I have never made any hate filled comments. You must have me confused with someone else. The only reason you don't want to debate is that you have no facts with which to debate. Good try with the liberal tactic of attacking your opponent rather than using facts.

And you're "free" from your commanders on the right, hey shrek? Spreading the hate-filled comments? Uh huh. I don't need to debate ANYTHING with a person like you. I win everytime!!

Sherm,
Actually I don't read or listen to any of the shows you listed. I prefer to get my information via reading proposed legislation, serving my community and being involved in grass roots efforts.
***
When you want to bring a true debate, feel free. But from your comments, it is obvious you do not have the ammunition to put up much of a fight. Quit being a tool of the your leftist masters, read something once in a while and become educated in the issues that affect our country.

Yeah, Shrek, I guess Professors Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and Sykes have not taken your tuition payments directly, but you have CERTAINLY become one of the good sheep going around sharing their message of growth. And I just won the lottery.

Mooshoo, Gandalf,
Please show facts that disprove what I stated. I guarantee you dont have any. Typical liberal tactic, try to discredit the individual so that you dont have to argue the facts. You are both full of S**T.
***
I will debate either of you anytime and I will beat you down with facts and figures that I can back up with numerous studies. Unlike you, I take the time to be educated on the issues and make informed decisions.

What would the projected budget deficit be if the JSD was subject to Act 10 this year? Has the Administration done that math? Just curious what the impact would be.

Fear, way to make sparkling generalizations (Stereotype), and assuming you are coorect with the tax thing, not only was a different time and growth, but you are assuming that there are no other variables but the tax rate that cause everything to be good. Don't forget the y2k scare that had tons of people buying up stuff in surplus because they were scared of the crashing of computers. you don't think that boosted anything (consumer spending). The Iraq war, you don't think that had anything to do with things. The bank buyout, the auto buyout, the failed green businesses. The gas prices being way high. Jobs moving overseas. I guess it all rests on the tax rate. You are right. We are all wrong. We need to stop the reactive change, and start looking at the proactive change. Being reactive all the time is counter productive. I think that is where you stand haveing to react to all the posts on here. Your credibility is gone and you will never gain it unless you try to respect people a bit. You would actually be a great campaign manager that deals with the attack adds on TV. I think that you are in the wrong profession.

""Lets pretend you are queen for a day-how much should the local tax payers spend per child per year?""
If I were KING for a day I would tell you there is no number attached to it. I think those of you that piss and moan about the number need to realize that like EVERYTHING on Earth inflation affects how many dollars we spend, because the dollar is worth so much less. I would beg for more spending accountablility but not at the cost of acting as if Teachers making 50-75 grand a year are somehow upper class citizens, what a freaking joke! Costs rise with inflation like EVERYTHING!! When the cost of everything on Earth starts going down then we can spend less, but teachers are so freaking underpaid for what they do its unbelievable. I really wish there was a good system for holding them all more accountable but havent heard it yet.
TCB- I would also ask you , since we now pay the LOWEST taxes per capita in over 60 years, how is that working out? Since the Bush tax cts what direction has the economy gone since the tax rates of the horribly depressed Clinton years were slashed? Since all of you conservatives are nothing more than tax hawks that would like to privatize everything , EXCEPT companies in the private sector(SHINE) please answer me a question. In the last 20 years at what point were we most prosperous as a nation for the longest period of time? 8 years of Clinton (higher rates), 8 years of Bush (lower rates) , or 4 years of Obama (lower rates). Easy answer if youre being honest. What works better little higher taxes, or low taxes and NO regulatory environment? What I cannot figure out is why you so-called free marketeers are so anti-government, UNTIL a business needs(or extrorts) MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars.
On one hand you hate big government when it comes to Teachers, Young people, poor people, and elderly people(also poor). And on the other hand we MUST give millions and millions of taxpayer dollars to companies who want to move here? Seems a lot like the government picking winners and losers to me, i.e. socialism. Corporate socialism is okay, but programs to help people is WELFARE? Buncha damn hypocrites if you ask me.
Free-market capitalism is nothing more than social communism, you fools are simply too blinded by partisan ideology to see it. Please keep whining about high taxes while corporations pay no taxes and get government gifts on top of it!! Un be freaking lievable!!
Talk about double dipping!! We live in a society where corporations are people and they also get away with us paying for them to operate, talk aboutr an entitlement!!! Gotta love conservative zombies.

