Shorewood Village President Guy Johnson will be running for Rep. Sheldon Wasserman's open WI State Assembly seat this fall.  According to the WI State Elections Board website, Johnson has filed papers to run in the election as a Democrat.  The current slate of candidates includes 5 Democrats and 1 Republican.

Wasserman is vacating his seat to challenge Alberta Darling for her State Senate seat. 

I have not posted anything on AT&T for a while (see previous posts).  In case you missed the headlines, the battle is over.  Just before Christmas, Jim Doyle signed a bill into law which will allow AT&T to compete with cable providers.  He vetoed some of the most offensive provisions of the law.  I have not seen full text of the final law, so I am not clear on how the new legislation will affect Shorewood in terms of current cable franchise revenue and the placement of boxes in our public rights-of-way.

Doyle signs 'cable competition bill'
12/21/07 - BizTimes Daily

Doyle Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle today signed the "cable competition bill," which opens the door for AT&T Inc. and other entities to bypass having to negotiate contracts with local communities when they seek to provide video content that will compete with cable television.

Instead, the bill grants statewide licenses to video content providers.

Doyle said he preserved protections for cable customers through several vetoes.

Doyle said he vetoed language from the bill that limited consumer protections and prohibited state agencies from drafting administrative rules regarding the new franchise application and revocation process.  Under the new law, video service providers will still pay a fee to municipalities set at no more than 5 percent of the company's gross receipts and public, educational and government (PEG) channels will continue to broadcast, Doyle said.

The new law clears the way for AT&T to launch its U-Verse video programming statewide.

The bill, which presumably ends a public relations flap between AT&T and cable providers such as Time Warner Cable, had plenty of critics, who said municipalities will lose control of local programming. Critics also said providers such as AT&T will be able to pick and chose the areas they serve, and they will be inclined to ignore rural areas or impoverished neighborhoods.

Mark Miller (D-Monona) said, "I would have preferred a veto of the entire bill, but I am pleased Gov. Doyle vetoed the worst parts of the bill, particularly the 'in perpetuity' language that would have granted a video franchise forever. The governor's vetoes improve consumer protection and provide for more industry accountability. I remain very concerned about the continued viability of local public access programming. However, the vetoes provide a window of opportunity to address these issues in the next legislative session."

Scott VanderSanden, president of AT&T, released the following statement: "Gov. Jim Doyle's signing of AB-207 launches a new era of video choice in Wisconsin, bringing the important benefits of competition to consumers and workers. Real video competition provides consumers with real choices, better prices, improved service and new products - as demonstrated by competition for other telecom services. In addition to creating a new, state process for video franchising, the final bill improves consumer protections, formalizes revenue sharing arrangements with local governments, retains municipal control over rights-of-way and preserves PEG channels. The bill, first introduced by 43 co-sponsors, received strong bipartisan support along the way, with the combined Assembly and Senate voting, 91-39, and the two utilities committees voting, 16-1, in favor. Numerous community groups, businesses organizations and labor unions supported the bill, including the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The people of Wisconsin have shown solid support for the bill because they support competition and the benefits it will bring to residents, workers and businesses."

We have had a lot of heavy and controversial stories about redevelopment these last few weeks. 

To break the tension and bring a smile to your face, I bring you this humorous WI State Statute.  It specifies list of days Wisconsin schools are legally required to observe. 

WI Statute 118.02 - Special observance days.

On the following days when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed:

(1) January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
(2) February 12, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
(3) February 15, Susan B. Anthony’s birthday.
(4) February 22, George Washington’s birthday.
(5) March 4, Casimir Pulaski Day.
(5m) March 17, for “The Great Hunger” in Ireland from 1845 to 1850.
(5r) April 9, Prisoners of War Remembrance Day.
(6) April 13, American Creed Day.
(6m) April 19, Patriots’ Day.
(7) April 22, Environmental Awareness Day.
(7g) The last Friday in April, Arbor Day
(7r) June 14, if school is held, Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Day.
(8) September 16, Mildred Fish Harnack Day.
(9) September 17, U.S. Constitution Day.
(9g) Wednesday of the 3rd week in September, as part of Wonderful Wisconsin Week.  (Editors note: What?)
(9r) Friday of the 3rd week in September, POW−MIA Recognition Day.
(10) September 28, Frances Willard Day.
(11) October 9, Leif Erikson Day.
(12) October 12, Christopher Columbus’ birthday.
(13) November 11,Veterans Day.

I, for one, went to Shorewood High School, and never once celebrated Wonderful Wisconsin Week or Frances Willard Day.  I feel slighted, and demand accountability!

Several news outlets are reporting a series of setbacks to smoking ban efforts across the state.  At the state level, a comprehensive smoking ban has stalled in Senate committee, and is unlikely to move anytime soon due to a conflicting set of priorities between the Senate Democratic leadership and the Governor's office.    

State Democrats oust Robson, pick Decker as Senate majority leader

JSOnline, STEVEN WALTERS and PATRICK MARLEY
Posted: Oct. 24, 2007

[Decker] said he did not expect to let the Senate vote on a bill banning smoking in public places until a compromise can be reached between Senate President Fred Risser (D-Madison), the bill's sponsor, and Sen. Roger Breske (D-Eland), the bill's chief opponent. The smoking ban is a priority of Doyle and Robson.

