Milwaukee County security guards return to job - JSOnline

The story of Walker in Milwaukee County.

Milwaukee County has doubled up on its courthouse and other building security, as 21 of 27 guards laid off a year ago in an abortive privatization move are back on the job.

But 21 private guards the county hired in an emergency budget move in March 2009 by then-County Executive Scott Walker also remain on the job at a cost to the county of about $95,000

court ruling in January reversed the outsourcing, saying Walker's emergency justification for it fell short. The county did not appeal and most of the fired county guards came back to their posts, including several who had gone to work for G4S Wackenhut, the private firm brought in by Walker.

The private guards earn about $10 an hour, $5 an hour less than the county workers they temporarily

none of the estimated $153,000 in annual savings is expected to materialize. The

earlier estimate said the county could wind up spending an extra $430,000 on security, as a result of the outsourcing reversal ordered by the court.

 

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Last group of demonstrators leave Wisconsin Capitol - JSOnline

 

Earlier Thursday, in a historic ruling after three days of testimony, Dane County Circuit Court Judge John Albert on Thursday issued an interim order calling for the immediate removal of overnight protesters at the State Capitol and putting state officials on notice that improved access to the building has to be in place by Monday morning.

In his order, [Judge] Albert said the state Department of Administration's most recent policy on access to the Capitol, set in motion earlier this week, violated the State Constitution by hampering citizens' and legislators' ability to exercise their right to free speech and assembly.

"Plaintiffs as a group need to be commended for their conduct and during the activity that I think I can conclude constituted the largest expression of free speech in addressing the government in the history of our state," Albert said in court.

Albert said state officials had the right to restrict protesters to the rotunda and keep them away from legislative offices. Moreover, protesters will have to obtain permits and abide by normal business hours, or when the Legislature is in session, when they protest.

Earlier in court, state officials said that damage from the demonstration to the marble inside and outside the Capitol would cost an estimated $7.5 million: $6 million for damage inside, $1 million for damage outside, and $500,000 for additional expenses.  But the state provided no explanation for their figures or the kind of evidence that one expert said they would need for such a figure.

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Beloit PD costs at $25,000 for Capitol

As of Tuesday, it has cost the Beloit Police Department $24,987.42 in overtime to send officers to Madison to assist in providing security during protests.

The Beloit Police Department is currently paying the overtime, but Dunkin said they are supposed to get reimbursed from the Department of Administration

Click on the following for more details:  Beloit Daily News - your source for news, entertainment, sports, opinion, events, community, shopping and more > News > Local News

A do-over for Wisconsin voters?

Paperwork has been filed to recall 16 state senators — Democrats and Republicans

16 include every single senator who can be recalled this year. The remaining 17 state senators, who won election or re-election last November, are constitutionally protected from recall efforts for the first year of their terms.

Supporters of the recall effort have 60 days from the filing of the paperwork to collect enough signatures on petitions to force a recall election. All the initial paperwork has been filed recently, so the deadlines are in late April and early May.
The number of signatures needed on the petitions range from about 12,000 to 20,000.

Eight Republican senators face recalls:

Walker can’t be recalled this year because he didn’t take office until Jan. 3.

Beloit Daily News - your source for news, entertainment, sports, opinion, events, community, shopping and more > News > Local News

Illinois Auditor General’s Report on Retirements

For the years ending June 30, 2009, and June 30, 2010 According to figures provided by the retirement systems, the cumulative unfunded actuarial accrued liability for the five State financed retirement systems as of June 30, 2010 was $75.7 billion when using the “smoothed” valuation of assets. The unfunded actuarial accrued liability increased $13.3 billion (21.3%) during FY2010 when using this method. Pursuant to Public Act 96-0043,during FY2009 the State changed from valuing retirement system assets for actuarial purposes from fair value for the calculation of annual required contributions to a methodology which “smoothes” gains or losses incurred during a fiscal year in equal amounts over a five year period, beginning with the year the gains or losses were first incurred. When using the fair value of assets, the unfunded accrued liability increased $7.7 billion (9.9%) during FY2010.

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Click on the following to read the entire report:  http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/Retirement-Systems/RetSysSuppDig/FY10-RetSysSuppDigest.pdf

Glass sentenced to five years probation for unlawful computer access

 

sentenced Theresa L. Glass, 43, of Belvidere, to five years probation for intentionally accessing, without authorization, a protected computer used by the Better Business Bureau in interstate and foreign commerce and communication, causing damage or loss. In addition, Glass was ordered to pay restitution of $9,049. Information charging her with this misdemeanor crime had been filed in federal court on October 19, 2010.

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