Realist, Are you assuming that the poor did nothing to get there. I was poor once due to my own mistakes, and it was up to me to get myself out of poor. It is a proven stat. The longer that you give people things, the longer they will take. I do believe that we need programs to help the poor. The unfortunate part, is the programs we have now are keeping people poor. It is unsastainable to keep giving. Your blinders must be on. Repubs do care about the poor, and less fortunate, that is why they are trying to not let the country go broke, like the current administration is now. They are not blocking the keystone pipeline that would employ tons of people, and they are not the ones who tried to stop Boeing from moving to a different state. Businesses employ people. They get their checks and then spend. Why do you hate the people who employ you? Obamacare gets rid of Medicare part C, but if a repub was to cut that part, they would be hated. You must not be a realist.

The Obamas increased the amount they gave to charity when their income rose in 2005 and 2006 after the Illinois senator published a bestselling book. The $137,622 they gave over those two years amounted to more than 5 percent of their $2.6 million income.
Romney charitable contributions
Tax year Taxable income Charitable donations Donations as % of income
2010 $21.7 million $2.98 million 13.73%
2011 (est) $20.9 million $4 million 19.14%
-- Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush.
-- Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average.
-- In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent.
-- People who reject the idea that "government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality" give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

Gandalf,

Why do you believe that conservatives give less than liberals Proof has been provided or is someone still talking out of their behind? Perhaps you have published data stating otherwise? If so please provide a link to review your data.

Conservatives measure success by how many people get off the free ride.

Kay
"We need to replace these people with conservatives who care about the poor and middle class."
You are kidding me right? Find one and I will vote for them. Slashing programs for the poor and education and not wanting some to have health care is really caring about the poor. Lets take the blinders off and realize they care about big business and not paying taxes. If you can't see that you are completly worthless to even talk to.

fear, I see you missed one
http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/obama-spendin...
He sure seems to want to help education...In JORDAN!!!
When the current administration is doing this, then they need to be replaced.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/article...

Conservative gave more 5 years ago and today. They are happier too. :)

Arthur Brooks, the author of "Who Really Cares," says that "when you look at the data, it turns out the conservatives give about 30 percent more." He adds, "And incidentally, conservative-headed families make slightly less money."

Gandalf,

Here is a hint: Google George WIll and you will find your answer, Now please provide a proof source the liberals give more to charity than conservatives.....

dtb
explain to me why then, under Obama, there is more unemployment, more welfare, and less middle class?
I call this plantation politics. Only a liberal progressive markist administration would actually advertise people to embrace welfare and join on the free ride ticket.

Conservatives measure success by how many people get off the free ride.

Actually I would say it is progressives that care very little for the poor and middle class. The policies that they promote perpetuate poverty and bring down the majority of the middle class while bringing benefit to a select few "favored" groups. (ie: unions workers)

In contrast, conservatives tend to promote programs that allow a person to have upward mobility through their own efforts. We also look to eliminate waste in social programs in order to provide a higher level of benefit to the ones that truly need the help. Conservatives also give a much higher percentage of their incomes to charity and volunteer their time than liberals.

You may not believe what I have said, but the facts and statistics back it up.

Compassion for the poor cannot be measured by the amount you give to governement. It is measured by the outcome of our efforts. History has shown that the most effective charities are the ones that are supported by private donations, a high level of volunteer involvement and a low level of government intrusion.

