Commentary Update for January 23, 2002: Thompson Goes After Bloechl, Ethanol Subsidies, County Forum

As most of you know, Governor McCallum on Tuesday recommended eliminating the state of Wisconsin's shared revenue program, a move that would have devastating effects on local governments. Easy to understand analyses and reactions to McCallum's proposal can be found on the wispolitics.com site (www.wispolitics.com).

Some of you will recall that in September of 2000, Oshkosh Common Councilor Melanie Bloechl was running in the Republican District 54 State Assembly primary against Gregg Underheim. At the time, the centerpiece of Melanie's campaign was that the state was getting ready to eliminate the shared revenue program. Then Governor Thompson's office actually intervened in the primary to call Bloechl a "fearmongerer" for suggesting that elimination of the shared revenue program was being seriously considered. See Karl Ebert's September 8, 2000 story here:
http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu/reform/Press/Governor_Weighs_In.htm

On another note, we know that the attempt by Algoma Ethanol LLC to put a plant in Winnebago County is favored mostly by local farmers who claim that it will create a new market for corn. A reader of the Commentary web site directed me to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) web site. The EWG recently compiled a ton of data on the amount of federal subsidies (i.e. cash payments) received by farmers as a result of the 1996 "freedom to farm" legislation. Here is some subsidy information about our own Winnebago County Wisconsin.
http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/palmeri/farmsubsidies.htm

Finally, I hope those of you in Winnebago County can come to the Monday town hall meeting (7 p.m.) at the Coughlin center! The topic will be the state's budget deficit, and assemblyman Gregg Underheim and Dean Kaufert will be on hand to answer questions. If local elected officials show up (the folks who will have to find ways to make drastic budget cuts if McCallum's proposals go through), there might be fireworks!

Best,

-Tony