Another Washington Cty. Supervisor Speaks Out

This is sweet.

________________

April 12, 2011

Senator Alberta Darling
Wisconsin State Legislature
Room 317 East, State Capitol
POB 7882
Madison, WI 53707-7882

Senator Darling:

I hope my letter finds you and yours well and rested from your Budget hearings. After the speech by one of my fellow County Board Supervisors at your hearing, I feel it is my duty to supply some balance to what was said.

The speaker I am referring to is County Supervisor Ralph Hensel. For the record, Supervisor Hensel is the Chair of the Washington County Finance Committee. If you are unclear on his position on spending, I always say, “Don't listen to what I say, look at how I vote.” These records are available online at the Washington County web site. In the interest of full disclosure, Mr. Hensel is also a retired teacher living off a tax payer funded pension plan.

Mr. Hensel does not speak for a majority of the taxpayers in the reddest County in Wisconsin, Washington County, on spending taxpayer money. That said, as the Finance Committee Chair, he does have control of the purse strings of Washington County. Apathy on the part of many has allowed our local government to be taken over by the liberal minority. That mistake will be corrected soon.

Oddly, I find myself, after a fashion, agreeing with Supervisor Hensel. I do agree that we need to change Wisconsin's pension funding but I think a level playing field is in order. My 401K retirement plan is a voluntary plan and, in the interest of fairness, the State plan should also be voluntary. I would ask that as part of the 2012 budget plan, you change the State plan from mandatory to voluntary. This would give public employees the same advantages I have funding my retirement.

On the subject of union bargaining rights, I also agree change is necessary. I disagree with both Supervisor Hensel and Governor Walker in providing both civil service protections and some bargaining rights. To me, this sounds like being partially pregnant. I would ask that as part of the 2012 budget plan, you either allow the unions full bargaining rights with no civil service protections or, as the framers of civil service protections had originally intended, give all government employees protections and end all bargaining rights, period.

Finally, as a veteran of County's Finance Committee, I see significant opportunity to limit spending at the local level but the will to do so is lacking. I have no doubt that with your knowledge of State spending, you and your Committee also see the opportunities. I would ask that as part of the 2012 budget plan, you speak for those of us who changed the face of Wisconsin's government last November and continue to do our will.

Best regards,

Supervisor Bill Meyers, District 24
Washington County Board of Supervisors

JFC Tidbits - Wash. Cty. Sup. Hensel, MICAH and More Madness

A few noteworthy tidbits worth passing on.

Seems that local Washington County Supervisor and, ahem, former schoolteacher, Ralph Hensel, spoke in opposition at today's JFC Budget Hearing. Seems that Hensel, also a former schoolteacher, made mention of the Constitution, indicating that it clearly stated separation of church and state when referencing school vouchers. An unfortunate incidence of a public school teacher not knowing what the US Constitution says.

This is the same guy who signed THIS petition:

