Comments on: Walker Plan to Dump Parks a Bad Idea http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2006/walker-plan-to-dump-parks-a-bad-idea/ Your Progressive Source for Local Opinions and Insightful Commentary Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:49:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: John-david Morgan http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2006/walker-plan-to-dump-parks-a-bad-idea/#comment-4396 John-david Morgan Sat, 01 Jul 2006 17:43:29 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2006/walker-plan-to-dump-parks-a-bad-idea/#comment-4396 ... "Do you think that 4 years of skyrocketing energy costs, rising salaries, failing infrastructure (which could have been done earlier and cheaper if not for Walker's policy of deferred maintenance) and rising inflation all while at the same time as Walker froze taxes could have something to do with it?" We still hear Walker and conservatives, and their shills at Journal Sentinel and TMJ blaming the financial crisis on high pension costs, effectively blaming the old board and his predecessor -- still, four years after the fact. Doyle wants a look-see in order to slice through the shell games and the rhetoric and find out what's really wrong. <!--adsense#leaderboard--> What everyone should know, and what we should be sure to add to inflationary costs of doing business for the county, is the skyrocketing health care costs that have crippled government at nearly every level. Milwaukee County reported a 17 percent rise in health insurance costs for a single calendar year in 2001. The costs have continued to rise, to the point where in, southeastern Wisconsin, governments and business continue to pay 20-25 percent more than costs in neighboring states, such as Illinois. If Walker cared about anything other than his own political hide, he'd help look for solutions to the health insurance epidemic that's put the entire state on the stretcher. "Reflect the values of the people ..." Nahh. ... After all, he's a Republican .... … “Do you think that 4 years of skyrocketing energy costs, rising salaries, failing infrastructure (which could have been done earlier and cheaper if not for Walker’s policy of deferred maintenance) and rising inflation all while at the same time as Walker froze taxes could have something to do with it?”

We still hear Walker and conservatives, and their shills at Journal Sentinel and TMJ blaming the financial crisis on high pension costs, effectively blaming the old board and his predecessor — still, four years after the fact. Doyle wants a look-see in order to slice through the shell games and the rhetoric and find out what’s really wrong.

What everyone should know, and what we should be sure to add to inflationary costs of doing business for the county, is the skyrocketing health care costs that have crippled government at nearly every level. Milwaukee County reported a 17 percent rise in health insurance costs for a single calendar year in 2001. The costs have continued to rise, to the point where in, southeastern Wisconsin, governments and business continue to pay 20-25 percent more than costs in neighboring states, such as Illinois.

If Walker cared about anything other than his own political hide, he’d help look for solutions to the health insurance epidemic that’s put the entire state on the stretcher. “Reflect the values of the people …”

Nahh. … After all, he’s a Republican ….

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