Ziegelbauer Should Look in the Mirror

The following is a reprint from my letter to the editor at htrnews.com
http://www.htrnews.com/article/20111221/MAN0602/112210621/Letter-Ziegelbauer-should-look-mirror?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|s

It is in response to Mr. Ziegelbauer's despicable behavior with respect to Mayor Nickels and the fiscal troubles at the City of Manitowoc and the Walker Act 10 legislation he supported that added to the pain.

The situation at the City of Manitowoc is not good but it was made much worse by a raft of politicians who created the perfect fiscal and political storm. On the surface much of it is due to a lack of intestinal fortitude by the previous administration to fess up and properly apply TIF payments to debt in order to artificially holding down taxes. Certain members of the City Council who then foolishly tried to staunch the problem by refusing to staff the one position of finance director that could have dealt with the problem effectively.

Now comes County Executive Robert Ziegelbauer to wag his well worn finger in the face of the Mayor for raising taxes to cover it. Only that same Assemblyman Ziegelbauer has that same finger knuckle deep in the pie for his enthusiastic support for Walker's tax shifting budget that made the situation much worse. Beyond that his own work as finance director helped bring the city to its knees with crumbling buildings, leaking roofs and failing bridges. Much of the debt incurred under Crawford can be traced to the disgraceful neglect that he fostered in those dark days.

His own tenure as County Executive has been clouded with questionable finances, nepotism, cronyism, gutting critical departments, evaporating reserve funds and hard assets with nothing to show for it but a string of his own tax increases that belie his anti-tax rhetoric. It would seem his finger needs to find another subject, preferably the one in his own mirror.



See also the HTR editoral also taking him to task.

Editorial: Personal criticism counterproductive

http://www.htrnews.com/article/20111221/MAN0601/112210620/Editorial-Personal-criticism-counterproductive?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|s

Wisconsin State Representative Mark Pocan: Welcome to FitzWalkerstan

Wisconsin State Representative Mark Pocan: Welcome to FitzWalkerstan

Things you didn't know about the Koch's - Part II - funding the fakes

“My joke is that we’re the biggest company you’ve never heard of.”—David Koch

Koch is a master of misdirection and has managed to stay out of the public eye (at least until now) by finding a variety of groups and foundations that amount to little more than a web of propaganda machines.  As pointed out in the first in the 60 minutes piece, he first creates a fony foundation or "grass roots" group and then sites the propaganda produced by that group in order to deceive people that what he wants is in their own interest.
All crooked pols like Walker and Ziegelbauer have to do is to take his outrageous positions and the support is pre-fabricated, washed and dried and ready for their use.

Here's a good example:
Walker has vowed to make it nearly impossible to create any more wind farms in this State.  While a good portion of that stupidity is coming from the real estate lobby (2 real estate groups are in fact his top corporate contributors and lowered property values are his chief public argument) he actually uses psuedo environmental issues like bird and bat mortality around towers to negate the arguments of environmentalists in favor of wind.

"This is not the first time or place this has happened.  An interesting expose' in The Atlanta Free Press documented a stunningly similar set of events in the South East.
The author Erik Curren describes a couple of supposed grass roots oppostion groups and lobbying organizations.  One is the WLF (Washington Legal Foundation).

From the article:
"It's strange: Suddenly, some of the most unlikely people are losing sleep over what windmills might be
doing to birds," wrote David Case at TomPaine.com in 2001.
Case quotes an ad that the Washington Legal Foundation ran in The New York Times a few years ago:
"How many acres of land must be despoiled to erect enough windmills - and how many birds must be
shredded flying through their giant blades - to keep California from becoming a third-world country?"
Yet, the group's stated purpose is not wildlife advocacy, but opposing "activist" government. "Established
in 1977, WLF shapes public policy and fights activist lawyers, regulators, and intrusive government
agencies at the federal and state levels, in the courts and regulatory agencies across the country,"
according to its Web site. The group has received more than $750,000 from Phillip Morris (now known as
Altria Group) and more than $100,000 from the Tobacco Institute."

See http://wind-works.org/articles/AugustaFreePressBizarreDanceByErikCurren10July2006.pdf

Here is a little more on where WLF gets its funding.  It seems that Mr. Curren missed one rather important source...

Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) - Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group

Page - March 31, 2010

$655,000 received from Koch foundations 2005-2008[Total Koch foundation grants 1997-2008: $1,255,000]

WLF publishes articles on the business threats posed by regulation of global warming pollution, such as vulnerability to tort claims.

Washington Legal Foundation: Koch funding by year, 1997-2008

Year	David H. Koch Foundation	Charles G. Koch Foundation	Claude R. Lambe Foundation
1997	-	-	-
1998	-	-	$150,000
1999	-	-	-
2000	-	-	-
2001	-	-	$100,000
2002	-	-	$100,000
2003	-	-	$100,000
2004	-	-	$150,000
2005	-	-	$150,000
2006	-	-	$205,000
2007	-	-	$150,000
2008	-	-	$150,000
Total	-	-	$1,255,000
Total received by Washington Legal Foundation from 2005-2008: $655,000
Total received by Washington Legal Foundation from 1997-2008: $1,255,000

But WLF is not the only fony front.
Koch's Funding of Climate Denial

• From 2005 to 2008, the Koch Foundations provided over $24.8 million in funding to climate denial groups (see spreadsheet below); ExxonMobil provided about $9.1 million to similar organizations over the same period.
• Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP), founded and chaired by David H. Koch, received over $5 million from Koch foundations since 2005. AFP is known for its "Hot Air Tour" campaign that spreads misinformation about climate science.
• Multiple Koch-funded organizations have repeatedly rebroadcast the November 2009 story dubbed "ClimateGate," referring to stolen personal emails of climate experts. These organizations claim the emails prove a "conspiracy" of scientists and casts doubt on the scientific consensus regarding climate change.
• In 2007, several prominent climate denial scientists published a non-peer reviewed article, funded by a Koch foundation, that concluded polar bears were not threatened by global warming. Multiple Koch-funded groups reiterated the article's conclusions through their websites and other media outlets.

For a complete list of (we think) of all the groups, think tanks and PACs the Koch's support see the following link (source www.greenpeace.org)
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/Global/usa/binaries/2010/3/wanted-for-climate-crimes-cha.pdf

Time was that politicians would at least hold fat cats like the Koch's at arm's length. In one respect the fony activits and lobbying efforts are just that.
But hacks like Walker have openly demonstrated that that distance is no longer a required fig leaf.  Walker's punking in the fake call from Koch clearly demonstrates the level of subservience he has to this - the biggest special interest of all.

The question is... are we going to buy what this man and his payed for minions are selling?

What you didn't know about the Kochs - Blood and Oil - 1st in a series

Well, it seems that there is a 3rd Koch brother and his opinion of the other two is not as good as little Scotties!

It seems that David and Charles have a brother named Bill who blew the whistle on them on CBS 60 minutes back in 2000.

November 27, 2000

Blood And Oil

And Environmental Negligence

"What Koch was doing was taking all these measurements and then falsifying them on the run sheets," says Bill Koch. "If the dipstick measured five feet 10 inches and one half inch, they would write down five feet nine and one half inches."

Bill Koch filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that much of the oil collected by Koch Industries was stolen from federal lands. At the trial, 50 former Koch gaugers testified against the company, some in video depositions. They said Koch employees had a name for cheating on the measurements.

"We in the company referred to it as the "Koch Method" because it was a system for cheating the producer out of oil," said one of these gaugers, Mark Wilson.

"I believe that what I was stealing oil and I don't feel good about it," said another, James Jurgens.


See the whole sordid story here...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/11/27/60II/main252545.shtml

The Biggest Loser - Manitowoc

This is a recreation of a blog post I did at www.htrnews.com.  It was yanked for reasons known only to Editors Ms. Hanson and Mr. Reed.  Since I thought it was nothing more than a statement of the politically obvious I did not anticipate the article getting deleted so I did not keep a copy of the original, hence the re-creation.  Given their erratic editorial policies (which I believe are due to political influence) I suppose I should have assumed the worst - so here it is again (perhaps better?) on The Megaphone!

Earlier this month Bob Ziegelbauer won re-election over challenger Carla Halvorson.  We lost and we and the rest of the County will have to deal with that for some time to come.  But last week there was another election that delivered another victor and loser and that loser is perhaps the biggest loser of them all.

In what I believe to be an unprecedented event and in a 13 to 12 vote the Manitowoc County Board voted out Board Chairman Jim Brey in favor of Paul Tittl, a Republican and former political opponent of Bob Ziegelbauer.  Over the last four years the board had become an irrelevant rubber stamp of the Ziegelbauer administration who's policies have dismantled a raft of critical services and demoralized County workers.

