State Treasurer’s monthly eBay auction of unclaimed property has continued success

June 30th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

In just five months, the State Treasurer’s monthly eBay auction of unclaimed property from safe deposit boxes has surpassed $110,000 and is just $87.06 away from breaking the 2010 total.

As of the May auction, the sales from the auctions hit $110,322.37. The June auction is happening right now and sales for that auction are already at $17,000 and rising. Last year’s total for 12 months was $110,409.43.

“The auction, by far, is the most popular form of outreach we perform in the office,” State Treasurer Kurt Schuller said. “We have nearly 4000 people on our mailing list who are informed of the auction a few days before items go up and we are certain people search the database whenever they hear about an auction to look and see if there is any unclaimed property we are holding.”

Each month, the State Treasury auctions items we have been holding in our vault. These items come to us from abandoned safe deposit boxes from all the banks across the State of Wisconsin. We receive these items after 5 years of inactivity and we hold onto them for at least 3 more years. After trying to locate owners, we sell the items; most of the items are coins, jewelry or stamps. The money made is returned to the unclaimed property account in the owner’s name waiting for it to be claimed. The money remains in that person’s name forever and is never placed into the state’s general funds.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller’s official website.

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Josh Frazer at Southwest Public Library in Kenosha as part of Author Tour Series July 12

June 30th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Author Josh Frazer will be at the Southwest Public Library in Kenosha, located at 7979 38th Avenue, as part of Author Tour Series Tuesday, July 12 from 6 to 7 p.m. This provides an opportunity to meet Josh Frazer and learn about this anthology Mother Goosed. Additionally, a book discussion will be taking place. Also there will be time allotted to ask Frazer questions. Books will be available for purchase. The Author Tour 2011 and Author Series are recommended for mature High School students. Teenagers as well as adults are welcome to attend this free program.

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Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Seeks Patent Protections for Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

June 30th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin yesterday sought to strengthen patent protections for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

During House debate of the America Invents Act (H.R. 1249), Baldwin offered an amendment opposing the expansion of “prior user rights” in patent law with her colleague, Jim Sensenbrenner.

Under current law, businesses may claim prior user rights as a limited defense against patent infringement when the patent in question involves a method of doing business and another party has invented the new method, but not yet filed a patent application for it.

Expanding prior user rights beyond business method patents would give new rights to those who have previously developed and used the same process or product, even if they never publicly divulged their innovation and never applied for a patent. It would transform our patent system from one that values transparency to one that rewards secrecy.

“Expanding prior user rights could be disastrous for entrepreneurs, innovators and university researchers in Wisconsin and around the country,” said Congresswoman Baldwin. “It rewards secrecy and creates a significant burden for small businesses and start-ups that seek to protect investments in innovation. Ultimately it would slow job creation,” she added.

Under the system proposed in H.R. 1249, inventors would have no way of determining whether anyone had previously developed and used the process or product they were seeking to patent. In such a scenario, a patent might be valuable or relatively worthless—the inventor and potential investors would have no means of determining which was true.

Baldwin cited the many small but fiercely innovative small businesses in her district run by top researchers at the University of Wisconsin. “Would these small businesses have been able to drive such phenomenal innovation right here in Wisconsin with a patent that provides only conditional exclusivity?” Baldwin asked. “Would investors feel as secure advancing life-saving technology in a system shrouded in secrecy?” she continued.

“Tammy Baldwin has been fighting for a strong patent system since she was elected to Congress,” said Dr. Carl Gulbrandsen, Managing Director, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. “She has demonstrated her support for technology transfer, small business and university innovation that has led to over 60 university based companies in the Madison area. I deeply appreciate her amendment to remove prior user rights in H.R. 1249.,” Gulbrandsen said.

“I support sound patent reforms that will provide innovators and investors with greater confidence,” Baldwin said. “I also support fully funding the patent office to address the inexcusable backlog of patent applications, and expand opportunities for our brightest minds and most innovative businesses to transform ideas into new products and create jobs,” she concluded.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin’s official website.

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Senators Herb Kohl and Roy Blunt Reintroduce Bill to Promote Energy Efficient Trucks

June 30th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Yesterday, Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced legislation that would provide tax credits for purchasers of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks. This bill would reinstate the currently-expired Section 30B qualified hybrid motor vehicle tax credit, helping manufacturers reach economies of scale, and bring down the cost of these technologies for consumers. The Kohl-Blunt bill would extend the Section 30B credit through 2015 and update the incentive to recognize current costs and technologies.

