Progressive Thinking

Wells in Kewaunee County are unsafe for drinking, the cost of electricity is up, citizens across the state are increasingly concerned about the lack of funding for our public schools, and after 34 years in Madison not a peep from our senator.

WITTENBERG, WI - Robert Cowles is chair of the Natural Resources and Energy committee in the state senate.  He is the senior Republican in the senate.  You would think his 34 years in Madison would make him easily recognizable in the rest of the state.  But he seems to have gone missing.

A recent audit by the state Legislative Audit Bureau found our DNR failed to follow their policies on enforcement of water regulations more than 94% of the time in the last ten years.  Among other problems this has led to 1/3 of the wells in Kewaunee County found to be unsafe for drinking.  The state ignored the problem for so long that residents of the county pushed for EPA involvement.  This summer the EPA and our DNR issued suggestions for new regulations on manure spreading in the county.  Those suggestions were sent by the governor to a major dairy lobby which sent back their own regulations.  Those were then accepted by the DNR.  No action from our missing senator. Poisoned wells are apparently not a priority.   Maybe it is not his fault, he has only been chair of the Natural Resources committee for a few years.

But he has been on the Energy committee since 2009.  For the past two months state media has been talking about potential problems with the cost of electricity in Wisconsin.  It seems for the past 15 years the growth in the electrical rates in Wisconsin has been the highest in the region.  Some Wisconsin companies are charged 25% more for their power than regional averages.  Wisconsin now has the highest electrical rates in the Midwest.  There is the potential here for major companies to pull all or part of their business out of the state.  This would devastate our economy.  Again, nothing from our missing senator.

Citizens across the state are increasingly concerned about the lack of funding for our public schools.  People are beginning to question the reason for vouchers in the first place when studies show no improvement in test scores in voucher schools compared to public schools.  The loss of public tax dollars to voucher schools in the state is becoming more and more of a problem for local school districts.  District after district is being forced to go to referendum to keep their local schools open.  Not a peep from our senator.  Is that maybe because he has supported spending public tax dollars on private schools every step of the way?

Is he missing or just hiding?  With the election less than a month away maybe he feels he has nothing to lose by hiding.  Strange that someone with 34 years in state government would feel vulnerable, would not feel comfortable standing on their record, would be afraid to stand up for the people of Wisconsin.

I feel very comfortable with my record.  I am a Vietnam veteran, earned a Master’s degree in education, taught in Shawano county schools for 31 years, and have spent the last 10 years working in health care. Maybe we should quit looking for what is missing and simply find a new state senator.

Blaming ObamaCare is a political gambit, not health policy. A robust public option and controlling prescription drug costs essential.

STATEWIDE - The 2017 health insurance premium rates released by the Walker Administration present an incomplete picture.

While the release of rates by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance is a step forward from last year, when Wisconsin was the only state not to release premium prices in advance, the agency’s press release is silent on the causes of health insurance inflation. This silence has muddled this critical public policy question and left the door open to misleading explanations that won’t help us make health care more affordable.

Rising health insurance premiums are not being driven by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but by the reemergence of health insurance industry discrimination and price gouging by pharmaceutical corporations and medical service providers.

First, prices for medical services and prescription drugs are the main drivers of health insurance inflation. According to the Consumers Union Health Care Value Hub, academic research has clearly established that the largest factor in health insurance prices is the rising cost of medical services and prescription drugs. Although it is not even mentioned in the Insurance Commissioner’s press release, many of the rate filings by the health insurance companies themselves blame the increases on skyrocketing drug costs charged by pharmaceutical corporations and the rising costs of all medical services. Some Wisconsin insurers report annual cost increases of over 12% from pharmaceutical corporations and increases of over 8% from other medical providers.

The problem of rising medical prices is especially acute here. A recent report based on national  insurance claims data found that Wisconsin has the 2nd highest medical prices in the nation! Despite this research bombshell, policymakers in Madison have taken no significant action on health care costs, and have ignored all the proposals made by the minority party in the Legislature. It is also critical to understand that the ACA did not cause prescription drug and medical service costs to rise, so repealing the law will not do anything to lower these prices.

Second, the big national health insurance companies are using new means to discriminate against people with health conditions. Although outright denial of coverage is now outlawed by the ACA, the titans of the industry are pulling out of ACA marketplaces because they have found a way to insure healthier people through other “off-exchange” lines of insurance. People buying insurance on the ACA marketplaces are those who were left out by the old discriminatory health insurance system. This includes people with health conditions who were denied coverage, those without coverage at work like early retirees, independent contractors, farmers, the working poor, young people just starting their careers, and many others. The abandonment of the new ACA marketplace by big insurance is a pre-existing condition discrimination by another name.

Third, political sabotage at the state and national level is blocking efforts to build on the Affordable Care Act and take the next steps to make health care affordable. The Insurance Commissioner has used his authority to deliberately rig the health insurance system and raise rates. The Governor and the State Legislature have not taken up any of the cost reform legislation proposed by the Democrats, including a strong rate review bill and a bill to bring down prescription drug prices. Similarly, in Congress the conservative majority has blocked all improvements or fixes to the ACA; they prefer to sabotage the law and force its repeal. Congress has taken up no major legislation to address skyrocketing prescription drug and medical costs.

“The conservative politicians and special interests who are wringing their hands about rising health insurance prices have no intention of working to make quality health coverage more affordable. For them rising premiums are an opportunity to exploit, not a problem to fix. Their ultimate goal is to go back to the bad old days when overt health insurance discrimination was legal and to force 20 million Americans off their health coverage,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “The best way forward is to build on the health care reform law. The ACA was never intended to solve every problem in the healthcare system. It was a critical step that we needed to take to outlaw overt discrimination, ban unethical insurance practices like annual and lifetime limits, provide tax credits to make insurance more affordable, and guarantee that everyone has somewhere to go to buy health insurance no matter what.”

“The next big steps in health reform are a robust public option to hold medical providers and insurance corporations accountable, and forceful action to rein in price gouging by prescription drug corporations,” Kraig concluded.

At a Town Hall in rural Northwestern Wisconsin, people are concerned about the amount of their state tax dollars being siphoned away from their local public schools to cover the cost of private school students elsewhere. They value their schools and feel the heavy burden of less state aid through higher property taxes.

PEPIN, WI - “I am paying for private schools with my taxes?” the women from Pepin asked following my presentation at a recent Town Hall meeting. “Yes, you are,” I told her.

Residents were surprised at the sharp increase in the state spending on private schools – nearly a doubling in seven years. At the same time, Pepin School District lost nearly half of its state support. With less state money, property taxes made up a larger share of school support.

