Editor’s note: We have invited Matt Korger to contribute this posting on the elections in his home state of Wisconsin. Matt is editor of the Badger Catholic blog.Go ahead, read the rest at Catholic Vote
Let’s take a brief trip down memory lane.
In February, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker proposed a Budget Repair Bill which would rescue the state from a looming $3.6 billion ($3,600,000,000) state budget deficit. Wisconsin was in much the same place as California found itself in a few years ago. Either fix a broken system or the state goes broke and looks for someone else to foot their bills (how’s that budget ceiling workin’ for the Feds?).
Things had gotten so bad that in 2009 Minnesota cancelled its tax reciprocity relationship with Wisconsin, something Walker fixed in July. Part of that budget bill called for a modernization of public sector union benefits. In the Badger State any public employees in the state have health care coverage that covers 100% of basically anything, with the worker contributing $0; no premium. This is a bit out of touch with reality. My family premium per year is $2,600. One might say that goes against the Church’s teaching on social justice. Don’t try to tell these nuns though.
Thanks to Josh Mercer and the CatholicVote gang. That was fun!
PS> Thank you Virginia with all the help on this one!