On the job for eight months, Wisconsin Veterans Affairs Secretary Kenneth B. Black said his agency advocates for 427,000 veterans whose needs vary widely. Young veterans returning from war in Iraq and Afghanistan have much different needs than World War II veterans now living in the agency’s two nursing homes, for example, Black said. Black, who retired after a 22-year career in the Army, also said in a July 28 interview in the WisconsinEye studio that specialized “veterans courts” should be set up statewide to deal with the unique needs of Wisconsin veterans. Wisconsin now has only three of those courts, he added.  

In a major decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that public employee emails on strictly personal issues do not have to be public under the Open Records Law, even if written on government computers during the work day. The justices said it will be up to government records custodians to decide what emails, or portions thereof, must be made public and what can be kept secret. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on July 22, four officials who played a role in the decision talked about its implications: Jina Jonen, legal counsel for the Wisconsin Education Association Council;  Robert Dreps, an attorney who specializes in public records and meetings issues for Godfrey & Kahn; Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council; and Madison City Attorney Michael May.

Leaders of four statewide liberal or progressive groups said in a Newsmakers panel on July 22 that they are working just as hard as conservative groups in this crucial election year. Their goals include making sure healthcare reform and reproductive choice laws are not repealed or weakened, and to repeal a 2006 constitutional change that banned same-sex marriage. Interviewed were Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin; Katie Belanger, executive director of Fair Wisconsin; Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now and Nicole Safar, public policy analyst for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin.

With 409 candidates running for state offices in fall elections, Wisconsin voters will soon be besieged with knocks on their doors, phone calls, and "meet-the-candidates" sessions. Candidates often ask voters what’s on their minds, but voters are often caught off guard and too busy to know what to ask. So, WisconsinEye asked five leaders – none of them Capitol insiders – to list questions candidates should have to answer, and the results were surprising. Panelists for the July 19, 2010 Newsmakers show, filmed in the WisconsinEye studio, were Tamara Johnson, a nationally honored Kettle Moraine High School teacher;  Mark Bugher, UW-Madison Research Park director and a former top state official; Joanne Williams, former Milwaukee TV anchorwoman who is now a Cardinal Stritch University vice president; Mordecai Lee, a UW-Milwaukee political science professor and a Democratic legislator in the 1980s and early-1990s; and Ben Collins, a Walworth County small business owner and former Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

A two-person, independent agency, the Wisconsin Judicial Commission gets between 400 and 500 complaints a year involving Wisconsin judges. But, in the last three years, the Commission was at the center of the first two complaints involving sitting Supreme Court justices, Annette Ziegler and Michael Gableman, in Wisconsin history. In a Newsmakers interview at the WisconsinEye studios on July 19, 2010, Commission Executive Director James Alexander and District 4 Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Charles Dykman, who served on the commission for six years, discussed the critical role the Commission plays in holding judges to a higher standard of conduct.

The 26-campus University of Wisconsin System is “at a crossroads,” according to a new report by the current and past presidents of the Board of Regents, which governs it. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on July 13, Regents President Charles Pruitt and UW System President Kevin Reilly explained the consequences of two recent trends: Getting a smaller share of state taxes and raising – to about 60% -- the share of educational costs paid by students and their families. Both officials said that must change, if the System is to hit its goal of conferring 30% more undergraduate degrees by 2025.

He’s only been in office one year, but State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers has dived into several major controversies. They include his promise to propose a new school-aid formula in September, his losing push to have Milwaukee’s mayor name future MPS superintendents, fighting for new authority to help failing schools and – twice -- applying for hundreds of millions in federal Race to the Top dollars. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on July 7, Evers also said his status as a cancer survivor gives him a new urgency in pushing for these reforms.   

A new state report says Wisconsin has an “alcohol culture” and recommends dozens of ways that state government and local governments, schools, businesses and civic, community and religious organizations can change that culture. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on July 7, four officials who worked on that report defended those controversial recommendations, which would include twice-a-day breath tests for anyone accused of OWI. Panelists were Julia Sherman, coordinator of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project; Racine Alderman Greg Helding; Dr. Richard Brown, clinical director of the Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles, and Nina Emerson, director of the UW Law School’s Resource Center on Impaired Driving.

The first Latino elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, Democratic Rep. Pedro Colon of Milwaukee, will not seek re-election after 12 years in the Assembly. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on June 28, Colon said he achieved his goal of make sure that the views and needs of Latinos were represented in the Capitol. He also said the recent bitter debate over who – Milwaukee’s mayor or the MPS Board – should appoint the MPS superintendent hurt his relationships with some other legislators from Milwaukee. Colon also said he made a “horrible” mistake when he criticized Republican Rep. Steve Nass for missing middle-of-the-night debate because of the funeral of his mother. Colon would not rule out running for office again, saying he wants to be part of the dialogue over Milwaukee’s future.   

When he retires next year, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce President Jim Haney will have led the state’s largest pro-business group for 27 of its 100 years. Haney’s controversial tenure included the group’s 1992 decision to become a major election-year player by running so-called “issue ads,” which stop just short of telling voters what to do on election day. In a Newsmaker interview in the WisconsinEye studio on June 25, Haney also defended WMC’s controversial decision to spend heavily in the 2007 and 2008 Supreme Court elections that helped Justices Annette Ziegler and Michael Gableman win. Because Wisconsin’s ability to compete against other states is falling, Haney said, the November vote is “the most important election in 10 years.”

Two years after state government created a Department of Children and Families, the only person who has run it – Secretary Reggie Bicha – said it has acted decisively to fight widespread fraud in the WisconsinShares child-care subsidy program. In a Newsmakers interview in the WisconsinEye studio on June 25, Bicha said the YoungStar program that, beginning Jan. 1, will award between one and five stars to child-care centers who want state reimbursement will protect and help low-income children and provide fiscal accountability.  Bicha also defended the transitional jobs program, which subsidizes low-income workers in 12 counties who need on-the-job skills.

New, tougher penalties for convicted drunk drivers become law on July 1, 2010. They will put more repeat offenders in prison or jail , and keep other repeat offenders in prison longer. They will require that thousands of convicted drunken drivers install ignition interlock devices and blow into them before they start their cars. For the first time, it will be it a crime to drive drunk with a passenger 16 or younger in the vehicle. Discussing these many changes in a Newsmakers interview taped in WisconsinEye’s studio on June 22, were Tara Schipper, Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor for the Wisconsin Department of Justice; veteran criminal defense lawyer Gerry Mowris; Rock County Circuit Court Judge Michael Fitzpatrick, and Deputy Dane County District Attorney Tim Verhoff.

For 30 years, Democratic Rep. Annette “Polly” Williams championed issues most important to African-American constituents of her Milwaukee Assembly district. The longest-serving female elected official in Wisconsin, and the woman who served the longest in the Assembly, Williams worked with Republican leaders in 1990 to pass Parental School Choice, which gave low-income Milwaukee parents the right to send their children to private schools at state expense. In her first WisconsinEye interview after announcing her retirement, Williams also talked about the bitter Capitol fight she won this year, killing the plan of fellow Democrats Gov. Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to have the Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent appointed by the mayor and not the MPS board.