“The benefits of making our heavy truck fleet more energy-efficient are clear – fewer emissions, reduced overall fuel usage, and increased energy-independence. However, the upfront cost to purchase hybrid or electric trucks – or to retrofit an existing fleet – is high. This credit provides the incentive needed to get those businesses off the sidelines – injecting needed capital into the economy and creating jobs at the same time,” said Kohl.

“The best way to create American jobs is to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and generate more energy here at home. This bill will help create jobs by encouraging the domestic production of energy-efficient vehicles, and it will provide incentives for more American manufacturers to use clean and efficient trucks,” said Blunt.

The 30B credit rewards efficiency; it is calculated by allowing the taxpayer to claim a credit for a percentage of an advanced vehicle’s incremental cost (the excess of the retail price of the vehicle over a comparable conventional vehicle). The allowable percentage increases with the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The Kohl-Blunt bill doubles the maximum amount of recognized incremental costs, creates a new section for vehicles that weigh more than 33,000 pounds, and adds a new applicable percentage category. However, the bill also limits the maximum amount of the credit to $24,000 for the most efficient of the heavy duty vehicles. Taken together, these reforms will allow a larger number of advanced vehicles to enter the vehicle fleet and grow the U.S. advanced vehicle industry.

The Kohl-Blunt bill also extends the critically important incentive for recharging and refueling infrastructure for plug-in and alternative fuel vehicles. Extending the Section 30C credit through 2013 will help individuals and businesses invest in advanced vehicles by making recharging and refueling more accessible. It will also speed our progress away from dependence on foreign oil.

The legislation also creates a tax incentive of up to $3,500 for anti-idling infrastructure and anti-idling devices installed on trucks themselves. For example, this credit would lower the cost for trucks stops to install electrification units so that truckers could plug in their vehicles to operate necessary systems without idling the engine. Federal safety rules require truck drivers to rest between shifts, sending many trucks to idle at truck stops for several hours. A 2006 Argonne National Laboratory study found that overnight idling by US trucks accounted for more than 685 million gallons of fuel each year. With this tax credit, truckers would be able to operate the heater, air conditioner and other appliances without running the engine, which saves fuel, reduces air pollution, and reduces engine wear. The tax credit would expire at the end of 2013.

These tax credits will promote the purchases of clean, efficient electric drive trucks, the proliferation of recharging and refueling options for advanced vehicles, and the adoption of anti-idling technologies –all of which will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve our environment while enabling fleets and business owners to reduce their fuel costs.

This legislation is supported by the Electric Drive Transportation Association and the CALSTART Hybrid Truck Users Forum.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on Senator Herb Kohl’s official website.

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Brewers extend affiliation with Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

June 30th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

The Milwaukee Brewers announced yesterday a four-year player development contract extension with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League through the 2016 season. The announcement was made jointly by Brewers Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin and Timber Rattlers President and General Manager Rob Zerjav.

“We have always viewed our partnership with the Timber Rattlers as a long-term relationship and we are pleased to extend our affiliation with them,” said Melvin. “This is a natural fit for both organizations and the affiliation has allowed us to send players on rehab assignments just a short distance away along with additional opportunities such as hosting a minor league game at Miller Park tonight. It’s a win-win partnership that has also played an important role for our fan base throughout Wisconsin.”

The Brewers partnership with the Timber Rattlers officially began on October 1, 2008. The Timber Rattlers, who play their home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wis., are currently in their third season of affiliation with the Brewers. The current contract will extend through September 30, 2016.

“This was an easy decision,” said Zerjav. “One of the goals when we first started this relationship was to build a long term partnership with the Brewers to allow baseball fans in Wisconsin to see the future stars as they moved up the ladder in the organization. This extension allows fans to continue to see Milwaukee’s prospects right here in Northeastern Wisconsin.”

Tonight, the Timber Rattlers will play at Miller Park in the “Border Battle” against the Peoria Chiefs (the Chicago Cubs’ Class-A affiliate). Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

This marks the fifth time in team history that the Timber Rattlers will play a game at Miller Park. On August 14, 2003, the Timber Rattlers and the Beloit Snappers met in a Midwest League battle, with the Snappers prevailing 4-2. At the time, the Snappers were the Brewers’ Class-A affiliate, and the game featured future Brewers players such as Prince Fielder, Tony Gwynn Jr., Manny Parra, and Rickie Weeks. The two teams met on August 12, 2004 at Miller Park in a game that the Snappers won by a 5-0 score. On April 24, 2009, the Timber Rattlers played at Miller Park as a Brewers affiliate for the first time and defeated the Chiefs, 5-3. Last year, the Timber Rattlers played the Cedar Rapids Kernels on May 7 and the Kernels defeated the Rattlers, 6-1.

