Politics & Government

Waukesha South Grad Among Those Siding With Tea Party in Madison

Tea Party stages rally in Madison to support Wisconsin governor.

Members of the Tea Party are descending on the Capitol building to stage counter-protests to the demonstrations by Wisconsin union workers,

Josh Carter, a 2007 Waukesha South High School graduate who was instrumental in helping the local Waukesha Tea Party organization begin, is just one of the people who will be standing to support Gov. Scott Walker and his budget repair bill.

Walker’s proposed bill calls for state employees to contribute 5.8 percent of toward their pension and 12 percent toward their health care costs. The collective bargaining portion of the bill would limit the unions to negotiate their salaries but benefits would not be subject to collective bargaining.

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“I think Scott Walker is doing exactly what the majority of Wisconsin elected him as governor to do and that is to get government spending under control,” Carter said.

Carter was attending the Tea Party rally with friends from Oshkosh, where he lives now, but his family in Waukesha also planned on attending the protests in Madison today.

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They feel the need to support Walker during the politically controversial week in Madison, where teachers unions and other unions have been protesting for days. Some school districts – not the Waukesha School District – have shut down because of the massive amount of teachers calling in sick.

Carter said the state’s budget and spending needs to get under control and everyone needs to set an example.

In the past, the public employees were used to the great benefits with their pensions and health insurance. The recession changes that, Carter said.

“It is not 1990s anymore,” Carter said. “We don’t have the money for that. It is not the only solution that will get them to balance the budget.”


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