In This Issue:
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1. Insurance Surprise
2. Busy Holiday
Season
3. Big Government
Comes First
4. Help Us Call Out
Liberals
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Erpenbach’s insurance surprise
 Advocates of government-run health insurance would never be able to sell the idea to the average voter without a sense of crisis and urgency; one indicating that the system is in serious trouble and in need of rescue.
One method they’ve used to create such a crisis is to pile on one mandate after another, reducing flexibility for insurance providers and consumers and driving up costs.
Recent days have brought attention to yet another crisis-driving- mandate buried deep in the state budget bill. Courtesy of State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), state law now requires that adults up to age 27 must be allowed to retain health insurance coverage under their parents’ policies.
The mandate specifies that insurers must allow dependents who are unmarried, under 27 and ineligible for group health coverage, to continue being carried on their parents’ policies—AND—they can stick with Mom and Dad’s policy if their employer offers them insurance with premiums higher than what the folks are charged.
This is yet another case of a nanny-state idea circling back to bite not just private-sector benefit programs and consumers, but anyone who’s unlucky enough to be a taxpayer. The mandate to retain coverage under parental policies means the adult children of government employees will add to the benefit costs that are already one of the largest expenditures for state and local governments.
For example, the Milwaukee Public School system estimates it will have to spend an additional $1 million every year to make good on Senator Erpenbach’s present for the kids. Now, state and local governments across Wisconsin will have added costs to pass along to taxpayers.
We can’t presume to know what was going on in Sen. Erpenbach’s mind, but if the experience of the past year has taught us anything, it’s that people selling solutions to a crisis aren’t necessarily disappointed when their “crisis” boils over.
Busy Holiday Season
 As of this writing, State Representative Jeff Wood still has a valid Wisconsin driver’s license. Surprising, considering his December 2008 OWI arrest in Columbia County involved a suspected third offense, and that he’s been arrested twice more since then, in September and October of this year.
His most recent offenses appear to stem from the abuse of prescription drugs, or at the very least, serial, inappropriate decisions to drive a car when his ability to do so is impaired by those drugs.
Last week we learned that Wood kept his license after the 2008 arrest because the Department of Transportation didn’t get around to holding a hearing on his suspension before the 30-day legal window had expired. A department official told a Madison television reporter the holiday season had made it tough to schedule a hearing.
Verrrry interrrresting, as they used to say on Laugh-In. Not so funny when you have a dangerously impaired driver back on the road. Wood’s arrest occurred on December 12th, giving the state plenty of time to conduct a hearing within the legal window.
Meanwhile, Wood’s legislative colleagues have passed tougher drunk-driving laws unanimously in both houses. There are, however, differences between the bills which will have to be reconciled before anything can become law. Both bills make a fourth offense a felony if it happens within five years of a previous offense.
- The vehicles of repeat offenders and first-timers with a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent or more would have to have ignition interlock devices.
- Penalties would be uniform, eliminating a reduced-penalty provision for drivers whose blood alcohol is between 0.08 and 0.10 percent.
- The tougher standards are expected to cost between $15 and $18 million annually. A prior estimate exceeding $73 million was scrapped after officials decided the use of more ignition interlocks would have a greater deterrent effect than previously thought.
Let's hope they can find the time to enforce any new laws they enact.
Big government comes first…
 As expected, the Milwaukee County Board began Monday to dismantle County Executive Scott Walker’s 2010 budget plan, dumping common-sense initiatives Walker proposed to save taxpayers money.
The board voted down proposals to privatize maintenance services at county buildings, along with computer technician positions and some two dozen airport firefighter jobs.
Also rejected was Walker’s plan to hire part-time seasonal parks workers instead of full-time, year-round employees. The net effect: Walker’s budget would have shed 39 of those positions; the board voted to preserve 20 of them.
By turning down Walker's budget solutions the board increases costs for taxpayers who are already overstressed. The boards actions provide a timely demonstration of who has the taxpayers’ interest at heart—and who doesn’t.
One board member warned that by turning over public-sector jobs to private, for-profit companies, the county might risk receiving services with a lesser level of care and expertise. If only we could have the chance to find out.
It was 1:30 in the morning when the Milwaukee County Board, led by Chairman Lee Holloway, narrowly passed a budget which includes a 3.8% property tax hike. County Executive Walker has said he will veto any tax increases.
You can show your support for Walker's budget by attending a rally sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Government on Saturday,
November 14th.
What: CRG Taxpayer Rally
Who: Vicki McKenna, James T. Harris, Scott Walker
Where: Italian Community Center
631 East Chicago Street - Milwaukee
When 1 to 3 PM
Help Us Call Out the Liberals
If you would like to help us get the word out about liberal stunts being pulled in Madison, Milwaukee and around the state please consider making a donation today!
Your contibutions have already helped us defeat job killing changes in liability laws, higher gas taxes and a state government takeover of healthcare.
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Please click on the donate now button on the left of this newsletter to make an online donation or send your generous check made out to “Wisconsin Club for Growth” to 1223 W. Main Street, #304, Sun Prairie, WI 53590.
The larger our membership, the more muscle and resources we will have to educate politicians about pro-growth, limited government policies -- then hold them to their promises.
Thank you for your continued support!
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