@dtb: Yes liberals like Obama cares soooooo much for the poor & middle class. His great healthcare law is nothing more than a tax hike on the poor because that's right - no Medicaid expansion. So Robinhoodesque. Not. Lol.

"conservatives who care about the poor and middle class"

I assure you this does not exist.

Scranton Mayor Slashes Pay for all City Workers, incl. Police and fFrefighters to Minimum Wage by D. Stableford, The Lookout, July 11, 2012: Cash-strapped Scranton, Pennsylvania has slashed pay for all city employees, incl. police and firefighters, to minimum wage, sparking furor among unions that now say they plan to sue in federal court. Last week, Doherty abruptly cut pay for all 398 city employees to $7.25 per hour, saying it was the only way to keep Scranton solvent. According to the paper, Scranton, which faces a $16.8 million budget deficit, had $133,000 in cash on hand as of Monday, but owed $3.4 million in various vendor bills, including health insurance.

Sherm,
You speak of wanting compromise, but where was the compromise from the unions for the last decade. Obviously you never were part of negotiations with public unions. Had you been, you would understand that it is the unions that refused to compromise due to laws that gave them the upper hand. The implementation of Act 10 was the result of the unions' unwillingness to compromise. It was necessary to do it this way because of the unions' stubborness.

shermd71
headline: Act 65 was enacted so they could re-open contracts and Janesville failed as did Milwaukee and Kenosha and hundreds of teachers were laid off. Now they want more tax money...liberals, go figure?

Why does anyone need a union? One word - SCRANTON.

Kaysbrew, I'll give you a headline............A contract with the JEA and SDJ Board of Education was agreed upon LONG BEFORE Walker's agenda took hold. Thus, the JEA and SDJ BOE agreed to a FOUR-YEAR contract. I know that a contract means ZERO to you Republicans on here, but it's a BINDING agreement until June 30, 2013.

shermd71
allow me to give you a headline.

Walker wins!

Janesville board needs to embrace Act 10 or be replaced.

You proved my point, 916. Thanks for helping me show the demonstration that you and the COUNTLESS Republicans on these blogs know ZERO about compromise!!

Yeah 916, it's GREAT when 46% of the state despises his policies. And the MAIN reason that the recall failed is that those "swing" voters were against a recall without illegal activities. That does NOT mean they supported his policies. Even so, his policies got us in the bottom one-fifth of the country in job creation for the 2011 year. So, you guys on the right have that going for you, which I guess is nice. Sounds like a REAL winner.

Let's see, Maine2010, why do we need unions? It's 2012, not 1953. Well, where do I start with this moronic comment? First, unions have protected the working environments for ALL people against unfair labor practices, safer working conditions, and due process prior to getting terminated. Unions gave this country a 40-hour work week, overtime, a living wage for middle class employees, and SOOO MANY more things that I can't even list all of them here. Try and do a little research about the purpose of unions prior to putting up your anti-union garble. I find it laughable that you union bashers and Republican supporters on here cry about your taxes going to children's education. Who paid for your education? I know, you all went to a private school, so your parents did. Right. I wish our grandparents would have challenged the educational system in the past. Maybe even stopped wanting to fund it like you sheep talk about now. Then, we'd REALLY have the uneducated society that many of you on the right crave.

sherm......Get off of your high horse there buddy! The only reason the Democrats wanted compromise at this point is because they lost control over our state's government. Why should Walker have had to compromise his beliefs or agenda at all? The majority of our state's voters let both political parties know--with two different elections--that they stood behind Walker. It cracks me up how the libs whine about compromise and negotiation when they lose control, but when Doyle and the democrats were ramming though legislation with every Republican voting against it, they didn't see that as a problem at all.......It's really nice to see how things have turned around:)

