Here & Now; 333

You I'm Federica Fryberg. Welcome to here and now. Our person of the week celebrates a golden anniversary this week that is as in gold medals. Wisconsin has a new drug problem and it is a big one. Methane fetamine is taking a huge toll. More money for drug rehab in prisons is a part of the governor's proposed budget, but is it worth it that in our Beyond the Budget series? We have a preview of next month's state of the tribe's address by the person

delivering the speech, Red Cliff Chairman Ray DePerry. But first, a bill passed by the State Assembly yesterday afternoon would require voters to present a photo ID at the polls before they can cast a ballot. The proposal is designed to curb voter fraud and was co-sponsored by Greendale Republican Representative Jeff Stone. Madison Democrat Representative Joe Parisi, a former county clerk says this is a bad idea and so we have brought you both together here to discuss it. Thanks for being here. I prefer to read. First, do you representative Stone? Why is this needed? Well, I think what we're seeing is that we've had some challenges with elections in our state. It's first really came to light in Milwaukee area where you have a pretty large discrepancy between the people that we've been able to know how many voted versus how many showed up at the polls. We've actually had an overvote for the people that voted and that's a problem. You need to have a voting system that's accurate, really down to the devotor and we need a system that really

reflects that. And this was just in November's elections? Right, but it also dates back to the year 2000 presidential election. One of the systems that we allow in Wisconsin is to have people register at the polls the day of the election and then a verification card is sent to those people who register at the polls. After the 2000 election, there were nearly 4,000 of those cards that were undeliverable because they were no such person or address unknown. And so that creates a system where people can come in and vote and disappear. And we really don't have an accurate record. And under the new Help America Vodact, we're required to have an accurate list of people who vote in our elections. So does that smack a fraud or does it smack something else like transients on the part of some voters? Well, I think what it really says is that we have an election system that is very open allowing people to register at the polls, but there's no check in balance. So we need a system that has a little bit more of a check to make sure that the information is accurate.

And it also allows for the potential for a fraud or abuse, but I don't know that we don't have proof necessarily that there's vast amounts of that yet. So you don't like this idea? Well, what about trying to, you know, have better checks and balances at the polls? I think we're all for better checks and balances. We all have a vested interest in having clean, accurate elections. You know, if I walk into the doctor's office and I'm complaining of chest pains, they're not just going to immediately throw me on the table and perform open-heart surgery. They're going to give me a thorough examination. They're going to determine do I have a blocked artery or maybe do I have heartburn from the chili I had for lunch? Because it would be irresponsible to rush in with a cure before knowing the cause of my discomfort. Yet, I'm afraid that's exactly what this voter ID bill does. As representative Stone said, there are some some allegations out there that there are some issues. There's currently a local investigation. There are federal investigations. And recently a state audit was approved to investigate the situation. So my position is, let's not

rush in to fix this before we know if there were problems, be what were the problems and see what were the causes. Then let's write a prescription for a cure. Right now we're rushing ahead with this voter ID and we don't know if it addresses any of the issues. But how big a deal is it to have to show an ID at the polls? Well, it can be a very big idea. Representative Stone mentions the same day registration. And as a matter of fact, the Republican Party announced this week that they also want to get rid of same day registration. So I think it's important to separate those two issues where it's really a problem. Especially a problem is folks who have been living in the same place for 20 years, they go to vote, they know the poll workers. They would still have to provide a current up-to-date ID. So you moved a couple weeks ago, say you forgot your license, your wallet at your home, say you're not familiar with this new law, you're not going to be able to vote. And it falls especially hard on seniors, on disabled people, and on poor people who may move more often and may not always have an up-to-date valid driver's

license. Well, really we've made provisions to deal with all of those issues that have been brought forward. Regarding the people that are poor or do not have means, they can obtain an ID at no charge just by going to the DOT and saying, I need to have an ID for voting. It will be provided at no cost to them for seniors that are in a nursing home or with a recent amendment we added on the floor, any kind of adult assisted care facility, they would be exempt from these requirements. So we don't want to put an undue burden on people that aren't able to meet it. But finally, at the end of the day, anyone who goes to vote will be able to cast a provisional ballot if they forgot their driver's license or other ID. And then that vote could be counted just all they'd have to do is present themselves with the information to the clerk the following day. What about this other issue of doing away with same-day registration? Why? Well, I haven't advocated that in this bill. And so I really need to look at what's being proposed there. I think that this is the first step in tightening up at least