Wisconsin has funded private schools in Milwaukee by taking money from local public schools for a long time.

With passage of the last state budget, private and independent charter schools in southeast Wisconsin cost state tax coffers $645 million.

As I explained at the Town Hall Meeting, this is only the beginning of putting a price tag on private school spending buried in the state budget. Much of the cost of private school students bore by public schools is not transparent.

For example, public schools must pay to transport private school students. One Pepin resident asked why her neighbor was paid by the state to take her child to a private school. The cost, bore by the Pepin School District, was less expensive than sending a school bus to transport the child.

Public schools districts pick up other private school costs. The cost of special education services come out of the local public school budgets for some private school students.

Over the past few years, payments for private schools directly from local public school districts rose as the statewide “voucher” or private school subsidies grew.

The most recent state budget removed limits on how many students from a school district can go to a private school at the expense of the public school district – and local taxpayers.

Consequently, some districts – like Eau Claire – experienced a quadrupling of students leaving public school and going to private school on the taxpayer’s dime.

State law sets the amount of money coming from a public school district at about $7,800 for high school students and about $7,200 for elementary students. Some public school districts may receive much less aid per public student from the state. For example, the Eau Claire school district received about $5,100 per student in state aid but paid out about $7,800 per private high school student leaving local property taxpayers to pick up the difference between those amounts.

Wisconsin property taxpayers already pick up 41 cents of every school dollar spent compared to Minnesota property taxpayers’ 25 cents of every school dollar. These numbers are from a recent United States Census Bureau report using data from the 2014 school year.

Costs of private school subsidies will continue to grow even if more students do not opt for a private school education at the public’s expense. Buried in details of the most recent state budget is an automatic increase in the amount sent to private schools for each student regardless of whether or not the public school receives any increase in state support.

One of the Pepin Town Hall attendees reminded me that I made no mention of the tax credit for private school tuition also passed in a recent budget. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau pegs the cost of this credit at $11.5 million in tax year 2014.

Recent news from Madison described another new scheme for private schools – a type of tax-free private school savings account. Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) described the proposal as an account that could be used to pay for private school tuition and other costs. Parents either could use a debit card to access the money or by reimbursed for their expenses.

Wisconsin does not need any more plans to siphon public school money away from local schools. In a recent press release, statewide education leader and Eau Claire schoolteacher, Ron Martin said it best “Education savings accounts literally take money out of our neighborhood public schools and hands it over to subsidize private tuition, with zero accountability.”

Scott Walker dodges the bullet again, thank John Doe prosecutors, next steps in campaign finance reform, and much more...

MADISON - Boy, the week started off badly!

The U.S. Supreme Court decision on Monday not to take the John Doe II appeal was a blow to clean government in Wisconsin:

Disastrous duck by U.S. Supreme Court! Walker off scot-free?

One final word on this matter: The courageous defenders of clean government, who stood up for transparency and accountability and were vilified for it, are owed a debt of gratitude for their valiant efforts:

John Doe prosecutors deserve our thanks

Now that the sting of the loss is beginning to wear off, I look at the road ahead for clean and transparent government:

Next steps in the fight for campaign finance reform in Wisconsin

Meanwhile, our research director, Mike Buelow, keeps cranking out interesting stories about which dark money groups are throwing money around right now:

Outside groups spending tops $1.7M in legislative races

One of those groups is American Federation for Children—you know, Scott Jensen’s school voucher front—and we’ve anointed them with our highly coveted “Influence Peddler of the Month” award:

Influence peddler of the month - American Federation for Children

So we’re not slowing down a bit. I was asked on one radio show this week if I’m discouraged. No, I don’t get discouraged because I know the vast majority of the people, in Wisconsin and in this country, are on the side of clean, open, and transparent government. And the special interests would love it if we got discouraged!

So it’s just another day, another fight.

Thanks for being a part of this great struggle for real democracy.

While making decisions that negatively impact the very infrastructure important to growing Wisconsin’s economy, the governor and legislative leaders use statistics that do not reflect anything more than the state’s historical relationship to national statistics.

MADISON - “Wisconsin lowered taxes and reduced regulation and that increased jobs in the state, right?” A journalist from a national newspaper asked about the state of our economy for a story he was writing.

“The assumption you are making is that the only thing holding back growth is taxes paid by business,” I told the reporter. “And regulation,” he added.

I explained to the reporter that economic growth depended on many factors. Business needs a skilled workforce. Companies need a functioning infrastructure, including broadband, an efficient transportation system, good schools, a university system on the edge of tomorrow, safe streets, and vibrant communities where people want to live, work, start a business and raise a family.

Cutting taxes has set Wisconsin back on all these essential ingredients.

For two years, we heard about many job openings in the state but no skilled workers to fill them. At a recent Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce meeting, business leaders talked about the lack of skilled workers holding back their companies’ expansion. There is a strong connection between historic budget cuts to schools, technical colleges and the University of Wisconsin system and the lack of skilled workers.

Our transportation system suffers as the Governor refuses to raise fees to cover deteriorating roads and bridges. Instead, he talks about stopping transportation projects already in progress and borrowing more money with a transportation budget already paying one of every four dollars on debt.

While Minnesota debated making a hundred million dollar investment in rural broadband, our state leaders put just a little over 3 million in the current budget – not enough to cover my home county, one of the smallest in the state.

The Governor’s approach to cutting taxes has not worked to create jobs. Wisconsin lagged the national economy in recovering from the 2008-09 recession. Our state took six years to gain back all the jobs lost in the Great Recession – a whole year after the nation recovered and two years after Minnesota recovered.

The numbers indicate that Wisconsin’s economy has done little on its own and can only boast of being the beneficiary of spillover effects from the national economic recovery.

In recent months, Governor Walker took credit for things that were historically true of Wisconsin. For example, the state unemployment rate is lower than the national unemployment rate. Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national average in 28 of the last 36 years.

The Governor bragged about our labor participation rate. However, Wisconsin’s labor participation rate was higher than the national average for at least 30 years, possibly more.

Taking credit for Wisconsin being better than the nation in those two measures is like taking credit for the sun coming up in the morning. These numbers are little more than a reflection of the historical differences between Wisconsin and the nation.

Likewise, the increase in manufacturing jobs, which supposedly justifies the half a billion in tax credits over the next biennium, is little more than a reflection of the national increase in manufacturing jobs.

The most discouraging measure of our lagging economy is the recent Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation report, which for the second year in a row, ranks Wisconsin last in the nation in start-up business activity.

