Wisconsin gets another chance for Gogebic Taconite iron mine

It is not often a state gets a do-over, but it looks like Wisconsin will have another opportunity to woo Gogebic Taconite to open an iron mine--with its 700 good paying jobs--in Ashland County.

With Republicans gaining a healthier majority in the State Senate, passage of the Assembly's mining bill for streamlining of the mining approval process is likely. And with a passed mining bill, Gogebic Taconite says they are still interested in Wisconsin.

Because State Senate Republicans are no longer dependent on their weakest link, Sen. Dale Schultz, they should be able to pass the streamlined mining approval bill. Ironically, now that passage seems inevitable, Democrat Senator Tim Cullen now invokes Thomas Jefferson's appeal for "broad support for sweeping change"! In Sunday's paper, Cullen made his plea for not ramming through legislation with a slim majority.

Cullen's plea, however, seems very out of character with Democrats' actions, both in state and in Washington. After all, didn't Cullen join with the other Democrat State Senators when the 14 fled the state to deny the Senate Republicans from having a quorum during the Act 10 battle? And though he flirted with leaving the Democrat caucus in July, 3 days later he rejoined them with a promise of chairing 2 newly created committees--one being Mining.

As for Democrats in the U.S. Senate, didn't Harry Reid tweak and torture Senate rules to pass Obamacare on the slimmest of majorities? Hardly following Thomas Jefferson's appeal for broad support for sweeping change! Cullen stood with both Obama and Tammy Baldwin in the last election, so I guess that shows how much Cullen really values Thomas Jefferson's words of wisdom.

Since the introduction of iron mining would be a great boon for all of Wisconsin, I would like to think Democrats could put partisanship aside and do what is best for the state. Keep in mind the mining bill includes environmental protections, and iron mining is akin to quarrying, which goes on all over our state, it is not toxic strip mining. And the 700 jobs? Those are promised to be 95% union jobs, certainly a boon to economically challenged northern Wisconsin.

However, putting partisanship aside doesn't seem to be the direction state Democrats wish to move in: they just named Democrat Chris Larson as their Minority Leader. (Larson is a true liberal, believing that reducing government is reducing democracy!)

No doubt a passed mining bill will end up tangled in the Madison courts, just as our passed Voter ID and Act 10 have. But at least we should be able to jump the first hurdle of passing the mining legislation. The court battle will have to be overcome another day*.


*Note: Wisconsin has an extremely important State Supreme Court race coming up in April 2013, where we must reelect Justice Pat Roggensack.



Walker: With new bill, mining company will return 
Best mining bill would have wide support 
UPDATE: Sen. Tim Cullen rejoins Democratic Caucus
Democrats elected Chris Larson as state Senate leader
Sen Chris Larson Says, "Reducing Government" is Reducing Democracy"
Hurley residents decry 'devastating' collapse of Wisconsin mining bill
The importance of the upcoming WI Supreme Court race to Republicans 
Wisconsin Justice Pat Roggensack
Past Posts:

State mining bill on life support, call Senators to save! March 9, 2012

Wisconsin Tea Party Reaction to Mining Debacle  March 9, 2012
Wisconsin Senate mining bill took wrong turn, now better Feb. 15, 2012

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation, The Way <><

New Elm Grove Culver's is hiring: Saturday, Aug. 25th Noon - 4pm

Elm Grove's new Culver's restaurant is conducting interviews at their new location on Bluemound Road on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, from noon to 4pm. Or as Culver's would say, "Come join our True Blue Crew as a Team Member!"

If the major road construction on Bluemound Road, just east of Pilgrim Road and westward, has kept you from the area, you might not have realized a Culver's sprang up from the rubble of the razed UNO's restaurant this summer.

It has been fun to watch the building progress. I snapped the above picture on Aug. 9th; they are now working on finishing the exterior.

The new Culver's is on the northeast corner of Pilgrim and Bluemound, just east of Baker's Square. (Brookfield Square is on the opposite southwest corner.)

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Marquette poll: Walker up 7%, but what about voter fraud?

One would have to be living under a rock to not know the eyes of the nation are upon Wisconsin's Walker recall election on June 5th. It's not often the Weekly Standard covers our elections in such detail: Tom Barrett Fires Blanks at Scott Walker... and Barrett Can't Name Any Schools Hurt by Walker....

