Gotta give the guy credit. With one fell swoop of his veto pen, the county executive has at once catered to the wishes of his hard-line conservative base and out-done fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Nemann by trying to strike away the domestic partner benefits law (correction: authorization to conduct a study on having domestic partner benefits) that the county board had passed. Oh, and he helped make Milwaukee County a less desirable place to live and work. Well done, sir!
Scott Walker has of course vetoed the [study on the effect of having a] new law that would give same- or opposite-sex partners of county employees the same health plan benefits that their partner enjoys. The law in and of itself is not a bad idea. It would help ensure that more people get very good health coverage, and provide incentive for people to stay productive citizens for a long time.
That’s what we think. But the wizened career politician Scott Walker doesn’t see it that way. Because it may represent a minuscule spending increase, it got vetoed. Never mind that it may save money in the long run by ensuring that jobs would stay filled longer and have more productive work performed by a loyal labor force. Walker can’t abide by even the tiniest change occurring if it would undermine his anti-government position.
The problem is that society has evolved. A healthy government should be able to evolve with it. However, Walker is so adamant in his views that he cannot allow any change to happen — unless it involves a function of the government being taken over by a private corporation. But, that would not save any money or improve quality. Privatizing government functions brings lower quality at ultimately higher costs.
The City of Milwaukee, which is currently managed by one of Walker’s gubernatorial and political opponents, has a very similar provision that allows the life partners of its employees to receive health benefits. The Journal Sentinel reports that approximately “30 city workers take advantage of the benefit, at a cost of $216,000, according to city officials.”
Minuscule cost. Big return. Not good in the eyes of the county’s anti-government governor.
I suppose it never occured to you that taxpayers are struggling and they simply can not afford any more taxes?
Big time liberal taxing policies hurt people who can not afford things as they are.
While the people and the economy are in crisis the government needs to shrink, not grow.
I am not surprised that people like you who make their living off of the government do not see that.
Thank you Mr. Walker.
You complain about 86 cents a month on your tax bill, when it could be used to feed hundreds of hungry people. Nice touch of humanity about you, isn’t there?
Instead, now your taxes go up as we get overpriced private contractors to profit on your tax dollar, but provide less services.
Way to stay informed.
Walker is making his living off of the government because he was too dumb or lazy to make it through school. The economy is in crisis because our shrunken government is being farmed out to profiteers, who couldn’t care less about our citizens. The truth does hurt…. everyone.
Please tell me what the “big return” is for the “minuscule cost?” As a taxpayer and a union member who is footing the bill for this, I’m not seeing any benefit. This is a collective bargining issue.
You don’t see a benefit in equality?
Secondly, cost analysis has to be done before collective bargaining could be done, unless you want to be ripped off, that is.