This Just In...

This should come as no surprise to any Wisconsin homeowner. Your government, the 2008 legal incarnation of Jesse James continues to stick you up and rob you.

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance says Wisconsin property taxes rose 5.7 percent in 2008. That's the largest single-year increase since 2005.

Take a guess, beleaguered property taxpayer, and my guess is you’ll get it right in nano seconds…..guess what part of your property tax bill went up the most?

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School levies rose the most, at 7.4 %

Not surprised, are you Franklin taxpayers? Your school tax levy went up just under 12 % last year.

Let me repeat. Your school tax levy increase, Franklin taxpayers was just under 12% last year, after  EVERYBODY associated with the school district swore for months that the increase would be under 6%.

Now we know where a part of those huge school tax increases have gone.

You think I’m going to say right back into the classrooms, aren’t you?

Nope.

How about teacher salaries?

Extra-curricular activities?

Try salaries for superintendents.

The hired guns for school boards are getting bigger and bigger raises at a time when teachers moan and groan about having to resort to buying their own chalk for the blackboards.

Since we’re focused on the superintendent scorecard, let’s take a look at how our area superintendents are doing, salary –wise. Remember, school districts are always crying the blues that they have no  money, that they have to have voters approve colossal referenda, and that students will only perform better in the classroom if communities build Miller Park-like school buildings:

Superintendent salaries and enrollments for area school districts (most available data from Wisconsin DPI):

Franklin School District Supt. Steve Patz: $150, 000
Enrollment: 4, 178

Greendale School District Supt. William Hughes: $147, 088
Enrollment: 2598

Whitnall School District Supt. Karen Petric: $143, 412
Enrollment: 2420

Oak Creek-Franklin District Supt. Sara Larsen: $134, 649
Enrollment: 5,867

Greenfield School District Supt. Conrad Farner: $105, 947
Enrollment: 3,255

Milwaukee Public Schools Supt. William G. Andrekopoulos: $171,000
Enrollment: 86, 815

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle: $137, 092
The national average for gubernatorial salaries is $124, 398

Whoever negotiated for Steve Patz took our School Board to the cleaners. No way, no how should Steve Patz be making more than the governor.

Franklin taxpayers, be advised, the next time you hear a Franklin teacher, or principal or administrator or School Board member or his Royal Highness, the Superintendent himself begging for money for the district, keep this blog in mind.

FYI:

Remember the biggest crook in the Franklin School District, the guy keeping track of the books, “Business Manager” James Milzer saying publicly over and over and  over again that Franklin had to increase school taxes by 5.6%?

Milzer told the Franklin School Board the night they voted for the school budget that the increase was 5.6%. It turned out weeks later after I reported it on my blog that the increase was actually just under 12%.

Milzer, the man who singlehandedly screwed Franklin taxpayers and is still a trusted man on the taxpayer-funded payroll earns the following annual salary:

$119, 893

Milzer does two things when he cashes his checks, thanks to you, the Franklin taxpayers:


1) Laughs

2) Lets out a loud shout of: SUCKERS!


Your school tax dollar going directly into classroom instruction?

Guess again.

Longtime Milwaukee Judge Ted Wedemeyer has died, one of the classiest and most professional judges to serve in our community. I knew Judge Wedemyer and I didn't always agree with his rulings and he knew it. That never affected our professional relationship. My deepest sympathies to his family.

From jsonline.com:

Appeals Court Judge Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr. died Wednesday, five months after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

He was 75.

Wedemeyer's death surprised most of the legal community.

"I know that his death may come as a shock to most of you, as many of you did not even know he was sick," wrote Patricia S. Curley, the presiding judge in the 1st District Court of Appeals that sits in Milwaukee. "It was Ted's wish and request that his illness be kept confidential."

A lawyer for 50 years, Wedemeyer, was appointed byMayor Henry Maier as the first municipal judge for the City of Milwaukee in 1975. He helped organize the court system before his appointment.

Gov. Martin Schreiber appointed him to the circuit court in 1977, a position he held until 1982 when he was elected to the appellate court. He was defeated in his bid fore re-election to the appellate court in 1988 but won the seat again in 1991. He ran unsuccessfully for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1995. a job the Milwaukee Bar Association ranked him as the best qualified.

Wedemeyer successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to allow cameras in state courtrooms in the late 1970s. His municipal courtroom was the first where cameras were allowed.

He also served on a committee that worked for a victim's rights constitutional amendment and on one that advocated anti-gang legislation.

Wedemeyer is survived by his wife, Susan.

