Belling on Waukesha’s mayoral race and the Congdon-Gundrum race
On Mark Belling’s radio program on WISN-AM yesterday afternoon, Belling discussed the local elections in the beginning of the 2nd hour (4:00 PM) of the show. Aside from labeling the Waukesha School Board one of the three worst in the area and talking about the new activism on the right, Belling talked about Governor Doyle’s appointment of former Waukesha Democratic Party Chairman Rick Congdon as a judge. Belling predicts State Representative Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin) will beat Congdon.
Belling also took a few moments to talk about the Waukesha mayoral race starting at the 12:00 mark. Belling says Nelson’s biggest weakness is that Nelson is a “slob.” He also expressed surprise that the most conservative candidate, according to what he has heard, is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel former reporter Darryl Enriquez.
I expect (unless other events intervene) my analysis of the race will be in next week’s Waukesha Freeman.
Mark Belling needs to know there is a conservative running for Mayor in Waukesha.
Jeff Scrima is in the race. He has been openly questioning the Clarke Hotel funding fraud, city tax increase, inflated assessments, and the mayor’s 12.8% pay increase. Moreover he was born and raised in Waukesha, a business owner, and studied economic development at Wharton.
This is a whole lot more than candidate Darryl Enriquez, who is not a conservative, doesn’t have business experience, only reports the news and never makes his personal opinions known.
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
I would find it very difficult to accept the recommendation of anyone as conservative if they’re using the name “Tom Paine.” I guess I shall have to await the recommendation of Ed Burke before deciding whom to support for mayor.
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Sam Adams Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Oh, but Tom Paine might fit a “tea party” sympathizer, might it not?!?
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Justin Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Decide for yourself! Please join Bill Beglinger for a listening session! Thursday February 4th 7-8:30 p.m. Mt. calvary Lutheran Church 1941 Madison Street (between Moreland and Grandview)
-29 years problem solving experience
-Real Waukesha water solutions without surrendering city sovereignty to regional co-ops.
-True fiscal conservatism.
-Education and employment solutions to meet global economic needs locally.
Bill Beglinger for Mayor: The right choice at the right time
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Corey Montiho Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Jeff Scrima is the only choice for Mayor. He has a solid track record, solid morals and the determination to lead our hometown. It’s time for Waukesha to decide it is not going to stand for lackluster leadership. Greatness should be expected and demanded. Jeff can deliver.
-Atty Corey A Montiho
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James Wigderson Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 7:02 pm
I didn’t know Scrima’s morals needed defending. What is it that you’re not telling us, Corey?
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As the only non-incumbant running for Waukesha school district, I am a conservative. I promise to be that objective voice on the school board if elected. As an outspoken challenger on expenditures by the Waukesha school board since 2004, someone needs to step up to the plate. I accepted that challenge.
I realize that I’m just an “average guy with conservative values” but I am not intimidated by fiscally irresponsible decisions gutting the Waukesha school district then listening to school board members carp about cuts in state funding and raising local property taxes this year by 10.8%. Who pays taxes to the state? Jim Doyle does not print currency.
Waukesha school district is facing bankruptcy. The 1999 contract changed the way teachers are paid in Waukesha. Removing steps from the salary table allows teachers to race back to school and obtain huge salary increases for more education without accompanied experience and was called the model contact by other unions. Guess what, the great experiment failed. Proof lies within Waukesha’s Whiterock school, a school under consideration to be closed.
Whiterock, a 90% minority school focused on english as a second language is not a neighborhood school, 70% of it’s students are bused in. As the primarily hispanic students, 30% which don’t speak english, come to the school for it’s focus, neighborhood kids transfer out. Bussing costs are out of control.
The experiment at Whiterock has disproved the notion that a highly educated, highly paid teacher (without years of experience) is an effective teacher. According to the principal, every teacher in Whiterock has a masters degree plus 30 credits; the highest pay grade obtainable. To that end, Whiterock is and has been the worst performing achievement school in Waukesha and the most expensive. Neither the teachers union nor the school board can claim that the correlation will create better results; just more expensive results
As a result of the 1999 contract, we are obligated to cut programs and services, close schools, and still pay absurd benefit packages, massive vacation time off, legal fees for bad investments, operational expenses and repairs for 3 pools (to the financial benefit of a private swimming club), etc. etc. Then there’s the very real potential that WSD will lose the lawsuit over the CDO investments.