Emotions are running high with campaign ads bombarding the airwaves, the mailbox stuffed with politician post cards, and political phone calls (live and robo) taunting us from morning to night. Everyone in Wisconsin who votes needs to vote for 2 separate races: Governor AND Lt. Governor. For me that would be Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch. In areas where there is also a State Senate recall, they will need to vote for State Senator too. Without our Republican Senators holding their seats, Wisconsin can forget any major legislation passing. (Margins are already razor thin--remember the jobs creating mining bill defeat?)

One thing is for certain--I think we will all breathe a sigh of relief when this is over. I hope I will be smiling when the results are in. 

But turnout is key to a Walker win. Though the latest Marquette University Law School poll shows Walker at 52% to Barrett's 45%, with a margin of error of +/- 4.1% points, I am very concerned about the percentage of fraudulent votes cast for Barrett. So we have to outvote the fraud. If you want to help get out the vote in support of the Governor, the GOP Victory Centers are still looking for people to man the phones from 9am - 9pm to make calls from now through Tuesday.

Now if we had our Voter ID law in place, I would be breathing a little easier right now. But with reports of the huge numbers of early voting going on by the busload in Madison and Milwaukee, including Memorial Day, I am uneasy. They usually say Republicans need to outvote Democrats by about 2% to counter voter fraud. In this recall election, I think that percentage will be much higher. Let's face it, without a photo ID, casting a vote at a City Hall--as someone other than yourself--is much easier than at the poll on election day, where poll workers are often familiar with the voters in their wards.

Interestingly, one of the questions from the Marquette poll was about Voter ID, "Sixty-one percent favored requiring a government-issued photo id to vote, while 37 percent opposed that."

One portion of the poll leaves me wondering, who are these people?, because in an unrelated question, Obama gained ground: "The presidential vote among likely voters moved to 51 percent for Obama and 43 percent for Romney. In the May 9-12 poll, the race was tied 46-46 percent. "

On the jobs front, the facts are in: Wisconsin gained jobs under Scott Walker. And if Walker is reelected, more hiring should follow. In a quarterly survey conducted by Nicolet Bank Business Pulse of CEOs and business leaders in northern Wisconsin during the week of May 10th - 17th, 91% of those CEOs viewed a Walker win positively, reflected by comments such as "Wisconsin's business climate will improve" and "Businesses will hire more people and invest in their business"  vs. 93% negative view of a Barrett win with themes that included "Business climate will worsen, few businesses will come to Wisconsin and some will leave", and "Business will hold tight on any aggressive growth of their business."

Locally, while at the Target/Trader Joe's Underwood Crossing Dedication ceremony last Thursday, I asked a Ryan Corp. worker about the Jr. Anchor store that would be east of the Target store. Last I heard, it was to be a home-oriented store and was hoping they were ready to announce the store name. But instead, I learned that they backed out, as did one of the smaller retailers in the multi-store building between Trader Joe's and PNC Bank.

I mentioned the uncertainty over our recall election might have influenced these 2 retailers to pull out--that until businesses know which direction Wisconsin is going in, they don't feel they can make a commitment? Would our state turn from our current more business friendly state to a higher tax, more regulation and a return of combined reporting state. The man from Ryan didn't disagree.

Lastly, the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom Coalition mailed out a campaign Voter Guide that included 6  campaign issues not mentioned much in the press: 1. Abortion on Demand, 2. Taxpayer-funded Abortion, 3. Same-sex Marriage, and 4. New Taxes on Wisconsin Families, all of which Walker OPPOSES and Barrett SUPPORTS and 5. Parental Choice in Education, and 6. Eliminating the Death Tax, which Walker SUPPORTS and Barrett OPPOSES.

And speaking of faith, I know Christians* have been praying for our legislators, during these trying times and for this recall election. The Governor himself has asked for prayer, "pray for me--pray for my family and particularly for the next four weeks". So I am. I'm praying for God's protection for all the candidates, for justice--for right to prevail, and I'm pleading for mercy for our state and nation... according to God's will.

*Christians are directed in the New Testament of the Bible to respect and honor government representatives and authorities in Romans 13: 1-7 and to pray for them in 1 Timothy 2: 1-8. I am not familiar with the teachings of other religions on this topic. 

More Reading:

Marquette University Law School Polls

Walker says feds approve higher Wis. Job numbers

Nicolet Bank Business Pulse: CEOs say Recall will significantly impact business

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Job Fair for Brookfield's new Target store: May 24 - 26, 2012

The new Target Store at Underwood Crossing is progressing nicely: the parking lot is underway, the lights and signs are going up, landscaping is going in. Things look good for a July opening, and as the banner sign states, it's now time to hire the staff. 