Tickets may be purchased by visiting the Miller Park Box Office, online at brewers.com
.
Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on the Milwaukee Brewers official website.

The illustration used in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

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Racine Public Library Hosts Stop on Gandhian Peace and Khadi Economic Movement Tour

June 29th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

The Racine Public Library, located at 75 Seventh Street in downtown Racine, will be hosting two programs on Thursday, July 7 featuring the Gandhian Peace Movement of India as the topic.

At 2 p.m., a One World, Many Stories Children’s Activity Day will be held for children between the ages of five and ten as well as their families. During this event, children will hear two stories about Gandhi and a unique peace movement in India and the United States, and will have the opportunity to have their own Peace Mentor Caricatures drawn. Participants will also see a demonstration of cotton spinning, an activity used by citizens of India to perpetuate the peace movement. A hands-on art activity will also be available.

At 6:30 p.m., adults are invited to attend a presentation and discussion of “The Relevance of Gandhi Today” being offered by local activist Michael Frontier and his guest from India, Prasad Gollanapalli.

Michael Frontier, a Racine resident, recently returned from a three week pilgrimage to India to honor the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Inspired by the experiences he encountered, Frontier invited Prasad Gollanapalli to visit our community and share Mahatma Gandhi’s message.

Gollanapalli is a Gandhian scholar who relentlessly works with peace organizations around the world to help build bonds that will promote peace in a just and sustainable world. Gollanapalli will be making numerous appearances in Racine and Kenosha during July 6 through July 9 to speak of the relevance of Gandhi today and to promote khadi materials so vital to the local economies of India.

Khadi is not only a hand-woven cloth made from thread on spinning wheels called charkha, but is also a peace movement. The Khadi movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi to promote India’s economy and sustainability by encouraging people to create and buy locally from the villages of India. The activity is still vital today and can be seen in action throughout the country.

Prasad Gollanapalli is a founder of the Gandhi – King Foundation. He has toured extensively in the United States and co-taught a course on Gandhi, King and Nonviolence at Stanford University. He is a visiting Gandhian Scholar and Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The University of Rhode Island recognized and honored him for promoting global peace and nonviolence education. Gollanapalli holds a Masters Degree in Gandhian Thought and Peacemaking in addition to Masters degrees in Commerce and law.

The following public events will be held in honor of Gollanapalli’s visit to Racine and are free and open to the public:

Wednesday July 6
10:30 p.m. “Relevance of Gandhi Today” Sienna Center – 5635 Erie Street
1:30 p.m. Youth event at Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Ave., featuring:

Soul Stories – presented by children from the Martin Luther King Center

Peace Mentors – presented by children from the Cesar Chavez community Center

“Relevance of Gandhi To Today’s Children”
7 p.m. Circles of Peace – Monument Square, Downtown Racine

Sharing stories, inspiration and promoting peace and positive change.

Thursday, July 7
2 p.m. One World, Many Stories at Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St, featuring:

Spinning demonstrations

Gandhian Stories

“Even you can be a Peace Mentor” Caricature Drawings
Dedication of Picture from Usha Gokani Gandhi (Gandhi’s Granddaughter)
6:30 p.m. “Relevance of Gandhi Today” – Adult Program at the Racine Public Library, 75

Seventh St.

Friday, July 8
12 p.m. “Relevance of the Gandhi Movement Today”

UW-Parkside, Tallent Hall, Room 281
7 p.m. Silent Gathering: Promoting peace and positive change

Corner of Spring and State streets (or any corner or street you are standing on.) Participants are asked to stand silently for peace and positive change. Circles of Peace posters will be available at the HOPES Center, 507 Sixth St, or may be downloaded at peacelearningcircles.org.

Saturday July 9th
11 a.m. Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba – Monument Square, Downtown Racine
6 – 9 p.m. HOPES Center Open House – 505-507 6th Street

Featuring Khadi materials, spinning demonstrations, and informal meet and greet.