New businesses are the source of over 25% of new jobs in Wisconsin according to a report released earlier this year by the Center for Community and Economic Development at UW-Madison. In its report, the Center provides insight on how to create a vibrant economy; “developing generally attractive communities where people want to live may be the key to business location.”

The state needs to invest in good schools, safe streets, clean parks and the arts. We need partnerships between business and the public sector. We can encourage those who would take risks, experiment and cooperate with new business ventures. We must focus on growing many businesses at home instead of spending hundreds of millions to lure a few companies from other states.

Our economy is complicated, dynamic, interrelated and requires a balanced comprehensive approach. Taking credit for the sun coming up does not move us forward.

16 Democratic Assembly members urge Dane County DA to file new charges against Gov. Scott Walker.

MADISON - I’m just back from a road trip yesterday, which took me up to Green Bay and then down to Racine, and that reminds me to let you know that I’m available to come talk in your own community if you can arrange it. Just shoot me an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Meanwhile, before the weekend is in full swing, I’d like to tell you what we’ve been up to this week.

One key development, which got virtually no coverage in the statewide media, is that 16 Democratic Assembly members wrote a letter on Thursday urging Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne to file new charges against Gov. Scott Walker. Check it out here:

Wisconsin legislators keep heat on Walker

You know we’re against dark money, whether it’s coming from the Wisconsin Club for Growth or from a group that’s close to the Democrats. That’s why we exposed this new dark money group that’s cropped up in the Green Bay area:

New Dem electioneering group on air in 18th Senate race

And our research team did some original work examining the local government background of our state legislators to figure out why so many Republicans have been curbing local control. In fact, even though many had actually served in local government, respect for their roots has given way to party loyalty:

Votes on local control show special interests, party loyalty outweigh community

That’s all for now. Enjoy the weekend! Go Badgers…

From sexual assaults at the Lincoln Hills School for youth to financial mismanagement and neglect at the King Veteran Home, Gov. Walker and his Republican legislature have let down our families. We can’t delay action any longer.

LA CROSSE, WI - Vulnerable children and aging veterans in Wisconsin need our help. Shocking investigative reports have exposed a range of problems at the King Veteran Home and the Lincoln Hills School for youth. From assaults and infection outbreaks to outdated facilities and financial mismanagement, Gov. Walker and his Republican legislature have failed Wisconsin families.

At the King nursing facility, veterans and family members are concerned about worsening conditions and ongoing staff shortages. For more than a year, workers have complained of urine-soaked carpeting, tainted drinking water and outdated medical equipment.

Instead of approving $18 million in facility repairs and upgrades, Gov. Walker diverted $12 million from the veteran nursing home fund to backfill budget deficits. Republican leaders are set to raid another $18 million from King over the next two years.

Similar problems exist at the Lincoln Hills School in northern Wisconsin. Staff vacancies and inadequate facilities are jeopardizing safety and putting children at risk. Assaults have become all too common and the Department of Justice is currently investigating several reports of child neglect, intimidation of witnesses and tampering with public records.

Families have been left to wonder: Is this really the best we can do? Shouldn’t the care and safety of Wisconsin children and veterans be a top priority?

What’s become painfully clear after numerous investigative reports is that these problems didn’t pop up overnight. They’ve been allowed to fester for years under an administration that operates in secrecy, discourages transparency and refuses to accept responsibility.

Gov. Walker spent millions of dollars and countless hours traveling across the country in pursuit of his presidential ambitions. Had that same attention been paid to the concerns of children and veterans here in Wisconsin, perhaps we could have avoided the crisis we currently find ourselves in.

But we’re here now and families deserve solutions. We can’t delay action any longer, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Security upgrades at Lincoln Hills and an overhaul of the tainted drinking water system at the King Veteran Home are badly needed. Rather than delaying infrastructure investments, we should immediately approve shovel-ready projects and rehabilitate outdated facilities.

Staff shortages have worsened as a result of pay cuts, forced overtime and safety concerns. We can reduce staff turnover by fairly compensating employees, improving working conditions and limiting the unsustainable use of forced overtime.

Rather than more tax breaks for multi-millionaires, we should prioritize funding for these facilities, improve services and expand opportunities for residents. And we should immediately block Gov. Walker’s plan to raid $18 million from our veteran nursing homes.

Care for our veterans shouldn’t suffer as a result of Gov. Walker’s fiscal mismanagement.

We need leaders willing to put aside personal ambitions and stand up for those who have been silenced and marginalized for too long.

Legislative Democrats will continue to push for action until Wisconsin families receive the care and attention they deserve.

This election, help us protect Wisconsin children and veterans by voting for leaders who will focus on proven solutions rather than personal ambitions.

Federal Agency was created as part of the Dodd-Frank Act in response to the banking crisis of 2007-08, which caused the Great Recession. Customers of Wells Fargo, or any other bank or credit union, can monitor their accounts to make sure they don’t see unauthorized products or account activity and report them here.

EVANSVILLE, WI - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in response to the banking crisis of 2007-08, which caused the Great Recession.

As independent financial regulators, the CFPB, enforces regulations on banks, payday lenders, debt collectors, and other financial companies operating in the United States and helps consumers to take more control over their economic lives.

On September 8, the CFPB fined Wells Fargo Bank $100 million for widespread illegal sales practices. An additional $85 million in fines were imposed on Wells Fargo by other government agencies.

Wells Fargo illegally opened new accounts and transferred funds from existing accounts in order to meet sales targets established by senior management executives. They used customer’s personal information to create hundreds of thousands of unauthorized deposit and credit card accounts, going so far as to create PIN’s for accounts without the consent of their customers.  While senior executives then received millions of dollars in cash bonuses these illegal practices led to consumers being charged fees for insufficient funds, interest charges, annual credit card fees, and other late fees.

If you were one of the thousands of people who incurred fees as a result of an unauthorized Wells Fargo account, the CFPB has ordered Wells Fargo to refund all of your money. Some payments have already been made; others will be sent in the coming months.

Customers of Wells Fargo or any other bank or credit union should always monitor their accounts to make sure they don’t see unauthorized products or account activity. If you suspect that you had an unauthorized account opened, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB, at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ or by calling toll-free (855) 411-2372.

The creation of the CFPB as well as the consumer protections included in the Dodd-Frank Act were positive responses to one of darkest hours in our financial history. Since 2011, the CFPB has returned nearly $12 billion to 27 million victims of shady and illegal financial practices.

Even with the overwhelming success of the CFPB, there is a concerted effort by Wall Street to loosen regulations on banks, payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies.