The Job Fair will take place at the Country Inn & Suites Hotel on Moorland, just north of Greenfield Ave. in Brookfield this Thursday and Friday from 11:30am to 6:30pm and on Saturday from 9:30am to 4:30pm. The sign states application can be made in advance on their website.

Speaking of progress, Trader Joe's has obtained their permit and work appears to be starting on that site on the northeast corner. Trader Joes should be open by October.

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Senate mining bill on life support, call Senators to save!

Sixteen Democrats and one Republican in Wisconsin's State Senate put a stake in the heart of the mining industry in our state on Tuesday, when the Senate version compromise bill was narrowly defeated by 1 vote. If Republican Dale Shultz or even just one Democrat would have voted in favor of this bill, Gogebic Taconite, G-Tac, wouldn't be leaving for more mining friendly, and also iron rich, Minnesota and Michigan.

It seemed any hope of streamlining the mining approval process with a mining reform bill was dead, because the Senate session ends on March 15th. But yesterday and today it seems there just might be a glimmer of hope to revive this job-rich bill.

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp spoke on both the Mark Belling Show yesterday and Vicki McKenna's radio program today. She emphasized how the Senate Mining Bill did not circumvent DNR rules as opponents said; it just set a timeline, a shorter deadline, for a mine's approval process. Each specific mine proposal would still have to meet DNR, Army Corps of Engineers, etc. requirements.

So what wasn't to like? The failed Senate mining bill added improved wet land creation in its language over present legislation, it was backed by 9 private sector unions, and G-Tac assured 95% of the jobs created would be union jobs.

Vicki also emphasized today that iron mining is NOT strip mining, but pit mining. We are familiar with pit mining in almost every area of Wisconsin because it is the same type of mining that rock quarries use. The G-Tac mine pit would be 15 acres in size, about the size of the square block I live on. Once all the iron ore was extracted, it would be restored. In fact, beautiful Lake Wazee, the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin, is a good example of the aftermath of a former taconite quarry or pit mine.

If Democrat Senators like Tim Carpenter (608) 266-8535 or Chris Larson (608) 266-7505 will rethink their votes, since their districts could benefit from the increase in jobs at mine equipment builders Caterpillar or Joy Global in Milwaukee, the mining bill and the mining industry in Wisconsin could be saved. If not, we have just secured our place in the race to the bottom for the most unfriendly mine locations in the world.

So it is up to the residents of this state to make one last plea to their Senator to change their mind on voting for mining in Wisconsin. Hopefully, they will reconsider. If just one Senator does, the mining bill could make a miraculous recovery and all of Wisconsin will benefit.

Find your State Senator here. Be polite; you are making an appeal.

More Reading:
Gogebic drops plans for iron ore mine
And now we know
Hurley residents decry 'devastating' collapse of Wisconsin mining bill
Wisconsin Tea Party Reaction to Mining Debacle

Past Post: Wisconsin Senate mining bill took wrong turn, now better

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Wisconsin Tea Party Reaction to Mining Debacle

I received this press release in my inbox yesterday:

For Immediate Release: March 8, 2012
Contacts: Kim Simac, 715.479.8784
Annette Olson, 715.760.0665

Wisconsin Tea Party Leaders React to Mining Debacle

(Eagle River, WI) – Few examples illustrate as clearly as the GTac mining debacle why citizens across the state of Wisconsin now claim allegiance to the Tea Party Movement. So many of the problems with which we take profound issue have been on prominent display in recent days—not least, holding industry hostage to excessive taxation and over-burdensome regulations. The shameful and all too predictable outcome in this case has been yet another crippling of entrepreneurial spirit in our state.

Who really pays?

GTac is a large, proven employer with a good track record, whose executives honorably promised to bring good conservation practices and a great economy to a state starving for jobs. They can now find some other state in which to mine. Northern Wisconsin, however, remains in economic depression, under which it has already suffered for years. Hundreds of people across the state desperately want and need solid, good-paying jobs to help them survive a challenging economy remain. The GTac mine and the expansion it would have brought to related business and industry could have made a substantive difference. Never mind the valuable tax revenues this mining project would have brought to state and local tax bases.

As Tea Party organizers in Wisconsin, we have publicly maintained these past three years that opportunity, prosperity, and the individual right to pursue them have been grossly hindered by over-reaching and infringing state and federal governments. We have also consistently noted too great a willingness on the part of our elected officials to pander to special interests against the wise will of the people. We amplify that message today.