Let me make this point very clear. The Waukesha school district used mine and my neighbor’s property for collateral (by property tax obligations) to borrow money and invest in uninsured investments. They did so after changing a district policy allowing them to only invest in insured instruments. They did so because they were hard up for cash to pay legacy benefits for teachers who retired at age 55 and collect platium legacy benefits from the district and the district has not funded this future liability. If the Waukesha school district loses the CDO lawsuit, Mark Belling and I are like minds on the outcome. Either the teachers union will bear the entire burden, including legal fees, or the district will file bankruptcy. I will not allow our tax strung community (which already has begun to drive people to other communities) to pass along another tax unrelated to education (just like the legacy benefits themselves. A 10.8 rate increase this year alone is shameful from the system of shamelessness and harmful to our community. I fully expect another double digit rate increase next year and continued devaluation of property in Waukesha. I cannot change the system by myself. We need more conservatives on the board if change is to happen locally. Perhaps after next years rate increase someone else will step up to the plate.
I might add that Mayor Larry Nelson a former teachers union official is a teacher on leave of absence from the Waukesha school district, another gift from the school board.
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Sam Adams Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
If you truly want to be elected to the Waukesha School Board, shouldn’t you identify yourself as a non-incumbent, rather than the incorrectly spelled non-incumbant??
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Bill Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Steve-
Why don’t you inform us a little bit about who you are? Where is this information coming
from? What are your qualifications? You said at a school board meeting that your kids
are in private schools. It is easy to take info and make it one sided for your own agenda. To be honest the only time I have ever heard your name is when I was at my son’s swimming meet a few years ago at South’s new pool. Someone was passing around protest fliers about the use of the pool and I believe your name was on it? I think the common theme between everyone is that your company didn’t receive a one of the construction contracts on the pool and you were bitter about that? It appears that you
are still bitter about the matter. I encourage you to take a look at the amount of your
taxes that be paid the SDW over the past 10 years. The 35 dollars mine went up is hardly
worth the effort I put into reading your post and writing this reply that I sure no will
bother reading. My suggestion to you is stopping sounding like a bitter old man and start
looking for solutions instead of creating problems.
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Steve Edlund Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Sam, thanks for pointing that out. Upfront, I’m a horrible speller but I truly do want to be elected. If you’re happy with a 10.8% tax rate increase and the assured double digit increase next year, I suggest you vote for the current school board candidates. If not, you can vote for just 1 that will vote against irresponsible fiscal decisions that continue to raise property taxes and cut educational programs and services.
I’m not running as some uninformed new comer. I’m quite often the only person in attendance at these meetings. Only 1 other person attended the preliminary budget hearing this year.
Bill, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have no knowledge about petitions over the South pool. I don’t own a company, and the company I worked for has never bid on or done work for WSD for the 10 years I’ve worked for them. Do you believe that the South pool has academically enhanced your child’s education? Programs and services were cut for the $4.4 million dollar pool. And, the 6 figure operational expenses that the private swimming club does not pay for comes out of the operational budget.
$35 dollars in 10 years? Really? Has your property value decreased that low?
Which facts do you want sources from? Let me give you direction on where to get information about school district spending:
http://www.waukeshataxpayersleague.com
http://dpi.wi.gov/sfs/index.html
Here’s a another great one:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/29426599.html
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J. Doe Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
And wouldn’t it be wise to edit your work so you don’t have ten words spelled incorrectly?
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Steve P. Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
As a parent of three school age children, I am very alarmed that there isn’t anything in this response that speaks to what is best for the CHILDREN of this district. I would hope the school board is in the business of CHILDREN and is what is best for the CHILDREN. This should be a non partisan concept…not conservative or liberal…left or right…. As taxpayers, we count on the school board to sift through everything to make this district the best it can be for our CHILDREN. When did this change?