Those looking to loosen financial regulations are operating on very short memories. Just eight years ago, reckless Wall Street practices nearly destroyed our economy. Millions of people lost their jobs and millions more lost their homes. Trillions of dollars in retirement savings were wiped out and taxpayers had to bail out banks that were deemed “too big to fail”.

Efforts to hamstring the CFPB and loosen banking reforms will not help the small consumers, investors or taxpayers on Main Street. It will simply allow powerful Wall Street interests and banks that are “too big to fail” to run amok and wreak financial havoc again.

New health insurance plans offer relief from runaway pharmaceutical prices. Wisconsin health consumers will save over $209 million.

WISCONSIN - At news conferences in four cities yesterday Citizen Action of Wisconsin announced that for 2017 some major insurance carriers in Wisconsin will be offering new health plans designed by the federal government to provide immediate relief from skyrocketing prescription drug prices and other medical costs. The announcement took place in Appleton, Wausau, Milwaukee, and Madison.

Deductibles jumped 40% this year in Wisconsin, yet the Walker Administration has refused to take any meaningful steps to address high medical prices. To fill the gap, advocates and state legislators took matters into their own hands by directly lobbying Wisconsin health insurance companies to adopt new Federal plans designed to combat high deductibles.

The savings generated because of the introduction of these new plans are dramatic. The average health consumer purchasing insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace stands to save $1,462 Rx deductibles and $3,482 on other high value medical services. Overall Citizen Action of Wisconsin estimates the new plans will save Wisconsin health consumers over $209 million per year in lower deductibles.

At the Capitol news conference Senator Jon Erpenbach and Representative Melissa Sargent represented Democratic legislators who joined Citizen Action in asking Wisconsin health insurers to offer “Low Out-of- Pocket” plans.

These new health plans will have the following common features:

• $0 deductibles for prescription drugs (generic, brand name and specialty)

• $0 deductible for Primary Care Visits to Treat an Injury or Illness

• $0 deductible for Specialist Visits

• $0 deductible for Mental/Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Disorder Outpatient

• Manageable co-pays that do not differ company to company.

Four companies have so far confirmed to Citizen Action their intention to introduce ”Low Out-of-Pocket” health plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace for 2017.

1. Molina Healthcare

2. Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative

3. Group Health Cooperative of South Central WI

4. Network Health

“The introduction of new cost saving health plans in Wisconsin shows it is possible to use the tools provided by the health care reform law to make tangible progress on medical and prescription drug affordability,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Even more progress on skyrocketing health care costs would be possible if Governor Walker and conservatives in the State Legislature would cease their efforts to sabotage health reform, and join health advocates in working to guaranteed quality affordable health care in Wisconsin.”

Chart:

Average Current 2016 Deductibles by County (reduced to $0 for some services in “Low Out of Pocket” Health Plans)

* - Average deductible based on all silver plans available in county 2016 individual market without cost sharing

** - 42 county weighted average shows what the average resident in these 42 counties that will feature Low Out-of-Pocket health plans currently see for deductibles. Weighted by total enrollment.

More information on the features of the new health plans, and on savings in each Wisconsin County, can be found here.

Over the years, problems with the facilities and quality of care at the King Veterans Home have raised concerns across the state. This week, we approved a nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau investigation to consider both financial and quality of care issues at King.

MADISON - “There used to be a real nice coffee shop. But they turned it into vending machines,” David Wedde told the Joint Committee on Audit.

To many it might seem like an insignificant thing but it was not just a coffee shop. It was a symbol of comradely at the Veterans Home in King. Everyday veterans gathered in the shop to trade stories. Now impersonal machines have replaced the shop – a victim of budget cuts.

Tim Michael added, “Shouldn’t be so hard to get treatment for PTSD. Why do we have a surplus when we need these things?”

A few moments after the two Navy veterans from Waupaca County testified, the entire committee voted to approve a comprehensive performance audit of the King Veterans Home.

A Capital Times investigative report recently highlighted problems at the state-run facility. Stories of difficulties at King trickled out of Waupaca County for many years. Over the years, Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) whose district is near King, made inquiries related to problems at King. A year ago, Sen. Lassa requested the Joint Audit Committee co-chairs move forward with an audit.

Later, Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) requested an audit and detailed what an investigation should include. The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) included many of his suggestions in its scope for the proposed audit.

During the hearing, committee members (of which I serve as ranking minority member) heard conflicting testimony. State officials were quick to remind members the state administered Veterans Homes received four and five star quality ratings from state and federal inspections.

Yet allegations from residents, family members, and employees (both current and former), as reported in the media, paint a different picture. Employees and residents struggled with shortages but were afraid of retribution if they complained.

Committee members heard about administrative and financial problems. Staff shortages, forced overtime and inadequate wages led to high staff turnover and poor quality of care.

Budget cuts resulted in buildings without air conditioning, dilapidated equipment, and lost opportunities for residents like day trips to ball games. Volunteers testified that no doctor was on staff for the veterans, which meant anyone with medical needs was transported for care. Often veterans were not properly clothed for winter trips.

Administrators eliminated services that symbolized a high quality environment – like the coffee shop and pontoon boat rides on the lake – that gave King its home-like atmosphere.

Legislators, residents and advocates all asked how “surplus” money could be transferred away from the Veterans Home at a time when routine maintenance was delayed and staff were poorly paid.

State officials emphasized they created financial solvency from the deficit they inherited. They described the general fund tax dollars used by the administration to infuse the veterans programs and stated this was the first time since 1988 that state general fund dollars were transferred to bail out the ailing Veterans Trust Fund.

I found it difficult to reconcile the allegations of poor quality care, old equipment, worn out buildings, and untrained staff with administration officials’ repeated reference to four and five star quality ratings.

Reading through documents and letters I received, it appears state officials sacrificed things that made King special to veterans in favor of budget cuts. Mysteriously, these cuts happened at a time when “surplus” monies were transferred to cover deficits in other programs. Getting to the bottom of this problem is exactly why we need a nonpartisan audit that follows both the money and the quality of care for veterans.

Problems at the state’s veteran homes are not new. As a former chair of the audit committee, I joined co-chair Rep. Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) to approve a 2010 investigation that exposed many financial problems and led to recommendations on consistent rate setting; hiring and overtime costs; and resolving lax financial administration.

Senator Olsen reflected the feelings of many lawmakers, including myself, when he eloquently described the audit:

“If there are problems at King, we must shine a light on them and we do not rest until we figure out how to resolve them in a manner benefiting our veterans that demonstrates our utmost respect and gratitude for their selfless service to our great country.”