From http://www.savelocalcontrol.org/ scroll down--

Donna Tarpinian, Member, Stoughton Area School District Board of Education
James R. Anderson, Village President Sauk City,
Roberta Rasmus, school board member, Chippewa Falls Area Unified Schools
Jeri Lawrenz, Retired clerk, Town of Dane
Thomas Green, Assistant Village Superintendent, Village of Merrillan
Paul Ehlinger, Town Supervisor, Town of Wabeno
Larry Henke, Town Chairman, Town of Neshkoro
Gina Palazzari, School Board Member, School District of Menomonee Falls
Karen Bowen, Retired member, two-term president, Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education
Ivan Collins, Rock County Supervisor, Rock County Board
Steven Nass, Jefferson County Supervisor, Jefferson County, WI
Steve Doyle, County Board Chair, La Crosse County Board
Susan Kopras, Village President, Village of Exeland/Sawyer County
Sue Disch, County Board Supervisor and 2nd Vice Chair, Green County Board of Supervisors
Sue Disch, County Board Supervisor and 2nd Vice Chair, Green County
Brian Kranz, City Administrator, City of Kewaunee
Thomas Eagon, District Attorney, Portage County
Vernon Koch, Supervisor, Sheboygan County Board
Dennis Uecker, Village President, Village of Hustisford
Bob Von Haden, City Council Member, City of Eau Claire
Chris Schmidt, Alder, District 11, City of Madison Common Council
Kenneth Brown, 4th Ward Alderman, Ladysmith City Council
Patrick King, City Council Person, City of Wautoma
John Van Dinter, Chairperson, Town of Westport Dane County, Wi
Analiese Eicher, District 5 Supervisor, Dane County Board
Debra Durchslag, School Board Member, Rhinelander School District
Debra Green, Village Clerk-Treasurer, Village of Merrillan
Christopher Robinson, Former Alderman - Fifth District, City of Stevens Point
Steven Nass, Jefferson County Supervisor, Jefferson County, WI
Loretta Drinkwater, Trustee, Village of Oxford
Beth Roberts, Alderperson, City of Park Falls
Kathleen Pellerin, Retired Clerk-Treasurer, Village of River Hills
Debra Eichsteadt, Village Clerk, Village of Biron
Dianne Hesselbein, Dane County Board of Supervisors,
Duane Swanson, Village Trustee, Village of Crivitz
Diana McGiney, Past President, School Board, Stevens Point Area Public School District
Dana Wachs, City Council, Eau Claire
Ed Bowen, Member, City of Oshkosh Plan Commission
Denise Duranczyk, Dane County Board Supervisor, Dane County Board
Diana McGinley, Past President, School Board, Stevens Point Area Public School District
Tony Palmeri, Alderman, Oshkosh Common Council
Kathy Stresman, Vice President, Brown Deer School Board
David Liebenthal, Supervisor, Town of Fountain Prairie
Kerry Kincaid, City Council President, Eau Claire
Trish Cummins, Former School Board Member, Eau Claire Area School District
Lisa Totten, School Board Member, Stevens Point Area Public School School Board
Jim Abrahamson, Kewaunee County Board Supervisor, Kewaunee County Board
Tod Ohnstad, Alderman, City of Kenosha
Colleen Weber, city council person, City of Altoona
Ronald Huebner, Supervisor, Town of Fountain Prairie
Matt Veldran, County Board Supervisor, Dane County Board
Andrew Werthmann, City Council member, City of Eau Claire
Karl Dommershausen, Commissioner, Janesville School District Board
Beverly Krejci, Supervisor, Town of Harrison, Marathon County
Jerry Voigt, former Town Chairman, Town of Cedarburg
Margaret Wood, Supervisor, La Crosse County Board
Patrick Miles, County Board Supervisor District 37, Dane County Board
Marilyn Holte, Supervisor, Chippewa County Board
Laurie Dutcher, Deputy Clerk, Waukesha County
Jim Wexler, President Pro Tem, Middleton Common Council
Don Richards, Mayor, City of River Falls
Chuck Erickson, County Board Supervisor, District 13, Dane County Board
John Lenarz, Member, Gilman Town Planning Commission
Kathy Bultman, School Board Member of 9 Years, Monona Grove School Board
Ralph Hensel, Supervisor, Washington County

Wonder how his constituents in District 3, West Bend, would feel about this? They can always drop him a note and tell him themselves... ralph.hensel@co.washington.wi.us (which he seldom checks)

OR

629 Highland View Dr. , West Bend, WI 53095 or call him at (262) 334-7965

And more tidbits....

There was an onslaught of "poor me" MICAH proponents speaking out on behalf of the Gimme Group. Don’t let the name fool you. MICAH stands for Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope. Sounds all nice and Catholic, right? Nope! The Archdiocese (of Green Bay) cut the apron strings last year (with sister organizations ESTHER and JOSHUA) , and rightly so. Lest we have forgotten - read THIS POST from last year for a quick refresher. The trickle down from WISDOM and GAMALIEL is telling. Another George Soros travesty and an organization that Obama "community organized."

MICAH is nothing more than a group that supports killing babies, in-state tuition for illegals, government-run healthcare, drivers licenses for illegals, killing babies, are in favor of Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and repeal of the QEO, killing babies, opposed to voter photo ID, opposed to the statewide voter registration list, killing babies, opposed to property tax freezes and support restrictions on 2nd amendment rights of Milwaukee County residents, and supports killing babies.

Killing babies. Nice Christian ring to it. It's no wonder they need the government handout to survive.

Guilty by association.