MADISON — State Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) has been reappointed to the State Legislature’s budget-writing committee as part of committee appointments recently announced by State Senate leadership. The committee assignments were made as the Legislature prepares for the upcoming two-year legislative session that begins in January.
“I look forward to continuing our state’s progress from last session in returning fiscal responsibility to state government and encouraging job growth and economic development,” said Harsdorf. “I am pleased to be reappointed to the finance committee and to provide a voice for western Wisconsin as the state budget is considered.”
Senator Harsdorf will also continue to lead on higher education issues through her appointment as chair of the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. The 10th Senate District includes UW-River Falls and UW-Stout, as well as campuses for both the Wisconsin Indianhead and Chippewa Valley Technical Colleges.
“One of the top concerns raised by small businesses and job creators in our area is a need for skilled workers,” stated Harsdorf. “As chair of the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, I look forward to ongoing input from employers on preparing our state’s workforce, as well as facilitating discussion on the affordability and accessibility of our colleges and universities.”
Harsdorf was also appointed to serve on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism and the Senate Committee on Energy, Consumer Protection, and Government Reform.
“Small businesses, agriculture, and tourism are vital economic drivers in our region,” Harsdorf continued. “Given the need to focus on policies that encourage job growth, I am pleased with these committee assignments that will enable me to bring attention to the economy in our rural areas and smaller communities.”
Harsdorf was also tapped to co-chair the Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology and serves as the State Senate’s commissioner for the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.
Neither Harsdorf or Knudson ever speak openly and proudly about their involvement with ALEC. I wonder why? Shouldn't they be telling their constituents what they "learned" at the closed ALEC events? Or saying, I'm introducing this excellent bill to make it more difficult for people to vote which I picked up at the recent secret ALEC conference.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_ALEC_Politicians Now, if you would be so kind as to post a statement or two from either Harsdorf or Knudson (or both) where they openly talk about their ALEC experiences. If ALEC is such a fine organization why do the TEAPublicans not brag about what they learn from ALEC? Why don't they say, "I'm introducing a great bill that I got from my recent ALEC conference (which was paid for by Altria and Monsanto) which will be introduced simultaneously in 15 other state legilatures"? Are they ashamed of their involvement in ALEC?
So what if legislators have a focus group to work together on legislation? I don't see anything wrong with that.
Corporate members that provide nearly 98% of ALEC's operating expenses are AT&T, Altria, Diageo, Energy Future Holdings, State Farm Insurance, UPS, Wallmart, IBM, Koch Industries, Peabody Energy, Pfizer, PhRMA, Reynolds American, Monsanto, and Bayer. There are many more similar corporate sponsors. The purpose of ALEC is to provide corporations with an organizat to draft model bills that favor the interests of those corporations. These bills are then handed to state legislators such as Sheila Harsdorf and Dean Knudson to bring back home and introduce into the Legislature. So CB, do you not question this highly secretive (no press allowed at conferencess) organization being able to write our laws? Is that not what Harsdorf and Knudson were elected and paid to do? Does it not bother you that 3M and other corporations pay people to write laws that "rubber stamp" legislators push through the legislature with little or no discussion or input from the citizens of Wisconsin? Again, why do Knudson and Harsdorf not tout their membership in ALEC?
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2035999,00.html#ixzz2ExgcMG7n
$228,000,000,000 in 1970 is equal to $1,359,285,460,000,000 in 2012, so $583,000,000,000 is equal to a 67% reduction in our investment in education. Information available at Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm The population of the US in 1970 was 203,392,031,000 and in December of 2012 is 315,000,000,000, which is a 55% increase. Going a little further with a 55% population increase the amount in 2012 to be equal to the investments in education in 1970 should be $2,106,892,000,000 So, given these two pieces of data, your statement is unfounded and incorrect. Do the math.
Please point out the accusations you speak of, then please refute whatever they are. Unless there are no accusations, therefore, no BS.
BTW, the word is "you're" and not "your" if you are going to be a stickler.
The infographic that you referenced shows that Finland appears to be the world's leader in education, which has been publicized elsewhere. Do you think that the US is ready to take hints from how Finland does things? Teachers in Finland are paid on a scale similar to its physicians. How do you think that would fly in the US? I would wager that the percentage of total costs of education contains a much higher expenditure on gyms, sports teams, stadiums and athletic fields in the US. How would people react to cutting that back and putting the money into teachers' salaries?
I would be more than happy to pay teachers based on how they perform. Get rid of teachers unions and pay each one based on their ability and worth. No more tenure either.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/state_edwatch/2011/11/_my_conclusion_is_that.html And here is another one: http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/134546558.html Perhaps it is not the union itself, but the relationships that have been contaminated over the years. Re-thinking the role and purpose of teachers' unions would more likely be successful than "throwing the baby out with the bathwater". It would seem that the teachers union in Finland is part of what makes the system the best in the world at this time. Just sayin'. .
Not every role can or should be assessed by individual performance. I believe that team goals are often much more effective as a means of leading as well as assessing.
Performance objectives are important. However, assessing them is an inaccurate science. I recall being asked to provide feedback on co-workers. I was often aware of that persons relationship with the manager. It had an affect on how honest I was.