Dispatches (III): I Regret...

From "Wis. Law Enforcement Association 'Regrets' Endorsing Walker; Thousands Protest At Capitol," Channel 3000:
[Executive board president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association] Tracy Fuller writes, "I am going to make an effort to speak for myself, and every member of the Wisconsin State Patrol when I say this ... I specifically regret the endorsement of the Wisconsin Trooper's Association for Gov. Scott Walker. I regret the governor's decision to 'endorse' the troopers and inspectors of the Wisconsin State Patrol. I regret being the recipient of any of the perceived benefits provided by the governor's anointing. ...
...I think everyone's job and career is just as significant as the others. Everyone's family is just as valuable as mine or any other persons, especially mine. Everyone's needs are just as valuable. We are all great people!!"

One interesting fact I have learned from this article: Capitol and University of Wisconsin police will not retain collective bargaining rights.

Another interesting implication for Wisconsin is that the transit systems would lose approximately $45 million in funds from the Federal government under Governor Walker's bill. From "Walker proposal could result in $7.1 million cut in federal aid to Madison Metro Transit," Wisconsin State Journal:

The state received $73.9 million in federal transit funding in 2010, including $22.5 million for the Milwaukee area and the $7.1 million for Madison, according to the memo.

About $27.3 million for the Milwaukee area likely would not be affected because Milwaukee County has a contract with a private corporation to run its transit services, the memo says.

But the remaining $46.6 million, including the funds for Madison, "could potentially be withheld" due to the governor's proposal, it says.

This is because:

...federal law requires continuation of collective bargaining rights on wages, pensions, working conditions and other conditions to get federal transit money, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo.

The article observes "[t]he Walker administration did not respond to a phone call and e-mail." regarding this issue.

Empirical question of the day: who [which income decile] relies the most on city bus systems in Wisconsin?