The mining bill is not the first victim of this marriage between special interests and big government. We can cite many others. The rich, renewable resources available in Wisconsin’s forests, for example, have long been placed beyond the reach of those who could benefit from them. Environmental groups, with the complicity of too many politicians and bureaucrats, have essentially hogtied Wisconsin logging, mills, and additional wood product businesses.

One must ask the question: How do environmental groups and the elected officials who pander to them propose that residents of Northern Wisconsin provide a living for themselves? With this mine now yanked out of reach, with the promise of economic success once again cruelly removed, how will people continue to inhabit these regions? Could it be that prosperity and a future for these citizens is not a priority for these special interest groups and their elected friends?

We put these questions to our Democratic state senators and their close ally Senator Dale Schultz, whose ―"Republican" alignment with radical environmental and other special interest agendas raises serious questions of its own.

This is a sad day for Wisconsin, and particularly for the children of our state, whose short- and long-term well being has been grossly overlooked. Radical outside interests, using obvious
influence to control the decisions of our legislators, have in fact assured that the children of northern Wisconsin in particular, now face a future of far less stability, opportunity, and prosperity.

We, the undersigned and our respective memberships, will not rest until this trend is reversed.

Kim Simac and Shirley Kufeldt, Northwoods Patriots
Annette Olson, Un-Infringed Liberty
Kirsten Lombard, The Wisconsin 9/12 Project
Dan Horvatin, Rock River Patriots
Joanne Terry, Ozaukee Patriots
Matt Strublic, Oshkosh TEA Party
Jim Kiser, Fond du Lac TEA Party
Jeff Horn, Prairie Patriots
Paul Lembrich, Rock County Voter Education Forum
Ed Perkins, Fox Valley Initiative
Ken Van Doren and Todd Welch, Campaign for Liberty
Dr. Sidney Johnson, Central Wisconsin Tea Party
Lora Halberstadt and Nancy Milholland, Racine TEA Party
Seth Cowan, Wolf River Area Patriots
Joe Delsman, Northeast Wisconsin Patriots
Steve Welcenbach, Conservative Insurgency
Dan Curran, Concerned Citizens of Iowa County

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Wisconsin Senate mining bill took wrong turn, now better

Wisconsin's Assembly passed AB 426, a Iron Mining Bill, in January. It essentially was designed to speed up the expensive, long drawn out 3-year DNR approval process to a 360 day maximum permit deadline.

Wisconsin's Senate came up with their version earlier this week, however, theirs was far worse than the long, drawn out process we presently have. Among other bad stipulations, it added a new $2 per ton tax on top of the present 15% of net proceeds tax. Since the mine would produce from 8 to 16 million tons a year, that new stipulation would cost the mining company from $16 - $32 million dollars of additional expense. So that Senate version of the the good Assembly Bill 426 would be far worse than the unfavorable process we currently have in Wisconsin.

Thankfully, many Wisconsinites contacted their State Senators, urging them to support mining in Wisconsin and not vote for this terrible Senate version, with its unfriendly business taxes and regulations. So many people called and emailed that Senate Leader Scott Fitzgerald disbanded the Senate mining committee, scrapped the Senate version, and sent the clean, better AB 426 Assembly version to the Joint Finance Committee, which will send it directly to the Senate floor.

So people, you made the difference. We are still not out of the woods though because the Assembly version can still be amended in the Senate. They can still add on the poison-pill provisions, but at least this way, those promoting those bad ideas will be known and each Senator will have to take a stand if they are for or against mining jobs in Wisconsin.

Just how unfavorable is Wisconsin for mining companies to do business here? Here is a little test:

What do Zimbabwe, The Congo (DRC), India, Bolivia, Honduras and Wisconsin have in common? They rank among the top 10 bottom scorers of 79 locations throughout the world--Antarctica excepted--friendly to the mining industry.

The Fraser Institute surveyed the opinions of mining executives, exploration managers and mining consultants from around the world and found Wisconsin scored the worst in Environmental Regulations and 2nd worst, only to Hugo Chavez' Venezuela, for "Uncertainty concerning the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of existing regulations". (Click link and scroll down to look at graphs)

How did this happen to Wisconsin? We're the Badger State. Badgers because they dig and burrow!

Wisconsin, with our flag depicting a miner standing to the right of the shield and sailor to the left, state products representing the state's major industries adorning the shield and badger on top: "In four sections surrounding the shield are representations of the states main industries: Agriculture, mining, manufacturing and navigation. The cornucopia and pile of lead represent farm products and minerals. (My emphasis)

Wisconsin needs jobs. Not just in Ashland County, where Gogebic Taconite or G Tac proposes this new iron mine, but in the surrounding area where peripheral businesses will hire to support the minors and their families. Lake Superior shipping will also benefit from this new mine, as will Joy Global and Caterpillar in the Milwaukee area.

