Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Waukesha manufacturing business started in 1988 with four employees.
Miro Tool and Manufacturing is planning a large expansion for its business at 201 Sentry Drive. The 22,817 square foot addition, preliminary plans and site modifications are going before the Waukesha Plan Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Miro Tool and Manufacturing started in 1988 with four employees in a 3,000-square-foot rented facility, according to its website. The company has expanded in the past 20 years, with the last addition bringing the building size to 42,000 square feet.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Did Gov. Scott Walker break a campaign promise when he vowed to keep pork out of the state budget?
Some campaign promises build in a bit of wiggle room. The one made by candidate for governor Scott Walker to “Strip policy and pork projects from the state budget” did not. This unequivocal pledge, posted on Walker’s campaign website, committed the candidate to eschewing both parties’ longstanding practice of using the budget to make policy changes and reward special interests. In April 2011, less than four months into Walker’s term, the truth-testers at PolitiFact Wisconsin branded this a broken promise. It noted that the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau had identified dozens of non-fiscal items in the governor’s budget repair bills and first biennial budget. Walker’s latest executive budget, for 2013-15, included what the Fiscal …
A 53,520 square-foot addition is being proposed for Shoppes at Fox River on West Sunset Drive.
A massive addition to the Shoppes at Fox River retail center on Sunset Drive in Waukesha is proposed by the developers. Opus Design-Build and Ramco Gershenson are asking the Waukesha Plan Commission to approve preliminary plans for a new 53,520-square-foot building at 1200 W. Sunset Drive. The development along West Sunset Drive started in 2008 when a tax incremental financing district was established at the former Fleming site. Pick ‘N Save, Target, Maurices, Buffalo Wild Wings and Noodles & Co. were among original tenants at the property. Ulta, Rue 21, Charming Charlie’s and T.J. Maxx joined the property last year. Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter The Plan Commission agenda does not state what…
Union contracts, wages and benefit contributions going before the Waukesha Common Council on Tuesday.
All city workers could receive a 2 percent raise for this year if the Waukesha Common Council approves contracts with its bargaining units on Tuesday. Police and fire employees, who are not subject to the terms of Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining law, are slated for a three-year labor agreement that includes a 2 percent raise in May, January 2014 and January 2015 and a 1.5 percent raise in July 2014 and July 2015. All other employees are scheduled for a 2 percent raise in May, according to the Common Council’s agenda. Non-union police and fire employees are also being asked to contribute toward their retirement benefits, including 2 percent of wages in 2013, 4 percent in 2014 and the full employee contribution in 2015. City …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The City of Waukesha will move forward with its application to Great Lakes water while excluding the majority of the Town of Waukesha in its future water service area.
The Town of Waukesha has finally made a decision on whether it wants to be included in the city’s future water service area after two years of deliberations. While the town board months ago ruled that it only wanted properties north of Highway 164 and east of Meadowbrook Road included in the city’s future water service area, it confirmed its decision after new board members were elected in April. The move sets the stage for more annexation requests. More than 300 acres of town land have been annexed already, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and requests are expected. Property owners representing more than 1,000 acres of land are prepared to annex into the city if the properties are not included in the future water service area…
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Some Wisconsin legislators are hoping to prevent any government restrictions on the size of your soda. What about your own restrictions? If any?
If the state Joint Finance Committee gets its way, the Big Gulp will have the freedom to remain, well, … Big. WISN 12 News reports the panel, which includes local representatives Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), placed a provision in the budget bill that would prevent any city or county from limiting the size of a food or drink being sold. The infamous New York City ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces is being challenged in court, but if successful it would dramatically slash the 7-11 Big Gulp (128 ounces) and the McDonald’s Supersize (40 ounces) among others, according to Mother Jones. Setting aside the notion for a moment of how much control government should exert over such a matter, how…
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Republican Congressman is opposing a bill that would eventual give a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
U.S. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner opposes President Barack Obama’s immigration bill and called it amnesty, reported the Wisconsin Radio Network. The senators, known as the gang of eight, put out a bill earlier in April that would give legal status and an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, tied to border security measures, reported the Huffington Post. The bill calls for employment verification, creating a new guest-worker program, and move the legal immigration system toward merit-based visas. Sensenbrenner, of Menomonee Falls, said the bill would make the immigration problem worse and it would take a person who has been legally trying to become a citizen longer than a person who have been living in the U.S. …
Reform of Milwaukee County Board is necessary to allow county residents to "take back their county government."
David Craig is the Representative of the 83rd Assembly district, which includes Muskego, Big Bend, Vernon portions of Waukesha, Mukwonago, Hales Corners, Waterford and East Troy. On Wednesday, Representative David Craig (R-Town of Vernon) voted in favor of Assembly Bill 85, which will reform the Milwaukee County Board. In response to his vote and the passage of AB 85, Rep. Craig issued the following statement: “Today the people of Milwaukee County got one step closer to reclaiming control of their county government. For far too long the Milwaukee County Board has ignored the voters, whether it be through their failure to act on referendums asking them to reduce their size and pay, or whether it be their labor negotiations with public …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Controversies over the $648 million reserve fund and the $600,000 Palermo's Pizza deal are bedeviling University of Wisconsin leaders.
It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Rebecca Blank, incoming chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sure, the acting U.S. commerce secretary, set to start in July, will make $500,000 a year — plus benefits and perks, including a university residence and car, money for travel and entertainment, and an unpaid academic appointment for her husband. But she’ll be stepping into a host of controversies, drawing flak from all directions. As one UW-Madison student quipped, “Blank is not starting off with a blank slate.” There’ll be ongoing fallout from some legislators’ volcanic eruptions over revelations that the UW System has a $648 million reserve fund. Though this is in line with other state systems, Wisconsin politicians are “…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Attention online shoppers: You might have to pony up more cash for those online shopping sprees, if federal sales tax legislation becomes law.
Online shoppers, who enjoyed avoiding paying sales tax for their out-of-state purchases, probably won't be happy if a bill pending in Congress becomes law. The Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed 69-27 in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, allows states the authority, and option, of collecting taxes on Internet and catalog sales. The act does not create a new tax. But it does allow states the option of collecting the taxes, which they are already owed. However, the legislation does exempt small businesses that make less than $1 million from collecting the tax. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted for the bill, but Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) did not. “Today, I joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate in support of the Marketplace Fairness …
$$andSense
9:09 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Runner, like the little Dutch boy, thought that sticking his widdle finger in the ACT 10 dam hole fiasco was going to stop the financial flood the state budget is going to unleash on his administration? Too bad Scotty, Now you will reap the rewards of numerous previous administrations that are coming home to roost and you will take the hit for. Except this one will deal a blow that will make you … more ›