Leah Vukmir
Vukmir Supports Higher Taxes, More Jail Time
Sen. Leah Vukmir’s bill, Senate Bill 54 (SB54), mandates that the Wisconsin Department of Correction (DOC) recommend revocation for anyone on DOC supervision who is merely charged with a new violent misdemeanor or any type of felony. more
Crime Rises Despite 'Tough' Republican Policies
Despite a well-researched and understood link between community-based investments and crime reduction, the Wisconsin legislature continues to favor tough-on-crime methods even as other states embrace progressive reforms. more
More Money for Prisons than Colleges?
As Wisconsin’s prison population grows, Democrats and Republicans seem ready to consider new options to reduce the number of inmates. more
Rumpelstiltskin
Auditioning Imps and more in West Allis
Imps don’t get a whole lot of respect in any realm of fantasy. Given the opportunity, most people could name notable dragons and elves and dwarves and things from legend and popular fiction. Imps are always given the background, though. Th.. more
The New County Mental Health Board is Beginning to Assert Itself
The state legislation creating an appointed Mental Health Board to oversee Milwaukee County’s Behavioral Health Division (BHD) set a low bar for public transparency and involvement. But that will change in 2016 as members voted Thursday to ... more
County’s Behavioral Health Services’ Redesign Moves Forward
The Milwaukee County Mental Health Board is moving ahead on its strategic plan to reorganize and downsize the county’s mental health services. more
Milwaukee County Residents Lose Control of Mental Health Services
With little fanfare, Milwaukee County’s mental health system was transferred to state control last week. Soon, the Milwaukee County executive and board of supervisors will send to Gov. Scott Walker their more
Leah Vukmir Gives In and Will Turn Over ALEC Emails
State Sen. LeahVukmir (R-Wauwatosa), who’s on the national board of the corporate bill-millALEC, will turn over her ALEC emails to the Center for Media and Democracy. ALEC had beenstamping its emails with a disclaimer, saying that they were c.. more
Republicans Push Voter Suppression and Lobbyist-Friendly Bills Ahead of Tough Fall Election
In the final days of the legislative session, the Republican-dominated state Senate is focusing its agenda on bills that don’t necessarily have the votes to pass. Bills that would suppress voter more
Mental Health Takeover Bill Lacks Accountability
A bill fast-tracked through the Legislature would remove Milwaukee County supervisors’ responsibility for mental health services, putting an unelected Milwaukee County Mental Health Board selected by Gov. Scott Walker in charge of those ser... more
Issue of the Week: Milwaukee Lakefront Bill Gets a One-Sided Hearing
Legislators got only half the story on a bill that could tie up lakefront development in the courts for years.Last week, an Assembly committee heard testimony more
Breakthrough on Cannabis Oil Bill
Progress! Thecannabis oil bill, which could help the Shepherd’s cover girl, Lydia Schaeffer, with her seizures, willget a hearing in the state Assembly at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12.This is huge. The Assembly versionof the bill, official.. more
Medical Marijuana Helps Sick Kids—But Not in Wisconsin
Sally Schaeffer’s daughter, Lydia, suffers from two rare seizure disorders that prevent her from sleeping, thriving and living the life of an ordinary 6-year-old girl more
County Supervisors Push Back on Abele’s Couture Bill
On Monday, a Milwaukee County board committee heard testimony from aides to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele on a new bill that the administration says would provide more clarity on which portions of Milwaukee’s lakefront can be devel... more
ALEC Struggles in the Spotlight
The fallout from the Trayvon Martin shooting death and increased scrutiny from a Wisconsin-based watchdog group have made life difficult for the right-wing legislation-writing more
Issue of the Week: Voucher Backers Buy State Government—Again
Wealthy supporters of school vouchers lavished an eye-popping $10 million on Wisconsin campaigns in the past 10 years, spending half of that amount in 2011 and 2012 alone, according to a new analysis by the Wisconsin more
How Corporations Are Controlling Wisconsin Legislators
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an ultraconservative corporate-sponsored policy group, has been known to legislators for years, but it has just recently come under public scrutiny for the group's creative—and controversial... more
Why Republicans Dislike Leah Vukmir
In the western suburbs, voters in the 5th Senate District will have a big decision to make on Nov. 2. Should they cast a ballot for the incumbent, moderate Democratic Sen. Jim Sullivan, or his rival, conservative Republican state Rep. Leah ... more
Well-Balanced Drama in Rep’s ‘Radio Golf’
Any politician trying to make meaningful change is in for a tremendous challenge, as noble ideals become complicated by real-world concerns. Playwright August Wilson examines this idea in Radio Golf, the final play in Wilson’s exhaustive 10... more
Greater Milwaukee Auto Show
The Greater Milwaukee Auto Show parks at the U.S. Cellular Arena this week through Sunday, offering a glimpse at the latest pre-production models, including the Corvette Stingray, the 2011 Lincoln MKX, the 2011 Fort Mustang V6 and 2011 more