AB 426 is just a bill to speed up the DNR approval process. The DNR would still need to study the issue and decree their yea or nay on the project. Unlike other mining, iron mining does not use cyanide or other polluting acids to remove the minerals from the ores. Iron mining uses magnets to separate the ferrous material from the stone. Even environmentally conscious Minnesota and Michigan both have iron mines in their states.

At this point Wisconsin's State Senate does not have the votes to pass AB 426 and Republicans are being blamed for its failure to pass. But we do have 16 Democrat State Senators in Madison. Where are they on this bill?

Mining jobs are nearly always UNION jobs. For all the whining how Gov. Walker and Republicans are against Unions and Union workers, why are the Democrats allowed to vote against AB 426, which would help 600+ people to obtain new Union jobs, not to mention the estimated 4,000 other jobs this mine would generate, without so much as a murmur?

Don't people living in Democrat Senate districts want good paying jobs too?

The Republicans, who make up a slim majority of one vote in the Senate, could vote this bill in. But Republican Dale Schultz of the 17th District, is being Dale Schultzie again; he is opposing this bill. There are probably some other Republicans who are wimpy on this bill too. Our area Senators, Leah Vukmir and Rich Zipperer are in favor of AB 426.

The only way we are going to improve the employment climate and increase state revenues here in Wisconsin is to approve projects such as this G Tac mine.

Contact your State Senator, even if they are Democrats! Let them know you support mining and bringing good jobs to Wisconsin. If the Senator is a Democrat, urge them to support these Union jobs.

Also, contact Democrat Robert Jauch of the 25th District, where the mine would be located. His district has a higher unemployment rate than the rest of the state. Ask him to help the people of his district get good paying Union jobs, that can't be outsourced, since the iron ore is here!

More reading:
Help Wisconsin Create Mining Jobs Public Hearing, Plattville, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012
Lift the Mining 'Ban' in Wisconsin Petition form
Mining for compromise: Bill favors GTac, promises new jobs

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, WisPolitics Quorum Call, Wisconsin Reporter, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

0% job growth: What didn't work then isn't working now!

That is right, for the first time since Feb. of 1945, the U.S. economy showed NO, Zero, the Big 0 job growth for August 2011.

If that wasn't bad enough, CNBC reports that Heidi Shierholz, economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. said, "Though much attention is being paid to ‘zero job growth’ in August, the real news in today’s numbers is that job growth is worse than in recent months, and the nation continues to produce far fewer jobs than needed to meaningfully reduce the unemployment rate. ...In fact, in some ways the report was less than zero in that weekly hours fell, as did hourly earnings." (My emphasis)

This report just reflects the reality many Americans already know: the US economy is in real trouble. Despite the billions of dollars spend on Stimulus, son of Stimulus and any form of Stimulus out there, these spending programs just aren't cutting it!

Perhaps the only American who still doesn't get this is President Obama, who is expected to propose more of his same failed policies in his coming speech on jobs. No doubt he will tout more spending, more Green jobs, more government.

One can't help conclude, 'We're Spending More Than Ever and It Doesn't Work'. That was the title from a Heritage article from January 14th, 2009. It is worth reading in its entirety.

The title is actually a quote from Henry Morgenthau Jr., "close friend" and "loyal secretary of the Treasury to President Franklin D. Roosevelt--and key architect of FDR's New Deal" in 1939!

Here are some more quotes from Morgenthau, “We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work.”

“I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started. … And an enormous debt to boot!” (My emphasis)

Sound familiar? What didn't work in FDR's time, isn't working now either.

So I say, after 2 1/2 years of this Obama Administration, we have even more unemployment, and an enormous, unsustainable debt to boot!

It is time for a change.

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Wow! Wisconsin gained 9,500 jobs in June, while Nation gained only 18,000

Correction: Blog title has been changed from Wow! Wisconsin accounted for 1/2 of new private sector jobs in nation, as this was an inadvertent misinterpretation of the statistics. Wisconsin did see 12,900 new private sector jobs in June, for a net gain of 9,500 new jobs after losses are subtracted. Other states also experienced large job gains. These gains however were offset by other states huge losses. Correction also noted on closing statement.

Things are looking up in our state. Wisconsin added about 12,900 new private-sector jobs, according to the State of Wisconsin Workforce Development report for June. The report's subtitle stated, "Gain of 12,900 private-sector jobs is largest one-month gain since September 2003."