Under the previous County Exec Brey supported the building of the Manitowoc County Health Care Center but then under Ziegelbauer supported its sale even though the justifications for each move were completely at odds with each other.  He continually repeated the false claim that the Center had a three million dollar deficit although it was only about half that and all of it was due to the bond used to build it - which had been justified against the re-use of the old center's land being redeveloped for the Harbortown strip mall.  But that was the administration line and he was sticking to it.  Since then the Human Services budget had tanked largely due to the added expense of home care and outsourcing mandated care of patients.

At the same time the Exec was privatizing things like the HCC and Highway Department he was absorbing the formerly private Manitowoc Ice Center (a perpetual white elephant and money pit).  That board of that organization just happens to include the wives of Bob's cousin Randy Binversie and the director of public works Jeff Beyer.  The Ice Center is the home of the local youth hockey league which who's members are a who's who of the children of local business and government leaders.  Through it all, Jim Brey was there to support it all and cut off discussion when it raised too many questions.

Perhaps the most despicable role he played was that of political operative.  When Bob appeared in a TV add endorsing the ethically challenged Republican John Gard for 8th districk Congressman the local Dem party met to withdraw support for Mr. Ziegelbauer.  Although he had never been to any meetings before, there was Jim in the back row observing and then questioning whether or not the Party should do that.  When it came to a vote he made a point of registering his official abstention.   We discovered later that Mr. Brey had never actually been a member of the Party and in fact should not have been allowed into the meeting at all!

When Carla Halvorson and I made our meetings to find a candidate to oppose Bob for County Exec public out of the blue, there was Jim emailing me requesting a private meeting.  I invited him to the group meeting but he declined.  I dont think Ive ever been so insulted by the bull crap and outright lies he offered up in defense of the Exec's positions.  From the HCC to the lack of Stimulus funding to the causes of the loss of business at the Highway Dept. it was a screed of blame for everyone from Obama to Doyle an assortment of unidentified "radical Liberals" - a strange set of positions for a Democrat.  Yet is case for not opposing Bob (for Assembly) was based on the notion that "... we could lose that seat!"  Just exactly what "we" was he referring to.

In that meeting he made it clear that he was looking forward to running for Assembly should Bob choose not to.  It was also clear he had discussed it with Bob directly.  Along with the incident at the Democratic HQ it was equally clear that he was politically snooping both for himself and at the request of Bob.

We saw the same despicable behavior when at the candidate debates he stood up and asked a deliberately concocted question of Carla about whether or not her demands for an audit of PPP's records constituted a violation of HIPPA laws (medical privacy).  The audit demand was exclusively for payroll and billing information and had nothing to do with anyone's medical records.  It was an all too obvious attempt to discredit - not his opponent - but the opponent of his policial benefactor.

In fact through the entire PPP (Triple P) payola scandal Brey consistently used that sort of tactic and outright refused to allow any votes on holding that company or the County officials who were in fact relatives of the owners of that company accountable.  To date that has been very effective.  We have yet to have even the most cursory examination of PPP's records even though we already know they were overbilling for at least one employee.  As I have asked him on more than one occasion, if it was a cover up, what would it look like?

If Brey has been effective at one thing it has been at keeping the crud off of his boss, Mr. Ziegelbauer whom he sees as his benefactor and heir apparent.  But with three of four of the new County Board members being on the other team the writing was on the wall.  As crony in chief he made himself an obstacle and obstacles are for removing.

And so it comes to pass that while we did lose the big election to Mr. Z, a few key bricks have been removed from his wall.  It is perhaps significant to point out that Jim has not won a contested election since 1998.  He was unopposed for County Chair last time and has not faced an opponent in either his City Aldermanic or County Supervisor districts since originally taking office.  In the mayoral race he first lost to Crawford and then appeared to expect to win when Crawford walked away.  But he finished 4th of 5th in the primary and did not even win his own district!  Then he went on to support Dave Soeldner who lost to newcomer Justin Nickels.

All of this is a rather impressive losing streak for a pol who still manages to be in not one but two offices.  I think all that is required is to find an opponent or two for him and we can easily offer him the official award for the Biggest Loser in Manitowoc politics.  Its hard to see any challengers in that race either!

