State agencies have asked for an additional $4 billion in funding over the next two years in order to create an additional 500 jobs. The request for funds represents a 7.2 percent budget increase, or $2 billion more than past requests, according to an analysis released by the nonpartisan Legislative… Read more »

More information on proposed state labor contracts was released Friday following calls from legislators to release the documents to the public. The MacIver Institute, a free market capitalism think tank, posted some of the contracts after past requests for access to complete versions of the contracts have been denied.The section… Read more »

After an objection from a board member, the Pardon Advisory Board reversed a decision Wednesday to review more than two dozen pardon applicants without face-to-face interviews. The board originally made the change from the normal pardon process so the board could review more pardon applicants before Gov. Jim Doyle leaves… Read more »

Harley-Davidson rejected state tax credits worth about $25 million last week, which were an attempt by the Doyle administration to keep the manufacturing jobs the company provides in the state. In order to receive the tax credits, the company had to agree to employment and wage terms laid out by… Read more »

The U.S. Navy is doubling its planned order of naval ships from shipbuilders in Wisconsin and Alabama, which could bring 5,000 jobs to Wisconsin. The Navy has given contracts for 20 ships to two companies, Marinette Marine Corp. in Marinette, and Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.,… Read more »

Wisconsin citizens may see a change in politics as usual and a renewed focus on economic policy after broad Republican victories in Tuesday’s elections. Republicans managed to claim not only the governor’s office but also swept both chambers of the state Legislature, which could alter the state political landscape. These… Read more »

Two Milwaukee police officers filed a lawsuit against a gun dealer last week for selling firearms to a man who then used them to shoot and wound the officers three years ago. The guns were used in the shooting of Officer Jose Lopez III and former police officer Alejandro Arce… Read more »

Kris Barrett, the wife of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett, stopped by the Dane County Farmers Market on Saturday to do some last-minute campaigning for her husband, shaking vendors’ and shoppers’ hands and encouraging them to vote Nov. 2. Barrett said her husband’s stances on issues such as education, stem… Read more »

People from across the state gathered at the Capitol Saturday morning to participate in a Moving Wisconsin Forward Rally, with some speakers using the opportunity to respond to recent conservative Tea Party rallies. While speakers at the rally did not expressly endorse any candidate for the upcoming election, most spoke… Read more »

Several organizations are protesting billboards in Milwaukee that discourage voters from committing voter fraud saying they are attempting to suppress the minority vote. The groups, including the League of Young Voters, convened Tuesday to protest the billboards, which say “Voter fraud is a felony,”  and depict three people behind bars,… Read more »

Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen and Democratic candidate Scott Hassett squared off Friday night in at a TV studio in Madison in their second and possibly final debate until the Nov. 2 election. Hassett cited a loss in correct focus in the attorney general’s office as the reason why… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle granted over 85 criminal pardons this year since announcing he would not seek re-election, according to records released by the Associated Press Wednesday. That number and the 213 total pardons Doyle has granted throughout his time as governor have been highly criticized by some, including former chairman… Read more »

Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch said she will help bring thousands of jobs and small businesses to Wisconsin during her jobs plan debut in Madison Friday. Kleefisch’s plan, much like Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker’s, promises to bring 25,000 jobs and 10,000 new small businesses to Wisconsin by… Read more »

Another recount of Wisconsin’s primary election started Friday in the 84th district Assembly race, bringing the total number of recounts up to three. The recount between Republican candidates John Marek and Mike Kuglitsch will be completed no later than Monday, according to Government Accountability Board Spokesperson Reid Magney. Marek called… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle is considering removing a Calumet County District Attorney following allegations the DA ‘sexted’ a domestic abuse victim while prosecuting her ex-boyfriend, a spokesperson for Doyle said Friday. “The shocking and troubling accounts are very serious and the governor is in contact with the attorney general to discuss… Read more »