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Fire in Racine two days ago causes $23,000 in damages and leaves five people displaced

June 29th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

A structure fire two days ago which took place at 5121 – 16th Street in Racine at 6:13 p.m. was caused by a child using brake cleaner. The fire originated in the basement of a home. Nobody was injured in the fire. The blaze caused approximately $16,000 in structure damage and $7,000 more in content damage.

A seven year old child used flammable brake cleaner to clean bicycle parts in the basement workbench area of a single family home. The vapors from the brake cleaner were ignited by the pilot light of the natural gas water heater located a few feet away. The boy was fortunate to have escaped the ensuing fire and rescued the family cat while exiting the home and then immediately informed his mother who called 911.

Racine Fire Department crews responded and quickly extinguished the fire. WE Energies disconnected gas and electric service to the home. Racine Police assisted in the fire investigation and traffic control. Red Cross is assisting the family of five who are displaced by this fire.

The illustration used in this article was drawn by Joseph Szabo.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release issued by the Racine Fire Department.

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Scott Walker issues Executive Order 37

June 29th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Yesterday Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker issued Executive Order 37. The Executive Order reads as the following:

WHEREAS, federal student financial aid provides a critical source of funding to help keep colleges affordable for Wisconsin students and working families; and

WHEREAS, the Final Rule adopted by the U.S. Department of Education at 75 Fed. Reg. 66832-66975 (October 29, 2010) commonly known as the Program Integrity Rule, was instituted for the purpose of improving integrity in the programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA), by amending the regulations for institutional eligibility under the HEA; and

WHEREAS, the HEA section 101 (a)(2) defines an institution of higher learning to be an educations institution in ant State that is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary educations; and

WHEREAS, the Program Integrity Rule further requires that an institution of higher education that applies to participate in a Federal program under the HEA must make available to a student or prospective student the appropriate contact information to enable the student or prospective student to file complaints with an institution’s accreditor, State approval or licensing entity, or other agency that would appropriately handle a student’s complaint, and that the State should exercise the primary role and responsibility for student consumer protection against fraudulent or abusive practices by an institution of higher education; and

WHEREAS, a State may fulfill its oversight role regarding the filing of complaints by students through a state agency, or the State Attorney General, or other appropriate state officials, or a combination of state agencies and state officials, and

WHEREAS, according to issued guidance from the United States Department of Education in the Dear Colleague Letter dates March 17, 2011, a state may rely on a governing board or central office of a State-wide system of public institutions if the State has made the determination that the governing board of central office is sufficiently independent to provide successful oversight of complaints for the institutions in that systems, and

WHEREAS, pursuant to statutory authority, the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, the University of Wisconsin System Administration, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, and the Wisconsin Technical College System’s state office are governing boards and/or central offices of their respective state-wide systems of public institutions.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Scott Walker, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Wisconsin do hereby affirm:

1. The following institutions constitute institutions of higher education under HEA section 101(a)(2) and are legally authorized by the State of Wisconsin by means of charter, statue, constitutional provision or other actions issued by an appropriation State agency or state entity that identifies the institutions by name and affirms or conveys to the institution the authority to operate educations programs beyond secondary education, including programs to operation educations programs beyond secondary educations, including programs toa degree or certificate in accordance with 34 CFR section 600.9: Alverno College; Aurora St. Luke Medical Center; Bellin College; Beloit College; Cardinal Stritch University; Carroll University; Carthage College; Concordia University Wisconsin; Edgewood College; Lakeland College; Lawrence University; Maranatha Baptist Bible College; Marian University; Marquette University; Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design; Milwaukee School of Engineering; Montessori Institute of Milwaukee; Mount Mary College; Nashotah House; Northland College; Northland International University; Ripon College; Sacred Heart School of Theology; St. Norbert College; Silver Lake College; Viterbo University; Wisconsin Lutheran College; the University of Wisconsin Colleges and Extension, i.e., Unviversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, University of Wisconsin-La Cross, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Wisconsin-Stout, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, University of Wisconsin-Superior, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Blackhawk Technical college, Chippewa Valley Technical College, Fox Valley Technical College, Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Mid-State Technical College, Northcentral College, Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Waukesha County Technical College, Western Technical College, and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College.

2. The above-named Wisconsin institution of higher education are exempt from additional state authorization requirements due to each institution’s accreditation by one or more accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, and/or as a result of the institutions being in operation for at least twenty (20) years, pursuant to 34 CFR section 600.9.