that process of same-day registration and voting. The other thing is that many of our voting laws date back to early and earlier simpler time when people stayed in one community. But in current days, many people move many times. And so when you go to the polls, a lot of times you don't know who the person is. And it's just a basic commonsense thing to show the ID to the poll worker so they know you're who you're saying you are. No, Joe Prisce, we're Jane County clerk for many years. Did you see a big problem with potential fraud at the polls? Absolutely not. We talk about the fact that if this bill goes into effect DOT, we'll at the cost of about a million dollars a year provide free IDs, free drivers licenses to people. With my experience as eight years of the chief elections officer in Dane County, I feel that that million dollars a year, if it was put into training and to additional resources for poll workers and the overburdened people who are working the polls, that would do much more good when we're looking to address our election system and to make things function

better. We actually have a system that is very complex for poll workers. We've asked increasingly more and more from them. And our current system varies from the federal elections to state and local elections as far as what information needs to be provided. What this bill does is it really unifies the requirements down to a simple state issued ID from DOT or a military ID. So the poll workers will be able to easily be trained what they should be looking for. And I think it'll make their life simpler and make these elections much more fast and accurate. Why is this split down partisan lines? It actually isn't. There were Democrats that voted- Just a few. There were two. There were four that voted for the bill and the assembly, which is more than last time. And I think there's a growing awareness that we need reform. And there will be Democrats in the Senate that will vote for this legislation as well. What's your answer to that question? I believe Representative Stone has the best intentions. I'm not going to tribute Moative to what he's doing. I think we have the same goals in mind.

We want good, clean, fair elections. However, it's undisputable that the effect of this bill will be that traditionally democratic constituencies will be voting less. What we saw in the debate on the floor was virtually every member of the assembly who represents an inner city district got up and said, this is going to hurt my constituents. This is going to hurt the poor. This is going to hurt the elderly. This is going to hurt the disabled. And those are people I think you could arguably say are going to be voting more democratic. And if we eliminate same day registration, that's going to drive down turnout also. And it's been shown traditionally that the better turnout you have, the more democratic votes you have. We need to leave it there. I'm sorry not to give you the Republican reply on that Joe Parisi and Jeff Stone, thanks. Thank you. The Senate Committee on Labor and Election Process Reform is scheduling public hearings throughout the state on the photo ID bill. In a moment, we talk with Red Cliff, tribal chairman Ray DePerry about his March 8th state of the tribe's address, but first a sports update, the sport of curling.

You may know that the U.S. Olympic curling team trials are underway in Dane County. Viewers of our Thursday night show in Wisconsin learned last night about the fortunes of team Lucky Monkey, a talented group made up of nearly all Wisconsin women. This afternoon, the monkeys won their match against the previously undefeated team Johnson 8 to 6 in the first semi-final round. That means they advance directly to tomorrow morning's final game, the winner representing the USA in the Torino Italy Olympic Games. It has been quite a week at the Madison curling club with competitors from all over the country and at least one state governor that being ours, making the rocks fly. A special joint session of the state legislature has been called for March 8th.

That's when an historic address will take place. The first state of the tribe's address ever presented. The speech will provide insight past and present into Indian affairs in Wisconsin. It will also be a chance to help lawmakers and people statewide gain a better understanding of sovereign tribal government. The chairman of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa and president of the Great Lakes Intertribal Council, Ray DePerry, will give the address. And he joins us now via telephone from Bayfield County. Thanks very much for joining us. Well, thank you and you're most welcome. Thank you for having me. Is this a valuable opportunity for you to express the state of the tribes to the people of Wisconsin? It's a very unique and valuable opportunity indeed because of the fact that such an address has never been done before in the relationship between the state and its Indian tribes.

So we see this as a historical opportunity, historical moment to bridge some of the communication gaps that may still exist and then to perhaps discuss a roadmap on how we may better be able to improve our working relationships. What will your most important message be? We see that the most important message that the tribes want to deliver to the state of Wisconsin is number one that we are your neighbors. We are here in the state of Wisconsin and have been for a number of years and we are your neighbors and we are an integral part of your community. We're an integral part of the entire regions in which we live. We're a major integral component of the state of Wisconsin in so many ways. It's just an economics but in a social, educational, cultural, et cetera and too often it's been our experience is that those valuable components never get hammered home.

You were talking about gaps in communication. What are those? What gaps in communications are that there seems to be some ignorance if I may use that word very, very lightly about who we are as Indian nations. We hear so much in the state of Wisconsin about the Indian tribes being sovereign and Indian tribes are treated as nations and there's the government to government relationship. These are very, very difficult, complex legal doctrines to understand to begin with. I'll tell you, we can do all of us on just a legal doctrine and I think that because of that unique status that the tribes do have with the federal government, with the state government, that's so often then the neighbors in our neighboring communities and the state of Wisconsin has a whole.

Just can't put their hands around it to fully comprehend it and understand it. Do you feel that too often when when Wisconsin citizens think of tribal affairs they think of gaming and casinos? Well, you know, unfortunately that is what it's becoming and that is what it has become over the course of the years. You know, perhaps there was a time when they thought of Wisconsin communities, they thought of the powwals, they thought of those kinds of events, you know, oh, yeah, those are those Indian things that are going on and now with the popularity of gaming, when that ever hits the news, then it becomes a big issue and that's all they think about perhaps. I'm not saying that, that's all they think about but it seems to get, it seems to work as way into the newspapers and to media and all these other components don't get addressed. Speaking of that, being a part of the media, is there anger on the part of the tribes statewide for the fact that Republicans took the compacts to court objecting to their

terms? Well, the tribes overall were generally upset about that and of course, but you know, the tribes are, the tribal leadership and the tribal individuals are professional people, you know, where, you know, we are attorneys too and we are educators too and we understand that in this form of government to government relationships, some of those things may very well occur unfortunately, I take the position and many of the tribal leaders take the position that, that, you know, nobody wants to run to the courthouse right away and start filing papers on your neighbors and start filing papers right away. That's why it's important to allow for dialogue. That's why it's important to sit down at those negotiating tables or those tables of communications to prevent that kind of thing. We need to leave it there, Chairman De Perry, but we look forward to your state of the tribes' address and we want to let our viewers know that that address will air live on Wisconsin

Public Radio on March 8th at 10 in the morning. The next morning, the Chairman will be a guest on Joy Cardene's Wisconsin Public Radio Program. That segment will air at 8 a.m. Now, to state budget news, the political game known as My Tax Freeze is better than your tax freeze continues at the Capitol this week. Republicans marshaled their plan through both houses and soon as the Senate finished voting, Governor Doyle said he would veto the bill for lack of school funding. So for now, the property tax freeze part of the budget is back on ice. As you know, there are many more items in the budget bill than the property tax proposal, items that have an impact on people all over the state. Our series Beyond the Budget connects the dollars of the budget with people affected by it. The series is produced by here and now and our partners at WISC TV where reporter Colin

Benedict joins us now. So Colin, what is tonight's story all about? Fred in the next budget, Governor Jim Doyle is looking to change the way the state deals with inmates. Treatment is a very key word. Right now, there are programs to help offenders deal with alcohol and other drug abuses. It's called AODA. Doyle wants to expand the programs to treat many more inmates before they get out. This is the story of three inmates almost surprised by their successes. We'll play part in my criminal activity with my alcohol and drug usage. Three lives, three inmates, all three in prison in part because of alcohol or drug abuse. You know, my whole lifestyle consisted of selling drugs. My style of drinking when I was nine in Smokamer, Irwana when I was 11 and in between then and now I tried other drugs as well. It's not just the drugs and alcohol, it's the thought process. All three are in an AODA program treating their problems and preparing them to succeed

once released. It deals with everything like Kevin Reeves, low self esteem, which turned into an addiction. It's lasted more than half his life. The gratification that made me feel good made me feel like I was somebody. Denson Jones was dealing cocaine and using marijuana in Baloid before he got busted. The program being good for me is, you know, making me more of a man. Bernard Nye wanted nothing to do with the program at first. At first, I didn't want to do it. I got in and I said, well, I'll fake it to make it. Offenders are broken into groups of about six. They do almost everything with this group, including counseling. It's as close to 24-7 as you can get. Like many things in the state budget, alcohol and drug abuse is all about numbers. So here are a few. 70% of all the inmates have some addiction. That's about 15,000 men and women in the correction system. Doyle wants to add 174 more beds at Racine Correctional. That's about four times what they have now.

And 36 more beds at Tachita, the total price tag, about $2.6 million. That seems like a lot. But consider this, about 45% of all the inmates, about half, returned to prison at some point in their life. And each year, each inmate costs taxpayers about $26,000. We're going to improve community safety, have fewer crimes in the future, fewer victims and fewer people returning to prison. This signals a change from the lock them up and throw away the key policies of the 80s and 90s. People are sent to prison to be punished, but the governor firmly believes that we also need to focus on rehabilitation and crime prevention. Wisconsin is playing catch up. Other states have been spending much more money on AODA programs like this, hoping it will save money in the long run. We believe that if we have more alcohol and drug treatment capacity, and we can reach more of those offenders, that they will not return to that lifestyle that ultimately landed them in prison.

There are three here that believe just that counseling and support groups and learning to cope without drugs or alcohol can work on the outside. We face our fears, which is ourselves, basically. And we've came to terms with ourselves and said that we are alcoholics, we are drug addicts, and we know what we need to do to stop using. You know, I got a daughter. She cheered before her on a 25th of February, so, you know, there's a lot of things that I got to do. To have choices, and I always chose to do the wrong thing before you. There's choices, and you know, and it's kind of greedy of me to do. The question is, how long will that way of thinking last for these three when each gets out later this year? Can't wait to that day. Without this program, I could say I would be back. Corrections leaders know this program won't work for everyone, but if they can keep more of that 45% from coming back to prison, they think it's worth the cost. Next week, we'll look at how the states spending money on a dental program and how it helps