A wake will be held Sunday from 4 until 8 p.m. at Feerick Funeral Home, 2025 E. Capitol Drive. A funeral mass will be held at Old St. Mary's Church, 836 N. Broadway, at 10 a.m. Monday.

Only in the world of Wisconsin business could you be enthusiastic about your prospects in one instant, and then in the next have your prospects come crashing down like a fallen soufflé.

Case in point, one of the biggest products to come out of Wisconsin besides beer: cranberries.






Earlier this week, the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel first tantalized us with the better than good news:

"Two of  the largest buyers of Wisconsin cranberries are on a mission to persuade growers to increase their output, with the hope of adding $75 million annually to the state economy and creating 1,115 jobs.”

Tremendous, right?

Then came the dose of reality.

“But in order to make that happen, the presidents of Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. and Cliffstar Corp. say the state needs to cooperate in  speeding up the permit process to turn more acreage into cranberry bogs.”

We have heard that story time and time again: Wisconsin bureaucracy standing directly in the way of Wisconsin success.

“They are looking for a nearly 30% boost in acres planted —from the current 18,000 to 23,000. If they can’t get the additional 5,000 acres in Wisconsin, the cranberry industry may have to turn to Canada, they say. “

Somewhere in Madison, a taxpayer-funded bureaucrat, armed with visor, a pocket protector, and a book of statutes as thick as the Manhattan phone pages is standing with arms folded shaking his fool head saying “no, no, no, no, no.”

He might as well be saying, “I don’t care. Screw you, Wisconsin. Rules are rules. Our state economy be damned.”

Let’s cut to the chase. Wisconsin’s heavy-handed regulations are preventing Wisconsin business from doing business and prospering, to the point that we have to go internationally to get the job done instead of utilizing our own economic resources to prosper.

The villain? Take a guess: the Gestapo-like Department of Natural Resources, the state agency that isn’t happy unless it’s ruining someone’s life.

Pretty darned stupid, isn’t it? We are our own worst enemy.

We over-license, over-permit, over-regulate, over-dictate in this state. We kill business in this state by inviting firms and companies to pack up and leave for other states with climates that are fare more accepting and friendly to places that want to set up shop and create jobs and build the economy.

Why wouldn’t we bend over backwards to help the cranberry industry? Visualize a bureaucrat with a pocket protector, etc.

We need to change our laws that will make it more attractive for business to come here and stay here. If not, be prepared for more businesses to leave.

I’m not a fan of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. In a blog last fall, I wrote, “TSA workers are unskilled, arrogant, rude rent-a-cops whom I have little faith or trust in providing the kind of security needed in our airports.” Airport security is ineffective because we have ineffective people using ineffective measures.

To make matters worse, you now have these slugs groping and practically molesting air passengers during screening. What can people do about it? If you object, are you subject to arrest? Will you be detained and miss your flight? Will some TSA Neanderthal get physical with you?

These highly unskilled people need to be reined in, and more effective, appropriate measures need to be implemented to improve airport/airline security.

This is not supposed to happen in women's basketball.

I do a lot of scoring and timing for men's and women's basketball at both the college and high school level. I predict that as a result of this game and all the coverage it received, you're unfortunately going to see more fights in women's and girl's basketball games in the future. Younger players instinctively model themselves after the pros tbey see on TV. There will be more fights among female players.

I fill in for Mark Belling on Newstalk 1130 WISN this Friday from 3-6 pm.

I have a gazillion topics I want to get to. No, I won't get to them all.

Planned Parenthood, another huge supporter and donor to the Democrat Party is about as disgusting and despicable as they come.

Check this out.

All you lefties that worship and/or give $$$ to PP, are you proud of yourselves?

In an interview last week with the Appleton Post-Crescent, Governor Jim Doyle was given this direct question:

“Is there anything the state can do to ease the (price of gas) burden?”

Here was part of Doyle’s answer:

“I wanted to change our minimum markup law that still requires gas to be marked up at various levels. I've always thought that gas should be treated like other products and not pay the required markup.”

The Governor has claimed he’s against the minimum markup law dating back to his days as Attorney General. Just how sincere is he? We’ll find out very soon.

Today, two of the better members of the state Assembly, state Representatives Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) and Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) asked Governor Doyle to call the Legislature into special session for a vote on repealing Wisconsin’s outmoded minimum markup law.