The Journal Sentinel couldn't resist throwing a wet blanket on those numbers by pointing out "nearly half of Wisconsin's new private-sector jobs were in the tourism, hospitality and food services category." True, many of these jobs do not pay all that well, as a local banker mentioned in the article, but a job is a job. For those who have been unemployed or for college students trying to save up for next semester, getting a paycheck is still a good thing.

Plus, if these are tourism related jobs, that also means that retailers, gas stations, hotel owners, food store owners, etc. will be positively affected by an increase in sales, and the state benefits from an increase in sales tax revenue.

I also noticed that earlier this month, in a Washington Times article Unemployment at 9.2 percent as jobs stall, the trend was the same: "Most of the 57,000 jobs created by the private sector last month were in leisure and hospitality businesses, which registered a gain of 34,000." (After the job losses are subtracted from the gainers, the national total for jobs gained was 18,000 in June--even worse than May's dismal 25,000 positive jobs number.) I don't recall the President or the mainstream media mentioning that these were only hospitality/leisure jobs when these abysmal numbers were reported.

Seeing that the majority of these new jobs were in a business sector that relies on people having enough disposable income to spend on hotels, restaurants, transportation--tourism--does it make any sense for the Democrats and President Obama to look at taxing the rich even more? It is pretty obvious that our nation's economy is barely growing at all. Why squelch the one area that is gaining jobs?

Anyway, I am glad Wisconsin is seeing job numbers like this: 9,500 net gain out of compared to the national total of 18,000 created gained. It is nice to see a little good news. Hope the trend continues.


P.S. Speaking of another wet blanket, did you catch Steve Wynn's quote about the President and his administration in Wynn CEO Goes On Epic Anti-Obama Rant On Company Conference Call? "And I'm saying it bluntly, that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business, and progress and job creation in my lifetime." The piece is a sobering read.


Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, RandyMelchert, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Governor Scott Walker: Not "dawning of age of Aquarius" but a new direction

Yesterday, Scott Walker was sworn in as Wisconsin's 45th governor. For conservatives, this day was a long time coming. While I didn't watch the ceremony, I did hear some of it on the radio. As I tuned in, I heard a choir singing, of all things, The Age of Aquarius! It was such a bizarre choice that I scolded the car radio, who picked this? But it was indeed the Walker Inauguration, for soon the ceremony was under way.

If you didn't hear our new governor, do take a look at his speech. It seems pretty obvious that while this isn't the "dawning of the age of Aquarius" it is the beginning of an era of fiscal responsibility and limited government.

Walker quoted from our state Constitution a few times, going back to our roots. He said our Constitution "speaks to the source of our liberties: 'We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government, insure domestic tranquility and promote the general welfare, do establish this constitution.' Powerful words."

Then he added, "Our rights as free people are given by our creator, not the government. Among these rights is the right to nurture our freedom and vitality through limited government." (My emphasis)

Knowing he faces an uphill battle to turn this state around hasn't quelled Walker's enthusiasm in the least. He seems energized and ready to tackle the projected $3 billion dollar budget deficit. Job creation, sizing our govenment to what we can afford, and the economy are his top priorities.

As he said in his speech, "It is through frugality and moderation in government that we will see freedom and prosperity for our people."

Walker concluded with, "'Justice… Moderation… Temperance… Frugality… Virtue.' [from Article I, Section 22 of our constitution] These are the values upon which our state was formed and the values that will drive us forward."

Will we always like this new direction? Probably not. Belt tightening and being responsible is seldom pleasant or easy.

Can we who are Conservatives just sit back and allow the Republican controlled Assembly and Senate to conduct business as usual? No. We must remain vigilant. A Democratic Republic doesn't run on autopilot.

So Godspeed, Governor Walker, in the journey set before you. It's an uphill climb!


Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Need a job? Try Brookfield's new ParkSide23 restaurant

While shopping at Angelina's Deli, my favorite Italian food store on this side of town, I noticed some construction workers across the street at the former Pilgrim Square.

Wow, something is finally going in at the vacant Sticks and Stones restaurant, just south of Dixon Elementary School, on North Avenue. There were also 2 big lime green HELP WANTED signs. I wonder what is going in there?

As I checked out at Angelina's, I asked the sales lady if she knew. She replied, Well, the workers who come in here say it is a new Eddie Martini's.

Oh, I said--a little puzzled, that is interesting since the Eddie Martini's isn't all that far from here.

Yes, but they are really doing well, she replied.

