single issue reasons such as the collective bargaining roll back as driving factors fueling the recall. Although these reasons would be legally sufficient under Wisconsin’s constitutional right to recall, I have found public discontent to be much more multifaceted than these often used examples. After 8 months of collecting interviews and posting reports from people around the state, I have found the issues to be as diverse as the people themselves.
Concerned citizens have spoken about topics ranging from diminished access to and rising costs of health care, voting rights, environmental deregulation, child protection, competent leaders, education, farming, cronyism, women’s health/reproductive issues, campaign finance, Supreme Court impropriety, workplace environment including safety and intimidation, college tuition, election fraud, jobs, livable wages, immigrant issues, human rights, democracy, favoritism, inner city isolationism, gun control, Native American treaty rights, mass transit, corporate influence, 2-party system, unemployment, collective bargaining, corruption, deportation, poverty, incarceration, WI retirement system, access to elected leaders and Capitol building, fair taxation, equitable funding, hunting, state park system, nutrition, privatization, mining and fracking, working government, 99% issues, protecting the vulnerable, Wisconsin’s legacy, and more…
Here is a recap of some of WI Voices interviews from this past year.
“Frank”
lost Badgercare; livable wages; fair taxation; retirement
inner city isolationism; equitable government; competent leaders
family farmers; corporate influence; favoritism; livable wages
health care; independence; equitable gov’t
correctional officer; privatization; collective bargaining, livable wages
visibility in government; worker’s rights; democracy; access to Capitol
equal protection and rights; child protection; immigrant issues; deportation
government corruption; education; transparency; democracy
Social Services; child nutrition; fair funding; protecting the vulnerable
collective bargaining; workplace environment; education; fairness
democracy; working government; voting rights
99% issues;WI legacy; transparency; education
Gov. Walker Supporters; fair taxation; corporate influence; democracy
voting rights; human rights; working government
preserving Wisconsin; protecting the vulnerable; education
WI legacy; mass transit; protecting the vulnerable; livable wage
child protective services; workplace environment; livable wage
———————————————————————————————————
For more stories from regular people in Wisconsin, check out WI Voices TV.
Here are two other stories from produced by grassroots upstarts:
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Ann Nichols
Lynette Stark
Chicago Guy
Daniel Geery
Desnee Flakes
Chauncey DeVega
Salon.com
Comments
Onwards ~
Bravo Wisconsin! Good luck and get out and vote!
--r--
Hate to say democracy works.. but, maybe
I'd say Scotty's about to be "Badgered." I hope that soured HIS morning coffee!
rated
I just heard the signature count was over 1.9 million!
On Wisconsin!
There were recall parties all over the state tonight. The Irish Bars in most cities are supportive of the progressive movement, with names like Kellahers, Paddy Ryans, etc...
UPDATE: All 4 GOP senators facing recalls also had enough signatures collected to trigger those elections as well today. After the initial wave of 9 recall elections during the summer of 2011, the GOP state majority shrank from 19-14 to 17-16. If even one senator loses his recall election, that split will switch sides.
JSonline had this to say:
"For the Senate recalls, the numbers of valid signatures needed vary between 14,958 and 16,742 for each district. For Fitzgerald, a group filed 20,600 signatures. State Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate said volunteers had gathered even more signatures for other senators - over 21,000 for Pam Galloway of Wausau, over 21,000 for Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls and over 24,000 for Van Wanggaard of Racine."
This story is simply another example of the greed of public employees. For more concrete evidence of their greed, take a look at the following wages and benefits for the 9 months of work Wisconsin teachers provide.
Milwaukee $86,297
Elmbrook $91,065
Germantown $83,818
Hartland Arrwhd $90,285
Men Falls $81,099
West Bend $82,153
Waukesha $92,902
Sussex $82,956
Mequon $95,297
Kettle Mor $87,676
Muskego $91,341
I am THRILLED that the fight goes on and that SCOTT WALKER WILL BE RECALLED!
I remember when former California Gov. Gray Davis was recalled in 2003 by the right wing with no just cause. So it's GREAT to see a bad, right-wing governor being recalled WITH just cause!
The Repugnicans saw a shot at running Hollywood action star Schwarzenegger in a do-over election and thus they initiated the recall of Davis. California's constitution does not require proof of any wrongdoing for an elected official to be recalled -- only enough signatures.
I lived through this bit of California history, so it's annoying to read someone get it so wrong.
My theory was that the Repubs were sore about losing the Governor's chair to Davis, so they manufactured a crisis to get rid of him. In Wisconsin, Walker jumped in with both feet and started pissing off his whole state barely a month into his term. All he needs to know about why this is happening to him is right in Heidi's post, above.
Sorry. I have little faith in the integrity of this "act of democracy."
I know teachers in Austin / TX do not make that kind of money.