In a joint press release, Kramer and Vukmir write, “The minimum markup law, passed in 1939, mandates that retailers include a minimum price increase on gasoline, and also prohibits the sale of goods below cost. Last summer, and then again in November of last year, news reports indicated that Wisconsin law prohibits residents from taking advantage of cost savings.”

Kramer and Vukmir suggest repealing the minimum markup law would provide some relief at the pump. I submit a better plan would be to temporarily suspend the gas tax if you want real relief, but that’s not going to happen. Neither will a special session on minimum markup.

Let’s go back to the Governor’s Q and A where he said he favors repeal. He couched his support in his next sentence where he expressed his true sentiments. 

“I'm not suggesting that would make things right because what's really at issue are these oil companies that are making the biggest profits in the history of the world.”

He’d much rather have a tax on oil companies and would only call the Legislature back if that was on the table.

Kramer and Vukmir have put forth a good effort, but it’s DOA with this Governor who often doesn’t mean what he says.

I will say this about former FranklinNOW blogger Greg Kowalski. He’s consistent.

A few weeks ago, just before the opening of the Sendik’s at the Shoppes of Wyndham Village, I blogged about Kowalski’s fault-finding mission with the development, even as Franklin was joyously celebrating the opening of a quality retailer.

Today, as the long-awaited Target opens at the Shoppes of Wyndham Village, guess what? Kowalski is back with another inane, clueless whine about Target. He starts out taking potshots at young FranklinNOW intern Alisha Fischer’s fine video report previewing the new Target.

C’mon, Greg. She’s just a kid. You're familiar with that pout and cry routine. You used it every day when you were blogging over here.

Kowalski says he was “astonished” (Oh my!!) that FranklinNOW “openly embraces shopping at Target for food items!”

Well, yes, Target does sell food items. Ms. Fischer correctly emphasized some of the unique offerings at this particular Target. That’s called news, Greg. What was Ms. Fischer supposed to do, Greg? Target doesn’t sell cars, or trucks, or widgets.

Kowalski then mentions Target’s selection of fine wines and in a tone that has some truth to its desperate sound asks, “can someone please tell me why I'm shopping at Sendik's Fine Foods?” The title of his blog also insinuated that the FranklinNOW video basically gave people reason not to shop at Sendik’s. It did no such thing. The video gave viewers a brief, informative inside look at Target before its opening.

Kowalski, the biz whiz that he is, seriously thinks that because Target sells food and fine wine that it will force next-door Sendik’s out of business.  Is he for real? Sadly, he is. He really thinks that.

Sorry, Greg. You referred to me in your blog, even though you didn’t mention me by name. (By the way, I’m a Senate aide, not a Senatorial aide. Might want to make note of that for your next cheap shot). So as they say on “Law and Order,” you opened the door, counselor, so I’m responding to your second attack in as many weeks on a new store opening.

Competition is good for everyone. The more shopping options for Franklin residents, the better. To suggest that people won’t shop at Sendik’s because Target now has Merlot is, well, pretty dumb.

Besides, the food offerings aren’t the same at Sendik’s and Target, as was pointed out in a blog I did last year.

In his blog today, just hours before the Target ribbon-cutting, Kowalski does what he does best: engage in conjecture and wild speculation.

“If Sendik's closes that strip mall could be solely anchored by a Super Target, which is very scary to Franklin residents who have fought long and hard against massive big boxes in the community.” He then ripped the developer.

And he’s studying business at MATC? Gee, there’s tuition money well spent. 

The main point is that Kowalski likes to prop himself up as the best thing that ever happened to Franklin. I did this and I did that. And yet, in the past two weeks, when Franklin has rightly celebrated the opening of long-awaited community developments, Kowalski didn’t cheer.  He reached for the mud bucket.

Funny how he and others can rip a development that is actually up and running, but when I question one that’s been stuck in neutral for ages, I’m such a bad boy. But that’s another issue for another day.

Congratulations, Mark Carstensen for seeing another dream become reality. Keep in mind that you’ll never win with some folks who will constantly moan and groan and cry that there aren’t enough flowers and there aren’t enough bike stands and there aren’t enough places for them to park their butts to sit by a fountain and have coffee and a bagel and there aren’t enough walkways for the droves of people who want to walk to Target (that’s my favorite). 

You done good, Mark. (By the way, was that your car parked at Wal-Mart? Oh my God, the apocalypse is at hand!).

Congratulations, Franklin. You’ve waited a long time for these developments to take shape and they’re finally here. I have every confidence you’ll be loyal in your support.