I lived in Waukesha for my entire life, and, for the first time ever, I am ashamed of some of our board members’ priorities.
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Shaming is used by some, in an attempt to mold and control social behavior. I can assure you Sam, that your efforts will be wasted on Steve Edlund. Steve knows who he is and can’t be shamed into conformity.
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Sam Adams Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Who said anything about shaming, I’m merely pointing out that someone who wants to be an elected public official, particularly one associated with making decisions about how schools are run, should be able to correctly spell in public online posts!
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Nicole Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Sam, does it make you feel better to belittle someone else? Oh…you claim that you just speak the truth, and “WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?!” Here’s what I don’t understand. Are you purposely being obtuse, or do you seriously believe that in order to work a white collar job you have to be a master at the written word?
Sam, have you ever heard of a proof reader, or an editor? Why is it that we need those people? Sorry to burst your bubble, but everyone makes mistakes. Many of your CEO’s, politicians & business people are terrible spellers and that is why they have assistants.
Sam, you have repeatedly taken the time to mention Steve’s spelling errors, and no time countering the points that he made. So that makes me think that you weren’t up to the challenge of countering him intellectually, so you just took the easy way out. This must be a proud moment for you.
If I were you, I would be more worried about the redundancy in your writing than judging others. Just a thought…
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Steve Edlund Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Thanks, Nicole.
I stand ready to take on my critics about the issues, and there’s plenty affecting everyone in our community including the children.
Sam Adams Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 7:01 am
Nicole, well isn’t the school system premised on the concept of “WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?” It’s also about appropriate funding too. I’m a taxpayer in the community and have been for 30 years and I want to believe I’m getting value for the taxes I pay, but Mr. Edlund’s sometimes inflammatory rhetoric is problematic. His premises are largely based on the bias of the Waukesha Taxpayers League, which views taxes as inherently evil. Taxes are the price we pay for meaningful services in our society and there should be healthy debate about them. However, anyone seeking public office is , and should be, subject to scrutiny, which includes their ability to clearly and correctly express their beliefs. I’m not belittling, I’m attempting to point out errors. As I’ve indicated elsewhere on this site, an idea for better funding of schools can be found at http://apennyforkids.org/, so perhaps that will meet your complaint about offering an intellectual response to Mr. Edlund.
Also, Steve, just your writing alone shows that by voting for you, we WILL NOT have an educated person on the school board.
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Steve Edlund Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
That’s an ignorant statement.
“Education” comes in many different forms. I’m a highly skilled union building trades HVAC technician. I assure you that possibly only 1 other board member might know the HVAC (Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning) systems in the Waukesha School District as well as me.
11 years ago, I accepted the challenge to correct the IAQ (indoor air quality) problem at North. The district had spent nearly 20 years, 3 consulting engineering firms, and over a half million dollars prior to allowing me a crack at it. I did it for $50,000 to the complete satisfaction of the teachers unions’ IAQ committee. The carbon dioxide level in ppm never exceeds 1000 in the worst classroom without introducing more fresh air to keep the level at that threshold. I’ve been told it’s stiil working well.
It’s a great career field for the “uneducated”. Too bad public schools today focus almost entirely on college, college, college. Come to think of it, many of the latest apprentices I’ve trained or worked with are college graduates.
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Thank you Steve E.
My last child is graduating from North. I’m glad that the air is pure, unfortunately the heating system doesn’t work and the kids all end up wearing numerous layers of shirts and sweaters during every season, since coats can’t be worn in class.
With my last child graduating, I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the school board race. You scare me enough to know that I need to remain vigilant. I do not want to see tax dollars wasted, but I will be happy to pay whatever it takes to give a proper education to all the children of our community. Our community requires good teachers and a school system that makes people want to move here and stay here – not to live in Waukesha until they can afford to move somewhere “better”.
It’s people like you who don’t seem to believe that the people of Waukesha deserve a great community that are dragging this city down.
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Steve Edlund Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Unfortunately Grace, the district has implemented another “energy saving program” -the 4th I remember in the last 15 years. The 5th program is being discussed in committee.
The lawyer’s fees, interest only payments on the 15 million borrowed (due in 2011) for worthless CDO investments, and OPEB (legacy retirement benefits) all have to be paid from somewhere.