To the state leaders: we can start with something simple but important like bringing back the coffee shop.

***

Senator Vinehout serves as the ranking member of the audit committee which unanimously approved the audit.

MADISON - On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign filed a formal complaint with the IRS against Wisconsin Club for Growth.

Here’s why: All we want is some modicum of justice. All we want is someone in authority, somewhere, to rule that the flagrant scheming by Walker and Wisconsin Club for Growth was wrong and to hold them accountable.

Some background: Scott Walker’s campaign strategist, R. J. Johnson, was simultaneously running Wisconsin Club for Growth. Walker and Johnson turned Wisconsin Club for Growth into a funnel for huge, secret donations that they then used to finance ads to help keep Walker in office, Justice David Prosser on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and Republican state senators in the majority.

This was not only a scheme to circumvent the Wisconsin campaign finance law that was on the books at the time, which imposed limits on donations, required disclosure of donors, and prohibited coordination between candidates (like Walker) and outside groups (like Wisconsin Club for Growth).

It was also a scheme that ran afoul of IRS regulations.

You see, Wisconsin Club for Growth is registered with the IRS as a (501)(4) “social welfare” organization.

According to an Aug. 9, 2016, notice by the IRS, “The promotion of social welfare does not include direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. However, a section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization may engage in some political activities, so long as that is not its primary activity.”

But, as was made clear in the recent blockbuster article in The Guardian newspaper, “Because Scott Walker Asked,” the “primary activity” of Wisconsin Club for Growth in 2011 and 2012 was to engage in electioneering.

Our complaint also alleges that Wisconsin Club for Growth engaged in improper and deceptive fundraising practices.

In essence, Wisconsin Club for Growth was raising money not for itself and its own independent “social welfare” efforts, but for electioneering activity guided by Scott Walker and R. J. Johnson.

Walker personally met with millionaires and billionaires and directed them to give to Wisconsin Club for Growth.

It then sprinkled the money around. Wisconsin Club for Growth sent four checks totaling $2.5 million to Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce in April and May of 2012. It also sent four checks totaling $1,520,000 to Citizens for a Strong America in the first half of 2012. And it sent two checks totaling $550,000 to the American Federation for Children in May of 2012. These groups then used this money to run electioneering ads in accordance with the wishes of R. J. Johnson, acting on behalf of Scott Walker.

As Kate Doner, one of his fundraisers, wrote in an email on April 28, 2011: “As the Governor discussed with Mr. Pickens, he wants all the issue advocacy efforts to run thru one group to ensure correct messaging…. The Governor is encouraging all to invest in the Wisconsin Club for Growth. Wisconsin Club for Growth can accept Corporate and Personal donations without limitations and no donor disclosure.”

R. J. Johnson was in charge of “correct messaging.” He even focused on the tiniest details. In an email on Sept. 5, 2012, from Johnson to his assistant Deb Jordahl, as well as to Scott Jensen of American Federation for Children, Johnson said of the American Federation for Children ad that was in the works: “I think the alternative in the middle part with no picture works well. Once we have a font resolution we can move.”

Walker clearly knew what was going on. He bragged about the role Johnson and the Wisconsin Club for Growth played. In an email to Karl Rove on May 4, 2011, Walker wrote: "Bottom Line: RJ helps keeps in place a team that is wildly successful in Wisconsin.”

To date, the highest elected official in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Club for Growth have been able to flout the law and get away with it.

They have the system rigged here because the conservative justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court are in their pocket and obediently threw out the John Doe II investigation into this matter back in July 2015.

Since we can’t get justice in Wisconsin, we’re going to try to get justice in Washington.

Last we looked, Walker and the Wisconsin Club for Growth don’t have the IRS in their pockets.

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We Americans always will have our disagreements. But three goals should be about right and wrong rather than left and right. Create an economy that serves all, making education affordable, and bringing high-speed Internet and mobile phone service to every doorstep.

ALTOONA, WI - No doubt about it, Americans are at each other’s throats, politically speaking. Some consider themselves Democrats, and most of them are not terribly fond of their party but absolutely can’t stand Republicans. Others call themselves Republicans, and most who do have no great love of their party either but are driven mad by Democrats.

Most numerous of all are the independents, who are turned off by both and refuse to wear either major party label. But even self-described independents tend to lean when it comes time to vote, reliably favoring one of the major parties. The thing is, these days they lean not toward what they like most but rather in the opposite direction of what they fear and hate.

Against this backdrop, it can be hard to see where to even start the search for common ground in America.

Part of the problem is that we’ve all been conditioned to think and talk about politics in ways that drive wedges between us and make us active participants in our own disempowerment. One secret to escaping the trap we’re in is to consciously and creatively work to change our political vocabulary, discarding words like “left” and “right” and “liberal” or “conservative” in favor of terms that could knit us together instead of tear us apart.

Another strategy worth giving a try is to steer conversations away from programs and policies and ideologies and toward discussions of what kind of society we want. We argue about things like food stamps and other forms of public assistance. One person sees a safety net, another sees a hammock. The argument accomplishes nothing except to further convince each that the other is evil.

How about changing the conversation, focusing instead on how to create an economy where if you work you won’t be poor? Each side has no choice but to admit that we don’t currently have such an economy. That’s some common ground right there. Some more might be found once we start talking about how to build one.

Here are three goals for our country that are about right and wrong rather than left and right.

Create an economy that makes the term “working poor” disappear from our vocabulary. This is no small task. But if we can’t all agree that those who go to work every day should not go hungry or be unable to afford shelter, then what kind of nation do we have? Who are we as a people?

If we’re serious about reaching this goal, there are at least two others that need to be pursued too.

When most people in this country lived off the land, a high school diploma wasn’t essential to making a decent living. When most American workers moved to factories and offices, more schooling was needed. In this digital age and with the emergence of an increasingly global economy, living the American Dream depends on even more education and training. That being the case, there has to be a commitment to making education as affordable for our kids and grandkids as past generations made it for us. The education needed to be able to live the kind of life I wanted to live was remarkably inexpensive and readily attainable in my youth. Today’s young people are being buried under a mountain of debt to get what they need to make it in life. That’s not right.

And given the world we now live in, you can’t run a business or do most jobs or fully participate in American life without access to 21st Century information and communications technology. Every American needs it. Not every American has it. That reality challenges us to do what it takes to bring high-speed Internet and mobile phone service to every American doorstep.

We Americans always will have our disagreements. But let’s at least try to argue about how to reach goals we all can agree on.