In his final speech to a state Democratic Party convention on June 11, 2010, U.S. Rep. Dave Obey defended his 41-year fight in Congress for a "social gospel" philosophy of government, called on Democrats who follow him to not "go soft," and ended with a long harmonica solo that accompanied a Chad Mitchell Trio folk song. Then, in a WisconsinEye interview  the retiring congressman from northwest Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District reflected on his historical political career, why the first federal economic stimulus package he largely assembled last year should have been bigger, and graded each of the eight Presidents he had served with since his 1969 election to the U.S. House. He also said presiding over the U.S. House when national health-care reform passed was an emotional high for him, but not his most important achievement. 

On July 5, smoking will be banned in taverns, restaurants, businesses and all public places across Wisconsin. The law was passed in 2009, but Tavern League of Wisconsin members had its effective date delayed to give their members a chance to add outdoor smoking areas or make other changes. In a Newsmakers show on May 26, the major change was discussed by Maureen Busalacchi, executive director of SmokeFree Wisconsin; James Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association whose officers will be called upon to enforce the ban; Keith Daniels, owner of the Harmony Bar in Madison and a supporter of the ban, and Scott Stenger, Tavern League of Wisconsin lobbyist.  

Democratic Rep. Joe Parisi says he will fight harder than ever next session for his bill removing the age-35 limit for victims of child sexual abuse by clergy to sue, although it was not debated in the Assembly or Senate. But, in a Newsmakers interview on May 25, former Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann said it may be illegal to change the law retroactively and again denied claims from victims that his office mishandled claims of sexual abuse by clergy. The final panelist, Diane Knight, chair of a National Review Board created by the U.S. Congress of Catholic Bishops to mediate sex abuse claims, said the Catholic Church has made major progress in confronting the problem.

In a Newsmaker interview on May 25, Democratic Rep. Mary Hubler talked about her decision to end 26 years in the Assembly and not seek re-election. She talked about the challenges of representing a rural area, her three attempts to rewrite the state Constitution to provide new property tax breaks to homeowners, and leadership opportunities that woman legislators now have that they did not have when she was first elected. She also talked about the day she and another lawmaker taped a piece of fresh fish – which took days to be discovered – to the bottom of the chair of another Assembly Democrat.

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said the May 20 state Supreme Court ruling in the criminal case of former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen will lead to an end to the so-called "caucus scandal." In a Newsmaker interview, Heck said the Republican who was once one of the most powerful lawmakers in the Capitol will either face a retrial in Waukesha County on felony misconduct charges or will enter a plea deal to resolve a controversy that began when he was charged in October 2002. Overall, Heck said the 2007 creation of a Government Accountability Board to investigate ethics, lobbying and campaign-finance violations was a major step forward in fighting corruption.
Read the full opinion here.
(Scott Jensen photo in video courtesy of Channel3000.com)

Senator Pat Kreitlow gave his reaction to the governor’s veto of the of the raw milk bill, SB434, which will allow the licensing of farmers to sell raw milk directly to consumers.

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach and Republican Sen. Ted Kanavas disagreed on new federal and state health-care laws, President Obama's first 17 months in office, and the legacy of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who is not seeking a third term. In a May 19 Newsmakers interview, they predicted that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is likely to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2012 and said they do not expect a special emergency session of the Legislature to be needed this year. Erpenbach is running for re-election in November; Kanavas is retiring from the Senate this year.  

After 12 years in the Assembly, Republican Rep. Phil Montgomery is retiring from the Legislature. In a Newsmakers interview, Montgomery talked about why he led the move to set a 10% renewable energy requirement in 2003 but led the fight against Gov. Jim Doyle's bill to raise that standard to 25% this year. He also defended pushing through the change that stripped local governments of the ability to regulate cable companies and gave that function to a state agency. Montgomery is the 10th Assembly Republican to not seek re-election or run for higher office this year.

As a non-partisan professional and a veteran of state government, State Auditor Jan Mueller shuns the public spotlight. But, in her first Newsmaker interview with WisconsinEye, she talked about running the agency responsible for monitoring how billions of federal and state dollars are spent. Last year, for example, the Legislative Audit Bureau she directs raised questions about fraud in $80 million in payments to child-care providers in the Wisconsin Shares program. Mueller said future audits will focus on care at state-run nursing homes for veterans and on emergency government programs.  

The line of Wisconsin communities that want the authority to set up regional transit authorities - or RTAs - runs from southeast Wisconsin to Milwaukee, goes north to Appleton, and then west to La Crosse. Yet the legislative session that just ended failed to approve any new RTAs, leaving legislators from those areas frustrated and determined to renew the push next year. In a Newsmakers interview, three key officials – Rep. Tamara Grigsby of Milwaukee, lobbyist Gary Goyke of the Wisconsin Urban and Rural Transit Association, and Bruce Speight of the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group – shared lessons learned from the last session and their strategy for the next one.

Democratic Rep. Spencer Black summarized 26 years of being at the center of environmental issues like the recent Clean Energy Jobs Act, the Stewardship Fund that buys pristine lands to keep them from being developed, and the fight to protect the Wolf River from damage from mining planned by Exxon. Black, who recently announced he will not seek re-election, said his toughest fight was keeping the prohibition of mining. Black also criticized, what he said has been, the growing role of special-interest groups and the money they spend to influence Capitol decisions.

Senate President Fred Risser gave his reaction to the retirement of Congressman Dave Obey.

Senator Julie Lassa gave her reaction to the retirement of Congressman Dave Obey.

Democratic Sen. Bob Jauch learned about public service, and Wisconsin Democratic politics, when he started working as a state-based aide to Congressman Dave Obey in 1973. In a Newsmaker interview on May 5, Jauch talked about Obey’s contributions to Wisconsin, his role as one of the most powerful members of Congress, and his decision to not seek re-election this year. Jauch also announced that he will not seek Obey’s 7th District seat in the U.S. House.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton gave her reaction to the retirement of Congressman Dave Obey.

Mike Tate, Chairman of the State Democratic Party gave his reaction to the retirement of Congressman Dave Obey.

Democratic State Rep. Mary Hubler, of Rice Lake, worked with Congressman Dave Obey during her entire 26 years in the Assembly. In an May 5 Newsmaker interview, she called Obey’s decision to retire a tremendous loss for the state, given his power as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and to the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

The state Assembly will lose its only trained neurologist, Democrat Rep. Chuck Benedict, when he leaves office at the end of his third term in January. In an April 29 Newsmaker interview, Benedict talked about state health-care laws that he has worked on over the last six years, why he supports a "single payer" health  care system for the nation, and why he opposes development of new nuclear power plants. The Beloit Democrat also discussed the tragic impact caused by the closing of the General Motors assembly plant in Janesville on his 45th Assembly District.