Your tax dollars are NOT being spent on “good teachers” and unfornately, people are not moving here – they’re leaving for communities with lower taxes.
I hope to change the direction of the school district so we can reduce class sizes, expand other alternative education options such as industrial arts classes, and reduce taxes.
Burying ones head in the sand and expecting things to magically happen is a not an option.
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Grace – great historically based Waukesha name! Lots of valid points in your post and as a followup, since Steve posted all those earlier weblinks about property taxes, how about this link, which promotes a reasonable idea to handle education costs throughout Wisconsin AND is supported by someone like Mark Bugher, former Thompson administration official.
http://www.apennyforkids.org/
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Sam –
I’ve been writing on blogs in this town for years. As far as I know, you’re the first to recognize my name. It’s great to “meet” someone who knows Waukesha history!
Great link – I signed the petition and passed it on to several friends.
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Sam Adams Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 7:02 am
Great, now if someone else posts as John Roberts, we might be in trouble!
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Jeff Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Hey Grace – I know you posted on Five Points when I ran that site. I knew the history but just wanted to let it ride and see if anyone called you out on it. You are correct that nobody caught on.
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I just find it funny that someone named “Sam Adams” is calling for greater taxation. I expect to see “Russ Feingold” commenting here tomorrow campaigning for free speech.
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Recall that the colonists weren’t opposed to taxation, but rather taxation without representation – two distinct ideas……….
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Sam,
To answer your question to Nicole, I would say the children are a secondary to pleasing the unions of the district.
If you want to discuss “inflammatory rhetoric” be prepared to defend “meaningful services” in the context and factual truth of financing those services. Almost every time I open subjects for debate sensitive to where our district spends money, the discussion turns to personal attacks on me. So be it.
As a side note, I spent plenty of time educating the Waukesha Taxpayers League on issues such as the $195 million dollar actuarial study on UNFUNDED OPEB liability for teachers who take early retirement and collect platinium benefits. BTW, how does play into “What About The Children?”
What we disagree about are expenditures by public education and how the district is now causing people to leave Waukesha for lower taxed communities. Other than stealing children from other districts through an internet school or free day care for 4 year old children compliments of the taxpayers, district enrollment continues to decline. Lower enrollment means less state aid.
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“Stealing children from other districts through an internet school?” Most self-described conservatives embrace online education and Waukesha’s iQ Academy is now the largest online school in the state, I believe. Furthermore, as the district website indicates, two of the Waukesha high schools(West and South) are ranked among the best high schools in the country as compiled by Newsweek magazine, a significant accomplishment when you consider there are only about 30 Wisconsin high schools so recognized. Additionally, the Academic Decathlon team from West has been nationally competitive for years, plus this year both South and West have teams competing in the finals of the State Academic Decathlon. Aren’t personnel costs the biggest part of a district’s budget and aren’t retirement benefits also part of personnel costs? The district’s academic performance is largely contingent on attracting skilled teachers and retirement benefits can certainly be an important component in hiring strong teachers. Perhaps the concern about less state aid needs to be addressed by finding something other than almost exclusive reliance on the property tax.
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
“Sam,” so long as the Democrats are in control in Madison, any change in the school funding formula will be to the detriment of Waukesha. Don’t believe me? Go ask State Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts.
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Steve Edlund Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
You’ve covered a lot of very positive things about the district Sam. I’ll give you my view points on the issues you didn’t cover.
- I.Q. …The district spent over 2 million in start-up costs which came from our local budget. The district cut many programs to create this one for children throughout Wisconsin. Shouldn’t the state have paid for start-up costs? Furthermore, I don’t think it’s fair to taxpayers to create a cash cow to supplement deficit spending by the district; that circumvents revenue limits. When a district can collect full revenue for each FTE student that costs significantly less to operate, taxpayers should benefit, not be gouged. This is exactly what’s happening with the K-$ program @ $27 per hour (my estimates based on .6 FTE for 570 (?) hours of public instruction at $12k per FTE). The taxpayers, local, state, and federal (K-4 receives stimulus funding and a share of 3 million in state aid for start-up) are paying for unrelated items to the education of children.
