No class in WI as teachers protest union-busting governor

[Acturus]

FactCheck.org validates the budget crisis to some extent:

http://factcheck.org/2011/03/wiscons...budget-battle/

Wisconsin is facing a potential $3.6 billion shortfall for its next biennium, or two-year budget cycle, according to figures released by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau in January. The budget period begins on July 1, 2011, and ends on June 30, 2013. That figure is more than $2 billion less than the $5.9 billion projected deficit that former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle had to tackle at the beginning of the 2009-2011 fiscal cycle. So, that was not quite "double" the deficit that Walker is potentially looking at, as our reader was told.

Doyle was able to erase a large portion of his projected gap through a series of spending cuts and tax increases. But funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — known as the stimulus act — also played a significant part in easing the state’s budget woes. More than $2 billion in stimulus funds were used to narrow the budget gap for the 2009-2011 cycle. That’s money the state will have to do without this time around, since those funds run out at the end of June, according to Robert Lang, the fiscal bureau director.

And the state’s financial business hasn’t been completely settled for the current fiscal cycle, either. Walker is trying to find a way to fill a projected $137 million gap for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. His controversial budget repair bill seeks to do so, in part, by increasing state worker contributions for pension and health benefits, among other things.

A false claim that the state would end this fiscal year with a surplus stems from a misreading by some — including MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow — of a memo issued in January by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau showing a $121 million gross balance in the state’s general accounting fund. That figure, however, doesn’t factor in more than $170 million for Medicaid services, or $21 million for corrections programs, that haven’t been funded. It also doesn’t include more than $58 million Wisconsin owes the state of Minnesota for a tax reciprocity deal involving income tax collected from Wisconsin residents who worked in Minnesota. Lang told us in an e-mail that those amounts were not reflected in the January memo, because they would require further action from the Legislature and the governor. Dealing with those costs before the end of June would push the general fund into the negative, he said.

The fiscal bureau says the bill being pushed by Walker would address funding for the Medicaid and corrections shortfalls, but wouldn’t address the outstanding payments to Minnesota, or an additional $3.5 million shortfall in appropriations for the state public defender’s office.

[archibaldcrane]

It faces an actual real-money deficit, yes - however compared to other states, or compared to the state's revenue or budget, it's not a "crisis" by any means. No economic analysts are expecting Wisconsin to have hardship.

[Olo401]

As if Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Idaho, Rhode Island etc. weren't the only hotspots lately...

Here comes the GOP Congress with their own little hidden anti-worker shitbomb: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_830862.html

[Plow]

He's another fucktard tea party-esque Republican who has the support of the now Republican controlled Florida senate, and he's making a lot of shitty choices by cutting funding in the name of saving money.

Also, he was CEO of a hospital system called HCA. The company was found guilty of fraud back in 1997 and he resigned with a nice ~90 million dollar settlement in addition to his shares in the company valued at ~350 million afterward. Somehow, he was never formally brought up as part of the fraud charge, and he claims he never knew what was going on.

you left out the most important part, he tried to kill the rail project by rejecting federal funding, now the major issue is that the state is pretty fucked on money because they want the rail and are trying to figure out other ways to fund it

[Acturus]

you left out the most important part, he tried to kill the rail project by rejecting federal funding, now the major issue is that the state is pretty fucked on money because they want the rail and are trying to figure out other ways to fund it

I don't think that's the most important part, really. The dude is a dickwad for killing the rail project, but again, it's part of the whole "federal money is great and all, but Florida can't pay for its share of the costs" angle.

I live half a mile from where one of the rail stops is supposed to be, and I've heard the back and forth about this for the last 4 years. Scott is just the next problem in a long line of problems with this project.

[archibaldcrane]

http://www.tourdeforce360.com/madison_protest/

Pretty sweet 360-degree views of various places during the ongoing protests.