Speaker Mike Sheridan said his first two-year term as leader of the 99-member Assembly deserves a grade of B. In an April 28 Newsmaker interview, the Janesville Democrat said Wisconsin voters will understand the tough decisions he and the 51 other Assembly Democrats had to make – including raising taxes – over the last two years . He also defended the three all-night Assembly sessions in the final two weeks of the session, saying not getting any help from Republicans required Democrats to agree on the issues before them. Sheridan said he hopes to return as speaker in January when the 2011-12 session convenes, if Democrats keep control of the Assembly.

Two Assembly leaders — Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan and Republican Rep. Robin Vos - disagreed on how well the Legislature handled 10 issues in an April 28 Newsmaker interview. Issues discussed including failure to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act, regulation of payday loans, targeted tax breaks and incentives to help companies and create jobs, the projected future budget deficit and why lawmakers couldn't approve any new regional transportation authorities (RTAs).

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, won a federal court suit on April 15 that resulted in laws requiring a National Day of Prayer being declared unconstitutional. Julaine K. Appling, president of the Wisconsin Family Action group, leads one of several groups sponsoring Capitol-based National Day of Prayer activities in Madison on May 6. In a Newsmakers show on April 26, they disagreed over what the 1st Amendment's provision barring Congress from making no law "respecting the establishment of religion" means — an issue now bound for the U.S. Court of Appeals and, probably, the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a Newsmakers interview, Democratic Rep. Gordon Hintz said he will not accept any final compromise with the state Senate that regulates the payday loan industry unless it also restricts auto title loans. A Senate-passed bill regulating the payday loan industry did not include any new restrictions on auto title loans. Hintz, the chief Assembly negotiator on the payday loan bill, also said he personally took out a payday loan to check out the practice and paid it back with interest without taking out a new loan – the "rollover" practice that both Assembly and Senate bills would limit. Hintz said he hopes the Assembly amends the Senate-passed bill on April 20, 2010, and the Senate accepts those changes.

Thanks to $86 million in federal aid, there will be more than a one-third increase in the number of Wisconsin charter schools within five years -- growth that will take the statewide number to about 335. John Gee, executive director of the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association, and Sarah Archibald, a researcher at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research and a former education adviser to Governor Jim Doyle, discussed the unique and innovative role that charter schools play in Wisconsin education in a Newsmaker interview.

Democrats who control the Legislature have drafted a major update to state elections laws and have the Assembly and Senate plan to pass it by the end of April. Opposed by Republicans, the changes would allow on-line voter registration, give state officials who maintain the statewide voter list Transportation Department data on drivers and vehicles, and let voters request permanent absentee ballots. Democratic Rep. Jeff Smith, chief Assembly sponsor of the bill; Republican Sen. Glenn Grothman, who plans to fight it, and Kevin Kennedy, director of the Government Accountability Board, debated the changes in an Newsmaker panel.

Karen Timberlake, secretary of the state Department of Health Services, said Wisconsin fared well in the federal health-care law that President Obama recently signed into law.  It will eventually require coverage of about 172,000 residents who do not now have health care, offer immediate tax breaks to small businesses that provide health care for their employees, and will set up a state or regional “exchange” where individuals and businesses can shop for health care in 2014. Wisconsin state officials should consider implementing some of the federal changes before 2014, Timberlake said in a Newsmaker interview.

Rose Gruber, who has been executive director of the non-profit Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling for 13 years, said a record 14,600 calls were made to its hotline in 2009. In a Newsmaker interview, Gruber said the most dangerous trend emerging in Wisconsin is the growing number of high school students now gambling on-line. Also, in another change, women – many of whom engage in “escape” gambling – placed more calls to the Council’s hotline than men last year. She also listed warning signs that someone may be gambling too much.

For 12 years, Republican Rep. Kitty Rhoades has represented one of the fastest-growing parts of Wisconsin – the Wisconsin-Minnesota border region often referred to as "Minnconsin." In a Newsmaker interview, Rhoades discussed her decision to not seek re-election, her historical role as the first Assembly Republican woman to serve as cochairman of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, and fears that new state spending programs have created unrealistic future expectations. She also said one of her biggest frustrations is the inability of officials in both states to resolve an income tax "reciprocity" issue that will impose a new burden on Wisconsin residents who work in Minnesota.   

The quality of Wisconsin air has improved dramatically in past decades, but much of the state recently has had unhealthy readings – bordering on dangerous in the Milwaukee-area – for particulates. In a March 19 Newsmaker, two experts talked about those problems. Bart Sponseller, air monitoring chief for the Bureau of Air Management in the state Department of Natural Resources, explained what those air-quality warnings mean and how ozone pollution differs from warnings for particulates. Dona Wininsky, of the American Lung Association of Wisconsin, said at-risk individuals should cut back on their activities during those warning periods and why new, tougher federal standards are needed.

Republican Rep. Don Friske decided to not seek re-election so he and his wife could operate their small businesses and he could spend more time with his 14-year-old son. A former deputy sheriff, the Merrill lawmaker talked about his work on three law-enforcement related issues – legalizing the carrying of concealed weapons, tougher penalties for drunk drivers, and requiring psychological evaluations for potential sworn officers. In a Newsmakers interview, Friske also talked about ways to help the forestry industry, which he said is the single largest employer in his 35th District.

Wisconsin First Lady Jessica Doyle has been visiting eighth-grade students statewide, asking them to meet a September deadline to sign up for the Wisconsin Covenant program. It guarantees high school graduates a slot in a public university, private college or university, or technical college if they maintained a B average, took college-prep classes, stayed out of trouble, volunteered or performed some community service, and applied for all eligible financial aid. More than 50,000 students have pledged to become Covenant Scholars since spring 2007. In return, they can receive additional financial aid that ranges from $2,500 to $250, depending on family income, for the first two years of college or university classes.

In a Newsmaker interview at the 3rd Defending the American Dream rally of political conservatives, three Wisconsin residents explained why they oppose policies of President Obama and Democratic leaders of Congress.  The three – hobby farmer and dog groomer Oriannah Paul, of Oostburg; unemployed mechanical engineer Tim Dake, of Milwaukee, and Rib Mountain homemaker Meg Ellefson – said developments in Washington have  forced them to become grassroots political activists.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, said Wisconsin is at the center of the national push by conservatives to defeat health-care reform and other big-government proposals in Washington. In a Newsmaker interview conducted at the Defending the American Dream Summit in Wisconsin Dells, the conservative leaders also said voters’ anger could unseat Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in November.

Democratic Sen. Kathleen Vinehout explained why she was the only Senate Democrat to vote against the governor’s proposal for a Badger Care Plus Basic health-care plan for Wisconsin residents on a waiting list for another program. Vinehout, who has two advanced degrees in public health, also defended her 2007 support for a universal health care plan for Wisconsin, which was not approved. In a March 11 Newsmaker interview, Vinehout predicted that Congress will enact national health-care reform, which she said would only be a first step in fixing the problem.