-----------------------------------------------------

Doyle supports statewide smoking ban

Wisconsin State Journal, 11/5/07

 

Gov. Jim Doyle said he supports a statewide smoking ban, saying it's virtually inevitable.

"It seems to me we ought to move forward (with) a complete ban," the governor said, in response to reporters' questions Wednesday. "It's happening all across the country, all over the world."

A bill that would prohibit smoking in all workplaces in Wisconsin stalled in the Senate this week after Sen. Roger Breske, D-Eland, said he did not want taverns included.  Doyle said he would not accept an exemption, but he might go along with a "reasonable phase-in" period.

-----------------------------------------------------------

At the county level, the Board of Supervisors has sent back to committee a bill which would have banned smoking in County Government Buildings. 

At tonight's Village Board meeting, they passed Resolution 2007-11, urging the State Legislature to pass the annual budget promptly. The resolution mirrored one passed earlier this month by the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council of Milwaukee County. The ICC has urged member municipalities to pass similar resolutions to increase pressure on the legislature.

Also included in the resolution were requests to avoid creating new unfunded mandates, and to include a cost of living increase in the budget numbers. These, along with levy limits and state aide to municipalities are the primary ways the State of WI budget affects municipalities and school districts.

AT&T is continuing to plow their way into the cable market, handing out large piles of cash to elected officials in advance of the upcoming vote on cable franchising. If the bill passes, one of these decorative boxes could soon be arriving on your front lawn, and there will be nothing the Village government can do to stop it.

The details of the franchise, and who pays what to whom are now being closely scrutinized by various media outlets. On the other hand, nobody seems to be paying much attention to the fact that the delivery of this service requires the placement of huge numbers of massive grey boxes in the Village right-of-way.

------------------------------

AT&T doles out $54,000 ahead of cable bill debate

Doyle, lawmakers say money won't affect stands on deregulation legislation
JSOnline, 4/22/07

Communications giant AT&T pushed a controversial bill to have state government license cable systems by showering more than $54,000 in campaign cash on dozens of lawmakers and Gov. Jim Doyle over the past 15 months.

Campaign-finance records show that AT&T's political action committee gave a total of $10,000 to four legislators and the Assembly Republican Campaign Committee in the past two months, when legislators negotiated details of the complex package with AT&T's 15 registered lobbyists.

AT&T is launching its own Internet-based television service, called U-Verse, to compete with cable systems.

It's unusual for one special-interest group to donate so much after November elections. The next partisan elections are 18 months away, and $1,000 went to the chief Senate sponsor of the bill, Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) five weeks ago, even though Plale won't need the money until his re-election in 2010.

Three other senators each got $1,000 donations on Feb. 19 from AT&T's political action committee: Democrat Jon Erpenbach of Middleton, who also isn't up for re-election until 2010; and Roger Breske (D-Eland) and Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), both of whom are up for re-election next year. (READ FULL STORY)
----------------------------------

There is an encouraging piece of news regarding the possibility of a statewide smoking ban in today’s Journal Sentinel. I have not seen any projections about whether or not it will pass, but if I do, I will be sure to post them here.

As expected, the Tavern League of WI opposes the ban (Find out why).

------------------------------

Statewide smoking ban bill introduced

JSOnline, 4/18/07
By Stacy Forster

Madison - A bipartisan group of legislators has introduced legislation to ban smoking statewide in all workplaces, including restaurants and taverns.

Backers of the measure said it would create a level playing field for all businesses while protecting the health of workers in all industries.

Rep. Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton), the lead author in the Assembly, said a similar ban has worked well in Appleton and is the most practical approach to addressing the problem.

"It is simply unrealistic to have all of local Wisconsin governments pass their own versions of a smoking ban," Wieckert said at a press conference announcing the legislation.

A study of 1,500 bartenders in Madison and Appleton before and after smoking bans went into effect in those cities showed that upper respiratory symptoms were significantly lower among the bartenders after the bans were enacted. The results were released this week by the University of Wisconsin 's Comprehensive Cancer Center .

Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison), co-sponsor in the Senate, said the bill would be unacceptable if taverns were exempted.

Gov. Jim Doyle also called for a statewide smoking ban in his state of the state speech in January.
-------------------------

As I was slogging through the pre-election coverage on JSOnline.com, I came across what appears to be a position statement on Project Lightspeed from our gubernatorial candidates. I bring this to your attention only because it is immediately apparent to me that neither candidate has the remotest idea why this is even an issue. Here is the relevant excerpt from the article:

=============================

Video competition

Note: Several states have taken steps to enact statewide video franchise laws, in response to a push by the telecommunications industry to offer more competition to the cable TV industry. Candidates were asked if they would support such a proposal in Wisconsin.

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle: "Competing on the high end means we must invest in our technology infrastructure, which is why I enacted legislation to expand broadband throughout Wisconsin. I continue to support all efforts to bring competition into the marketplace and provide Wisconsin consumers with additional choices while protecting and creating good-paying jobs."

Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green: "I would support any effort to provide higher-quality telecommunications services to Wisconsin residents, so long as it doesn't result in substantially higher costs or fewer choices for consumers." (9/29/06)
===============================