Raystone wrote: "Janesville teacher's union can open the contract and solve the budget problem today."
------------------
Why do teachers need a union? This is 2012, not 1953. In 1953, 36% of private-sector workers were union members, by 2008, less than 8% were. Why should taxpayers have to pay teachers excessive compensation so that teachers can afford to pay union dues, which means the taxpayers are forced to support unions? Millions of homes are still going into foreclosure and most because taxpayers cannot afford the property taxes. Property tax reform is going to happen and that means a huge cut in public sector pay. Proof - This is the agenda in Madison today:
2012 Wisconsin Real Estate and Economic Outlook Conference
Building a Housing Policy That Works
June 1, 2012, Fluno Center, Madison, Wisconsin
With budget battles looming and the presidential election already in full swing, 2012 is sure to have monumental implications for housing policy. Unfortunately, developing and advancing bipartisan solutions to fix the nation’s ongoing housing challenges have proven difficult in today’s highly polarized political environment. But housing is not only a basic human need—it is also a critical element of our economy. Now more than ever is the time to take a fresh look at this issue and consider these questions:
• What policies should the current or the next administration implement to design a healthy, responsible, functioning, and efficient housing market?
• What are the key lessons from past housing programs and policies such as HAMP and HAFA? How can we apply those lessons to future policy prescriptions?
• What are the best solutions for addressing the massive inventories of vacant properties due to foreclosures?
• Will the recent $26 billion multi-state mortgage settlement against big banks help struggling homeowners?
• What are the potential outcomes of GSE reform? What are the right roles for lenders, capital markets, regulators, insurers, servicers, governmental entities, and consumers to play?
• What options will Americans of modest means have in regard to their housing needs?
This conference will present varied perspectives and analysis on these issues while stimulating ideas on how to spur the housing market and get the U.S. economy back on track for solid growth. You will hear from experts from the public and private sectors who are involved in government, business, and academia—all of them are on the front lines of housing market research, policy, and practice.

Raystone, I am 100% sure that if you were ORDERED to open your mortgage or rental agreement to pay MORE, you would say no just like the JEA. Again, an AGREED upon contract means NOTHING to Republican sheep. Just cutting programs and services at ANY cost.

No RichE, the Democrats WANTED to come to the table. Did Walker, Vos, Darling, and the Fitz boys move ONE INCH to NEGOTIATE? I know, that's a word that is NOT in the Republican's dictionary. The cost of the recalls should be JUST AS MUCH on the Republicans who REFUSED to compromise than just blame the Democrats. Good try though.

FEAR,

If raising taxes has no impact on economic activity-why not really soak it to business?

Also, are you of the opinion that spending 10,000 per child per class is not enough? Lets pretend you are queen for a day-how much should the local tax payers spend per child per year? And how should we measure the return on this investment?

Other cities in Wisconsin are getting tax decreases thanks to Walker and Act 10.
We need to replace these people with conservatives who care about the poor and middle class.

Please conservatives when you're ready to talk spending cuts I'll listen for sure. Cutting essential social programs while pork is alive and well not only at home, but in our oversized unnecessarily large military that is filled with no bid contracts handing political gifts to donors and contractors that extort politicians .
Left right or indifferent, the rhetoric that is being bought and sold at the expense of kids and elderly Americans. Slashing spending is fine but please the spending that needs the most cutting is either ignored or pushed aside in the conservative marching orders. Free marketeers also should be against the billions in corporate welfare that's doled out, year after year. Cut schools but bribing companies like shine to come here with tax dollars is okay? HYPOCRITES.

Properly taxes are too high? Maybe the66% of businesses in Wisconsin that pay no state income tax could help us out there. Instead people on here just want all taxes low and education and other services cut to the bone. Simply because they got theirs and no one else should, pathetic.
Jv93~youve been hannitized you parrot.
Just so were clear I chastised MSNBC as well not just fox. MSNBC isn't the one that CLAIMSto be fair and balanced. Fox gets ratings by claiming to attack the "biased" media? Talk about hypocritical? Good lord

Janesville teacher's union can open the contract and solve the budget problem today.