Wisconsin had been the only state that had not complied with federal tax-code changes on the conversion of traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs. But the Legislature recently enacted those changes, and another that will update retirement tax-code contributions for tax year 2011, in a bill that Gov. Jim Doyle will soon sign. In a Newsmaker interview on March 8, the Assembly lead sponsor of that bill, Democratic Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., of Stevens Point, and a Madison tax attorney and CPA, Brian Anderson, explained estimated the changes will help up to 95% of Wisconsin taxpayers.  

Matt Desmond, a UW-Madison sociologist, studied court records of evictions in Milwaukee for a five-year period. To conduct his study, he also moved to a trailer park in a white neighborhood of Milwaukee for three months, followed by eight months in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. In what scholars nationally are calling a landmark study, Desmond found that African-American women are evicted much more often than white women and a Milwaukee ordinance often forces women who are victims of domestic abuse to choose between calling police and being evicted. He talked about his study in a Newsmaker interview March 8.

At 10 a.m. March 10 on the Chippewa Valley Technical College campus in Eau Claire, legislators will hold a public hearing on two bills (AB 628 and SB 434) that would let Wisconsin dairy farmers get a permit to sell raw milk and give them legal immunity from any health problems traced to that milk. Jim Kazmierczak, the Wisconsin state public health veterinarian, outlined why the state Department of Health Services opposes the bill in a March 4 Newsmaker interview. Kazmierczak plans to testify at the March 10 public hearing.

America is not investing enough in its children, which threatens its ability to compete in the global economy and raises prison and policing costs, according to panelists on a Newsmaker show taped March 3. The panelists also said the failure to nurture and educate America's children threatens the nation's democratic form of government. They were Steve Goldberg, Executive Director of CUNA Mutual Foundation; Michael Mandel, Editor of Visible Economy LLC and the former economist for BusinessWeek magazine, and Dennis Winters, the chief economic advisor for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

In 1932, Wisconsin was the first state to begin paying benefits – then $15 per week – to help out-of-work residents pay their bills. Last year, because of unemployment caused by the recession, unemployment benefits totaled a record $3.2 billion and about one in six workers collected benefits for part of the year. Hal Bergan, administrator of the Division of Unemployment Insurance for the state Department of Workforce Development, explained why the state will owe the federal government about $1.9 billion by the end of 2010 – a loan that state leaders will ultimately have to figure out how to repay. Bergan also said about 100,000 recipients could lose those benefits, if Congress asks soon.

Tom Beebe, executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, travels the state on a grassroots "A Penny for Kids" mission to raise the 5% state sales tax to 6% to provide more money for public schools. In a Newsmaker interview, Beebe said the first ever cut in state aid for public schools last year forced more schools to eliminate critical classes, programs and employees. Increasing the sales tax to 6% would raise an additional $820 million, but no legislator has yet agreed to sponsor the change.  

After voting against two bills that would have raised local sales taxes to pay for the new Miller Park stadium, then-Republican Sen. George Petak, of Racine, finally voted for the package in October 1995. Although that unpopular, dramatic and difficult vote made him the first legislator to ever be recalled in Wisconsin history, Petak said in a Newsmaker interview he would cast the same vote again. His vote made sure the Brewers stayed in Wisconsin, he said. Petak, who will be moving to Tennessee in March, reflected on his career as a senator, state official and lobbyist.  

Frank Busalacchi, state secretary of transportation, says $810 million in federal funds that will start high-speed passenger train service between Madison and Milwaukee is a tremendous victory for Wisconsin. Officials estimate that more than 361,000 passengers could ride the Milwaukee-Madison rail link when it starts in 2013. In a Newsmaker interview, he also said the plans to have the train stop in Brookfield, Oconomowoc and Watertown could change, depending on negotiations with the federal government and local officials. He also said federal officials may be reluctant to approve a downtown stop built in Madison, in addition to the airport. Transportation secretary since 2003, Busalacchi also said more money will have to be found to pay for the state’s long-term needs.

After nine years in the state Senate, Republican Senator Ted Kanavas said he decided to not seek re-election to resume his career in technology-related businesses. In a Newsmaker interview, Kanavas said he seriously considered running for governor this year, but decided that the campaign of Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker had too big of a lead. Kanavas also said Walker's opponent in the September primary for the Republican nomination, Mark Neumann, should quit the race so Walker could focus on defeating the likely Democratic nominee, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Kanavas said he may run for office - maybe for governor - in the future. 

The Asian Carp fish – one species of which can grow to 4 feet long, weigh up to 100 pounds and eat half its weight each day – is either close to or already reached Lake Michigan. The fish poses a grave threat to the commercial fishing and recreational uses of the largest source of fresh water in the world, so state and federal officials this week announced a $78.5-million effort to control the fish. But is it enough, and what happens next?  Newsmaker panelists Matt Frank, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources;  Assistant Attorney General Cynthia Hirsch, who is working with other states on a U.S. Supreme Court appeal, and environmental journalist Peter Annin, who wrote a 2006 book on the Great Lakes, answered those questions.

In a Newsmaker interview, Democratic Sen. Judy Biros Robson talked about her decision to not seek re-election, ending her 23-year career in the Legislature. Robson, a nurse, talked about championing major health-care issues -- including the SeniorCare program that helps seniors pay for prescriptions, a requirement that health insurers cover autism treatment for children, and emergency contraception for assault victims. She also discussed how the recession has hit Janesville and Beloit in her 15th District. The first woman to serve as Senate Democratic majority leader, Robson related the challenges faced by women legislators and said she is considering running for lieutenant governor.

Democratic Sen. Julie Lassa has been at the center of several major issues in this session of the Legislature. For example, she has sponsored bills to ban the dangerous compound BPA from plastic baby bottles and sippy cups, to create jobs by targeting new tax breaks on angel investors and connect businesses with ideas with researchers, and to force regional representation on the Board of Regents -- a bill vetoed by Gov. Jim Doyle. In a Newsmaker interview, Lassa outlined why each of these changes is needed and talked about the Stevens Point-area 24th Senate District she represents. 

In Newsmakers: Surviving Recession-Housing, four experts talked about the impact of the economic slump and unemployment on the biggest asset, and biggest single purchase,  of most Wisconsin residents -- their homes. They also offered advice to homeowners, sellers and potential buyers. Panelists were UW-Madison Professor Steve Melpezzi, a national expert in real estate; Bill Malkasian, president of the Wisconsin Realtors Association; Jerry Deschane, executive director of the Wisconsin Builders Association, and Ken Dickson, a Johnson Bank senior vice president. 

Second District Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin said she and other Democrats in Washington are not going to give up on health-care reform, despite the Massachusetts U.S. Senate vote that stopped a comprehensive bill. Instead, Baldwin said she wants to pass incremental – but important – health-care reforms. A Madison Democrat first elected in 1998, Baldwin also said the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives corporations new political spending rights will “disempower” average citizens. She also said “jobs, jobs, jobs” will be her focus in Washington before the November elections.