Shame on Greg Kowalski who continues his attacks on everyone from the Mayor on down, even an intern, a young intern. He totally mischaracterizes her report but he’s done that his entire blogging career, twisting and distorting, and rarely having facts to back up his wacky assertions.

Oh, and Dave Hintzman, if you’re reading, if and when Fountains of Franklin ever opens, and I certainly hope it does, I’d be real leery of your hand-picked press agent, Mr. Kowalski because he just might bad-mouth your place, too.

This will continue right up until November, folks. The mainstream media is a wholly owned and paid for subsidiary of the Democrat Party, and it’s becoming more and more obvious every day.

Here is the  McCain piece rejected by the NY Times.

An utter disregard for human life continues to be an outrageous societal trend.

I’ve blogged about cases involving heartless individuals who despicably refuse to assist others in desperate need.

Here’s the latest, from Italy, another sad commentary on the human existence.

Works and Witkowski are but two members. Even if they scratch and claw and fight and scream for fiscal responsibility, they’re outnumbered by a bunch of stick-up artists. Board President Dave Szychlinski has said the public won’t put up with increases like the one last year. He’s right, but I remain highly skeptical this school board understands.

The odds of any fiscal responsibility are far better at City Hall than at the School Board. Steve Taylor and David Works have the best chance of making great impressions in their first budget deliberations. The jury’s out on Kristen Wilhelm and Linda Witkowski.

FranklinNOW's Alisha Fischer gives us a look.

“There are people in this world who are morally and ideologically opposed to us. We call them the left. They are a group of people who want you to surrender your hard earned money so they can give it to someone else who did not earn it and probably would not need it, but for the their insistence on government dependence.

Their rhetoric is ‘hope and change.’ You know, hope and change are always buzzwords in the revolution against freedom. The only change theyʼll offer is more government. The only choice theyʼll offer you is whether or not to abort your kids. The policies of the last eight years will be replaced by the failed policies of the last 100 years.”


Those are the words of Erick Erickson, the editor of Redstate.com.

He’s advocating greater political activism on the right through the use of the Internet.

Read more here.

HT to a fellow freedom fighter, Orv Seymer.

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Again, the Final Jeopardy answer is:


What is $100-million.


Being Batman wouldn't be that cool.

I have to admit, I am reveling in seeing lefty blogger James Rowen get the elitist environmental snobbery kicked out of him by righty bloggers.

Unless you subscribe to Rowen’s philosophy of kissing 50 different trees daily, or if you just happen to be a conservative, Rowen arrogantly attacks you.

Rowen recently proved what a doofus he truly is by calling righty blogger, “No Runny Eggs” a racist because he referred to Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway as a “thug.”

Rowen, you see, is an incredibly guilty white liberal a la Joel McNally. What kind of warped mind actually sees racism in the word, “thug”?  That is an assertion that is so stupid it’s laughable. Rowen either needs to consult a dictionary or emerge from his ivory tower world of “green” to realize that there are black thugs, Hispanic thugs, and yes, even white thugs. No ethnic group has a monopoly on the title, thus, using the word “thug” is not racist.

But it is so simple for the debate-challenged left to toss out the race card when they run out of material, which for Rowen and liberals amounts to about 12 seconds. That’s when the bumper sticker crying towels come flying out. The public is wise to this tactic, but Rowen is too dumb to fathom it.

I am pleased that a bevy of righty bloggers has decided to pinpoint Rowen for the fool he is by writing about his moronic accusation:

Badger Blogger

Boots and Sabers

James Wigderson

Brian Fraley

What’s really nice about this is that a group of righty bloggers has correctly banded together and has refused to suck up to the lefties. They clearly understand that gets you nowhere as a conservative. Lefties will stab you in the back, no matter how nice you are to them.

I’m on the air on Friday this week, possibly too late to discuss Rowen’s absurd and idiotic statements. I certainly hope other talk show hosts, whom Rowen has looked down his long nose at in the past, will pick up on this, and give him the criticism he deserves.

In the broadcast business, it's called a "tease."

They are short promotional announcements designed to entice you to watch an upcoming program.

"WOMEN WHO HATE MEN, ON THE NEXT OPRAH!"


These teases can be extended to :30, packaged into an "update." 

Hmmmm.

I think I've seen that guy before.

Teasing is also done in the print business. This old cover of "Cosmopolitan" is loaded with teases, the "grabbers" that get your attention in the supermarket line.