We decided to file a formal IRS complaint against Wisconsin Club for Growth, alleging it violated its nonprofit status, after reading the blockbuster revelations in The Guardian about Scott Walker and his flagrant coordination with the group.

MADISON - We’ve been in the news a lot this week!

The reason: After reading the blockbuster story in The Guardian about Scott Walker and his flagrant coordination with Wisconsin Club for Growth, we decided to file a formal IRS complaint against Wisconsin Club for Growth. We allege that it violated its nonprofit status in a couple ways, as you’ll see here:

WDC files complaint with IRS against Wisconsin Club for Growth

And speaking of that Guardian story, we summarized the essence of it here:

Walker’s laundry operation: Six takeaways from The Guardian story on Walker

One reason we’re looking to the IRS in Washington for some accountability is because there’s no accountability to be found here in Wisconsin, in part because of our corrupt Wisconsin Supreme Court. This week, we wrote about one of the justices who has been tainted by outside money:

Conflicted supreme court justice plans reelection

Lastly, our friends over at the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin are looking for volunteers to help them monitor the November 8 elections. Their election observers will be on guard for any signs of people being disenfranchised. If you’d like to sign up to be trained as an election observer, just click here:

Take 2 minutes to sign up online.

Thanks for your interest in all our work and that of our allies.

Gov. Walker and Secretary Gottlieb introduced their transportation budget proposal last week and funding it will be the biggest issue facing our state in the upcoming budget. Sen Kathleen Vinehout offers some new twists on the Governor’s plan for saving money and providing better support for local governments.

MADISON - Funding roads is an important job for state leaders. Nine cents of every state budget dollar goes towards transportation. In the vagaries of Wisconsin state budgeting, this includes dollars the feds send Wisconsin (about forty cents of every road dollar comes from Uncle Sam).

A prudent fiscal manager must balance several factors to make wise transportation decisions. He or she must maintain our current investments, plan for future growth, pay scrupulous attention to efficiency and quality construction, and reconcile spending with revenue.

In short, a prudent transportation budget is a balancing act.

Recently Governor Walker and Secretary of Transportation Mark Gottlieb released a 2017-19 transportation budget proposal. In this proposal, major interstate construction projects are delayed, causing some to claim harm to Southeast Wisconsin.

This new proposal is a departure from record borrowing levels seen in the last budget. An increase for local government road funding is a welcomed sight too.

For many years, big interstate construction projects in Southeast Wisconsin took a larger slice of the road budget. Past budgets froze funding for local roads while maintenance costs increased.

To make matters worse for local governments, majority lawmakers passed a law forbidding cooperation between counties. Lost efficiencies and rising costs meant locals were left with two choices: borrow or cut back on maintenance. Some did both.

Over the years, prior governors pushed to eliminate state transportation workers. Fewer employees resulted in private firms replacing state workers, often at higher cost.

In budget year 1987-88, spending on private construction engineers was only 8% of all construction-engineering costs. Ten years later, spending jumped to a third of all dollars spent on private construction engineers. By fiscal year 2009-10, three quarters of all spending on construction engineers went to private firms.

Data I analyzed from a 2009 limited-scope review by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) showed a 68% cost increase per project over five years for projects that involved private engineering consultants.

Further, a 2009 report to the State Engineering Association found outside consultants didn’t save the state money; in some cases, private engineering firms cost up to 19% more than in-house state engineers.

I strongly support the move to fund our local roads along with smarter transportation spending. Let’s look for efficiency in-house. An easy first step is passing my bill to repeal the 2011 law forbidding local governments from collaborating on transportation projects.

No one can deny the money funneling into our Transportation Fund, largely gas tax and motor vehicle registration fees, has not kept up with the cost of maintaining our roads and bridges.

Governor Walker is ideologically opposed to raising taxes or fees, yet knows our transportation budget lacks the revenue needed. The prudent executive should not let ideology cloud important financial decisions. Some road delays may be in order, but cutting back on construction already in progress comes with a price tag.

User fees acknowledge the cost to maintain and improve services. For example, the state owns, or is a substantial owner of, over 700 miles of freight rail. In a previous budget, Secretary Gottlieb proposed charging a $10-a-rail-car fee for use of taxpayer-funded rail lines. The Governor failed to take up this modest charge. Taxpayers – you and me – continue to subsidize railroads use of our state-owned lines.

The release of the transportation budget is only the beginning of a long process. Budget debates in Madison will begin in earnest next spring and likely culminate with the passage of the 2017-19 budget by July.

Earlier this year the Joint Committee on Audit (of which I am ranking minority member) took the important step of directing the resources of the LAB toward a comprehensive audit of the Department of Transportation. I expect the release of this audit to coincide with the spring budget debate. The audit will add important nonpartisan information to our decision making process.

The transportation budget will be the biggest decision we face next year. Take some time to engage in this critical debate. We all have a stake in transportation – and we all must work together to find solutions.

Here’s to safe traveling!

“Corporations. Go heavy after them to give. Take Koch’s money. Get on a plane to Vegas and sit down with Sheldon Adelson. Ask for $1m now.” - The Guardian, September 14

MIDDLETON, WI - Nobody benefitted more from Citizens United than the Koch brothers and two Wisconsin Republicans: Governor Scott Walker and Senator Ron Johnson.

This we‌ek, a story published in The Guardian showed just how deep the corruption goes. The story cites multiple instances of pay-for-play governing, straight from Scott Walker's desk. Billionaires and corporations cut checks to dark money groups supporting Republicans, then Governor Walker turned around and pushed for legislation that'd make life easier for these billionaires and their businesses.

After the Supreme Court's lawless Citizens United decision, the Koch brothers set their sights on Wisconsin. The tea party wave in 20‌10 helped them scoop up the governor's mansion, their "model legislator" in Ron Johnson, and a state legislature ready to do their bidding. Through the offices of Scott Walker and Ron Johnson, they've attacked the rights of just about everyone in Wisconsin: public sector employees, women, students, people of color, and many more. They've even attacked the right to vote.

The Kochs chose Wisconsin as their battleground for a reason: We have a long history of progressivism, clean elections, and clean government. They knew that if they could buy politicians here, they could do it anywhere.

Since 2010, the Koch brothers have spent over $4‌4 million in Wisconsin to buy elections for Republicans who'd rig the political system in their favor. Governor Walker and my opponent, Senator Johnson, have repeatedly shown that they'll always side with their billionaire backers over the Wisconsinites they were elected to serve.

