The Wisconsin Union’s Waterloo

What happened in Wisconsin last night was a major win for freedom. The state passed tough reforms early this year, and Governor Scott Walker and the Republican majority did what the Wisconsin voters elected them to do – they balanced the budget, reined in spending, and turned the state around in just six short months. 

How well are the Wisconsin reforms working? Over 9,500 of the 18,000 jobs created in the United States in June came from Wisconsin. .

School districts that were running a deficit are back in the black. Not all the districts have reported yet, but here’s a list of how much savings each district has seen:

  • Appleton $3.1 million
  • Ashland $378,000
  • Kimberly $821K
  • Edgerton $500K
  • Baraboo $660K
  • Dodgeland $260K
  • Elmbrook $878K
  • Marshfield $850K
  • Manitowoc: re-hired laid off workers
  • Pittsville: 9% decrease in school levy on property tax
  • Hartland $690K
  • Pewaukee $378K


The total so far is a $220 million in savings and climbing. The Kaukauna Area School District turned a $400 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. This is money the districts have saved by switching away from the monopoly of the WEA Trust. Ashland’s contract was $2.5 million with the WEA Trust, by switching to the open market, it now pays $378,000 less! Markets work. Union monopolies don’t.

 

Despite the positive impact on Wisconsin, the unions weren’t willing to relinquish control. They felt the pinch of their power being limited and began to push back furiously. They fought for recall in an attempt to bully the Republicans out of office, and six Republican Senators were brought up for a vote yesterday.

They railed about the assault on Wisconsin workers. They spent $30 million and four months running attack ads on Republican legislators. They organized protests, harrassed and tormented the officials that Wisconsin had elected.

Last night, Wisconsin Republicans held the majority, with 4 of the 6 Senators keeping their seats.

This was a direct referendum on union tyranny. The people of Wisconsin are still more powerful than the unions, and the will of the people should not be overridden because of policy disputes. That’s what general elections are for.

Next week, two Democrat Senators will be up for recall. The Republican challengers are Kim Simac and Jonathan Steitz. Keep a close eye on this fight, and support freedom from union tyranny in Wisconsin!