WOW, What A GREAT Idea

Thanks for the tip Owen at B & S.

From the Wausau Daily Herald.

Posted December 14, 2007EDITORIAL:
Senate to tear up school tax formula
Senate Democrats are making a revolutionary revision of school taxes in Wisconsin one of their top priorities for the coming session.

In a meeting Thursday with the Daily Herald's Editorial Board, Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker said he and his colleagues will introduce a measure exempting the first $60,000 of a home's value from local school taxes.

That would ease the burden on low- and middle-income folks but bring less money to school districts. To make up for the loss, tax rates on home values above $60,000 would be raised -- a rate that also would apply to commercial and industrial properties.

For example, the owner of a $150,000 home would pay no taxes on the first $60,000 of the home's value, but a higher rate on the remaining $90,000 of value.

Decker, a Weston Democrat, said details of the plan still are being worked out. But it's an intriguing idea.

Not too long ago, homeowners paid for about half of all local school costs. The other half was paid for by businesses, either directly through property taxes or indirectly through taxes on equipment and other property that was funneled through the state and then to districts.

Not anymore. Business lobbyists, arguing that the tax burden on them drives jobs out of Wisconsin, got many of those taxes repealed or reduced.

"The result is that today, homeowners pay about 70 percent of all school costs," Decker said. "We're just trying to restore some of the balance."

How much balance? Decker can't say.

The proposal hasn't been fleshed out enough for him to attach any sort of dollar amount to it -- he can't tell the owner of an $80,000 home how much he might save, or the owner of a $5 million business how much more she might pay.

But he said Democrats in the Senate are serious about the measure. When asked to name his top priorities for the coming term as majority leader, it was the first thing Decker mentioned.

It's worth noting that the measure doesn't address overall school spending. If a district collects $50 million in local property taxes today, it still would collect $50 million -- if all else remained the same -- if the proposal were enacted.

We'll withhold judgment until the Senate offers a final draft and we're all able to see what it means to individual property owners.

But homeowners feel, with more than a little justification, that they're getting hammered while big business is getting a cheaper and cheaper ride. If legislators can find a way to restore some balance without costing jobs or placing more of a burden on small businesses, they'll have achieved something.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker also told the Daily Herald's Editorial Board that he and his colleagues soon will advance a measure calling for public financing of state Supreme Court elections.

That can't happen a moment too soon.

Annette Ziegler, the most recent justice to assume a seat on the high court, is a poster candidate for public finance. Already she has admitted to violating ethical standards by ruling on cases in which she had a personal financial interest.

And on Wednesday, the Supreme Court deadlocked on a decision after Ziegler was forced to step aside because she had taken campaign money from lobbyists involved in the case at hand.

Again, Decker wasn't versed in the specifics of the plan. But it's insane to allow special interests to essentially buy seats on the state's final arbiter of disputes.

We look forward to hearing more on this topic from the Senate.

Wow, what a great idea!
How many tax payers in Wisconsin have a home for $60,000.00 or less?
So property owners would save on the first $60,000.00 and businesses would pick up the difference in their taxes.

Business taxes go up,
employers cut back on help,
employee's make less money
or worse yet get laid off,
employee's now out of work and collect unemployment,
Employers taxes go up again to pay for more unemployment benefits,
Employers go out of business or
move out of the state?

Where, when or how will it stop?

You people keep electing these tax and spend liberals and rino's.

You get what you vote for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(just like Pepsi Max) - WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can I Have One

From JS Online, MATC giving away wireless laptops. Geez,
with all the money being sucked out of the taxpayers in
the Milwaukee area , how can this happen. Even Germantown
wonders why they got them.

Timing of gift questioned
MATC gives computers to Germantown library
By TOM KERTSCHERtkertscher@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 14, 2007
Five years ago, after the Germantown village administrator complained about services being provided by Milwaukee Area Technical College, MATC responded by donating wireless laptop computers and related equipment worth $65,000 to the Germantown public library.

The computers weren't for use in any MATC courses, but rather for use by Germantown library patrons.
This week, without any request from Germantown, MATC gave the library 20 new laptops worth $30,000.

The new computers have some Germantown officials questioning the timing of the donation, given that Germantown is trying to secede from MATC because of rising property taxes.
Some also are asking how MATC can afford to give away nearly $100,000 in computer equipment that is not used for MATC instruction.