But come Nov‌ember, that's going to change. If we work together, we can win this election -- and that's just the beginning. We're going to take our democracy out of the hands of corporations, multimillionaires, and special interest groups and put it where it belongs: Back in the hands of the people.

Just weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to review the Wisconsin decision that squashed the investigation, Republicans scramble over 'the apparent violation of the secrecy orders'.

MADISON, WI - Attorney General Brad Schimel is considering investigating the recent leak of sealed documents from the halted John Doe investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s recall campaign.

The Guardian US, an arm of the British-based newspaper, on Wednesday posted more than 1,300 documents related to the investigation into whether Walker’s recall campaign circumvented state campaign finance law. The documents were supposed to be held under seal by a Wisconsin Supreme Court order, which previously had ordered them destroyed.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and other top Assembly Republicans had asked Schimel to consider appointing a special prosecutor to investigate “this apparent violation” of the Supreme Court’s order and state law earlier in the day.

But, why all the concern about documents from an investigation that Gov. Scott Walker has repeatedly claimed was ‘baseless’?

The documents posted Wednesday provide the most complete record yet of how Walker raised millions of dollars for a supposedly independent, tax-exempt group during the 2011 and 2012 recalls — activity that prompted the John Doe investigation. Walker, Assembly Republicans, and several of the Supreme Court Justices themselves directly benefited from the campaign activities of that very same group.

Schimel “is very concerned about the apparent violation of the secrecy orders issued by the court in this case, and is currently reviewing the available options to address the serious legal questions raised by the leak and publication of these sealed documents,” Schimel’s spokesman Johnny Koremenos said in an email to the Wisconsin State Journal.

“Should this potential crime go unprosecuted it runs the risk of undermining the integrity of our courts and judicial system,” said Vos in a letter Thursday to Schimel.

But Republican lawmakers — including Vos — have not previously publicly called for an investigation into apparent leaks to other publications, including the Wall Street Journal’s conservative editorial page.

For example, Wisconsin Club for Growth director Eric O’Keefe acknowledged in 2014 in an interview with conservative radio show host Vicki McKenna that the subpoena he received during the 2012 John Doe investigation included a gag order, which if violated could result in a contempt of court ruling.

Later Thursday, at another stop in the state, Walker said he is no longer raising money for Wisconsin Club for Growth, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The document disclosures come just weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider a petition by prosecutors to overturn the Wisconsin Supreme Court 4-2 decision quashing the investigation.

Witnesses include Walker Administration insurance bureaucrat who is part of efforts to undermine access to affordable health care in Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON, DC - This morning Senator Ron Johnson, Chair of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, will hold a hearing on the state of health insurance markets. Observers of health policy expect the hearing to try and build support for repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Senator Johnson, an arch opponent of guaranteed affordable health care, is expected to use the hearing to advance his desire to return to the days when insurance companies profited through discrimination based on preexisting conditions, age, and gender. Johnson will likely claim that big for profit insurance companies pulling out of ACA marketplaces is a reason to repeal health care reform, rather than for holding those highly profitable corporations accountable. At least one health insurance company is pulling out in retaliation for the Obama Administration enforcement of the nation’s antitrust laws.

One of the challenges in implementing the ACA continues to be conservative state officials who are willing to use their power to undermine access to affordable health care for their own constituents. These actions include rejecting coverage for low income residents and enabling for profit insurance companies to continue to profit by selling policies to healthy people and avoiding those with health conditions.

The first witness on Sen. Johnson’s hearing notice is Wisconsin Deputy Insurance Commissioner J.P. Wieske, who had been one of the leaders in Governor Scott Walker’s efforts to sabotage the health care reform law.

The record of actions the Walker Administration is long and troubling. Here is a sampling:

• The Walker Administration made Wisconsin the only state in the Great Lakes region to reject enhanced Medicaid dollars, kicking 77,000 people off the state’s BadgerCare program. New research shows that states like Wisconsin who refused Medicaid dollars forced more people with health conditions onto the ACA marketplace, increasing premiums by about 7%.

• The Wisconsin Insurance commissioner sought a waiver from the rule that health insurance companies spend at least 80% of premiums on medical care, the so called 80/20 rule.

• The Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner allowed health insurance corporations to game the system by allowing the continued sale of substandard lemon plans, which according to research by Milliman, Academy of Actuaries, and Rand Corporation, increase ACA marketplace premiums by up to 10% by allowing insurance companies to continue to cherry pick healthier customers. There are as many as 45,000 Wisconsinites on these so-called transitional plans. These skimpy plans also are dangerous for customers who face serious medical conditions.

• The Wisconsin Insurance commissioner has been extremely lax on health insurance rate review, failing to find a single health insurance industry rate request to be excessive in 5 years. The Walker Administration has been an advocate of “file and use,” strongly opposing legislation that would require the health insurance corporations to prove rate increases are justified. More vigorous rate review has reduced premiums in other states.

• The Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner put unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on health insurance navigators not required by federal law, of the kind that were thrown out by a federal court in Missouri. This likely raised premiums by reducing enrollment in ACA marketplace plans.

It is deeply troubling that conservative politicians like Senator Johnson see the continued efforts of the big health insurance corporations to deny coverage to people with health conditions as an opportunity to undermine health reform. Now that big insurance is working actively to sabotage a system designed to guarantee them customers, it is long overdue that we return to the idea of robust public option. A public option would hold big health insurance accountable by giving health consumers a choice and taking away their leverage to abandon whole parts of the country just to jack up their already swelling profit margins.

Senate Republicans knew they were blowing our campaign finance laws to pieces for their own personal benefit. That is the true crime in all of this.

MADISON, WI - Last November, the Wisconsin Senate Republicans made changes to Wisconsin election laws that they knew would allow collusion and coordination between political candidates and dark money issue ads in elections. This move was needed because they had been breaking the law, most notable in the recall elections as highlighted in The Guardian leak of thousands of pages of a John Doe investigation into Governor Scott Walker.

Wisconsin courts have found that if a group is coordinating on issue ads with a candidate, their spending -- regardless of whether it includes express advocacy -- can be considered a contribution, which under Wisconsin law encompasses both cash donations and the giving of anything of value. AB 387 changed that and made collusion and coordination legal, even when candidates coordinate with ’issue advocacy’ groups.

Issue ads claim they are NOT campaigning because they are just educating voters, not trying to influence the outcome of an election. But coordination with a candidate is the definition of campaigning. We argued all day on the Senate floor and every single Senate Republican knew they were blowing our campaign finance laws to pieces for their own personal benefit. That is the true crime in all of this. Politicians voting to benefits themselves.