One side won't come to the table? Assuming you are trying to say that side is the left, that leads me to believe that you are incapable of looking at anything fairly. The Republicans have been the party of no, the party of filibusters since Obama took office, so spare me the rhetoric.
Ran on no pork? Was that McCain? Or possibly any of a hundred Republican representatives that request earmarks for HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. yeah its all Obama and the Democrats. Puh leese.

Don't count on it bill. Until we find a better funding formula for schools, we'll have more of the same.

One more school year until the union contract expires. Then, Act 10 becomes a factor. Perhaps the endless hand wringing over school board budget deficits can finally come to an end then.

916, while Wisconsin pays one of the highest property taxes, it needs to be considered that Wisconsin does not charge taxes on food and there are no toll roads. When comparing WI to other states those factors should be included and it levels the playing field.

fear,

you sight a bunch of earmarks. Wasn't it the Obama who promised and campaigned on eliminating earmarks? Yes it was. Didn't he also promise to allow 5 days so that his subjects-also known as the people could direct the sausage before congress voted on these important pieces of pork? Yes he did.

None of this has anything to do with Janesville school board or the deficit they face-unless you believe the federal and state govt are the sole financing sources for janesville public schools. Perhaps this is it?

Breaking news: The federal govt and state govt waste money!!!!!!!!!!Who knew??????

fearandrhetoric pointed out some great examples of government waste. it is of course the tip of the iceberg. He/She is correct to point out that both parties have been to blames. Unfortunately one party has not come to the table for reform. Thus 20 million dollars wasted on an ill conceived recall. The underlying erroneous assumption in most articles on education is to equate spending with quality. What an irony that Janesville is sending educators to Texas (yes, Texas!) for training. My thanks to Scott Walker and Republican legislators for bringing reform to Wisconsin. Next year Janesville will be forced to adopt reform measures despite all the screaming from Kevin Murray and the four clones running for State Assembly.

Older...That's fine if you don't want to tap into Fund 10--lay off some administrators or teachers to cover the deficit then.......

luvujvl.......It's still a tax rate INCREASE! We pay some of the highest property tax rates in the country. One of the primary goals of ACT 10 was to reduce the tax burden on the state's residents.....It defeats the purpose when the minute tax liabilities begin dropping the "tax to the max" crowd starts demanding tax rate increases.......no?

Fear - I totally agree with your statement that both sides suck equally but lets not just attack the news media from Fox News though! If we are all truly honest, our media sources pretty much across the board tell the stories based on their beliefs and make sure it is stretched in that direction every time. I'm not sticking up for Fox at all but they are all guilty as charged of picking sides.

Until American's wake up and see that both parties have been stealing from us for years and something is done to chop their hands off from grabbing from the cookie jar, we are in for nothing but "More of the Same"! In general, I find it funny that its said there isn't a lot of money to be made in public service, such as being a politician! Everybody should go to opensecrets.org to take a look at what each congressman/woman, senator and even the president for that matter and see what their net worth is, where their money is coming from and who is donating to their cause. Everyone will see both sides are filthy rich!

They should not be able to use fund 10. It is the teachers money overpaid to the district for health insurance coverage.

Hey Janesville, ever hear of Act 10?
Try it sometime.

Also, can the Gazette please do a detailed story about what the Fund 10 balance is? One side thinks it's just a big pile of slush fund money sitting around for no reason - the other side thinks it is sacred and can't be touched. If we all understood that the truth lies somewhere in the middle, maybe we could have a more productive discussion.

"It's only $30 extra a year"? No - it's $34 LESS a year....if they don't tax to the (lower) max this year, they're nuts.

No tax rate increases! This mindset of "it's only an extra $30 a year" is exactly how Wisconsin ended up in the top 10 of states with the highest property taxes in the country. Exhaust the fund balance, incorporate cuts within the school systems, but leave the tax rates alone. Taxpayers are sick of being looked at as never ending supply of cash to finance the public sector......

Perhaps a little compazine might help?

Back to vomiting again fear?