"Does MATC just have computers laying around?" Germantown School Board Vice President Michael Schultz said.
In the Waukesha County Technical College District, which Germantown is seeking to join instead of MATC, no new computers are donated to the community, and used ones are put up for bid.

"All of our equipment would be related to WCTC classrooms," said Ann Moore, a WCTC spokeswoman.
MATC's first donation of computers to the Germantown Community Library was made in 2002. It included 20 wireless laptops, two spare laptops, related equipment and $6,000 for tables and chairs, according to MATC records.

MATC President Darnell Cole asked the MATC board to approve the donation, saying Germantown's village administrator had "raised concerns about the type and quantity of services" the school was providing village residents.
The board approved the donation, which was to establish a learning center, although no promise of future computer donations was made, the records show.

Jim Gribble, MATC's marketing director, said the first donation was "viewed as a long-term commitment, and we are continuing to fulfill that" with the second donation.

"They were given to the library with the goal of generally enhancing learning opportunities for library patrons," he said.

According to Gribble, no approval from the MATC board was needed for this week's donation of HP Compaq business notebooks since it was a planned replacement of the first computers.
Germantown Village Trustee Mel Ewert said he recalls hearing talk of the second donation of computers before Germantown officials began considering a possible secession from MATC.

But other Germantown officials questioned the second donation.
"Interesting timing, I would say," Schultz said. "Were a donation offered to me at a time when we are thinking of severing our relationship, it would be hard to accept it."
Said School Board member Bruce Warnimont: "The timing speaks for itself."

At the urging of the Village Board, the Germantown School Board voted unanimously in September to seek to move Germantown from MATC to the Waukesha County Technical College District, which has a property tax rate that is about 60% of MATC's.

Germantown Village President Tom Kempinski said the computer donation would not discourage Germantown officials from proceeding with the secession petition.

He said, however, that MATC should pay more attention to Germantown, particularly if the secession petition fails.

"Efforts such as this would go a long way," he said of the computers. "Germantown has got to get something for all the dollars it contributes to MATC."

Gribble said that while MATC has not made similar donations of computers to other communities, it has established learning centers in other communities.
Michael Townsend, the new regional vice president of MATC's Mequon campus, said his campus is looking at offering workshops at the Germantown library.

I wonder if our local library should go to NWTC for new or even used Laptops or computers.

Hey what about the Gillett school board? Hey "wake up people" ( I like Pepsi Max) and ask NWTC for new or used computer equipment. Even if it is used, you still might get some use out of it.

It sure seems that when the jacked up our school taxes they could try to get something for free, Were paying taxes to the tech schools anyway.

The Blame Game

Can you believe the Washington Post wrote this article??????