♥║╔═╗║║║║║║╔══╣╔══╣╔╗╔╗║♥
♥║╚══╣║║║║║╚══╣╚══╬╝║║╚╝♥
♥╚══╗║╚╝╚╝║╔══╣╔══╝─║║
♥║╚═╝╠╗╔╗╔╣╚══╣╚══╗─║║
♥╚═══╝╚╝╚╝╚═══╩═══╝─╚ For sharing this moment in history with us.
Lefty ~ how are your efforts going out West? Keep me in the loop ~
Thoth ~ thanks for coming by so often, it is so appreciated ~
Margaret ~ I heard that # too, and was shocked. However, I think that some of those figures are for the other recalls of GOP senators that are occurring at the same time. There will be 6 special elections this summer: Walker, his Lt. Governor, and also 4 GOP senators that support him. It gets very confusing…this democracy thing…
JF – willful ignorance, coupled with the drive to misinform the public, was one of the factors leading me to collect first hand accounts from people on the ground here. The numbers you include are intentionally misleading and you did not cite your source. My guess is that the figures you used included the VALUE of health insurance/pension/retirement which does not pay the bills. It is as if someone added the value of your car and home to your yearly salary. Shameful distraction.
Razzle, Jonathan, Erika ~ thanks so much for reading and coming by, it really encourages us.
Robert ~ thank-you for your comment and also for correcting the misinformation of other commenters on this thread. The only way to combat their propaganda is with regular stories (which they never listen to) but other people see them for what they really are. I actually feel embarrassed for them.
Bob – Yah! Our trusted neighbors ~ in Chicago, you live closer to Madison than I do ~ take advantage!
John ~ we went to an Irish bar and celebrated w/ local “agitators”. It was a blast. That cold IS going around…we’ve got it too. Keep me in the loop w/ Mad Town stuff…
Shiral – I’m going to have to do research on that election, now that we are facing one here…good info and ALWAYS good to hear from you my friend ~
joseph S – I included a link to WI Recall election rules in the post. Here it is again for easy finding:
http://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2011/11/13/the-original-intent-of-the-recall-power/
The Gov’t Accountability Board scans in all 3000 pounds worth of paper and cross checks names/addresses….etc. the process is detailed and proven to be reliable. In addition, 5000 + GOP supporters has volunteered to help verify petitions, so they will be studied meticulously by everyone.
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/dataondemand/33534649.html
Check out the link above to read that Milwaukee has $56,095 as the average salary. As you can see, JF’s numbers were $30,000 off.
In addition, A University of Illinois expert in employment relations and labor economics, Craig A. Olson, conducted a study in early 2011 that found:
“from 1995-2009, the average private-sector college graduate saw his/her weekly earnings increase by 10 percent after accounting for inflation. In contrast, from 1995 to 2010 the average teacher in Wisconsin saw his/her salary (without fringe benefits) decline by 10 percent after accounting for inflation”
. . .
“In 1995 the average college educated private sector worker in the U.S. earned 17 percent more than a Wisconsin teacher and in 2009 this gap had increased to 36 percent.”
____________
Algis ~ How did you do that font in the comments! That made my day! I am so behind in technology…thanks for taking the time to do that, loved it so much…
I agree, health benefits “don’t pay the bills”. Would you rather the taxpayers pay the bills so that teacher can pay out of pocket for their healthcare? I didn’t think so.
Look, the teachers asked for gold plated benefits and now you want to act like those benefits don’t cost taxpayers a healthy sum. The way I look at, it the only person being intentionally misleading or distributing propaganda is you for attempting to discredit the inconvenient truths about teacher compensation and benefits.
http://open.salon.com/blog/y_heron/2012/01/19/watch_live_webcam_of_walker_petitions_being_counted
I looked at he spreadsheet as well a the search feature.
I must say the numbers are higher than I expected.
The average average pay teacher is making 50K. The average high pay is 63K. The average fringe is 25K.
I assume this does not include summer. How long is summer school and how much extra does it pay?
I have to say I am surprised. If fringe is retirement and health care it seems high. Almost 50% of salary for fringe.
My employer pays 5% of salary into a cash balance retirement. Not a lifetime pension. Add 3% for matching in 401K and that is 8%. It is not possible that heath care and life insurance can cost my employer 42% of my salary. What esle if anything in in fringe?
A couple more questions?
What does is the "Full time equivalency" mean?
What are the basic details of the retirement pay calculation?
Can teachers retire at 30 years and/or 55 years old?
Do teachers pay into and/or get SS or is there different plan?
I don't find the numbers shockingly low at all. Except the low 30K numbers I assume are new teachers or maybe part time.
I have to say. I expect teacher to be paid decently because they teach our kids. I also expect good teachers. If these same numbers apply to some other public jobs I would not be too happy.
Also the highest paid administrator is taking home 265K + 77K fringe. I find this difficult to justify.
r
Health Care in Wisconsin is not a product of just Scott Walker, but our current president of the U.S. I don't see anyone wanting to impeach him ?
If you want affordable health care then help stop health care fraud that totals more than 60 billion in a year.