With the announcement Monday that another state lawmaker will be retiring from the Legislature, the total number of Assembly representatives that will not be returning in the winter is up to 15, which may jeopardize the majority the Democrats hold in that house. State Rep. Mary Hubler, D-Rice Lake, is… Read more »

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., along with several other legislators introduced a bill Thursday that would increase the amount of disclosure required from corporations regarding spending in federal elections. The bill, called the Disclose Act, is a response to a January decision by the United States Supreme Court in the case… Read more »

Vice President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner spoke about Wall Street reforms and the middle class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Tuesday in an effort to drum up support for President Barack Obama’s financial overhaul legislation. These speeches came in the midst of negotiations in the U.S. Senate… Read more »

Wisconsin may no longer be the only state with no regulations on the payday loan industry if a bill passed by the state Senate Tuesday makes its way to Gov. Jim Doyle’s office for his final approval. The bill would put regulations on the payday loan industry in the state,… Read more »

After decades of tension between the two countries, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev both signed a treaty Thursday that will decrease the number of nuclear weapons in both states. The nuclear arms pact requires both nations decrease their nuclear warheads by one-third and eliminate over half the… Read more »

Republican candidates are leading Democrats in almost every possible matchup for governor and Senate races, according to a survey released Tuesday by Wisconsin Public Radio and St. Norbert College. The survey of 400 Wisconsin residents showed Republican gubernatorial candidates Mark Neumann and Scott Walker are essentially even, with Neumann having… Read more »

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen sent a letter to Gov. Jim Doyle and the state Legislature March 25 asking permission to challenge sections of the new health care reform law on the grounds that its unconstitutional. The section being questioned requires individuals to either have health insurance or pay a… Read more »

President Barack Obama signed the recent health care reform legislation into law Tuesday that would provide insurance for 32 million uninsured Americans, sparking a state representative to challenge the bill’s constitutionality. The bill passed through the House of Representatives Sunday after nearly a year of heated debate. “After a century… Read more »

The Wisconsin Medical Examining Board decided to appeal a decision by a Dane County Circuit Court Judge Wednesday when he ruled their sanctioning of a former University of Wisconsin employee was improper. Frank Salvi, a doctor and former University of Wisconsin-Madison assistant professor, was accused of sexually fondling four female… Read more »

The Wisconsin Supreme Court voted to accept four new cases Tuesday, including a case that would determine if someone’s drunken driving offenses in another state could be used against them here. Among the cases chosen is State v. Gerard Carter. Carter was charged with operating with a prohibited blood alcohol… Read more »

With President Barack Obama’s changes in healthcare struggling to gain footing within the House of Representatives, the future of reforms for student loans may be put in jeopardy. These reforms were linked to healthcare budget reconciliation bills as a reaction to strong lobbying by the for-profit student loan lenders. Such… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle’s office will no longer pursue proposed changes to laws regarding school funding, including removing the caps on property taxes to raise school revenues. “This isn’t a move away from educational reform or a change in priority. We are simply taking a role in the national movement for… Read more »

The Wisconsin Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would prohibit health care providers from denying coverage for claims involving use of alcohol or controlled substances. Sen. Robert Jauch, D- Poplar, said while this bill will require providers to give coverage for many incidents involving alcohol use, insurance companies are… Read more »

The Wisconsin Senate passed a bill that would prohibit online unaccredited diploma providers from using the terms ‘Wisconsin,’ ‘state,’ ‘college’ or ‘university’ on their diplomas. These companies, often called “diploma mills,” provide customers with a diploma without the completion of an educational program. The bill passed with little opposition through… Read more »

An Assembly committee passed a constitutional amendment which discounts the number of incarcerated felons in a district in census figures for electoral districting. Currently, incarcerated felons are counted towards establishing district totals, however, they are not allowed to vote. Since voting districts are based on population, supporters of the bill… Read more »

Two of the three major gubernatorial candidates delivered speeches at Monona Terrace Tuesday, with Republican candidate Scott Walker pledging to bring 25,000 jobs and 10,000 new businesses to Wisconsin by the year 2015 if elected in 2010. Walker spoke regarding the large number of people whom he has seen scared… Read more »

