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Announcement: Graeme Zielinski is the New DPW Communications Director. Graeme is a Milwaukee naitive with experience working for the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, The Capital Times and at The Onion, satirical newspaper. Her contact info is 608-255-5172 or graemez@wisdems.org
The State party is getting more exciting, hiring new people to help with the organization. Read about it here, but also check out their web site: www.wisdems.org
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Coming Events
September 1-6
Walworth County Fair
September 9
General Meeting
September 12
Canvas & Phone Calls for candidates
September 14
Primary Election Day
September 18
Grand Opening of New Dem Office
September 20
Harrod Fundraiser
November 2
Election, VOTE!!
November
Annual Auction. Stay tuned for details!
For more details, see our Calendar
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Democrats create hotline to root out waste & fraud in State Government
Adapted from an Article by Senator Robson
The state legislators have created a hotline for citizens to report suspected waste, fraud and mismanagement by state government. The toll-free hotline is 1-877-FRAUD17. Reports can also be made at www.legis.wisconsin.gov/LAB, then click on the “Fraud Hotline” link.
The report can be filed anonymously, but the Audit Bureau asks people to leave contact information for follow-up.
Below are examples of improvements made to the operation of state agencies at UW campuses:
Highway Construction: The Department of Transportation has been asked to meet concrete thickness specifications and continues to be audited.
Technical Colleges: Some tech colleges did not get competitive consulting bids and one college terminated its contracts with a consultant.
UW camps and clinics: There was a report of college running an unauthorized sports camp. The audit office made recommendations for better oversight.
Unnecessary overtime: A caller reported that a Department of Health Services employee working unnecessary overtime. The DHS monitored the employee’s overtime dropping it from 500 hours to 60 hours.
Tax fraud: Several callers reported underreporting taxable income or other tax fraud. The Audit Bureau reported 13 cases to the Department of Revenue for review.
You can find a Department of Revenue tax-fraud reporting form at www.revenue.wi.gov/faqs/ise/fraud.html.
Fair Funding for Education
Tony Evers, State Superintendent of Public Instruction has put forth a framework that includes a fair, sustainable, transparent and accountable funding system he calls, “Fair Funding for Our Future.” The framework will not raise net property taxes or make massive increases in state spending.
Fair funding includes:
1. Providing a minimum amount of state aid for every student, no matter where they live
2. Ensure state education dollars are spent education children, and expand support for rural schools.
3. Account for student poverty, not just property values.
4. Provide predictable growth in state support for schools.
5. Invest in innovation and programs that show results.
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