Most people living in small towns or out in the country claim to be Republicans, but only because they seem to despise Democrats. Few actually seem to like the Republicans deep down.

ALTOONA, WI - My past work as a government watchdog led me to spend more time than I liked in the State Capitol. With seemingly each passing day, I found the place increasingly unpleasant. Just setting foot in the building had a way of dampening my spirits. It’s a beautiful setting, but there’s growing ugliness in what goes on inside.

Since joining with others from around the state to give birth to Blue Jean Nation about a year and a half ago, I’ve been in the Capitol only three times, and none of the visits was my idea. I’ve made a point of staying away from the Capitol and hitting the road instead.

On a few occasions my recent travels have taken me outside Wisconsin’s borders. But for the most part, I’ve criss-crossed the countryside in my home state. Community events and gatherings from Argyle to Appleton to Ashland, from Waukesha to Waterloo to Wausau. Sometimes it’s bigger towns like Eau Claire, Green Bay, Janesville or La Crosse. Other times small towns like Lake Mills, Darlington, Viroqua, Elkhorn and Owen. For every trip to Milwaukee there have been visits to Menasha and Menomonie, Hayward and Hudson, Brookfield and Baraboo, Portage and Prairie du Chien. And dozens of other locales. Plans have me heading soon to Tomah, Waupun and New Glarus, among other places.

I’ve met with local residents in churches, coffee shops, cafes, bowling alleys, libraries, taverns, barns, feed mills, town halls and community centers. I’ve been invited into high school classrooms and to college campuses. Everywhere I go, I talk politics with those I meet. What I hear varies from place to place but at the same time is strikingly similar. Distill all the stories down and common themes emerge.

People are reluctant to talk politics, but you can tell they want to. Political discussions have been too painful lately.

The most commonly used word to describe both the economy and the political system has got to be “rigged.” It amazes me how often that word is chosen.

Pessimism is rampant. People seem afraid of what the future holds. Many are beaten down. No matter how hard they work, they see themselves falling behind. They have a hard time imagining how that’s going to change. This leads not only to intense frustration but also a strong suspicion that America’s best days are behind her.

Optimism is dormant but not dead. People want to believe things can get better, and are on the lookout for signs we might be turning the corner. Leadership is craved.

Few see themselves being the ones able to satisfy the craving. Most see leadership coming from someone else.

Someone else isn’t leading.

The word “Democrat” is toxic most everywhere outside of Madison and Milwaukee.

Most people living in small towns or out in the country are Republicans, but only because they despise Democrats. Few actually seem to like the Republicans deep down.

Most people can tell you what Republicans believe in, whether they agree with it or not. Most struggle to put into words what Democrats stand for. What they do say isn’t flattering.

Young people are not nearly as apathetic as older people think they are. They know what’s going on. They care. They may feel powerless, but that’s different than not caring.

People of every age tell you who’s to blame for the mess that’s been made, but then they say something that hints at understanding of how all the resentment and scapegoating lead nowhere good.

These are things you never hear in the State Capitol. And doesn’t that say something revealing about the Capitol?

— Mike McCabe

For 50 years, the Legislative Audit Bureau has worked quietly behind the scenes monitoring funds and agencies to ensure state government delivers quality services.

MADISON - “Happy Birthday!” I told eighty auditors and other legislative leaders at a recent Capitol gathering. The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) recently celebrated 50 years of service to the people of the State of Wisconsin.

LAB is the agency that works quietly behind the scenes to ensure state government delivers quality services. The agency has earned high marks for its work in national circles and criticism from both sides of the aisle in its detailed depiction of problems and recommended changes to state government.

As described in the words of former State Auditor Janet Mueller, the LAB serves as “the Steward of the People’s Money.”

You might not have heard of the LAB, but they work methodically to ensure your tax dollars are well spent.

Half of the Audit Bureau team focuses on financial auditing. As a highly trained team of certified public accountants, these professionals are skilled in government accounting. They check and recheck records, and in some cases, must reconstruct records to review the accuracy of agencies’ reports.

The financial auditors are responsible for completing many audits required by state and federal law. Their work includes monitoring funds overseen by the State Investment Board; the State Lottery Fund; the State of Wisconsin itself and the Single Audit – a comprehensive accounting of all federal dollars flowing through state government. The details of the Single Audit are truly astounding as, thirty cents of every dollar the state spends is from Uncle Sam - with some programs larger. For example, forty cents of every transportation dollar spent is federal as is fifty cents of every health dollar spent.

Financial auditors answer questions like “How much money was spent?” and “Are adequate safeguards in place to assure money was properly accounted for?”

Program auditors make up the other half of the Audit Bureau team. They answer questions about state programs such as “How well is the program working?” and “How might the state improve service delivery?”

Program auditors often work closely with financial auditors. For example, the troubled Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s performance was examined thoroughly by both financial and program auditors in three separate audits.

Early audits of WEDC showed no clear budget or consistent accounting practices in an agency that distributes tens of millions in grants and loans and hundreds of millions in tax credits. Even the most recent audit found WEDC lost track of loans. Millions in other loans were written off when companies failed to deliver promised jobs. WEDC broke federal rules and, as a consequence, Wisconsin paid penalties. Remarkably, WEDC failed to independently verify that companies given tax dollars to create jobs actually did as they promised.

Sometimes the auditors do such a good job, state leaders want to get rid of them. I think of this as “Killing the Messenger.” For example, in the FY 15-17 Governor’s budget, he removed the requirement for LAB to financially audit WEDC. Thankfully the legislature replaced the requirement, and LAB will issue a new WEDC audit this spring.

Following the release of the third disturbing audit of the WEDC, two Assemblymen, Rep. Craig (R-Big Bend) and Rep. Jarchow (R-Balsam Lake) circulated a bill to abolish the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and replace the agency with partisan “Inspector Generals” to be housed in the very agencies they oversee.

Again, thoughtful lawmakers prevailed and the bill died. Wisconsin needs more nonpartisan oversight, not less. We need LAB’s steadfast efforts in evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of state government.

Later this month, the Legislative Audit Committee, which I serve as ranking minority member, will meet to take up a new crisis in state government: the care of veterans at the Wisconsin King Veterans Home.

All citizens can contact the Legislative Audit Bureau through a toll free hotline (1-877-FRAUD-17) for citizens to report fraud, waste and mismanagement in state government.

Congratulations to State Auditor Joe Chrisman and his dedicated staff, and to former state auditors Jan Mueller and Dale Cattanach who helped make LAB the award winning team it is today. Wishing the LAB many more years of service as the Steward of the People’s Money!