In a 5-2 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that while police can answer a suspect’s phone, a warrant is needed to search their photo gallery. “We did a good job in deciding this case and examining it from a legally sound standpoint,” Justice Pat Roggensack said. The ruling stems… Read more »

President Barack Obama announced Monday he will allocate $300 million in his budget for continuing water cleanup efforts at the Great Lakes, which began last year with the passage of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Tim Eder, executive director of the Great Lakes Commission, said the money will go toward… Read more »

A University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point professor will testify before Congress Feb. 9 about the threat that Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn. invited Michael Hansen, professor of fisheries at UW-Stevens Point, to testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, according… Read more »

The White House announced yesterday Governors Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Pat Quinn of Illinois will meet in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 8 to address the threat Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes. Also attending the summit will be attorney generals from Midwest states and… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle announced Thursday that those on the waiting list for state health care would be eligible to participate in a self-funded, temporary insurance program called BadgerCare Basic. According to Stephanie Smiley, communications director for the Department of Health Services, BadgerCare Basic is a basic package for those who… Read more »

The former Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary announced Thursday he will be taking legal action against the DVA Board, which fired him last month for suspicious activities. In his suit, former secretary John Scocos claims his firing from the board was unlawful because of both state and federal… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle announced Thursday he will attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference with other global leaders in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference, which will take place Dec. 7 to 18, plans to address renewable energy developments, energy efficiency, job creation in renewable energy fields and greenhouse gas emission reduction,… Read more »

The Capitol rotunda echoed Tuesday with the sounds of familiar carols reworded to reflect an unconventional Christmas wish: to continue Wisconsin’s moratorium regarding nuclear energy. A coalition of 13 public interest and consumer groups that oppose lifting Wisconsin’s current nuclear ban and support further development of renewable energy sources gathered… Read more »

The Wisconsin legislative Joint Finance Committee ultimately passed two bills on child care fraud and campaign finance reform for the State Supreme Court after heated debate Tuesday. The justice campaign reform bill creates public financing of Wisconsin Supreme Court elections through the newly established Democracy Trust Fund, in which extra… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle called for further incorporation and use of renewable energy sources by the state Thursday at the second day of the Wisconsin Bioenergy Summit. Doyle outlined ways affordable renewable energy could become a vital part of Wisconsin’s economy through using the money provided by the American Recovery and… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle announced Monday the city of Madison will receive $4.3 million in federal funding to go toward further development of solar energy and solar technologies across the state. The city of Madison’s MadiSUN program will receive $370,000 which will be used to assist businesses and homes in deciding… Read more »

The Assembly saw heated debate Tuesday over a bill that would prohibit certain criminals from associating with child care providers. The bill, which would prohibit certain individuals charged or convicted with particular felonies from participating in child care agencies or from living in a residence where child care is provided,… Read more »

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign released a report Thursday saying 14 campaign donors had exceeded the $10,000 annual campaign funding limit for contributions made to state and local officials in 2008. According to Mike McCabe, director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a non-profit organization concerned with government transparency, the annual report… Read more »

Lawmakers met and drafted letters to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle this week, urging them to continue tax reciprocity negotiations between the two states. The group was composed of bipartisan legislators from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, Sen. Dan Kapanke, R-La Crosse, Rep.… Read more »

According to estimates released Tuesday by the United States Census Bureau, the number of Wisconsin residents living below the poverty line decreased from 2007 to 2008, but Milwaukee is still among the nation’s poorest major cities. Data from the bureau’s American Community Survey showed Wisconsin had one of the lowest… Read more »

The Wisconsin State Legislature is moving forward on proposals that would strengthen existing laws against operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Both the Senate and Assembly have their own drafts of a drunken driving amendment bill. Lead authors Sen. Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, and Rep. Tony Staskunas, D-West Allis, are currently working… Read more »