Democrats Blaming Each Other For Failures
By Jonathan Weisman and Paul KaneWashington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, December 13, 2007; A01
When Democrats took control of Congress in January, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) pledged to jointly push an ambitious agenda to counter 12 years of Republican control.
Now, as Congress struggles to adjourn for Christmas, relations between House Democrats and their colleagues in the Senate have devolved into finger-pointing.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) accuses Senate Democratic leaders of developing "Stockholm syndrome," showing sympathy to their Republican captors by caving in on legislation to provide middle-class tax cuts paid for with tax increases on the super-rich, tying war funding to troop withdrawal timelines, and mandating renewable energy quotas. If Republicans want to filibuster a bill, Rangel said, Reid should keep the bill on the Senate floor and force the Republicans to talk it to death.
Reid, in turn, has taken to the Senate floor to criticize what he called the speaker's "iron hand" style of governance.
Democrats in each chamber are now blaming their colleagues in the other for the mess in which they find themselves. The predicament caused the majority party yesterday surrender to President Bush on domestic spending levels, drop a cherished renewable-energy mandate and move toward leaving a raft of high-profile legislation, from addressing the mortgage crisis to providing middle-class tax relief, undone or incomplete.
"If there's going to be a filibuster, let's hear the damn filibuster," Rangel fumed. "Let's fight this damned thing out."
In the past few weeks, the House has thrown wave after wave of legislation at the Senate -- on energy, Iraq war policy, the housing and mortgage crisis, and middle-income tax cuts offset largely by tax increases on the wealthy.
Most of it has died quietly, a predetermined fate that both sides could foresee before the first vote was cast. Yet they went ahead anyway. Just last night, the House, for a second time, passed legislation to stave off the growth of the alternative minimum tax, to be paid for by a measure to stop hedge fund managers from deferring compensation in offshore tax havens. Like the previous House version, it has virtually no chance of passing in the Senate.
Officially, House Democrats blame Senate Republicans, who have used parliamentary tactics to block even uncontroversial measures. But they are increasingly expressing public frustration with Reid and Senate Democrats for not putting up a better fight.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) called it a "hold and fold" strategy: Senate Republicans put a "hold" on Democratic bills, and Senate Democratic leaders promptly fold their tents.
Asked about his decision on government funding, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.) groused to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call: "I'll tell you how soon I will make a decision when I know how soon the Senate sells us out." Senate Democrats have fired back, accusing Pelosi and her liberal allies of sending over legislation that they know cannot pass in the Senate, and of making demands that will not gain any GOP votes. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) noted that, this summer, Reid employed just the kind of theatrics Rangel and other House Democrats are demanding, holding the Senate open all night, pulling out cots and forcing a dusk-till-dawn debate on an Iraq war withdrawal measure before a vote on war funding. Democrats gained not a single vote after the all-night antics.
"I understand the frustration; we're frustrated, too," Bayh said. "But holding a bunch of Kabuki theater doesn't get anything done."
As they wrap up their first year in control of the entire Capitol since 1994, Democrats are trying to prove that they can be an equal partner to Bush. But their first 11 months have been politically and legislatively brutal, with congressional approval ratings dropping this week to 32 percent, a notch below Bush's 33 percent, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Their support plummeted as the liberal base grew outraged over the Democratic inability to counter the president on any war issue, while moderates and centrists looking for bipartisan kitchen-table accomplishments instead saw partisan gridlock. The disputes have at times taken on starkly personal tones. In closed-door bicameral leadership meetings, Pelosi has questioned Reid's intentions on issues such as war funding tied to troop withdrawal timelines and an alternative minimum tax fix that is fully funded by tax increase offsets, suggesting that his words have not always matched his actions.
Reid has let his own frustration show. After Republican senators accused Pelosi of lying about her intentions on a comprehensive energy bill, the majority leader offered a backhanded defense.
"I can't control Speaker Pelosi," he said on the chamber floor. "I hope everybody understands that. She is a strong, independent woman. She runs the House with an iron hand. I support what she does, but no one needs to come and tell me I didn't keep my word."
Reid, the son of a hard-rock miner from a tiny, rural Nevada town, and Pelosi, the daughter of a mayor of Baltimore who married a multimillionaire and moved to San Francisco, have little in common on a personal level. They have what several lawmakers and aides describe as a formal, all-business relationship, one that involves little personal chit-chat when they sit down for their weekly meetings on Tuesday evenings.
Some days Reid and Pelosi get down to business and quickly settle cross-chamber disputes, but other times it requires a different touch to deliver certain messages. After Tuesday's Senate Democratic leadership meeting, Reid dispatched deputies to inform Pelosi that the Senate would not stand for the latest offer to eliminate earmarks, as well as all war funds, from a year-end omnibus spending package.
One of those instructed to talk to Pelosi was Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a fellow Bay Area liberal who is a close friend of the speaker's and engages her in a personal way that Reid never does.
While many House Democrats see Reid's decision-making process as mercurial, one Senate Democrat suggested that some lawmakers might confuse Reid's tone and brevity with lack of respect.
"When Harry's done talking, the conversation's over. Boom," the Democratic senator said, mimicking someone hanging up the phone.
A top aide said that Reid and the speaker have a "natural frustration" because of the limitations they face within their chambers, but that both blame Senate Republicans, who have routinely forced Reid to round up 60 votes -- to prevent a filibuster -- on everything from a contentious immigration bill to popular ethics legislation. Even on the best of days, Democrats hold just a 51 to 49 majority in the Senate.
"We understand the speaker can pass bills only with Democratic votes. And we know she understands the Constitution and the closely divided Senate requires Senator Reid to pick up 20 percent of Senate Republicans just to get a vote on something, let alone pass it," said Jim Manley, Reid's spokesman.
The 60-vote threshold has become the flashpoint for the intramural Democratic dispute.
Senate Democrats contend that their House counterparts simply do not understand the modern Senate when they badger Reid about holding all-night filibusters. In a series of 20th-century changes, Senate filibusters became a thing of the past. Rules pushed by senators seeking to pass civil rights legislation allow filibusters to be thwarted if 60 or more members vote to cut off the debate. As long as the minority party has 41 votes, it no longer has to hold the floor and talk a bill to death.
Republicans, who spent 12 years in similar battles, are just enjoying the spectacle.
"Just let 'em stew for a while," said soon-to-retire Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-Miss.), a veteran of the GOP's own squabbles.