In a Newsmaker interview, Sen. Alan Lasee (R-De Pere) summarized a 36-year career in the Legislature that will end when he does not seek re-election this year. The former Senate president recalled his land-use fights with the state Department of Natural Resources, said how growing campaign spending by special-interest groups has made lawmakers more obligated to those groups, and rated the five governors he has served with since 1975. He called four-term Republican Gov. Tommy G. Thompson the most effective governor, while Republican Gov. Scott McCallum was a “putz.”

In a Newsmaker interview, Rep. Robin Vos (R-Racine) of Racine outlined the proposed constitutional amendment he and Republican Sen. Joseph Leibham are cosponsoring that would prohibit any federal health-care plan from forcing Wisconsin residents to buy health insurance, or pay a penalty. Vos conceded that, in a Capitol controlled by Democrats, their proposal is unlikely to take any steps forward, however. Vos also talked about bills in the spring session on climate change, changing Milwaukee Public Schools governing structure and southeast Wisconsin's transportation system. 

U. S. Congressman Paul Ryan (R)- 1st District, a Janesville Republican, said 2009 was the most frustrating of his 12 years in the U.S. House. Democratic leaders are not only ignoring a $38-trillion long-term deficit in the Medicare program, and a $7-trillion deficit in Social Security, but are increasing spending in ways that risk sending the national economy off a “tipping point” cliff, Ryan warned. The health-care bill that Democrats are likely to push through Congress this spring will only make the deficit problem worse, he added.

There are eight U.S. Census Bureau offices in Wisconsin and the director of the Madison office, Patrick Ryan, outlined plans to hire up to 1,200 people to meet the national April 1 deadline for the count in a Newsmaker interview. Ryan said many of the 1,200 workers, who will be paid between $11 and $15 per hour with no fringe benefits, would make follow-up calls on residents on their neighbors who did not return census forms soon to be mailed to every household. Ultimately, Census figures are used to determine how many U.S. House members each state will have, redraw legislative district boundaries and determine how $400 billion in federal aid is divided between states and local governments.   

Republican Sen. Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac was the only senator who took his oath of office one year ago who had never served in the Legislature. In a one-year-later Newsmaker interview, Hopper talked about the partisanship in the Capitol, but also said that can be set aside in an emergency like the deal necessary to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac. And, if Republicans control the next session of the Legislature that convenes in one year, Hopper said he would repeal income and corporate tax increases passed last year to balance the current two-year state budget.

In a Newsmaker: Climate Change (Part 2) show, leaders of two major statewide trade groups and a Republican Assembly leader on environmental issues outlined their opposition to the 174-page bill scheduled for debate soon in the Legislature. Panelists were Republican Rep. Phil Montgomery of Ashwaubenon, Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Bruins and Scott Manley, director of environmental policy for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, a statewide coalition of businesses. (In a separate panel, Climate Change-Part 1, three legislators who will be managing the bill and two business executives defended the package, saying it would allow Wisconsin to lead the nation.)

Three legislators who will manage a 174-page bill implementing environmental changes recommended by a governor’s task force talked about the package in a Newmakers: Climate Change (Part 1) show. Democratic Sen. Mark Miller, and Democratic Reps. Spencer Black and Jim Soletski, said the proposal would make Wisconsin a national leader and predicted it will pass the Legislature this spring. They were joined by Kevin Crawford of Orion Energy Systems, representing Wisconsin businesses who support the bill, and Roy Thilly, cochairman of the task force that spent 14 months drafting the recommendations. Be sure to watch for Newsmakers: Climate Change (Part 2), which will feature opponents of the bill.

In a Newsmaker: Surviving Recession – Farming panel, four agricultural leaders summarized the challenges facing the $51-billion industry. Waterloo dairy farmer Bob Topel estimated that his farm is now losing about $1,000 per cow due to low milk prices – a problem echoed by John Umhoefer, executive director of the Cheese Makers Association. The picture is brighter for the state’s cranberry industry, which grows more than half of the world’s cranberries and exports 25% of them, said Tom Lochner, executive director of the State Cranberry Growers Association. Fifth generation Marquette County farmer and former state Agriculture Secretary Ben Bencel, however, said he remains optimistic overall.

On December 22, 2009, Governor Jim Doyle reviewed the year with WisconsinEye Senior Producer, Steve Walters. The interview took place in the Governor's Conference Room in the State Capitol.

Senior Producer, Steve Walters, held a roundtable discussion on December 22, 2009 at the WisEye studios to discuss public school funding. Participants included: Miles Turner of Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators; Madison School Superintendent Dan Nerad; Former DOA secretary Mark Bugher, who chaired the task force that recommended raising sales tax to pay for schools; Chris Patritto, Hurley School Superintendent; and former DPI Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster.

Ken Kasinski, administrator of the CESA 12 regional educational cooperative, summarized cuts made in instructional programs by 17 local school districts he works with as the state school-funding crisis worsens. If the cuts continue, and no long-range way funding system is enacted for public schools, Kasinski said some of those 17 districts could cease to exist, or offer only “core” classes in math, reading and a few other subjects. The interview took place on December 22, 2009 at the WisconsinEye studios.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer, Steve Walters, interviewed Dan Olszewski Director, UW Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship; Bill G. Smith, Wis. Director of National Federation of Independent Businesses; Deborah Kannenberg, Owner – American Mechanical Services, Milwaukee; and Will Sparks, Owner – Terry’s Car Care Madison regarding issues facing small business during the recession. The interview took place on December 21, 2009 at the WisconsinEye studios in Madison.

On December 17, 2009, WisEye Senior Producer Steve Walters, interviewed Dianne Kiehl of the Business Healthcare Group, John Toussaint of ThedaCare for Healthcare Value, John Foley of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Julie Bartels of the Wisconsin Health Information Organization about health care reform in Wisconsin.

Attorney General JB Van Hollen said he won’t endorse a bill that would require collection of DNA samples from any arrested on suspicion of committing a felony until he knows how his state Justice Department and local police agencies would be reimbursed for the costs of taking those samples. Van Hollen also said a new law that toughens laws against drunk driving was also not funded by the Legislature, so complying with it might cost the Justice Department up to $3 million. He also said Justice Department lawyers are working with lawyers with Michigan state government on how to force federal officials to protect the Great Lakes against the Asian carp, which would threaten commercial fishing.

Ending his first year as speaker of the 99-member state Assembly, Rep. Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) defended the decisions of he and other Democrats to raise taxes and fees to pay for state spending balance and said he looks forward to an election-year debate with Republicans on that issue. Sheridan also said his top goal for the spring legislative session is new incentives to create jobs. He also was hopeful that the Janesville GM assembly plant, which closed one year ago, will eventually be reopened.

In January, Democratic Rep. Gary Sherman will move to the next phase of his colorful career as a lawyer and lawmaker when he is sworn in as one of 16 judges on the Court of Appeals. In a Newsmaker interview, Sherman talked about the years he spent living in an "off the grid" cottage in rural Wisconsin, the contradiction of being a lifelong National Rifle Association member who cast the vote that blocked a concealed-carry bill from becoming law, and why he applied for the District 4 judgeship.

State transportation spending, including federal cash, peaked at $3.14 billion last year and will fall to $2.79 billion by mid-2011. That means there is not enough cash in the transportation system to pay for future needs -- including the $2.3-billion reconstruction of Milwaukee's Zoo Freeway, plans for rail-based regional systems and rebuilding highways. Panelists on the Surviving Recession - Transportation panel offered ways the crisis could be solved. They were Pat Goss of the Transportation Builders Association, Craig Thompson of Wisconsin Transportation Development Association, Steve Hiniker of 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin and John Antaramian, former legislator and Kenosha mayor who was named a member of the Regional Transit Authority trying to arrange a commuter rail system that links Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee.

The recession forced new, difficult decisions on all segments of Wisconsin's economy. In the first of a new WisconsinEye series, Surviving Recession, five leaders of local governments talk about the broken system that forces them to rely on shared-revenue payments from the state and property taxes to pay for critical programs. Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Milwaukee County Supervisor John Thomas, Curt Witynski of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Mark O'Connell, executive director of the Wisconsin Counties Association, discussed long-range changes in that funding system.

Congress and President Barack Obama are consumed by national heath care reform, passed by the U.S. House and pending in the U.S. Senate. But what is at stake in that debate for Wisconsin residents, physicians, hospitals and health-care insurers? Three leaders of that industry -- Dr. Susan Turney, CEO of the Medical Society of Wisconsin; Nancy Wenzel, CEO of the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, and Steve Brenton, president of the Wisconsin Hospital Association -- explained that the Washington debate threatens a state-based system that successfully insures about 91% of all Wisconsin residents.

Sales tax collections for the first four months of the fiscal year are running 9.9% below last year -- much higher than the 0.7% drop predicted earlier this year. Two key lawmakers, Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan, cochairman of the Joint Finance Committee, and Republican Sen. Neal Kedzie, talked to Steve Walters about whether this is a signal that the governor and Legislature will be forced to pass a budget-repair bill next spring. They also discussed a Pew Center on the States report in November that compared Wisconsin's fiscal mess to California, which faced a $40-billion budget deficit this year.

Three local government leaders who just finished their 2010 budgets discussed the funding crisis their communities face, if future governors and legislators can’t agree on a comprehensive reworking of how to pay for state and local services. Appleton Mayor Tim Hannah, Dane County Supervisor Dennis O’Laughlin and Jerry Derr, who for 31 years has been chair of the 3,500-resident Town of Bristol in Dane County, also discussed their expectations of candidates for governor next year.

Republican State Rep. Mark Gottlieb, Common Cause in Wisconsin Executive Director Jay Heck and Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Executive Director Mike McCable discussed the Impartial Justice bill on Gov. Jim Doyle’s desk. It would create the first public grants for Supreme Court candidates in Wisconsin history and “trigger” mechanisms for candidates who take public grants to get more funds, if candidates who are not accepting public grants, and groups who independently try to influence those elections, exceed specific limits.

Senior Producer Steve Walters sat down with State Representative Stephen Nass on November 19, 2009 at WisconsinEye studios to discuss his 19 years in office. Rep. Steve Nass, a Whitewater Republican and critic of state government institutions like the University of Wisconsin System, said his top priority is advocating for taxpayers in his 31st Assembly District. Nass also discussed why he drafted a resolution to expel independent Rep. Jeff Wood, who has been repeatedly arrested in the past year for driving while under the influence. Democrats who control the Assembly want to avoid a vote on that resolution, Nass said.

Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton on November 10, 2009 in her office at the State Capitol about her 7 years in office, her decision not to run for governor, and the advice she would offer to the next lieutenant governor of Wisconsin.

John Scocos, secretary of the State Department of Veterans Affairs for six years, talked about his two tours of duty in Iraq, the growing and changing needs of the state's 446,000 veterans and differences he has with the seven-member board that appoints the secretary. Scocos, who federal law says cannot be dismissed for a year after his September return from active duty, said he has not been asked to resign.

Commerce Secretary Dick J. Leinenkugel talked with WisconsinEye's Senior Producer Steve Walters on October 30, 2009 in the WisEye Studio about his 14 months on the job – a period that included the decisions by Mercury Marine to keep and expand production in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh Truck winning large new federal Defense Department contracts, and the closing of automobile manufacturing plants in Janesville and Kenosha. He also said he is “flattered” to be mentioned as a possible candidate for governor, but too “focused” on his job to take any steps toward a candidacy.

WisconsinEye's Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington) on October 28, 2009. Rep. Gottlieb is asking for cosponsors for what he says what he said would be a better alternative to the 161-year-old tradition of electing Wisconsin Supreme Court justices. His proposal would amend the state Constitution, however, which is a process that takes years.

WisconsinEye's Senior Producer Steve Walters sat down with Sen. Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls) and Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) in the WisEye studio on October 28, 2009 to discuss their Puppy Mill legislation and what it means for Wisconsin's breeders and current and future dog owners.

Senior Producer Steve Walters speaks with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville), Rep. Peter Barca (D-Kenosha), and Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison) about Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton's decision to pull out of the race for Governor on October 26, 2009 in the State Capitol.

On October 26, 2009, Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed a panel of homeless student coordinators from various school districts to speak on the issue of increased homeless students in the state. Ann Forbeck from the Janesville School District, Nancy Yoder from the Madison Area School District, and Janis Shogren from the Milwaukee School District took part in the panel discussion at the WisEye studio in Madison, Wisconsin.

On October 22, 2009, Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UW-Madison regarding her new job as Deputy Undersecretary of Research, Education and Economics for the USDA in Washington, DC. The interview took place in Dean Molly Jahn’s office at the UW-Madison campus.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters brought Mark Block, Director of Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin, and Scot Ross, Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now, together for the first time to discuss their organizations and how each organization stands on state government issues and the upcoming 2010 elections. The interview took place on October 22, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

State Representative Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion about the Wisconsin Shares program. Grigsby, chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families and a former social worker, spoke about how the legislature responded to findings of fraud in the state child-care subsidy program. The interview took place on October 15, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion about some key issues before the state legislature this term: raising the liquor tax to fund drunken driving reform; governance of Milwaukee Public Schools; fraud in the Wisconsin Shares program; and the Milwaukee County Regional Transit Authority. The interview took place on October 14, 2009 at the State Capitol.

Senator Jim Holperin (D-Conover) and Senator Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters to discuss a recent Public Service Commission survey that concluded that Broadband internet service is not available in many rural areas of Wisconsin. The interview took place on October 14, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison Studio.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a panel discussion about Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) governance with guests: Michael Bonds, MPS School Board President; State Representative Polly Williams (D-Milwaukee); State Representative Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa); and State Representative Pedro Colon (D-Milwaukee). The interview took place on October 9, 2009 at Marshall Montessori IB School in Milwaukee.

Dr. Seth Foldy, Administrator of the State Division of Public Health, joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion about the pandemic H1N1 flu. The interview took place at Dr. Foldy's office in Madison on October 7, 2009.

Editor’s Note: On Oct. 8, an aide to Dr. Seth Foldy notified WisconsinEye that the physician misspoke when, during the Oct. 7 interview, he estimated that 35,000 people in Wisconsin die from flu-related causes during a normal flu season. That was the number of flu-related deaths in an average season for the entire United States, according to the aide, Seth Boffeli.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a roundtable discussion regarding legislation that would make appointment of the secretary of natural resources the responsibility of the Natural Resources Board, not the governor. Panelists included three former Secretaries of the Department of Natural Resources: Tony Earl, DNR secretary (1975-'80) and governor (Democrat, 1983-'86); George Meyer, DNR secretary (1993-2001); and Scott Hassett, DNR secretary (2003-'06). The interview took place on October 1, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison Studio.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a panel discussion on the Race to the Top federal stimulus funding for education. State Senator Luther Olson (R-Ripon), State Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-Middleton), State Superintendent Tony Evers, and WEAC President Mary Bell participated in the discussion. The interview took place on September 28, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison Studio.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a roundtable discussion about post-bailout banking and the state of Wisconsin banks with panelists: Kurt Bauer, President & CEO, Wisconsin Bankers Association; Jim Podewils, President & COO, Westubury Bank (Westbend, WI); Gary Schaefer, Regional Director, Associated Bank; and Russ Kuehn, First National Bank (Berlin, WI). The interview took place at WisconsinEye's Madison studio on September 25, 2009.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed Rick Raemisch, Secretary of Wisconsin Department of Corrections about the "missing" DNA samples. The interview took place at WisconsinEye's Madison studio on September 21, 2009.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters interviewed Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen about the "missing" DNA samples. The interview took place at the AG's office in the State Capitol on September 18, 2009.

State Representative Tony Staskunas (D-West Allis) and State Senator Jim Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa) joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion about legislation to reform drunk driving penalties. The interview took place on September 17, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a roundtable discussion about tribal issues with panelists: Lisa Waukau, Chair of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin; Brandon Stevens, Councilman of the Oneida Tribe Business Committee; and Buck Martin, Member of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. The discussion took place on September 16, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a roundtable discussion about health care cooperatives with panelists: Bill Oemichen, President and CEO of Cooperative Network; Randy Connour, Executive Director of Healthy Lifestyles Cooperative in Green Bay; Al Wearing, Sales and Marketing Director of Group Health Cooperative in South Central Wisconsin; and Brent Hueth, Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. The discussion took place on September 14, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

State Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan joined WisconsinEye Host Steve Walters for a discussion about key issues of the fall legislative session. The interview took place on September 10, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison Studio.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson and Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard join WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion about Juror Appreciation Month. The interview took place at WisconsniEye's Madison studio on September 8, 2009.

Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) and Erin Krueger, Director of Public Policy for the Essie Kammer Group, joined WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters for a discussion regarding payday lending interest cap. The interview took place at WisconsinEye's Madison studio on September 3, 2009.

Steve Walters, WisconsinEye host and former Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, interviewed State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) regarding what factors one needs to consider when weighing the decision to run for governor and how he would deflect charges from candidates and third-party groups. The interview took place at the WisconsinEye studio in Madison, on August 20, 2009.

Sean Dilweg, Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance, discussed the auto insurance mandate with Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on July 14, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

Mike Tate, the new Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, sat down with Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, for an interview on July 1, 2009 at WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

Democratic and Republican first-year legislators discussed their experiences during the state budget process with Steve Walters, Madison bureau chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on June 30, 2009. Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber, D-Appleton, Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, Rep. Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau, and Rep. Ed Brooks, R-Reedsburg, participated in the panel discussion in WisconsinEye's Madison studio.

Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer, D-Manitowoc, discussed the state budget with Steve Walters, Madison bureau chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, in an interview from the representative’s State Capitol office on June 18, 2009. Ziegelbauer was one of two Assembly Democrats that voted against the state budget.

Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, discussed the republican-led Wisconsin Jobs Now Task Force and its final report with Wisconsin State Journal Capitol Reporter Jason Stein on June 4, 2009.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen was interviewed by JR Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com, from his State Capitol office on June 3, 2009.

Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, discussed the current state of the legislative process in the State Assembly in an interview from her Capitol office on May 14, 2009. Rhoades was interviewed by Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Members of the Joint Finance Committee Rep. Mark Pocan (co-chair) and Rep. Robin Vos met in the WisconsinEye Studio for a report on issues regarding the state budget process. The interview was hosted by Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and took place on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

In her first interview with WisconsinEye since winning re-election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson met with JR Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com. In the interview, Abrahamson discussed current issues dealing with law and the courts and reflected on her years on the State Supreme Court. The interview took place on April 27, 2009, from the WisconsinEye studios.

Steve Walters interviewed Rick Graber, former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic and former head of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, at the WisconsinEye studio in Madison where they discussed his return to Milwaukee, his time in the Czech Republic, the Republican Party issues in Wisconsin, the candidates for governor in 2010 and the possibility that he may be one of those candidates.

JR Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com, interviewed incoming DPI Superintendent, Tony Evers, who was elected to his new post on April 7, 2009. The interview covered the campaign and Mr. Evers' plans for public education in Wisconsin. The interview took place at the WisconsinEye studios in Madison, WI.

Following a two-week series of public hearings around the state, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) was interviewed at WisconsinEye's Madison studio. The interview was hosted by Steve Walters, who focused the discussion on the variety of issues pertaining to the state budget. The interview took place on April 10, 2009.

Steve Walters interviewed Dale Cattanach, the new Recovery Accountability Compliance Officer appointed by Governor Doyle, at the WisconsinEye studio on April 9th, 2009. Over his tenure, Mr. Cattanach was a founding member of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau and a state auditor. Discussion included how Mr. Cattanach will oversee the stimulus funds that will be coming to Wisconsin from the federal government and how state government has changed over his years of public service.

On April 8, 2009, Meredith Clanfield interviewed Lt. Governor Barbara
Lawton about education issues, including financial aid, advice for
parents about affordability of higher education for their children,
incentives for students to enter green business sectors, the state of
K-12 and higher education in Wisconsin and the Lt. Governor's initiative
called Wisconsin Connects, a program to prepare students for the global
economy. The interview took place in the Lt. Governor's office at the
State Capitol.

Jason Stein, Capitol Reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, interviewed Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman about the state of employment, unemployment compensation and how the downturn of the economy has impacted jobs in Wisconsin.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interviewed possible gubernatorial candidate, Mark Neumann ((R)-1st Congressional District, 1995-1999), at the construction site of his prototype energy efficient home in Ixonia, WI. The discussion with the former Congressman covered his company, Neumann Developments, and its commitment to building energy efficient homes in Wisconsin and his possible run for governor in the upcoming 2010 election.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Madison Bureau Chief, Steve Walters, hosted a roundtable discussion focusing on Wisconsin community banks. Joining Walters were Daryll Lund, President, Wisconsin Community Bankers Associaion; Steve Eager, Union Bank & Trust Company, Evansville; Paul Hoffman, Monona State Bank; and Steve Swanson, McFarland State Bank. The discussion took place at WisconsinEye's Madison studio on March 31, 2009.

Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, spoke with Mark Pitsch, Capitol Reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal in the WisconsinEye Studios. Among other legislative issues, the interview focused on the question of appointing the DNR Secretary. Legislation proposed by Rep. Black would give the appointment power to the Natural Resources Board instead of the governor. The interview took place on Monday, March 30, 2009.

Senate Majority Leader Russell Decker was interviewed by WisPolitics Editor JR Ross in the WisEye Studios. Sen. Decker discussed a variety of issues before the state legislature including the state budget and the smoking ban. The interview took place on March 25, 2009.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen spoke with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters from the State Capitol on March 18, 2009. Van Hollen discussed a variety of issues including the state budget and its impact on the Department of Justice.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Madison Bureau Chief, Steve Walters, interviews the directors of the newly-created Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. With passage of the federal recovery bill, Governor Doyle created the department to move federal stimulus funds to create jobs and drive Wisconsin's economy forward. Gary Wolter and Alan Fish explained how the Office of Recovery and Reinvestment is working with communities, local governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to quickly put recovery money to work in Wisconsin.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen discussed how the state budget shortfall will affect the Department of Justice during an interview with host John Powell. The interview took place at the State Capitol on January 15, 2009.

Assembly Speaker Rep. Michael Huebsch was interviewed by Steve Walters on December 16, 2008, about post-election results from the WisEye Studios in Madison.

Senator Fred Risser was interviewed on December 2, 2008, from the Senator's office in Madison.

Senator Scott Fitzgerald was interviewed on December 2, 2008, from the WisEye Studio.

Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Richard Leinenkugel sat down with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters to discuss a variety of issues dealing with the Department of Commerce. Leinenkugel spoke with Walters at the WisconsinEye studios in Madison on November 24, 2008.

Assembly Minority Leader-Elect Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald was interviewed in the WisEye Studio on November 19, 2008.

Assembly Speaker-Elect Rep. Mike Sheridan was interviewed in the WisEye Studio on November 13, 2008.

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Michael Edmonds, the director of the Wisconsin Lottery, discussed the lottery with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters on September 18, 2008. This year is the lottery’s 20th Anniversary.

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Justice Michael Gableman sat down with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters to discuss his new position on the bench of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Justice Gableman spoke with Walters at the WisconsinEye studios in Madison on August 12, 2008.

WisconsinEye Host John Powell interviewed Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen in his office on August 6, 2008. The topic of the interview was the battle against illegal drug activities throughout the state.

U.S Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, sat down with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters to discuss his recently unveiled “Roadmap for America’s Future,” which is meant to deal with what Ryan calls the county’s impending fiscal crisis. Ryan spoke with Walters at his Constituent Services Center office in Janesville on July 28, 2008.

Emeritus Professor of Biomolecular Chemistry at UW-Madison, James Dahlberg, discussed being named Governor Jim Doyle’s new science advisor with Steve Walters, the Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dahlberg was interviewed in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on July 24, 2008.

Rep. Jeff Wood of Chetek discussed his decision to leave the Republican Party and run for re-election as an independent candidate in November with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters on July 16, 2008. Wood was interviewed from WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on July 16, 2008.

Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, and Rep. Jim Ott, R-Mequon, discussed environmental policy issues expected to come before the state legislature in the next legislative session in an interview with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters on July 10, 2008. Miller, the chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources and Ott, the vice-chair of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, discussed recent rulings made by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on mercury levels as well as recommendations by the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming. The interview took place at WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Tia Nelson and Roy Thilly the co-chairs of the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming discussed the work of that group with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters on July 10, 2008. The interview took place at WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Gov. Jim Doyle discussed recent events in the state with WisconsinEye contributor John Powell from the Governor’s Conference room in the State Capitol on June 9, 2008.

Lee Rayburn, a local radio talk show host, interviewed Senate Minority Leader Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, about state politics on June 9, 2008. Fitzgerald discussed the Republicans prospects in the upcoming November 2008 elections and the defection of Rep. Jeff Wood from the party’s membership. Wood announced, a day earlier, his intention to run in 2008 as an independent instead of a Republican.

Outgoing University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor John D. Wiley discussed his thoughts on the incoming chancellor, challenges facing the University of Wisconsin, his new position as the interim director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. He also reflected on his time as chancellor in this interview with the Editor of WisPolitics.com JR Ross on June 30, 2008 conducted in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Secretary Reggie Bicha discussed the role of the new Department of Children and Families on June 24, 2008, shortly before the department began operations. Bicha was interviewed by Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters interviewed the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen about the June flooding in south central Wisconsin and its impact on the state’s agriculture. Nilsestuen also discussed his farmland preservation goals. The interview took place in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on June 23, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters interviewed Brig. Gen. Donald P. Dunbar, Adjutant General of Wisconsin, about his role in dealing with the recent disastrous flooding in southern Wisconsin. Dunbar was interviewed on June 19, 2008 at the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs offices in Madison, WI.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters interviewed Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke about the party’s state convention in Stevens Point on June 13-14, 2008. The interview took place in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on June 12, 2008.

Capitol Reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Stacy Forster interviewed Tourism Secretary Kelli Trumble, Rep. J.A. “Doc” Hines, R-Oxford, and Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, about the disastrous flooding which hit southern Wisconsin in June. The interview took place in the Assembly Parlor at the State Capitol on June 11, 2008.

Janesville area state legislators, Sen. Judith Robson, D-Beloit, Rep. Chuck Benedict, D-Beloit, and Rep. Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater, discussed General Motors decision to close its Janesville Assembly Plant by 2010 in an interview with WisconsinEye on June 5, 2008. The interview, conducted by Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters, took place at WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio.

Ed Thompson, the Mayor of Tomah and former Libertarian Party candidate for governor in 2002, discussed the state of the Libertarian Party and it’s 2008 Presidential Candidate in an interview with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters on June 5, 2008. Thompson also discussed his political future in the interview, which took place in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters interviewed Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on May 29, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters interviewed Madison Police Chief Noble Wray on May 22, 2008. Wray discussed a string of high-profile unsolved murder cases in Madison and the new Racial Disparities Oversight Commission, which Wray will chair. That commission was created by Gov. Jim Doyle. The interview took place in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio.

Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Reince Priebus discussed the party’s upcoming state convention and his party’s chances in the November elections with Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Steve Walters. The interview took place on May 14, 2008 in WisconsinEye’s Madison studio.

Capitol Reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Stacy Forster interviewed Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, from WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on May 6, 2008. Gunderson discussed the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact.

Capitol Reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Stacy Forster interviewed Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, from WisconsinEye’s Madison Studio on April 30, 2008. Miller discussed the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact and the budget repair bill.