Just about every publication uses this promotional tool on its cover. On a recent bookstore visit, I picked up this magazine specifically because of a tease on the cover. Note the second of three teases underneath the magazine title:

Good meat, slathered in cheese, a toasted bun, some sides like tomato and lettuce. How can you go wrong? Imagine you're having a backyard cookout, you invite lots of friends over, and you're grilling burgers. For a great party, you make sure you've got cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc. so your guests have plenty of choices to make a great burger. You don't need pickled beets and pineapple rings and brussels sprouts. Of course not. Classic burgers with classic combinations.

But is that really good enough?

Not if you ask chef Nancy Silverton, the co-founder of Campanile restaurant and La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles. When you find out how she throws a burger cookout, you're going to feel mighty inadequate.

The LA Times tagged along at one of Silverton’s soirees to carefully observe how an expert prepares what she considers the perfect burger.

Silverton lights her barbecue pit at 8:00 a.m. with a fire made from almond wood (Kingsford doesn’t make that stuff, do they?). When her guests arrive in the middle of the day, the toppings are ready and buns are sliced.

The bun. No fancy, schmancy 12-grain deal. Pita bread? Are you crazy? Just the time-honored, soft variety.

The key is the ratio of bun to meat. It has to be 50-50 so you can avoid…..


 


The toppings must be traditional…no foie-gras!

Ketchup is good. But is that good enough?

No, Silverton insists on Heinz ketchup.

Mayo, you’ve got to have mayo, but is having mayo good enough?

Best Foods Mayo if you’re in the western part of the country, Hellman’s in our neck of the woods.

Ok, you’ve got the Hellman’s. Is that good enough?

Nope.

Silverton likes to serve the mayo three ways: plain, mixed up with chiles and a third with garlic and tapenade.

Mustard? Are you kidding me? Gotta have mustard….Dijon mustard. Is that good enough?

Well……no.

You must have two types of Dijon, plain and whole grain.

Lettuce…..there must be lettuce. Will any lettuce do?

Umm, no.

It must be iceberg, one crisp leaf per person.

Onions. God, I love onions on a burger. Silverton advises one full slice of red onion per person.

Ok, I can handle that. Red onions. Is that good enough? One slice of red onion per person?

You’ve detected a pattern here, haven’t you..

NO, that’s not good enough silly! You have to salt and pepper the onions.

Make sure there’s the Mezzetta brand of Tuscan Pepperoncini as well.

Did we forget anything?

Yeh, we did.

Tomatoes. Brandywines, Russians, Beefsteak.

Silverton includes avocados with her toppings, recommending they be sliced thickly.

Bacon. Oh, yes! Applewood-smoked and not crispy. Is that good enough? I don’t let the bacon get crispy. Check.

No. Two pieces of bacon per guest (because people snitch).

If you’re not yelling at the computer screen by now, you should be.

CHEESE, WE MUST HAVE CHEESE!

I’ll just serve good ol’ American and that’ll be okay, right?

Negative!

Three cheeses if you pleases: blue, cheddar and Gruyere.

Any brand?

No.

Point Reyes blue, Grafton cheddar and cave-aged Gruyere.

OK, you’ve hunted and searched for all three. Is that good enough, chef Silverton?

No.

Crumble the blue. Ditto for the cheddar. Sprinkle the crumbles and delight as they ooze and melt.

Do you crumble the Gruyere, too?

Are you from Wisconsin or not?

No you don’t crumble the Gruyere, you fool! You serve that in slices or risk being a total failure.

The meat. Very important.

Get up early. Go to the butcher the day of the cookout.

Order whole prime chuck ground with 13% sirloin fat added by weight.

Back home, the patties formed will be 8 ounces each, two inches thick.

Beatrice de Gea / Los Angeles Times
FIRE IT UP: Silverton tops patties, made of beef with at least 20% to 28% fat, with crumbled chunks of blue cheese, left, and cheddar. "With lean meat," she says, "the burgers don't hold together."


Regular salt?

No way.

Kosher salt.

The result?



Béatrice de Géa / Los Angeles Times
TOP THIS: The hamburger according to Silverton stars fat-enriched, coarse-ground prime chuck that's seasoned generously and handled gently.


Feeling inadequate?

Silverton does throw a helluva party.

But you'll probably never have her over anyway.

It's easy and wrong to overdo it and be too creative with a burger. Silverton, one could argue, also overdoes it. But she overdoes it in so many really goooooooooood ways.

The perfect burger?

What's been the recurring theme here?

No.

There is no such creation as the perfect burger.

But Silverton comes pretty darn close.


To read previous Culinary no-no’s, please click CULINARY NO-NO under my TAGS section.