Bush Vetoes SCHIP Bill Again

Was up in Houghton Mi. sitting in my hotel room, ( if you stay anywhere in the Houghton / Hancock area , stay at the Super 8, it's one clean classy place) watching the house on C Span debating the SCHIP Bill.

The Dem's were saying we need to give health care to the needy.

The republicans were saying why should we pay for adults!

Back and forth and back and forth. Then low and behold, it's DR K (Steve Kagen) throwing in his two cents. I nearly threw my phone at the T V!

Well, the bottom line is this was really the first time I seen Dr K in a long time.

The guy was lying through his teeth and spoke like some useless little dweed. Boy, I am really embarrassed to have this guy as my Representative. We need to replace him at the next election.

My thoughts are we need to take care of the poor children in this country but we do not need to cover family's to the age of 25.

Link from the Heritage Foundation.

This Is Good

From my buddy from Colorado!!

Subject: Fwd: Fw: The Only Time Using the "F" Word is Acceptable

The "F" Word
(Correct use of the "F" word)
When is @#$% Acceptable?

There have been only twelve times in history when the "F" word was considered acceptable for use.


They are as follows:


12. "What the @#$% do you mean, we are Sinking?"
-- Capt. E.J. Smith of RMS Titanic, 1912

11. "What the @#$% was that!?"
-- Mayor of Hiroshima , 1945

10. "Where did all those @#$%ing Indians come from?"
-- Custer, 1877

9. "Any @#$%ing idiot could understand that."
-- Einstein, 1938


8. "It does so @#$%ing look like her!"
-- Picasso, 1926


7. "How the @#$% did you work that out?"
-- Pythagoras, 126 BC

6. "You want WHAT on the @#$%ing ceiling?"
Michelangelo, 1566!

5. "Where the @#$% am I?"
-- Amelia Earhart, 1937

4. "Scattered @#$%ing showers, my ass!"
Noah, 4314 BC

3. "Aw c'mon. Who the @#$% is going to find out?"
Bill Clinton, 1998

2. "What do you mean there is no @%#*ing key to my ankle bracelet?"

Martha Stewart, 2005


And a drum roll please...... ......!















1. "Geez, I didn't think they'd get this
@%#*^ing mad."
Saddam Hussein,2003


Ya Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, that's right thr Iraq war is lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Packer / Cowboy Joke

Got this from my friend in Colorado through e mail.

Sorry Owen and Jed but I thought it was worth the post!


After today's Packer win, I thought about the following joke that I received several days ago. So here goes the story.

God asks Peyton Manning first: "What do you believe?"

Peyton thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, "I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans."

God can't help but see the essential goodness of Manning, and offers him a seat to his left.

Then God turns to Tony Romo and says, "What do you believe?"

Tony says, "I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I've always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields."

God is greatly moved by Tony's sincere eloquence, and offers him a seat to his right.

Finally, God turns to Brett Favre: "And you, Brett, what do you believe?"

Brett replies, "I believe you're in my seat."

I'm a Catholic so for you that thinks this isn't funny, get a life.

I pray often and I do not think my Creator cares.

I think that our Father is with us. Go Pack!

Lake Linden Michigan

Just got back from my sales run in the U P ( upper Michigan to you libs.).

Wait, you lib's should know who Granholm is!

She raised almost all their taxes this past year!!!!

Lake Linden has had 79 inch. of snow so far this year,

WOW. No, it didn't look like 79 inch's.

Sorry I don't have a lab top and can't plug in up north.

The people in the U P are sure GREAT people . THANK YOU.

A Good Comment

An E Mail I received ,
I always liked Ben Stein.
Was surprised he was a speech writer for President Nixon.

Subject:
An eloquent comment.
from CBS Sun morn
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.
And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees.
I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me.
I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.
In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.
It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu.
If people want a cross, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't Think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.
I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.
I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country.
I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come From that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick And Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke;
it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her
"How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.
She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly Backed out.
How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.
I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.
The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem
(Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).
We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong,
And why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.
I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe,
or what they will think of you for sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did.
But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards. Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein