News; August archives

This year's Republican primary is decidedly quieter and so far more civil than that of 1996. It pits a small business owner against a state legislator chucked Atman of Green Bay says his 22 years of experience as an independent contractor appeals to voters tired of political insiders. People hate politicians they hate attorneys they hate the lobbyist because they know it corrupted the system. As a result of that some of them have taken a lack of interest. Deadman ran against former assembly speaker David Prosser in the 1906 primary. That race turned ugly with the candidates attacking each other's personal lives and their finances. Desmond says it won't happen again. It was a big learning experience for me and it just shows the need for working men and women I know everybody is still busy but we've got to get involved because these big money politicians are killing this country they're stealing the freedom of the individual. They crocked things that at election time. But if you. Study the trail of money. You can tell where their heart is.

The debt men campaign was left with more than $300000 in debt after he lost the 96 primary. Observers say the infighting among Republicans opened the door for Democrat Jay Johnson's win. Now the national parties think the 8th district could go either way and they're expected to pump a lot of money and effort into it this fall. But the man wishes they just stay out. Both a lot of stick their nose out it's not about parties anymore both parties are in serious need of reform right Dom Republican running on a Republican ticket because I believe that some of their foundational principles of freedom for individuals ability to keep what you earn. And I see that I'm getting I'm I'm fighting as hard against big moneyed special interest Republicans as I am against big special. When in truth a Democrat Mr. Devant and I agree on far more than we disagree. The other Republican contender is State Representative Mark Green of Green Bay. Both candidates are touting IRS reform as their main issue is pushing a flat tax plan that would eliminate most income taxes except for those earning more than thirty four

thousand dollars. His return would fit on the back of a postcard. Green also sees taxes as the number one priority but he advocates a plan that would sunset the current IRS code in the year 2002 and then open up a national debate to come up with a replacement. GREENE With his years of experience in the state assembly appears to have an edge on Desmond X. representative Toby Roth who held the 8th District for 18 years has campaigned for him so has Marilyn Quayle Green's campaign materials don't even refer to Desmond. He says he's running against Jay Johnson. And I believe that when people take a look at the fact that he's pro-abortion I'm pro life. He voted against the balanced budget amendment. I would vote for it. He voted against scrapping the code. Obviously as I've said I would vote for it. I think they'll see a clear line of distinction and I believe that my views are much more in line with people whose area both Republicans say Johnson is raising too much campaign money from outside the district and from political action committees in addition to so-called issue advocacy ads have

already run on Green Day TV stations a sign of the national interest the race holds demin and green have spoken out against the third party ad saying they turn voters off in spite of the national significance of the race both candidates say voters they meet in campaign rounds appear very cynical. GREENE laments the fact that White House scandals seems to overshadow issues closer to home. On Monday night I was at a campaign event and I did the president's speech and I got a phone call from a couple of television stations and they said to me we'd like to come and see you and I said great it's wonderful That's what campaigns are all about. And they wanted to actually film me watching the president's speech. And what about taxes. You want talk about crime. They didn't want to talk about education reforming and keeping control of schools in local hands. Incumbent Jay Johnson doesn't have a primary opponent. His campaign is expected to go into full gear after the September election. Patty Murray Wisconsin Public Radio. The district roughly covers south central Wisconsin between Wisconsin Dells and the Illinois

border including the city of Madison. Three of the candidates who want to represent the region have previous political experience. Two are in the state legislature including Tammy Baldwin. She also served on the Madison City Council and Dane County board before being elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1902. One of Baldwins key issues is federal spending. She says Congress should allocate budget surplus dollars to ensure the financial stability of popular federal entitlement programs. I think one of the strong immediate tasks of the next representative from this district is going to be to stand up against some of those people who are trying to destroy Social Security when really some very modest adjustments will keep that program very healthy into the distant future. Baldwin's own budget is thriving. She's raised more money than all other Republican and Democratic candidates running in the second district. More than half those contributions come from outside this state. Baldwin is openly lesbian but says it's more

significant that she become the first woman. Wisconsin has ever sent to Congress. I know people who would never vote for me because I'm a woman. They don't think women should be running things. I never get their votes. Those people. Are few and far between. I just think that this is an extremely fair minded electorate and a lot of it to choose candidates who are addressing the issues that make a difference in their lives. Another of the candidates shares Baldwin's background in the state legislature. Joe when akey was elected to the state Senate in 1993 after serving in the Wisconsin assembly for five terms his focus isn't so much on federal spending as it is on federal income. He's proposing a complete overhaul of the federal tax system. What we should do at the federal level is simplify the tax code get rid of all the exemptions outside of mortgage interest and charitable contributions and use that to drive down rates.

But the progressive rate structure I don't believe a confiscatory taxes but I do believe in fair taxes when he has received about 98 percent of his political contributions from donors residing in Wisconsin and says he favors implementing federal caps on campaign spending which means we need a constitutional amendment to allow the federal state and local governments to regulate the amount of money and revenues that are spent on elections. Another of the candidates also has long local time and political experience. Rick Phelps of Madison is a former Dane County executive. Phelps says if elected he'd work to strengthen Wisconsin communities. I have had a track record that campaigned on that. It has brought results and it's not only improving the economics of the area and cutting the tax rate. I have practiced the politics of bringing people together to solve problems and I think that record is going to make a big difference I think I have a more extensive record of accomplishment Phelps also supports campaign finance reform and says

he's received more than 60 percent of his contributions from supporters in the district. I'm the only candidate in this primary that has voluntarily complied with the Feingold campaign finance reform. And so I will finish this with total compliance. Feingold bill which basically says you got a raise of money will we get a raise or from people in the district to limit the amount of PAC money you take I've done all of those. I've followed all those provisions and that's not true of my opponents and it's not you can't lead by talking you really have to lead by doing the final candidate has taken Phelps campaign funding philosophy to honesty or extreme. Patrick O'Brian is a Chicago native a public advocate and a househusband living in Madison O'Brian ran an unsuccessful campaign for the congressional seat back in 1996 and says he's not accepting campaign contributions from anybody.

The reason is and I think most of the problems we're having in the country currently gridlock in Congress the lack of consensus among the general community about what needs to get. Donna Cowen needs to be done. It's because of the influence of private money. It's dividing one side off against me on the other. It's a matter of private money. It's certainly heating up for private influence over the public dollars. In addition to supporting a public campaign finance system Brian says he wants to improve education and increase the availability of affordable health care. I also favor long term Energy and Environmental Planning and I believe we need to have deep cuts in the Pentagon budget so we can take care of priorities here at home instead of continuing to pour them into a military structure. You know it is the government's job to protect what makes a society strong. And this in our case

and what we've chosen is that a measure listenership between a husband and a wife one man one woman for all men all their lives and relationship between those two. And anything outside of that. OK. No we want encourage we will be involved and we won't give benefits or special privileges to you because you engage in sexual activity a certain way which is my opposition to the whole sexual political movement. Greer is currently suing the city of Madison after being terminated from his firefighting position for anti-gay activities on the job. But Greer says he's not a single issue candidate and wants voters to know his stand on other issues including his desire to encourage family values reduce taxes and streamline government reducing taxes is also a priority for the other conservative in the district to raise. Nick Fuhrman is a former Dane County Republican Party chair and a congressional aide for a man who wants to simplify the federal tax code and ease the burden on the middle class. He says one of the best ways to cut federal spending is to reduce government waste.

The way the government buys everything. Frankly it's just a dumb customer. And as long as Congress lets the administration keep purchasing like an idiot We're going to keep paying overpaying for him and recently received media attention after performing what he calls a campaign prank. He parked a rented moving van in front of a federal building in Madison to demonstrate the risk of terrorism on American soil following the Oklahoma City bombing. The two women running in this race are taking a more traditional approach in their campaigns. Both are from Dane County and are running as moderate Republicans. Meredith Baki is a chiropractor. One of her main goals in Congress would be to provide more consumer friendly health insurance for workers and Affordable Care to medical patients. I have a strong patient bill of rights and we've made some first steps toward that we need to give people some recourse so moving from them from an employer based system to an employer based system where there is more direct ownership and more choice in the health care product that you get to buy.

I think we could rejoin with practitioner Bucky's campaign has purchased billboards featuring Baki wearing a milk mustache to show her support for Wisconsin's dairy industry and agriculture. The other female candidate is Josephine Musser Musser is a former state insurance commissioner who describes herself as a fiscally conservative and socially aware candidate. Her big issue is tax reform. I think reducing the tax burden on young couples is a major priority. And a second proposal that I have is I feel very strongly we absolutely must reduce or excuse me eliminate the marriage penalty. We say we value the integrity of the family. And then we use our most powerful incentive or disincentive that we have which is our tax code to penalize marriage it doesn't make any sense. Another candidate also says he can't make sense out of many federal policies. Sok County beer distributor don care a gay political newcomer considers himself a moderate care eggs as he's running from the standpoint of a small business owner who

wants to phase out the Internal Revenue Service within the next five years as a small business person who's been out there listening. What I'm suggesting is you sunset the system and figure it out. But let's face it the regulations that we have are just tough. Kerik says government should be run more like a business and must adhere to a balanced budget just like most families do each month. Fiscal Responsibility also is a concern for John Sharpless a UW Madison history professor Sharpless has purchased television advertising telling a story about how as a child growing up on a farm his father promised to buy him a horse if he could tend to the chickens for a year. Sharpless says it was a valuable lesson in responsibility a lesson that every American should follow to reduce dependence on federal social programs. I really believe that government can be a efficient and humane. And I also believe that when people have difficult times in their lives that we collectively have a responsibility to help them not only through charity but through our government agencies

should that be a substitute for the taking control of their lives. No it shouldn't be. The first district seat is open because incumbent House member Mark Newman is running for the Senate. But twice Newman barely won the district and Democrats have targeted the seat as one they hope will help them regain control of the House of Representatives. National Democratic leaders from Hillary Clinton on down have thrown their support to candidate Lydia Spottswood a former can Ocean City Council president who lost the 1996 race to Newman spots What is again making health care reform a key part of her campaign and better medical coverage was one of the topics she highlighted at a United Auto Workers rally in Janesville this week. We believe it is important for every American to be able to see a doctor when they're sick. And to mourn that doctors not insurance company bureaucrats make our health care

decisions. And that's what will become a nation that makes that a priority and we will get that job done as well with. Spotswood also want smaller class sizes in the schools more tax breaks for childcare and to protect Social Security before doling out any federal budget surplus and is a nod to big labor Spotswood as against so-called paycheck protection laws that could change how unions use member dues for political purposes. Spotswood campaign is getting financial help from unions as well as National Abortion Rights groups like EMILY's List. Her primary opponent is trying to use that against her campaign finance reform she was serves receive the old great deal soft money from outside the district. That's Janesville Dr. Jeff Thomas who is making his third try for the Democratic nomination in the first congressional Thomas says except for a $1000 donation from a political action committee for orthopedic surgeons. He's raised all his money from inside the district or spent from his own pocket.

I think it says that that and the my opponent may be able flaws certain elements outside of the district such as a whatever whatever site interests might support her. And that I'll be enclosed by the people within the district. Thomas says he also takes a harder line against HMO is and against privatization of Social Security. Thomas has paid for a radio ad promoting his social security platform while Spotswood has yet to unveil any commercials. And the First District Republican primary one of the candidates has turned to radio. Mike is not a millionaire being supported by a billionaire. He's not concerned about helping the rich get richer. Mike is Michael Logan a pianist and composer who also stresses his background of growing up on a modest farm in rural can know Chicago Antti the billionaire he refers to in the ad as Steve Forbes who's endorsed Logan's opponent Paul Ryan. Ryan has also been backed by Marilyn Quayle the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other high profile groups. Logan claims not to be bothered by the pre-primary boosts for Ryan.

Voters are far too smart I think the Republican Party tends to underestimate voters intelligence. That's something I've never done in my life. Logan hopes for grassroots support for his political agenda which includes protecting Social Security and boosting federal spending for career oriented programs in the high schools. Paul Ryan wants less federal control over education and more local power. We don't need more federal programs on top of other federal programs we need more local control. We need. More freedom in individuals lives. Those are the differences that exist between us. Ryan also says from working in the past as a congressional aide in the present for a family construction business he has more experience with matters like social security and job creation. He denies he's a millionaire as Logan charges yet Ryan's campaign has raised several hundred thousand dollars. He hasn't done any commercials yet. Anticipating he'll make it to the general election and face an expensive TV battle against the equally well-funded Lydia Spottswood Chuck Bock Wisconsin Public

Radio. Democratic Representative Gerald clutch has represented Milwaukee for 14 years in the US Congress and appears to have a strong base of support. But he does have a challenger in this year's primary Roman Polanski. Once he has run for many offices over the years but seldom campaigns much nor does it garner many votes. Political science Professor David canning of the University of Wisconsin Madison wrote a paper on what he calls sacrificial lambs in congressional races. He says you often find such unusual challengers when the incumbent seems unbeatable. Anyone who has any promise or potential of winning wouldn't want to risk a losing campaign because that could tarnish their. Efforts to gain office later on when it could be an open seat and so the state representatives or state senators or other local politicians of political experience will shy away from raids

like that and so often the party is desperate to get any warm body to you know to fill the ticket. And you often get the very strange characters running for office. Cannon says people who run for office with no chance of winning fall into four categories. People who want to advertise another professional career people who want to publicize a particular policy issue. People who simply love the process of campaigning and meeting people and the lunatic fringe of candidates who run for idiosyncratic reasons Benson Gardner Wisconsin Public Radio. One of those people. At the Marathon County employment and training office job developer blong more spends almost half his time fielding calls from members of a large mung population who are looking for work. The other half of his time he's in the field helping employers bridge the language gap with new among

employees. Also a lot of it is probably because many told us he was doing something that might do different things like cars or content. So that's why most employees make sure the employee is a good employee. He was wont to do. On a recent morning the personnel manager at a local window factory uses blong skills to interview among men hoping to get hired by the company. We need to be able to speak very well you know understand it. Well I don't know I think you're no good for compensation as long translates it appears as clients English may not be sufficient for the job but the personnel manager sets up an appointment for later in the day for the man to return for a trial run at following directions on the

equipment he needs to be able to operate. She was there. She got. Well. So you can come bad talk dirty long skills don't always result in getting his clients fired but he has placed more than 200 mung in jobs over the past two years and there's been a strong commitment from many local manufacturers to hire them long. There are now more than 900 mung employees at a dozen different factories in the Wausau area. Ninety four of those employees operate the sewing machines here at Brandon apparel in the Wausau business incubator. Almost all the Among women who sell the T-shirts. And the funding jackets the company makes have only rudimentary English skills. The company's two Caucasian managers depend on one bilingual supervisor hangs call. Keep the operation running smoothly. You were a great supporter so I knew her. Like you.

Sometimes I mean they don't know what kind of label to tell mum because we have so many different style touchy Kleinschmidt depends on pang to train new employees and schedule work orders and make sure production quotas are being met. To get some sort of on the scene that I would like thank you. For. You she'll do it. And then. Train her and I'm sure for that that. We will. Work out. But not every employer in the wassail area has someone like Tang to bridge the language gap and as the number of mung employees increases it's becoming more difficult for county job developer belong to respond to all the requests for his translation help. That's where the county has launched a new training program for among employees who have enough knowledge of English to act as interpreters at their workplace. Clear communication. From the supervisor down from the workers. OK Al Grish is the instructor in this new training program being taught at the north central technical college in Wausau He says the goal is to improve the supervisory skills of bilingual employees so they can become more effective bridges between management and non-English speaking

employees by improving their supervisory skills. They'll be able to better communicate whatever management needs to get accomplished. The workers will become more productive. The companies will be more profitable. That's the name of the game. But employers in the area who are pleased with the positive work ethic of the majority of the Mung believe it will take more than bilingual supervisors to assure job security for the hundreds of Hmong workers who haven't mastered English. Several companies have decided to invest in onsite English language classes at their plants to help young employees gain the skills they need to communicate on the job. Next. Next throe here I want you to write the letters that you hear. First Claire CBS. Do you see Virginia Kirsch is the instructor for one such Center at the business incubator of many of her students work at Brandon apparel. She sees the class a stepping stone for many of the employees who would like to be promoted from sewing machine operator to more highly paid positions that require reading and writing skills in addition to spoken English.

There always is a need for people to learn more English so that they can take jobs such as bundling where you get all of the pieces of the garment together and prepare them and there is a lot of English reading and record taking. Here's teaches similar classes at a learning center at the Wasson metals plant where she adapts vocabulary lessons to fit the equipment at a work site that is quite different than the sewing machines at the garment factory. County job developers hope the success of such learning centers and the new bilingual supervisor training will encourage more companies to address the language needs of the large Southeast Asian workforce in the area. In Wausau Gill hall studied Wisconsin Public Radio. The smell of rubber hasn't completely gone away in the sprawling 20 building complex in the heart of Auclair. It once housed as many as 3000 workers who came every day to make tires. Today 27 year Uniroyal employee

Bob Beckwith works in what's left a rubber production but he thinks often of his old job. I live right up on top of the hill on belive you have been you know. There was probably 80 percent of the people in the neighborhood worked or you know you could tell by the paths over the hillside coming down here they all walked for their lunch buckets what it meant was you were virtually taken care of for life. You were paid the top wage in the area so your children would never hurt for insurance the benefits were tremendous. But the good paying union jobs were eliminated in 1992 after new parent company Michelin decided to close the plant. A few workers transferred to other production sites but the rest were left to undergo job retraining and find new employment. Besides concern about replacing the jobs the city faces the prospect of an eyesore in its midst. Who would want a worn out tire factory. That's when local entrepreneurs Jack Kaiser and his father came forward and bought the site. Kaiser says they had a vision for a low rent a business incubator an industrial

manufacturing plant. But knew it was risky going into those projects. We didn't have a tenant. When everyone's in it lined up. It came soon after thankfully but then thankfully some people had faith in us that we could. We could make it. Now six years later Kaiser says Banbury place is home to 94 small and large businesses that employ 850 workers. Our school is to get up to thirteen hundred fifty people. Working here. That was the magic number that you know roil. Employed at the time that they made the announcement that they were going to close. Whether that's realistic or not. I don't know. Were 73 percent occupied and be able to get another 500 people working here. We're going to drive then very place is named after the original Banbury rubber mixers that today still need big bubble gum like lumps of soft and raw rubber that are compressed into long black or white sheets. The rubber is sold to other companies for tire production. Farmer you know or a worker Beckwith is one of 150 nonunion employees of American Phoenix

for ICSA I would say I would prefer. Good for you. But I've always maintained that if a company treat you fairly and treat you with respect which I think I have. I'm fine just the way I'm. Joining forces with seasoned workers like Bud back with our younger employees like Jesse O'Neill who haven't grown up thinking they'll work for just one company to get fulfilled. I think sometimes people think they may take it off blatantly just up. To the job just to get out early and not be here. And have. People look at a really. Really better job in the world but in that matter the job. But the rubber making smell dust and noise are gone from most buildings now replaced by other sights and sounds such as a day care center. A law firm county offices and computer software designers several artists and public access TV have also taken up residence in one of the buildings. Some employers few as one or two people. Others many more. Many pay minimum

wage while others like the wall and airport equipment company pay competitive salaries while it was struggling to make ends meet in its former Florida location but now is on its feet and gets orders from many airlines. Thirty people are working in the Oakland office. Assembly supervisor Tony Shell says there's competition for workers because of the low unemployment rate. And looking for a good quality work staff. I feel we pay above average and. I'm open to people. People from other businesses. On the other hand jobs for immigrants with limited language skills are hard to find. A lampshade manufacturer in Banbury has provided the opportunity for some of them. John is one of 35 immigrants who work at Wisconsin lighting and spent most of the Asian woman. Among one man. They don't speak English. That was. My. Only. Chance. This is. The best company that. I. Have. Thanks. For.

Providing that kind of opportunity is what continues to motivate Jack Kaiser and his father who still have one six storey building left to remodel. You and I both thought we never have to turn anybody away from those 20 building 1.9 million complex than. We have today. So we don't have the space which is. Nice problem to have. But being in business you never like to say no to anybody whether or not the Kaiser's are successful at attaining that magic number of thirteen hundred fifty jobs. No one expects the salaries will match what universal paid in fact Auclair remains at the bottom of the per capita wage scale when compared to similar Wisconsin cities. But the community now has a much broader base of businesses. Any of which might grow leaving the community less dependent on the ups and downs of one big company. Mary Jo Wagner Wisconsin Public Radio. That economic incentive is one of the main reasons Bayfield County decided to try out the

sustainable forestry certification program. County Forester Paul Stone says in the long run managing the county forests with the goal of preserving biodiversity will benefit local wood products industries because all things being equal the public is going to choose a green certified wood product over a non certified one. Or in some cases they are willing to pay higher prices for that service. I would because. The cut the public isn't confident that the wood it's made from is coming from a sustainable source. But the Forest Stewardship councils approach to certifying eco friendly forest management hasn't received enthusiastic support from the wood products industry or from small private woodlot owners. Both of these groups are suspicious of the program because it's backed by the World Wildlife Fund and the Rainforest Alliance groups that are usually hostile to industrial loggers and the paper industry. These groups back a less expensive and voluntary sustainable forestry initiative launched three years ago by the American Forest and paper Association

Jody Kaiser represents more than 100 United conservation clubs. She says there's a fear that strict green certification will lead to a loss in market share for small woodlot owners who can't afford to pay for the intensive research required by the Forest Stewardship councils program. We don't know what effect it's going to have on the small guy or small land owner. If there's a premium price being paid for certified wood. What effect is that going to have on the small landowners trying to manage their forests are they going to get a fair market share for their wood. Or are they going to have to get certified to hit that market. Faced with that prospect Kaiser says it's possible many small landowners will subdivide and sell off their land for development resulting in loss of forest land. You guys are acknowledging such a scenario is only hypothetical because the market for eco friendly Wood is still relatively small. But just say we went with lumber and that I was certified to buy for. You know they're going to say I was a certified to buy for. So the markets aren't there it's like put the cart before the horse.

Still the debate over green certification is being watched closely by both environmental groups and the timber industry. National Forest Service director Michael Dombeck says it's a debate that will play an important role in the future of the nation's forests. We need to maintain options for future generations for quality of life for. Reduction of fiber water hunting and fishing opportunities wildlife habitat and all those sorts of things now when you get into the detail of the specifically what you measure and how you manage to measure it and what the criteria are that's really when you get your sort of get into the devil's in the details type of dialogue and it's something that we just need to work our way through. In Wisconsin both timber industry and state Forestry officials say it's too early to tell what impact certification will have in Wisconsin. The Governor's Council on forestry decided not to adopt the Forest Stewardship councils program last fall because both state forestry officials and some timber industry members on the council wanted more time to research the impact

the program has had on forests in other states. Pennsylvania is in the process of getting the green certification for more than a million acres of state forest land. But State Forestry officials say the program is now underway in Bayfield Auclair and marathon counties may be the proving ground for this new green market based approach to managing forest land in the state. In Wausau Gill hall staed Wisconsin Public Radio. All six of the tribes that have signed new compacts have in various times accused the governor of using demands and threats to win financial concessions. Stockbridge Muncy tribal president Bob chick says he had little choice in the decision to sign a new five year compact with the governor this week. The tribe faced a non renewal notice for its casino if it refused to agree to a six hundred fifty thousand dollar annual payment to the state chick says the governor rejected the tribe's proposal for a 10 year agreement that would allow the tribe more time to earn money to invest

in non-gaming enterprises. The governor he has consistently and then in the past with the tribes that have previously signed and included our tribe has really not allowed any real negotiations to occur. They have been pretty much straightforward to me Take it or. I think the letter not me nor the Department of Administration secretary Mark viewer says the Stockbridge Muncy compact is consistent with the deals already signed with five other tribes. So far all the tribes have agreed to make payments to the state equal to those paid in taxes by similar sized private businesses. Accomplishing that without expanding gaming has been one of our primary goals that has been achieved. Thus far we've allowed tribes to add additional games or expand sites or more that require preservation thing. I think that's positive. Fewer says the expansion issue may end up in court in connection with plans by the Stockbridge Muncy to add slot machines to a new tribal golf course the state in the tribe disagree about whether the golf

course is within the boundaries of the tribe's reservation. The attorney general's office is preparing plans to challenge the reservation boundaries and federal court says he expects some hard bargaining later this year with the Ho-Chunk tribe on the issue of setting 21 is the minimum age limit for casino gambling. He says the Ho-Chunk allow 18 year olds to gamble at their casinos near Madison and Governor Thompson would like to put an end to that. We think it's inappropriate for 18 year olds who are still in high school to be roaming around the casino spending their money on slot machines and the tribes have been in many ways agreed to that now and so the excess for the casinos will be 21 years of age. And so I think that's it. Very positive step in the right direction. Viewer says it's common knowledge that it's become a rite of passage for many Madison area 18 year olds to go to the Ho-Chunk casino near the Wisconsin Dells to celebrate their birthdays by gambling at the casino.

So far all the tribes which have signed new gaming compacts have agreed to the 21 age limit in Wausau Guildhall stud Wisconsin Public Radio. In much of northern Wisconsin this week you can find clear blue skies light northerly breezes and sparkling Northwoods lakes. The only thing missing is the rock is laughter of children splashing in the water was constant Toryism Federation member Tom Tiffany says his crew's business on the willow flowage drops by 80 percent in late August and he wants to change that by building support for a bill that would encourage family vacations during what he says are often the best two weeks of the summer. He says the change would make good economic sense for school districts as well. They say we need a better school. We need new schools we need new whatever. And you know we're sympathetic to that. But you also have to allow US property tax payers to be able to make enough money to pay those property taxes to support the schools. And by giving us a couple more weeks the end of August I mean that enhances

our ability to be able to pay those. Poppy taxes so we can have the finest schools. But a bill mandating a September start date has died a quiet death in the state legislature almost every year for more than a decade. School district officials say the change is just another state imposed mandate that erodes local control of the schools. But supporters of the idea say the increasing number of courses now available on the Internet may make a uniform school starting date more necessary. But the legislative director for the Wisconsin School Board Association sun Brown says there's still no need for a new state mandate. We think it's better to have the decision made locally and even for distance that purposes are more networks of schools that. Are linked by fiber optics and they make it that work of 10 or 12 or more schools that they might better have the option to set their calendars that make that system work well and that doesn't necessarily have to be a set calendar. Still the tourism industry is hoping the results of a legislative study on the school calendar

issued before the January session begins will help fuel the effort to get the September school starting date passed next year. The chair of the committee in charge of that study is Republican Joe hand Rick from Managua who represents many of the resort owners who are pushing for the change in Wausau Wisconsin Public Radio. The secretary of the State Department of Health and Family Services former state senator Joseph Leon is using funds from his old Senate campaign war chest to help fund Governor Thompson's campaign and the campaign of Republican assembly candidate Jane Hunter Mark Hunter Mark is challenging Republican incumbent William Lord in the primary in the fortieth Assembly District largest father former State Senator Gerald Lord who is a long time critic of the Thompson administration. He says such transfers from old campaigns to new ones is unethical and should be illegal. My theory is that this is a trust account people

gave him money for his campaign and when he left office he should have terminated it given it to charity or returned it to the donors. He did not do that but this in my opinion is highly unethical. Is that accurate position of public trust as head of the department of social health and social services. You give them influence. The governor to keep him there. I contributed to the governor's campaign fund. I was a governor I would accept anything from that that would not allow anybody in my Cabinet to have such a large predicts he'll win a court challenge of the campaign finance law that allows such transfers of campaign funds. But former state senator and current cabinet member Joseph Leon says it's perfectly legal for him to pass on his old campaign funds to candidates whose views he supports. People gave me money when I was a candidate and a state senator because they trusted my judgment on the political side. Now I may have voted differently than they wanted to. They

had to trust me for that. I believe they also trust me to support the candidates that they would also support for for a larger suggests that I ought to give it to a church or charity. That's certainly wasn't the spirit in which that money was given. How would I know what church to give it to. They supported a political person that they believed in. And I also believe they trust me to support the right candidate. Still large isn't the only one who'd like to see such fund transfers banned. Michael Jacobs of the campaign finance watchdog group the Wisconsin democracy campaign says ending the practice is part of a package of reforms his group is pushing. He says recycling funds from old campaign war chests creates a disconnect between the original donors and the final destination of their money. What missions are to be issues smh. All contributions from within the district going to candidates they support and providing that sort of connection between voters and candidates should be funneled around to other candidates on the bigger scale where this is a much serious problem is when you have PACs contributing to other PACs huge amounts of money into what we call a super

PAC which then goes out makes independent expenditures. And again the main problem is is it takes away a level of disclosure and an understanding on who is for financing what type of activities. And it's a disconnect between a contribution and where the money ends up so it's a small step but it's an important one to really return campaigns to voters and candidates centered issue based elections. It remains to be seen whether a ban on such a PAC to PAC or candidate to candidate transfers will surface in any of the several campaign finance reform bills that are likely to be debated by state legislators after the elections this winter in Wasaga Halston Wisconsin Public Radio. Wisconsin state prisons allow Indian inmates to hold pipe ceremonies and regular sweat lodge rituals. But the jails in Texas and Tennessee where Wisconsin prisoners are being sent

have no such programs in place. So 25 Wisconsin prisoners representing five tribes have filed a complaint with the U.S. attorney's office alleging tribal members right to religious expression has been violated. The inmates demand an end to all transfers of Indian prisoners and the return of those already transferred. One Tribal chair also went to bat for a particular tribal member office on a quad of the Menominee tribe tried to prevent the transfer of a tribal inmate by filing a formal complaint with the Department of Corrections. But he says state officials refused to cancel the transfer and promised there would be provisions for Indian inmates to attend religious ceremonies and they said that they would have people down here you know that there would be adequate preparation. Native American stoner if you didn't there were two Staffordshire Texas officials are in the process of setting up a spiritual program for Indian inmates from Wisconsin according to Department of Corrections spokesperson Bill Clausius. He's heard of only one complaint from an Indian inmate in Texas but opponents of the out-of-state transfers say they should be halted until the religious

programs are up and running. The issue of religious freedom isn't just important to American Indian inmates. State Representative Spencer Coggs says Black Muslim inmates shipped from Wisconsin to Texas have made similar complaints about the lack of religious programs he says in some cases Muslim prisoners were denied access to prison library copies of the Koran the Muslim equivalent of the Bible. Every game should be played like they'd let in Muslim prisoners take them out for long periods of time. And that accounts for it. And basically that was done as harassment against the Muslims. It's in several Texas jails. They were not allowed time to do their religious practices and make it work. They had a loud complaint about that and if Texas never heard of Muslims you foreign knew nothing about the Islamic faith. When U.S. officials were just literally scratching their heads saying that we don't know and we don't understand this we don't know anything about this.

We have made allowances for advocates for Wisconsin Indian inmates to say they got a similar response from Texas jail officials when asked questions about Native American spiritual programs. Cox says such complaints should be addressed more quickly because now there's state funding in place to pay for monthly inspections of out-of state prisons housing Wisconsin inmates. He says those inspections should both protect inmates rights and prevent the state from being sued by inmates or their families if out of state prisons commit civil rights violations. These prisoners are Wisconsin's responsibility. My intention has always been that there be a level justice field out there number one but number two that the state was gone. It doesn't play the same position if state of Missouri had found themselves with their Texas prisoners and is being sued for being held liable for you know gross abuse. The number of Native American inmates being transferred out of state isn't big. A computer analysis done by the Wisconsin State Journal late last year found six Indian prisoners from

Wisconsin have been shipped to Texas and 13 to Tennessee. But it only takes one to file a lawsuit and prison officials in both Wisconsin and other states appear to be trying to head off that possibility in Wasaga Halston Wisconsin Public Radio. UW Madison history professor John Sharpless says one of the Democratic candidates Tammy Baldwin has gotten nearly three quarters of her money from out of state. She's the leading money raiser so far. And Sharpless says Republican candidate Ron Greer has gotten more than 80 percent of his money from out of state. Greer has the backing of several national conservative organizations which Sharpless questioned. And I'm going to ask Ron and I wish Tammy was here I'd ask her as well how that influences your campaign and whether or not the people of the 2nd District are simply quiet voices in a debate that we have nothing to

say about campaign finance reform begins at home. It begins with the person. If your campaign is driven by money from Virginia and Maryland How can you be loyal to the people of Wisconsin. Ron Greer replied frankly the Harkin principle conviction can per person of conviction who don't allow anybody to tell me what I should think what I should do what I should how I should got to be on certain issues. That's my decision. And money from outside is no weasel if anybody gives me money thinking you may have to employ them or anybody else is food. I'm going to be greatly disappointed. None of the other candidates mentioned campaign finances raids bird beer distributor Don Kerrick has been running the longest more than a year and says the district's constituents want tax reform tax relief tax reform and the end of the IRS as we know it. And I did not. Get this from a Washington pollster. I got this from the people who are frustrated frightened

and terribly terribly under a lot of enormous financial stress. DEFOREST chiropractor Meredith Baki says she was inspired by the Republican revolution in Congress in 1994 where dozens of businessmen from across the country said that's it I'm tired of this government is too much in my life too much in my business. They found a message that resonated with the public. They ran on it and they won. I can identify with that. My motivation for running for Congress is to fairly represent the people of this district and to continue the momentum of government reform. Nick Furhman was a congressional aide and says he's the only one prepared to step into the job and Ferman urged his audience to vote Republican so that the district is represented by a member of the majority party. When you consider that in I'm out just a few pennies shy of the entire property tax levy of the state of Wisconsin 5.6 billion dollars is donated to

Washington over and above what Wisconsin receives back. It is vital that if we lose got clue seniority that we don't also lose his experience former state insurance commissioner Joel Musser says she's been working on health care reform for 20 years. The top priorities are cutting taxes on families specifically the marriage penalty and lowering taxes on young families who are working for daycare and taxes. I want to protect Social Security and Social Security and Medicare for current beneficiaries. And lastly fixing our health care system our patients have lost their way they've lost the confidence and trust in the system. Four of the candidates call themselves moderates Bucky Musser Kerrigan Sharpless to call themselves conservatives for him and Greer Democrats are hoping Greer wins assuming he's too extreme for the district. I'm John Paul at the state capitol. When Teresa Lloyd retired five years ago in the small Pennsylvania town of broken straw

she began a search of the family tree. What she found going back five generations on her husband's side was a man who sailed the Great Lakes in the days of wooden ships. Only just total surprise. Until that point my house wasn't too interesting my genealogy was just something for me to see myself with broken structure and when we found out that he had been the captain the assuring him it was a historic site. He became very excited about my work and then eventually led the living three generations of Captain George Lloyd to the Apostle Islands National lake shore. Captain George Lloyd's great great grandson Greg repeated the age old rule of the seas to great great great grandson little Greg as they were about to leave for the wreck site and Captain Tony ripples charter boats. Tony has picked up the bill. You must must listen to Tony. Captain A rep often takes divers to the list CERN a popular site because it's well preserved and close to shore. He feels a special bond with other mariners lost at sea every time I'm over this wreck.

Sooner or later during that period were here I get goosebumps just thinking about where I am and what occurred here. You know that many years ago and I'm sure now having captain and Lloyd's great great grandson here and great great great grandson makes kind of a very special occasion. The Lucerne was built in 1873 three masted schooner in a time when sales still propelled grain or ships status Oracle society underwater archaeologist Jeff Gray is assisting in this dive he says the CERN had a cargo of iron ore from Ashland bound for Cleveland in its last run of the season leaving on a calm day that turned into a blinding snowstorm after making it as far as Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Captain Lloyd turned his ship around. But it's a three day storm. I was the last time seen up off Michigan and the next time it was found by the lighthouse keeper two days later with two of its men sticking out the water and

three of the crew members were frozen in the mass one of them with up to six inches of ice on the body. One of the massive and last two of the crew members later washed ashore. Up to four are still missing. Gray says the lucerne was a testament to the dangerous sailors faced on the Great Lakes and the bodies of the crew recovered from the mass told of a lost battle with the elements of a great lake. At the very end was pretty sudden. Because. One had three coats and without shoes and another one had shoes on but without a coat. And it matched if you're going to be going out. For you if you knew you were going down you'd get as much clothing as possible. Also in our earlier excavation is part of some furniture and actually parts of the ship were found in the ship's Stow. So it's believed that they were anchored here for a while and they're running out of coal and fuel wood for the stove to keep warm they actually started changing the ship apart to try to stay warm.

Captain George Lloyd's body was recorded as missing along with three of his crew and they've never been recovered. Now on a warm summer day with a four inch ripple on the water just a third of a mile from what would have been the safety of Long Island Lighthouse for the ship. Great great grandson Greg Lloyd suits up to dye the lucerne with gray. I'm tryna make sure we clarify things for you because your mask is all right. No I'll stay with you no time I'm going to thank you thank you thank you for that right there. OK. After half an hour underwater with good visibility of about 25 feet Greg Lloyd was impressed. We came down on the bow with about look I believe it what is the cap stand back and what else did we see we saw the whole keel area along with the center board breaks. You're a critic you have breaking the keel where the fracture was.

There was one last order of business before the family could leave a long overdue memorial service in a bouquets of flowers from a member of each living generation. George Laurie here to pay your respects to you and your crew. We are happy that we found you Christine. Amber we're sure. And hope and pray that your son's eternal peace in heaven from your grandson your great great grandson Gregory will you. Agree. Thank you. Again. I mean. You know it was an MRI 112 years after she went down. The family finally gets a chance to say goodbye. And the Apostle Islands I'm Mike Simonton Wisconsin Public Radio. Barbara Munson doesn't mince words about why she believes Indian symbols on the gym

floor or on athletic shirts are featured in verbal cheers are offensive and confusing to children. The head of Wisconsin's Indian Education Association says whether it's the image of a skelp Indian noble savage or brave warrior the message is inaccurate. This is racism. This is stereotyping of a group of people. It is institutional racism in that the stereotyping takes place in schools. But efforts to get rid of Indian logos have run into barriers on several fronts. An attempt by the legislature to outlaw all Indian nicknames died because many lawmakers are reluctant to intervene in what's often considered a local matter a strongly worded message from the state superintendent a few years ago the discouraged use of Indian symbols was heeded by some but not many. In fact the Menominee school board just put its 60 year old logo to an advisory referendum and voters kept it. Local supporter Richard Hansen says There's nothing disrespectful about the way Menominee uses its Indian logo.

It's a big hoot about sensitivity of course and the nominee has always been traditionally you know sensitive to deflect the use of the engine of growth in an appropriate manner. And they've upgraded it many times and they've never really had an Indian mascot. So where was the problem. Maybe. That's part of the reason people don't notice the Indian stereotypes is because we have learned how to tolerate the stereotyping of indigenous people to change that Barbara Munson's organization is trying new ways to expose communities to reasons American-Indians might resent the logos. The group is developing materials for use at conventions workshops and in the classroom. For example a curriculum unit focusing on Indian logos will feature a video developed by Horton Vale high school students. A small sociology project there last year mushroom into a year long interaction of students in American Indian leaders Horton bill doesn't have an Indian logo but teacher cliff Morton says it competes with the school that does Burlen freshman for

builders one year put an effigy of an Indian on a float and had them tied to a stake and were going to find the Indian the Indian have a garish expression on the face. Of course you know a football helmet iron with a feather sticking out of it. And so the whole project was really spurred on by a disrespectful act like that. Plus cliff Morton says another negative consequence he discovered is that some students hide their Indian heritage to avoid being drawn into the controversy. So he enlisted as many as 40 students on both sides of the local debate to investigate the issue for a class project. Maybe put together a 30 minute video gleaned from 80 hours of interviews with Mohican elders and other Menominee Ojibwe and all night of people some students even went to Colorado to get comments for their video from American Indian author and Professor Ward Churchill. Nothing more. Than the stuff. The money. How many times the

book was written. Insist that it is a mini as you start getting the message and being offered even a third soldier. You're just too damn dumb apparently to understand what it is that offends them. And that in itself is a degrading stereotype which has been perpetrated in American history. The video also features Ojibwa Nick hocking says it's unfortunate also that. We. Don't have to have the stuff. That. The People can't rise. To. What we were meant to be intelligent. Focus to be. These are live our lives and then over time the letters interviewed supported us and Indian locals in schools. But since it's often non-Indians making decisions about Logos he hopes the poignant views of those most affected may trigger some change. I know in my own school where you've got pretty much a typical cross-section and like a lot of the staff members are

the same kind of added to that there are no big deal what are you wasting your time on that kind of issue for and they don't respect and all of that just leave it alone and then you know I don't watch it. Several of them had total reversal but change is hard. Right now 14 school districts still use the nickname Indian and 40 others use nicknames like Chiefs Raiders war hawks Warriors red men our braves the Indian education associations Barbara Munson is optimistic the change will come in time. I think people didn't think it was possible that Dallas Texas would change. Los Angeles which changed its logo. We haven't had a whole state do it yet but Minnesota has come pretty close. Meanwhile Munson says the American Indian education curriculum focusing on mascots and logos is expected to be ready early this fall. Some of that will be available online and a limited number of video tapes made by Horton Bill students are now available free of charge man and Mary Jo Wagner was consonant I'm

afraid. That if somebody's got a. Lead foot and in the. Interim and. Then. Suddenly. The laws designed to protect farms against urban sprawl by requiring that property taxes be based on use rather than development potential. The law froze farm land assessments for two years and starting this year the new assessment method is being phased in. The court challenge is based on whether making the widely varying value of ag land in 1905 the standard for the new law was constitutionally fair. Attorney Robert Horowitz says it's not 1995 not all

agricultural land was assessed that 100 percent the fair market value. So when municipalities where I recall to a land was assessed. Significantly below fair market value the values were frozen at those assessments. Horowitz represents the mayors of Milwaukee Manitowoc Menashe and West band along with the Alliance of cities in the league of Wisconsin municipalities and some ag land owners. He agrees the state has the right to assess ag land based on use. But he says the starting point has to be fair. One of the fundamental principles of the Wisconsin Constitution is that Texas are to be uniform. And when you make Texas not uniform It means that one agricultural landowner is overburdened with taxes compared to his neighbor next door. And that's exactly what we're going to prove is happening. The assessments are frozen from our point of view really for administratively sation see. John Raider is the administrator of the program at the Department of Revenue.

I understand what he's saying but I think he will he will have to concede at some point. Presumably that it's never completely 100 percent it's an imperfect system at best. It's you know it's put together very well but it's almost impossible to keep every single piece of property in the state of Wisconsin at 100 percent of value in every community. It just doesn't happen now and it won't happen next year and it didn't happen 10 years ago. Under the new plan 998 tax breaks to farmers are estimated at fifty two million dollars. On average the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance says over 10 years farm taxes could drop 43 percent while property taxes on non agricultural property will rise one point two percent. A similar lawsuit last year was dismissed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court it ruled there wasn't enough information about the case to make a decision. Robert Harwood says his group started over with this case in Dane County Circuit Court. Mary Jo Wagner Wisconsin Public Radio.

The Business Software Alliance estimates one in every four pieces of software is a pirated copy. The group doesn't know yet how widespread the stealing is in schools but in its first crackdown the Los Angeles school district will pay a $300000 fine. It may also legally be required to spend five million dollars on licensed products after a fourteen hundred copies of pirated software like Microsoft's word and Adobe Photoshop were found on school computers. The chip was one of 200 calls a month received by the alliance according to spokesperson young Pianka. So far she isn't aware of any calls from Wisconsin but says once the word gets out a district could find itself reported by any number of professional consultants or disgruntled employees. Young says it's an especially egregious offense in schools. We don't want you to come home and be severely for money. Teach your crappy software. Why can't we

just. Right. No I mean the kids as well as the teachers and I to know that the sufferer is protected under copyright laws just like books to address that issue. A media consultant at the Department of Public Instruction says the state's new model academic standards have a section on respecting the work of others. Dick Sorenson says most Wisconsin schools use networks that are strictly and legally controlled by a school's technology coordinator. Still he says weak spots do appear when enterprising teachers want their students to have the most up to date software. Some school districts have a hard time affording to purchase the new version of software. Well teachers will get them on their own somehow and then they'll start pressuring the school district to move into the new version. But to get a school district license or a new version is fairly costly. However Sorenson says Wisconsin schools are better off than many because there are state funds targeted for computer software purchases. So that's helped to cut down on that sort of desperate need for getting it by any way

you possibly can. Meanwhile the business software Alliance's Young says her group has a program that will scan for illegal software on school or business computers. Her group now has one out of three reported through the tip line. Mary Jo Wagner Wisconsin Public Radio. A spokesperson for the Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks the seized fireworks could be linked to several injuries and the death of a teenager last month. Russ Rader says the raid at Wilber fireworks yielded an eighties and a quarter stick of dynamite containing up to 150 times the legal limit of gunpowder. These are the most dangerous kinds of fireworks they can easily blow off a person. And if they explode near a person they can very easily name or even kill. And that's why they have been banned under federal law since 1966. The

fireworks that were seized yesterday also included some professional type fireworks. The professional mortar shells that you might see at a public outdoor display on the. What do you lie that you must have a license to sell or use. And those were also CDs. The investigation is continuing but rater says there's evidence the store may have sold professional grade explosives to individuals. Investigators were led to the Kachina store after a quarter stick of dynamite blew up in a man's hand in July. He lost four fingers. Another incident might be related. A 17 year old child and boy was killed when he put a high powered explosive in a mailbox as a prank. It's not known where the boy got the explosive. While it's difficult to control what people do with fireworks a legislator feels the state could do more to monitor vendors. Senator Fred Risser of Madison would like to issue state licenses and weed out fly by night operators. If we limited the the outlets to

just those that were licensed and reviewed by the state. It would be easier for law enforcement officials to close down those that that came in out of state without any approval. Still researchers found it hard to get fireworks legislation passed over the last five sessions he's introduced measures banning or restricting fireworks but he says most people don't consider it to be a very important issue. Patty Murray Wisconsin Public Radio. The report says campaign donations have influenced Governor Thompson to take it easy on Mills that dump PCB contaminants into the river. The report's author is also the executive director of clean water action Becky caters one hundred fifty five thousand dollars from the paper industry alone. We see over a million dollars coming from other sources. The lawyers that represent for the paper industry the insurance industry which covers

the environmental liabilities for the paper industry. When you when you compare the kinds of money involved in and the funding to the governor. You can see a clear relationship to the decisions being made by the. An Army at an issue is 10 million dollars the paper companies have directed to analysis of a pilot cleanup project caters maintains the studies are being done by industry consultants chosen by the mills She says the governor has crippled the DNR as control over the cleanup by eliminating the office of the public intervenor and by appointing the DNR secretary. He fixed the game for his campaign contributors so that the paper industry could have escaped the liabilities that they should be facing. If this were an honest appraisal of the situation. We're not getting an honest appraisal we're getting the industry version. Of a cleanup plan here. Kater says the matter is especially troubling because data from the consultants reports will be used to determine the course of cleaning up the river. But an official with the DNR denies the implication that contractors are biased. Besides the water

division's deputy administrator Bruce Baker says the consultants only provide technical background. He says final decisions will be made by the DNR and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency not by political appointees. There's been no influence. To do anything out of the ordinary in terms of how these contractors have been selected they've been selected based on their own or their presentation on the substance of the requests for proposals and the work that they've been doing you know assume it is in a very technically sound and they're not the ones that will be making the decisions on what happens in the facts we were but they will be supplying us with the technical background for decisions that will be made by us and the feds. The environmentalists report says the governor should reinstate the office of the public intervenor and restore the DNR secretary to a citizen board appointment Kater says her report shows that federal oversight in the form of superfund is the best way to ensure a thorough

decontamination of the river. Patty Murray Wisconsin Public Radio. The primary election is less than a month away and the Democrats running in the 2nd Congressional District told a group of Madison Rotarians they share the ambitious goal of preserving some of the nation's most favored yet financially troubled social programs. Former Dane County executive Rick Phelps vows to support universal health care and told a story about his daughter who was diagnosed with spinal meningitis when she fell ill he didn't immediately take her to a doctor because of the high cost for treatment. And if I had waited she would have died. And there are 10000 children in the seventh district without insurance. And when their parents face that. Do they wait and if they wait is that

all of the candidates promise to work to protect Social Security from going bankrupt. State Senator Joe Winick He says Congress should use any available revenue surplus to shore up the SSI system. The federal government bought to repay the Social Security trust fund that has had over a hundred and twenty billion dollars stolen from it. For those who brag about a balanced budget today we don't have what intel we repay that Social Security trust fund. We're still running in deficit spending so we must repay that in addition to Social Security State Representative Tammy Baldwin also identified Medicare as a priority in her campaign. Baldwin says that she can't help but think about how important the entitlement programs are to people like her 92 year old grandmother who want to return to the backs of her parents or grandparents. It makes me independent that we have Social Security and Medicare just as it's home to her credit she could be in for as long as she could.

The other candidate says he's a political outsider and blames the problems with Social Security Medicare and affordable health care on the existing Congress. Madison house husband and public advocate Patrick O'Brian says elected officials rely too heavily on pleasing special interest groups that contribute to their campaigns. I don't think it matters anymore what politicians say if they depend on money to get elected because I think the only people they will listen to are the people who will give them that money. Each of the candidates said the most important thing is that voters in district to elect a Democrat who can beat any one of the six Republicans running in next month's primary. The congressional seat is being vacated by Republican Scott Kluger who announced last year he's returning to private life at the end of his term. Steve Chadli Wisconsin Public Radio. Members of about a dozen Wisconsin tribes sat in drum circles to provide the beat for

dancers dressed in traditional native garb you know opening ceremonies of the four day event in Madison. The drummers were protected from threatening thunderclouds under a makeshift ruff on hundreds of spectators watched from surrounding bleachers. The nominee organizer Verna daily on says many tribal members consider the event a demonstration of tribal independence. This particular poem is not a celebration. The sesquicentennial but instead from a Native American perspective is a celebration of a hundred fifty years of survival as sovereign nations within a state. When you think about it. Very seriously. One hundred and fifty years of statehood that type of a celebration actually ignores Indian tribes daily on says the powwow holds historic significance because two tribes native to Wisconsin but now living elsewhere in the United States return to Wisconsin for the ceremonies. The sock and Fox currently of Iowa and a band of the Sioux which now resides in Minnesota were on hand to participate in dances

and other events. But Powell was promoted as the new dawn of tradition and according to Richard a CLI with the mole Lake tribe it symbolized the transition of native relations into the 21st century. I think that everyone is very very aware of the conflicts that have occurred with the United States of America since the very beginning and I think that. Both. The non-natives in that they have Americans look at the past as the as the chance to make the future a lot different than what it has been and make a better future for everyone who is a citizen of this country. The Powell future the traditional and of the modern drums made from animal skins and decorated with feathers were piped through electronic loudspeakers. And at one end of the side was a huge television screen featuring closeup video shots of dancers in action coming from parts. Sometimes you have to go to all of you.

Yes. Among those attending the powwow was Dawn writer and tribal member from Green Bay writer said videotaping her daughter who participated in the dancer a Maltese. In addition to enjoying some of the great native foods available righters said she came to the powwow because it was sort of like a big family reunion a chance for people to come together see old friends make new friends around like a family here everybody knows everybody gets to meet everybody and it's a sad time to come out and dance and so how you feel you connected to the earth. The group is called the Association for equity and funding. He had filed the appeal

after a circuit court judge ruled against district seeking equalised education dollars. The Association argues that it was council law requiring a portion of school funds to be raised from property taxes is unfair at the appeals court in Madison yesterday an attorney for the Association David HASI testified that the existing system is flawed because he says it allows for tax disparities the districts have to tax. To spend at the same level. As Rich does which is the key problem. Here. It's why has no equal access to resources but an attorney defending the state law. Bruce Olson told the court that the funding formula does provide even amounts of money for classroom construction and academics. Wisconsin school finance system is fully and perfectly equalized for ninety two point five percent of the school districts that educate

96 percent of the state's students. The funding formula passes. It's practical. The school district Association is asking the appeals court to require state lawmakers to modify the funding program. It estimates that would make additional state revenues available for about three quarters of Wisconsin's schools to address on Met needs. Association attorney HASI says the court is taking the case under advisement which means it could be a long time before a ruling is made. The court needs to consider what was said during the argument as well as the extensive paper record in it hands before before rendering my decision. The decision will be rendered in writing and when we get it we get it. If the court rules in favor of the school district association there is no telling how soon state lawmakers would be required to make any changes in the funding formula. One attorney involved in the suit says in other states similar cases have stretched out for years or even decades. Steve Chadli Wisconsin Public Radio.

The group is called the Association for equity and funding. He had filed the appeal after a circuit court judge ruled against district seeking equalised education dollars. The Association argues that it was council law requiring a portion of school funds to be raised from property taxes is unfair at the appeals court in Madison yesterday an attorney for the Association David HASI testified that the existing system is flawed because he says it allows for tax disparities the districts have to tax. To spend the same level. As Rich just which is the key problem. Here. It's why has no equal access to resources but an attorney defending the state law. Bruce Olson told the court that the funding formula does provide even amounts of money for classroom construction and academics.

Wisconsin school finance system is fully and perfectly equalized for ninety two point five percent of school districts that educate 96 percent of the state's students the funding formula passes. People is practical. The school district Association is asking the appeals court to require state lawmakers to modify the funding program. It estimates that would make additional state revenues available for about three quarters of Wisconsin's schools to address on Met needs. Association attorney HASI says the court is taking the case under advisement which means it could be a long time before a ruling is made. The court needs to consider what was said during the argument as well as the extensive paper record minute hands before and before rendering my decision. The decision will be rendered in writing and when we get it we get it. If the court rules in favor of the school district association there is no telling how soon

state lawmakers will be required to make any changes in the funding formula. One attorney involved in the suit says in other states similar cases have stretched out for years or even decades. Steve Chadli Wisconsin Public Radio.