-Personnel costs… are no longer affordable for our community. People are leaving Waukesha because of property taxes. Furthermore, the negative press nationally concerning the CDO investments and the lawsuit highlights the unaffordable benefits compensation which caused the district to “gamble” with my property as collateral. The union needs to examine personal costs for year round employees in any capacity in the real world. I belong to a union. I’d welcome the invitation of the teachers union to a Q. &A. session at their union hall. I’ll explain my benefits package as a professional tradesman.
-Attracting skilled teachers…Give me a break. Are you serious? Do realize that Waukesha currently has 47% of its teachers at a MA+30 level? Of that group, 35% are at the top of the salary scale at $77,331 per year (180 contract days). That salary does not include extra responsibilities. The total package for that pay level per teacher is $113,587.54 NOT INCLUDING OPEB liability per teacher. Waukesha has the “model contract according to the state’s largest teachers union. If Waukesha had the ability to pink slip (I’m not advocating that) every teacher, there are enough applicants annually to replace the entire workforce. Additionally, there is a huge surplus of public educators nationally. I would imagine that the labor pool has a lot of highly qualified teachers.
Funding education…Lastly, let me say what I told the Senate Education Committee about seeking a change to the state funding formula, “We do not have a revenue problem, we have an expenditure problem”. After 7 hours of testimony at a public hearing, I believe was co-sponsored by Sondy Pope-Roberts, the bill died. Our school board has finally had a come to Jesus moment. They now understanding that with Democrats in control of almost all levels of government, nothing is going to change for the better. Debt is due and the bill collectors are here (retired teachers, banks, lawyers, the teachers union, etc. etc.
If Madison would have kept their hand off the funding formula creating loopholes, public education would have had to live within their means
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Sterve, yes or no. Are you in favor of continuing the IQ academy?
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Yes.
My turn. As a fiscal conservative, do you feel that it’s fair being forced to over pay your property or state taxes for over priced government services? I.Q. doesn’t cost 12k per FTE, neither does K-4. Shouldn’t we be paying actual costs for the services delivered?
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I dunno Steve. If I can find a school that only pays its employees 12k, I’d be very happy.
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Are you suggesting a one to one ratio?
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Steve, your ignorance on this subject is really disturbing.
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How many students in I.Q. are part-time WSD children?
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James Wigderson Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I’m going to ask you again. Do you want to shut down the school?
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i Q Academy School District of Waukesha
Our daughter attends North HS in Waukesha and also iQ Academy with a hybrid schedule originally due to health issues to meet her educaiton needs. She was able to take a full course load this year due to this wonderful educational option betwen both schools. We felt she was as challenged at iQ Academy as at North taking an AP class and an Information Technologies class. She also expanded her technology skills inherent in the program. She will be better prepared for college as more Wisconsin Technical, UW 2 year college system and our Wisconsin University system all offer online courses and combination onsite/online courses. More and more businesses depend on online webinars and active Elluminate style training, meetings, communications for their employees along with the field of education. Any student attending Waukesha High Schools can access up to two classes at iQ Academy while still attending their home school, West, South or North. In addition,students at the middle school level can take advanced classes if not available at their home school in Waukesha without the cost of “busing” to the high schools and added time flexibility for the class.. Any school will have start up costs such as a school building, maintenance, materials and supplies, parking, supervision, teachers, administration, and so on. iQ Academy’s costs are however different due to the nature of the technology and online learning management curriculum system through Blackboard. Students who would have required expensive home bound instruction due to long term health issues now have a tremendous educational opportunity. The technology, excellent and rigorous courses, Waukesha teachers, and flexibility of this program fits many needs of all Waukesha’s students. That we are also able to have additional students through Wisconsin’s Open Enrollment which every district is able to benefit from is just another added benefit. Our daughter has decided to continue taking additional courses (AP and technology) through iQ Academy next year whether or not health is an issue. This is a wonderful asset for our community. Perhaps you should learn more about it.
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Nothing
I want someone in office who is honest, strightforward, and clear. He is all of those things.
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