[Plow]

I don't think that's the most important part, really. The dude is a dickwad for killing the rail project, but again, it's part of the whole "federal money is great and all, but Florida can't pay for its share of the costs" angle.

I live half a mile from where one of the rail stops is supposed to be, and I've heard the back and forth about this for the last 4 years. Scott is just the next problem in a long line of problems with this project.

thanks to similar rejections in other states (wisconsin and ohio most directly I think), the whole thing was going to be covered

[archibaldcrane]

Yeah, Wisconsin's rail money went to Illinois, Florida and California I think.

Fucking retarded.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

Why? It would do nothing but create cost overruns and lose money.

[archibaldcrane]

Short-sighted thinking. The bus system doesn't make money either - the social benefit is to provide mobility to the poor, give them a greater ability to work and allow for more free-market opportunities. The high speed rail would take that further, linking Madison to Chicago and Minneapolis, making those major population centers much more connected and providing traffic relief and access to the communities in between. Rail systems in the northeast, linking DC/NY/Boston work quite well.

Simply analyzing "will the revenues offset the costs in their entirety" is short-sighted.

It would do nothing

the fact you would say this shows you're just drinking the kool-aid. No benefits? Seriously?

[aurik]

Clearly a rail system would just harm our beautiful pillars of capitalism, the auto and oil industries.

[Kurokikaze]

Living in NYC and being able to commute ~1 hour to get to DC for work would be so fuckin sweet. It's all about connecting places; shit that seems like a trip now wouldn't.

But yes; big oil and auto industries would take a hit so can't have that.

"You know whats crazy? The fact that Japan just recently celebrated the 40 yr anniversary of their Bullet Train while we don't have one having invented the train."

[notorious bum]

lol wow, 40yrs, it's hard to believe it's been that long... always been like they have some futuristic technology in Japan with the way it's been prevented from any type of real discussion by the iron fist of lobbying.

[Caiyuo]

This may be old data from a previous plan, but last I heard the high-speed rail projects for any part of the US were rated at something like a maximum of 80mph for whatever reason. Not sure why, but even so I'd love to see it happen in the coming years.

[archibaldcrane]

Most are using existing track, not magnetic-floated bullet-train track. However, the proposed California line is pretty baller, LA to SF (a 6-hour, 382 mile car trip) is supposed to be done by train in 2 hours and 38 minutes.

[Caiyuo]

Christ, that's over 140+mph, wouldn't be mad at that one bit.

[Correction]

I would go to SF 10 times a year if I could make that trip in less than 3 hours.

[archibaldcrane]

I would go to SF 10 times a year if I could make that trip in less than 3 hours.

Yep.

Where do you live Correction?

Also, Las Vegas should build a high speed rail connector from LA to Vegas, paid entirely by the casinos. Shit would pay for itself in a month.

Here's the current proposed map - the first leg is going to be built from Fresno to Bakersfield (lol).

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/trip_planner.aspx

[Correction]

Oh god lol I remember that Fresno to Bakersfield shit when they brought it up on NPR. The question was more or less 'why are you building the first piece of a major commuter rail line from the Armpit to the Asshole of California?' and they're all 'uh jobs er yeah and funding derr.'

I live and work near downtown. two and a half hours means I could get up there, caltrain to a friend's house in san bruno and spend my paycheck there at least twice a month and not bat an eye.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

Short-sighted thinking. The bus system doesn't make money either - the social benefit is to provide mobility to the poor, give them a greater ability to work and allow for more free-market opportunities. The high speed rail would take that further, linking Madison to Chicago and Minneapolis, making those major population centers much more connected and providing traffic relief and access to the communities in between. Rail systems in the northeast, linking DC/NY/Boston work quite well.

Simply analyzing "will the revenues offset the costs in their entirety" is short-sighted.

the fact you would say this shows you're just drinking the kool-aid. No benefits? Seriously?

If you look at it that way it makes sense. But, if it's losing money it's going to come at the cost of other things. I dunno, it just doesn't seem like a priority.