The HELP WANTED signs in front stated APPLY IN PERSON, MONDAY - FRIDAY, 9 -4 PM PARKSIDE 23

Hmm, no mention of Eddie's on the sign?

Once home, I Googled a bit and found that ParkSide 23 is indeed owned by the same parent company as Eddie's, the De Rosa Corporation. This is also the same company that owned the former Sticks & Stones restaurant, that has been empty for more than 3 years. (They also own The Chancery chain.)

That info was supplied by Carol Deptolla, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food critic in an allbusiness piece, Casual eatery to open in Brookfield, Aug. 13, 2010.

Unlike Eddie Martini's, ParkSide23 will be casual. I read on to discover Brookfield's Common Council approved "plans that include outdoor seating for the restaurant, at 2300 Pilgrim Square Drive, and a garden to supply produce for the restaurant - a hint, perhaps, at the restaurant's format."

That all sounded good to me. Since my family is always looking for a good restaurant, maybe ParkSide23 will become our favorite Sunday lunch spot after church?

Eddie Martini's has a very good reputation, but dinner there is just too pricey for me. (I tend to lose my appetite once the entree price-tag goes above $20--even for a special occasion.) Hopefully ParkSide23 will offer excellent food at a more affordable price. I wish them well and much success to you too if you are applying for a job!

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

2 meetings tonight discuss Is a Target on Bluemound & 124th to be or not to be?

My Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee Lowerr informed me that there are 2 meetings tonight at City Hall discussing plans to build a Target store at the old Quebecor site.

The 124th & Bluemound Road Neighborhood Plan Task Force meets first in Council Chambers at 5:30pm. They are "to discuss possible amendments to the Neighborhood Plan because of the Target proposal." If you remember, there was another mixed use plan in place 4 years ago, but that project did not move forward.

In my opinion, the neighborhood, which is in my District 7 but not my immediate area, would be better off without the apartment/condo aspect of the project. Certainly our city already has enough rental property, which is often the downfall of the adjacent single family homes and community.

Brookfield also has an abundance smaller store strip malls, which are part of the mixed use concept. How many nail salons, take and bake pizza places, and coffee shops do we need? Brookfield Marketplace on Greenfield and Brookfield Commons on Bluemound have never been completely occupied since their completion and since the recession, have seen stores leave. At another area strip mall at Calhoun and Bluemound, the former Flanners has been vacant for years.

It would seem that if you have a larger store, with a good reputation, willing to move into Brookfield, this would be a better option that all those transient smaller stores. The neighbors have a legitmate concern with shoppers cutting through their neighborhood, but like Brookfield Commons, this area is rather land-locked too, with the freeway and parks to the south--it wouldn't seem to invite cut-through traffic. Yet the general consensus from a 2006 Plan Commission meeting was, "don't allow the new development traffic to invade their peaceful Columbia Gardens Subdivision Neighborhood!" Neighborhood traffic needs to be controlled.

While I would rather have a Woodman's or a Trader Joes move into that location, Target at least has a nicer image than other big box stores like K-mart and Walmart. Target seems to attract a different, more upscale clientele than the other stuff-marts.

If you live in that area, do attend the 5:30pm meeting.

Right after the Task Force discussion, the City Plan Commission will discuss this same project. "This is an open meeting and [all] are welcome to attend but there will be no opportunity for public comment."

There will be a future Public Hearing on the Target proposal amendments where you can voice your opinions, however.

While the jobs created from a Target are not high paying, at least Target would be a more consistent job and property tax provider than the coffee shop that is here today and gone in a month.

Alderman Lisa Mellone attached related materials for your perusal:
City 124th Street & Bluemound Road Neighborhood Plan
Map of Target Development Proposal
Target Memo from Ryan Company.pdf
936K View Download

2010-07-12 Plan Commission Minutes re Target.pdf 208K Download

10-11-2010 Task Force Staff Report.pdf 154K Download

PC Agenda 2010-10-11.doc 54K Download

PC Staff Report 2010-10-11.doc 80K Download

Past Posts:
Quebecor Target Store at Plan Commission tonight, 4K Tuesday, Bike Race Friday
Can it be? A Target in Brookfeild? How about a Trader Joes too?
Connectivity will make neighborhood streets a racetrack! Neighborhood concerns over traffic from the Plan Commission 2006 Plan Public Comment session.

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Tax the rich? Every job I had was because of richer person!

The Democrats keep talking about taxing the rich as a solution to our deficits and debt. But it isn't that we don't tax enough; it is that we spend too much!