slow income people. Great. Colin, thanks very much. You're welcome. And in just a moment, we take up a drug abuse issue of another sort. It is as addicting, if not more so, than any other illegal drug. It ravages the body and lays waste to lives, and it is made in what may be the house right down your block. Methanphetamine is a compound made up of common ingredients, including over-the-counter cold medicine tablets. Meth labs have sprung up all over Wisconsin, but particularly in the northwest. Tina Virgil is a criminal investigator for the State Department of Justice, and she specializes in meth case work. Thanks very much for joining us. You're welcome. Describe the extent of the methanphetamine problem in Wisconsin. For us, our problem is not as extensive as some of our neighboring states surrounding states. And I think that's due to the Attorney General's efforts at prevention and educating local law

enforcement, your store owners, businesses, and the general public about the dangers of meth and meth labs. And yet it is a burgeoning and growing problem. Yes, it is. We have found that the labs are primarily concentrated in the northern part of our state, but that the trend show that they're moving from the west to the east. We have had labs here in the Dan County area, and there has been a lab over in the Milwaukee area. The labs are not just in remote locations. It seemed that they started out that way, but now they are moving more into your hotel motels, in the back of vehicles, in apartment complexes. So. And it's really, describe the dangers of it, because the dangers are kind of multi-leveled. They're highly dangerous. The chemicals that are being used are explosive, corrosive type chemicals, flammable chemicals. We have people who are not chemists, what we call them, street corner cooks, who are mixing these chemicals together, creating gases and different things that are very, very dangerous.

Because they can blow up. Yes, absolutely. And then again, their toxic, they go into the ground and the water. Absolutely. Unfortunately, here in Dan County, just two years ago, we had an individual who was cooking a meth lab on the east side of town, directly across from one of our community high schools and inside of a multi-union apartment building. And unfortunately, the lab caught fire. So putting his life and the community at grave danger. And often I understand there are children in these houses or apartments or wherever they're cooking this stuff. And that's gravely dangerous. They are being exposed to the chemicals that are in the air. The chemicals involved, they are airborne. They can call skin burn, rash, irritation, some blindness. There are serious effects. What about the effects of the people who are actually ingesting it?

And how do they do that? Is it shot or snorted or? There are many ways to ingest it. What we call banging and that's putting in the needle, shooting it in the arm. They can snort the drug. And yes, you're right with folks who are cooking, the exposure to the chemicals. Again, skin irritation and burn, serious weight loss, corrosiveness of the teeth. There are attitude, personality and disposition, aggressive, they're hallucinating, paranoid. So there's a lot of spin-off crime that results from the use of this addictive drug as well. And yes, one of our biggest problems here is a fedron. And that is a main ingredient that is used to produce the methamphetamine. So we have had burglaries of our stores, of our pharmaceutical companies and various places throughout the state with people trying to acquire the effedron. So we're limiting the over-the-counter type cold medicines help stem? Absolutely.

Absolutely. And what should people look for if they suspect that someone is either using or cooking or there's some kind of lab going on? There is typically a very pungent odor that will be in the air. You can look for discarded chemical containers, propane tanks, high traffic in and around an area. So typically your cooks, they smoke outside of the lab itself because it is highly flammable. You can look for gas masks that they may be wearing to help protect them from ingesting so much of the chemical in the gases. I know that there was just a public hearing at the Capitol this week on limiting over the counter-drugs and the attorney general is having a summit next month on this. So people are really trying to come together to wrap their hands around this problem. Yes, I think there has been an excellent job in the collaborative efforts by law. Local, state and federal agencies to address the problem. All right.

Tina Virgil, thanks very much. Oh, you're welcome. Even though it's been 25 years, it is still a golden anniversary for our here and now person of the week, Lake Placid Olympics, Eric Hyden, five gold speed skating medals. The world watched as Wisconsin's Hyden blew away the field with his 32-inch waist and 27-inch thighs. He powered past the competition in the 500 meters, 10,000 meters, and every distance in between. He didn't grab the spotlight back then after his Olympic fame. He even turned down the offer and money to appear on the Wheaties box. Hyden says he just wanted to get on with his life. A life he looked forward to starting outside the glare of Olympic lights. He says he's just as proud of his life now as a physician in Sacramento, a husband and a father. Eric Hyden, our person of the week. And that is our program for tonight.

Don't forget you can get a full update on the Olympic curling quest of team Lucky Monkey on next Thursday nights in Wisconsin. Also on next Thursday's program, the annual Aldo Leopold Reading Marathon, a tribute to the Wisconsin environmentalist and writer takes place each year in Lodhi. Old, young and old, read Leopold's work aloud and keep his prairie spirit alive. That is on next week's in Wisconsin. And that is all for here and now, I'm Frederica Freiberd. Have a great weekend.