3. Pursuant to its statutory authority under ch. 36, Wis. Stat., the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and the Wisconsin Technical College System state office, as a governing board, are both sufficiently independent from its technical college districts to receive, review, and resolve student or prospective student complaints alleging violations of state consumer protection laws, including false advertising; violations of state laws or rules related to the licensure of postsecondary institutions; and complaints relating to the quality of education or other state accreditation requirements, in compliance with the Program Integrity Rule.

4. Pursuant to its statutory authority under ch. 38, Wis. Stat., the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and the Wisconsin Technical College System state office, as a governing board and central office, are both sufficiently independent from its technical college districts to receive, review, and resolve student or prospective-student complaints alleging violations of state laws or rules related to the licensure of postsecondary institutions; and complains relating to the quality of education or other state or accreditation requirements, in compliance with the Program Integrity Rule.

5. The board of directors of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU), as teh official organization of nonprofit higher education in Wisconsin under Wis. Stats. sections 14.57, 15.377, 15.67, 16.979, 38.50, 39.285, 39.437(4)(a), 115.297, and 560.27, is fully prepared to support and facilitate coordination with the State Executive Branch and constitutional agencies to ensure successful oversight complaints from students or prospective-student complaints alleging violations of state consumer protection laws, including false advertising; violations of state laws or rules related to the licensure of postsecondary institutions, and complaints relating to the quality of education or other state of accreditation requirements, in compliance with the Program Integrity Rule.

6. Pursuant toe section 38.50, Wis. Stat. and Chapter EAB of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, that the Wisconsin Educational Approval Board has been established to regulate certain Wisconsin postsecondary for-profit and out-of-State nonprofit institutions, exclusive of thee State’s public colleges and universities that compromise the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin Technical College System, as well as in-State nonprofit colleges and universities that comprise WAICU, religious schools, and vocational schools.

7. The institutions that comprise the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, as well as the State Educational Approval Board, maintain and provide ongoing review of policies and procedures to adequately receive, investigate and manage the majority of student complaints regarding institutional programs and activities in a timely, effective, and transparent manner.

8. In additional to the full array or institutional policies and procedures provided by the colleges, universities, systems, and agencies or identified herein, the State of Wisconsin has the requisite and duly authorized statutory and constitutional state agencies to provide necessary oversight and review of complaints against postsecondary institutions through one or more of the following agencies: Department of Public Instruction, Wis. Stats. section 15.37; Wis. Admin. Code PI section 34, the division of Consumer Protection od the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wis. Stat. section 15.13; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP section 1, Department of Regulation and Licensing, Wis. Stat. section 15.40; Wis. Stat. section 18.18 and the Department of Justice, Wis. Stats. section 15.25. The above state agencies shall provide oversight and review of such complaints only upon request and/or referral of such complaint(s) by the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and the University of Wisconsin System Administration, Wisconsin Technical College System Board, the Wisconsin Technical System stte office, and WAICU, unless otherwise required by state law.

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s official website.

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Senator Ron Johnson threatens to tie up the Senate

June 29th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Senator Ron Johnson yesterday made the following statement on the Senate floor:

“Mr. President, I ask to be allowed to speak for up to ten minutes.

“Thank you.

“Mr. President, I’ve been here for almost six months now.

“But I’ve been carefully watching Washington for more than 32 years, while operating my manufacturing business in Oshkosh, Wisconsin – watching how increasingly broken Washington has become over the years.

“Nothing I’ve seen in the last six months changes that evaluation.

“Washington is broken and America is going broke.

“Our economy is in a coma; people are suffering.

“America hungers for leadership, and it it’s not getting any – not from President Obama, not from the United States Senate.

“We can’t afford to have a broken political process – not now – not while America is hurtling toward a financial crisis.

“Under Democratic leadership, it has been over two years since the United States Senate has passed a budget, and there is currently no mark-up going on in the Budget Committee to produce one.

“America is going bankrupt, and the Senate refuses to pass a budget.

“The President’s budget – the one he presented several months ago to great fanfare, remember that? It was 4 ¼ inches thick, 2,400 pages long. Who knows how many thousands of man hours that document took to produce? It was going to be the solution to our fiscal problems.

“But it was so unserious, it would have added over $12 trillion to our nation’s debt.

“It was so unserious, when it was voted on in the United States Senate, it lost by a vote of ZERO to 97.

“It was so unserious, that not a single member of the President’s own party voted for it.