Most Democrats* don't want to extend the Bush tax cuts because they include tax cuts to the wealthy. They also think taxing the rich plays well to the middle and lower class. They ignore the fact that the lowest income levels get a 50% tax increase (the highest increase), and every other bracket increases too, once Bush's tax cuts expire.

Taxing the rich will have a devastating affect on small businesses, employment, and our economy. As Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said, "They can talk about the wealthy all they want, but this is about stopping a job-killing tax hike on small businesses during tough economic times."

It is true: You can't get a job from a poor person. Every job I ever had was because of a rich person--richer than me at least. If you have worked for a small business, I bet it is true for you too. Think about it.

Here is a quick list of my employers:

• Don's Super Value food store - Don owned the franchise. He employed maybe 70 locals and college students. I did cake decorating in the store bakery in my college days.
• Shorewood Village Bakery - This was an upscale, family owned bakery, where I cake decorated after college. They employed about 7 workers. Owners worked along side employees.
  
• Mullenbach's Fashions - A small custom bridal and ball gowns shop, owned by James Mullenbach. This was my 1st full time job after college where I was one of 7 workers. Little did I know the experience gained there would prove invaluable in my real job years later at Milwaukee Ballet.
  
• T.A. Chapman's Department Store - Golden Thimble Fabrics. Chapman's was an upscale department store, owned by a very wealthy Milwaukee family. They employed a few hundred people.
• The Snow Goose - a boutique on Jefferson St. where I designed and created custom clothing. I was the only employee. This business went under in less than a year.
  
• Elna Sewing Machine sales at Mary Lester Fabric Stores. The sewing machine sales area within the store was owned by a sole proprietor. I was one of maybe 3 employees besides the owners. They went under also.
  
• Milwaukee Ballet Costume Department. Here you might say, that is a non-profit arts job, not a small business. True. But if you look in the back of any program for the list of donors, you see if it were not for the donations and grants of wealthy patrons, the show would not go on. While I was there, the ballet company nearly went under several times.
  

So you see, had it not been for the rich, I wouldn't have had a job. Some of the rich business owners were barely making it themselves. Some worked right along side the employees. Some filed their business income on their personal tax return--they would be hurt by the Obama tax increase on incomes above $250,000.

In the case of dress designer Jim Mullenbach, no one worked harder, or longer hours than he did. Often he worked so late into the night, he would sleep on the cutting table after getting the work ready for the handful of employees for the next day. He knew if he didn't get the work done at night, his workers would have nothing to do the next day. Time is money and no owner can afford to have his employees sit idle while the owner prepares their work.

Most small business owners I know (20 or fewer employees) and the self employed, work long hours and endure times of plenty and famine. Plenty often means so much work that they have to work a 70 hour week. Small business owners hesitate to hire extra help because they don't know if there will be enough future work. That would be the famine--long stretches of little or no work coming in. They deserve the fruits of their labors--profits--without this new threat of higher taxes. ObamaCare taxes heaped another burden on these employers.

Obviously, none of the Liberal/Progressives spouting tax the rich understand the entrepreneur/small business owner and how they struggle to maintain cash flow and payroll. Maybe that is because they have so little private sector work experience.

Why do we care about small businesses? Because they create most of the jobs. The government defines small businesses as 500 or fewer employees. Until the recession and Obama's Stimulus, small businesses employed over half the workers in the U.S., about 60.2 million. Those 20 or fewer employers accounted for 1/3 of those workers--20.6 million. (Stimulus drastically increased the number of government employees--a drain on the economy.) The government Small Business Administration statistics web page tells us:

• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
• Employ just over half of all private sector employees.
• Pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
• Have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years.
• Create more than half of the nonfarm private gross domestic product (GDP).
• Hire 40 percent of high tech workers (such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers).
• Are 52 percent home-based and 2 percent franchises.

Small business job creators are important. The key to turning our economy around is not increasing the tax rate on the rich or anyone, it is reducing the tax burden on employers and workers.

Next time someone says tax the rich as a solution to our red ink, think of what that means to the workers, the ones who were hired by those rich. That worker just might be you.


*Democrats are betting that ending tax cuts for the rich..."Republicans say the tax cuts are critical to bolstering a feeble economic recovery. And with unemployment at 9.5%, even some Democrats are queasy about raising taxes on high earners -- a category that includes many small-business owners -- when policymakers are trying to encourage them to create jobs."

Six Months to Go Until The Largest Tax Hikes in History

Majority of Small Business Sector Facing Higher Taxes Under Obama Plan

Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation