Life in a Red State won't be good for State of Wisconsin employees

[lutefisk]

GOP sweep likely means more state furloughs, fewer on BadgerCare (title)

"More furlough days for state workers, fewer people on BadgerCare, lower taxes for corporations, employee contributions to state pensions and a challenge to federal health care reform are all likely to be top items on the state agenda in the wake of a Republican wave that swept Democrats entirely out of power in Wisconsin state government. . .

...Reduced spending on state employees is another likely outcome of Tuesday's elections. Walker will likely propose more unpaid days off for state employees than Doyle did when he implemented 16 furlough days in the 2009-2011 budget. Walker has also said he would not fill 4,000 of the state's 4,700 job openings. Even further, Walker has said during the campaign that public employees should begin contributing to their own pensions. . .

It's less clear what a Walker administration will mean for state funding for the University of Wisconsin, but with Democrats out of power, education committee chairs will again be Republican and that means that Republican Rep. Steve Nass of Whitewater, a staunch and vocal critic of the university system, could again be the chairman of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee. His spokesman, Mike Mikalsen, on Tuesday said Nass would be interested in reclaiming that role.

If he did, he would push for capping college tuition increases and reducing wages and benefits for teachers, professors and administrators."

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/article_69f86356-e74d-11df-b068-001cc4c002e0.html

Well, the new governor really has no choice; the revenue lost from tax cuts for corporations and high income individuals has to come from some where. Right? :sarcasm:

Life in a Red State is really, really going to suck!

:hi:

[Viking12]

1. The UW System is really going to suffer

For faculty and instructional staff, there are no days off for furloughs -- just a pay cut. The system is already losing quality talent to other places. The continuation of the draconian measures will make it more difficult to recruit and retain.

[sybylla]

2. Furloughs? You're crazy if you think it will only be furloughs.

Furloughs will only be for those state employees who get to keep their job. Pukes in this area were running on 4% across the board cuts - no exceptions (unless you challenged them on it department by department). And these across the board cuts follow years of frozen and cut budgets. All that's left is people.

[HelenWheels]

3. correctional officers often vote republican

I wish there was a way to identify which state/public employees voted republican so we could cut their wages in half and take away their benefits. Voting repuke because of guns or abortion is just plain stupid but doing it as a public employee is way beyond simple stupidity.

[LTR]

4. Let Scott Walker's "War Against Wisconsin" begin

If you liked how he drove Milwaukee County into the ground, you ain't seen nuthin' yet!

[Sabriel]

5. Folks at my institution are already talking retirement

Getting out before their pay decreases (more) and lessens their retirement.

At this rate, I'll be making the same as I did when I was hired in 2003.

[nebenaube]

8. Well...

My wife has 16 years into the system, which is probably not enough for early retirement. However, without the new infrastructure that would have been high speed rail, I see no way for this area to complete the transition to becoming a sustainable city. Scott Walker's approach probably means that there will be no growth during his term and that means we probably won't be able to keep what we have.
No point sticking around here to swirl around while everything slips down the drain.

[Liberal Left]

6. What are you people drinking

You had the best Senator in the history of America and you threw him away. Good going

[PeaceNikki]

7. Hey,

The people here on DU didn't "throw him away".

Go be a prick elsewhere.

[HelenWheels]

9. You're talking to the wrong people

The people on DU supported Russ all the way. We worked for him and donated to him. It's hard to beat the multimillionaires.

[devereaux]

10. The WDNR will be harder to work with

As a geologist, I frequently work with the WDNR on environmental issues, and often times it is a real pain. Offices have been closing and are only open a few hours a week, fewer and more stressed staff and higher fees to make up their own budget shortfalls. It saddens me as I realize things will only get worse.

[AleksS]

11. It's already happening, 300 let go due to Walker's victory

300 folks already working on the Madison->Milwaukee high speed rail project were let go when Walker won, due to his promise to kill the project.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/6/917612/-Republicans-win-office,-kill-jobs-immediately

So, Walker's promise to create jobs is starting off -300 already. Someone ought to tell him he's moving in the wrong direction.

[dragonlady]

12. The original story says the suspension is temporary

Gov. Jim Doyle's administration has asked contractors to suspend work on the high-speed rail line from Madison to Milwaukee while officials study the potential impact of stopping the project.

State Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi said the suspension would last while the agency studies "the real world consequences, including the immediate impacts to people and their livelihoods, if this project were to be stopped."

Busalacchi said the suspension would last for "a few days."

http://www.channel3000.com/news/25635287/detail.html (November 5)

[midnight]

13. These are the results of a high school drop out....

[dembotoz]

14. cousin works for university hospital

put is his retirement paperwork right after the election

wanted to get out before walker screwed with his pension

not many people are that lucky