“Instead of rolling up his shirt sleeves and personally tackling the number one problem facing this nation right from the beginning, President Obama delegated his role in sporadic negotiations to Vice President Biden.

“Now that those talks have broken down, the President is finally getting personally involved in this process.

“But what kind of process is this – a few people, talking behind closed doors, far from the view of the American public? Is that the process that is going to decide the fate of America’s financial situation, of our financial future? Is this how our government is supposed to work?

“I don’t think so.

“Of course not.

“Unfortunately, this has become business as usual in Washington.

“As a manufacturer, I know if the process is bad, the product will be bad.

“Business as usual here in Washington is a bad process.

“Business as usual is bankrupting America.

“It must stop.

“America is simply too precious to subject our financial future to Washington’s ‘business as usual.’

“Now I’m pretty new here, and I don’t pretend to understand everything that makes the Senate work (or maybe more accurately, doesn’t allow the Senate to work). But I do know the Senate runs on something called unanimous consent.

“So unless we receive some assurance from the Democrat leadership that we will actually start addressing our budget out in the open, in the bright light of day – I will begin to object. I will begin to withhold my consent.

“The Senate needs to pass a budget. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

“Families do it every day. A husband earns $40,000. A wife earns $40,000. Their total family income is $80,000. That’s their budget. That’s what they can afford to spend. American families figure out how to live within their means.

“The federal government should be no different. A budget is a number. We should first pick one number, and then a set of numbers, that won’t let America go bankrupt.

“So let me start the process by throwing out a number: $2.6 trillion. This is $800 billion more than we spent just 10 years ago. That is the amount that President Obama, in his budget, says the federal government will receive in revenue next year. If we only spent that amount of money, we would be living within our means. What a concept, huh?

“If we want to spend more than $2.6 trillion, Members of Congress and members of this Administration should go before Congressional committees and openly justify what they want to spend, how much they want to borrow, and how much debt they are willing to pile on the backs of our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren.

“They should explain just how much of our children’s future they are willing to mortgage.

“The American people deserve to be told the truth.

“Unless that happens, I will begin to withhold my consent.

“Unless there is some assurance that the Senate will take up its budget responsibilities in an open process, I will begin to object.

“Madame President, I note the absence of a quorum.”

Information used in this article was retrieved from a press release on Senator Ron Johnson’s official website.

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Exclusive Interview with Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller

June 28th, 2011 by Robert Rosati

Earlier today at the Racine Public Library, located at 75 Seventh Street in downtown Racine, Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller was there from 1:30 to 3 p.m for the Unclaimed Property Database tour.

Wisconsin Internet News caught up with Schuller to discuss the Unclaimed Property Database tour as well as other topics.

When asked how much money in unclaimed property has been given to the public today the State Treasurer said that “the Unclaimed Property Database tour gave $150,300 back to the public yesterday as well as $500 today.”

Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller said that overall the Unclaimed Property Database tour has given “over 40 million dollars in unclaimed property so far and the tour is on record pace to back more unclaimed to the public then ever before.” Schuller elaborated on this by saying while most of the claims are for small amounts of money a gentleman in Janesville received $25,000 from the tour as well as another person getting $15,000 worth of unclaimed property.

Schuller said that his biggest accomplishments since defeating Dawn Marie Sass are the Unclaimed Property Database tour and eliminating his own job. Additionally, he said that everyday citizens getting involved with politics who had no prior experience “like Ron Johnson” are helping government become by for the people by the people once again as he believes that the people seemed held out of the process because the process run was by unions in the past.

When asked what the most rewarding part of his job the Wisconsin State Treasurer said “giving money back to those who need it the most.” He cited a specific example which came to mind immediately. A lady from River Falls two days ago needed money for rent and thanks to the Unclaimed Property Database tour she received $178 as well as safety deposit box. Schuller said he likes “being at the center at state politics” and promoting Assembly. He also enjoys meeting with Senators and writing legislation, specifically crafting words for bills.

Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller wants to make it clear that the Unclaimed Property Database tour is not a scam. He wants the people not to be “intimidated by the process” of filling out forms for the tour and that if anyone has any questions about the tour to call his office staff and that they are happy to help. He also urged people to check The State Treasurers website for their names as well as anyone associated with it. Additionally, he wants those who live out of state and might have unclaimed property in Wisconsin to visit missingmoney.com.

The picture used in this article was taken by Tony Kinnard.

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