Members of the Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously Friday morning to add a jobs package into the state budget in an attempt to fuel economic growth in Wisconsin. Components of the package, which was introduced by Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, include stimulus for research, small businesses, farming and incentives… Read more »

A provision included in Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget proposal requiring private construction projects that receive any public funding to pay prevailing wages to workers has some volunteers worried about their ability to contribute to projects around the state. Presently, the wages are required for public projects only. Prevailing wage laws… Read more »

The Bring the Guard Home movement held a reception and a march from Library Mall to the State Capitol Saturday to help gain support for their cause and honor the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Riverside Church Address, which expressed his opposition to the Vietnam War. Bring the… Read more »

United States Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, spoke at the First Annual Disability Awareness Conference Saturday to discuss recent national legislation to benefit those with disabilities and the possibility of the passage of universal health care under President Barack Obama’s administration. According to Baldwin, her political career began after witnessing… Read more »

A new bill introduced by two state legislators would allow the state to contract out testing for standard driver’s licenses to third parties. Introduced by Sen. Joe Leibham, R-Sheboygan, and Rep. Lee Nerison, R-Westby, the bill was in response to Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposal to close 40 Department of… Read more »

Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposal to create more online Department of Motor Vehicle services and close 40 Wisconsin DMV centers may dramatically change the way citizens get their drivers’ licenses. According to Patrick Fernan, DMV operations manager, the facilities that would close under the proposal only operate one day a week… Read more »

A plan was presented to lawmakers last week to increase the amount individuals pay in professional licensing fees, which would generate an additional $7.6 million in funding, the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing said Friday. The raise in fees would apply to about 375,000 people in 128 different… Read more »

Due to the rising number of citizens seeking unemployment insurance benefits, the Department of Workforce Development announced its plan to borrow $400 million from the Federal Unemployment Fund Friday. DWD also plans to hire 83 additional employees to deal with the increase in unemployment claims. The state’s unemployment rate,… Read more »

The Wisconsin Legislative Audit Committee will be taking a closer look at the Wisconsin Shares program as a result of media claims that the program is wasting millions of dollars. Over the past few weeks, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran multiple investigative reports regarding fraud and abuse in the… Read more »

With Wisconsin’s District Attorney Association proposing the first increase in Wisconsin’s beer and liquor tax since 1969, some local alcohol suppliers are reluctant to see how such a change would affect sales. According to WDAA President Ralph Uttke, to hire new prosecutors, Wisconsin needs to provide its legal system… Read more »

The Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association has increased efforts to raise Wisconsin’s beer and alcohol tax in hopes of raising funds to hire more prosecutors. Currently, Wisconsin has the third lowest tax on beer and liquor in the nation behind Missouri and Wyoming. While Wisconsin taxes 6.5 cents per gallon of… Read more »

The committee designated with creating legislation to establish the Regional Transit Authorities has suspended its work due to the budget deficit and change in Legislature leadership. One of the reasons for the halt, according to Topf Wells, chief of staff for Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, is the change in… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin hosted the Energy Hub Conference Friday where keynote speaker Dr. Patrick Moore discussed the future of alternative energy. Moore co-founded Greenpeace, serving for nine years as president of Greenpeace Canada and seven years as director of Greenpeace International. Moore split with Greenpeace in 1986 and has… Read more »

A recent study released by the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project shows that in the run up to the election, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has spent nearly three times as much as Republican John McCain on television advertising. The Obama campaign has also spent $100 million in ads in… Read more »

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama discussed plans to lower the financial burden of tuition costs and increase affordability for college students during a conference call with college journalists Saturday. “The biggest challenge is how do young people afford college in the first place? The average college graduate has almost $22,000… Read more »

After months of debate in the state Legislature, the Great Lakes Compact had an easy romp through the U.S. House of Representatives on its way to the president’s desk Tuesday. The Great Lakes Compact’s goal is to ensure the Great Lakes are not depleted of their water by other states. … Read more »