I grow sick of all you knuckleheads that have been Hanniyized lecturing about spending like one side does and the other doesn't , When you are ready to be serious we can have a serious discussion, till then youre a bunch of trash talking rednecks that watch too much Fox News, OR MSNBC for that matter.

And More.....
to Senator Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) for $2 million for the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program

to Representative Howard Berman (D-Calif.) for $200,000 for a tattoo removal program.

to Michigan Senators Carl Levin (D) and Debbie Stabenow (D), and Representative Carolyn Kirkpatrick (D) for $951,500 for downtown Detroit energy efficient street lamps.

to Alabama Senators Richard Shelby (R) and Jeff Sessions (R), then-Representative Terry Everett (R), Representative Mike Rogers (R) for $413,000 for tri-state joint peanut research

to then-Representative Chris Shays for $1.9 million for the Pleasure Beach water taxi service project.

to Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) for $165.7 million in defense pork

to Maine Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (R), and Rep. Thomas Allen (D-Maine) for $188,000 for the Lobster Institute.

to Representative Virgil Goode (R-Va.) for $98,000 to develop a walking tour of Boydton, Virginia.

to Representative Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) for $1 million for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative.

And More......
to Senators Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) for $3,500,000 for the National Institute for Aviation Research

for $2,573,000 in potato research in four states requested by five senators and five representatives

to Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) for $400,000 for restoration and renovation of the historic Ritz Theater in Newburgh, N.Y.

for Representative Diane Watson (D-Calif.) for $100,000 for career exploration and training for at-risk youths for jobs in filmmaking at the Duke Media Foundation in Hollywood.

to Representative Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) for $400,000 for construction and renovation for safety improvements at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Some awards:
to Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) for $490 million in pork

to Representative Harold “Hal” Rogers (R-Ky.) for $10 million for the National Institute for Hometown Security.

for $465 million for the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine

to Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for $7,287,000 to continue the Harkin Grant program and to Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) for $7,000,000 for the Robert C. Byrd Institute of Advanced Flexible Manufacturing

to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Representative Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) for $693,000 for beef improvement research

for $4.8 million for wood utilization research in 11 states requested by 13 senators and 10 representatives

to Representative Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) for his ever-changing stance on earmarks; first signing a no-earmark pledge, then receiving $21 million in earmarks, then supporting the Republican earmark moratorium

to Delegate Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) for $500,000 for Brown Tree Snakes control and interdiction in Guam

A list of pork barrell projects approved for Republican (tea party) districts in 2010
http://www.cagw.org/reports/pig-book/201...
Funny I thought they hated big government?
Not to mention the dems:
http://www.cagw.org/reports/pig-book/201...

Back to the TOPIC at hand. The JEA is almost FULLY responsible for the find balance being in existence in the first place. Instead of wasting your breath pissing and moaning about unions, maybe you should thank the SELF-FUNDED insurance that has saved the school district TENS of MILLIONS of dollars!! So much for the Republican MYTH of the WEA trust being forced upon districts. The district should have used this money to help save the 110 plus full time positions that were eliminated. Most of which are in student services, which all of the kids in the district are feeling along with parents and teachers. But then again thats what all the blind cremudgins hope for, less services , so they can save 12 bucks a month on their property tax bill. The taxes that actually form a community.
Maybe whining about how the FEDERAL government wastes money in republican and Democratic districts on Moose Dung Studies to the tune of 10 times the defecit faced by Janesville and school districts state wide thanks to Republican politicians mostly. That feel its better to cut services locally to gain the votes of the older folks that are already getting their medicare and SS and dont feel tha they should help contribute to public education.

"The Anointed one" theres a Sean Hannity disciple right there.....Pathetic. Repeating that crap, verbatim. Jv- use your own brain, Good lord.

My guess is if it involves a union they are not subject to ACA. I'm sure they are one of the special blessed who received a waiver from The Anointed One.

Does anyone know if the self-insured school district is subject to the 80/20 rule of the ACA? If they are, that fund balance won't be growing as much as it has in the past.