So, g'bye Jimbo.
Its been bad to know ya....

The Manito-ROT-a

Manito-ROT-a

(a parody of a parody)

Ruminations on life in Manitowoc County

Go placidly amid the noise and waste,

and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece of Tripple P.

Avoid quiet and passive persons, unless you have to speak to a County Supervisor.

Rotate your tires.

Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself

and heed well the advice of Chairman Jim Brey, even though he be a turkey.

Know what to kiss... and when.

Consider that two wrongs never make a right... but that three do.

Wherever possible, stay in touch by email.

Be comforted that in the face of all coming storms and disillusionment,

and despite the collapsing revenue streams of our time

there is always a big future in labor outsourcing.

Remember the Health Care Center.

Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate.

Know yourself. If you need help, call Sharon Cornils.

Exercise caution in your daily affairs,

especially with those persons closest to you...

that Jeff Beyer, for instance.

Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most County Official’s souls

would scarcely get your feet wet.

Fall not in love, therefore; that costs money.

Gracefully surrender the things of youth,

birds, clean air, taxes, health care, highways,

and let not the ideas of others enter your head.

Hire people with connections.

For a good time call 683-4080. Ask for Todd.

Take heart amid the deepening gloom

that your dog is finally getting enough cheese,

and reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot,

it could only be worse in Milwaukee County.

You are the only one complaining!

You have no right to those documents!

Whether you can hear it or not,

the hockey moms are laughing behind your back.

Therefore, make peace with your god,

whatever you conceive him to be:

omnipotent County Executive or torturing Vice President.

With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and privatizations,

the County continues to deteriorate.

Give up!

Manitowoc County Math Test

Leave no crony behind!

Owing to problems with basic math at Manitowoc County, Executive Bob Ziegelbauer has implemented the following math competency test to all high level managers.

(Please feel free to post your own suggestions for test questions below!)

1. If Jeff Beyer gives away $100 in Chamber Bucks on Monday, $200 in Chamber Bucks on Tuesday and $250 on Wednesday then how many Chamber Bucks will Jeff have given away by the time he gets home on Wednesday night?

Ans: None.  Todd Reckelberg lost the receipt.

2. Sharon Cornils just told you that tomorrow it is going to be twice as cold as it is right now.  What temperature is it going to be tomorrow at 7:00 AM if you check the thermometer and discover that the current temp is ZERO?

Ans: "That's arguable"

3. If Bob takes a week vacation in Florida in March and another week in California in April then how many business days was he absent from his County job?

Ans: Neither he nor the County keep any records.

4. If Sharon Cornils sent Bob a memo on Tuesday and Jeff Beyer sent him another on Wednesday and Todd Reckelberg wrote him a letter on Friday, how many important office communications did he receive that week?

Ans: None. He was on vacation that week.

5. If Bob claimed 53 per diem expense days from the Wisconsin Clerk of the Assembly last year then how many of those were business days?

Ans: Its not a problem and you are the only one complaining!

6.  If Bob previously told you in an email that he does "... not get any vacation days here." and you remind him of his answer to #4, how many vacation days does he then admit to taking?

Ans: None. He was only "speculating" about the vacation.

7. If the Health Care Center was loosing 3 million every year and Human Services lost 2.5 million which then had to be cut then how much has the Ice Center lost after being brought into County ownership?

Ans: The Ice Center is part of Public Works so there aren't any records.

8. From #7, how long will it take for Bob to cut funding for the MCIC?

Ans: That number is best expressed by a ratio of the number of his friends and relatives who have sons in the hockey league and infinity.

9. If the HTR prints another story on the PPP scandal how many extra papers will they sell?

Ans: As many as Jim Brey can find and burn.

10. If Todd Reckelberg reviewed the bids for Ice Center labor contracts and pronounced PPP the low bid.  Then three years later Sharon Cornils reviews the same bids and describes them as "comparable", which County employee is closer to the correct answer?

Ans: A ham sandwich

Multiple Choice

If Bob began his administration with a $7,000,000.00 reserve fund and now only has $250,000.00 left where did the other $6,750,000.00 go?

A) This is evidence of the collapsing revenues of the County.
B) What seven million?
C) Doyle took it all.
D) Chamber Bucks

If the County builds a 15 million dollar Joint Dispatch Center with an entire 3600 sq ft floor dedicated to computers and the average computer system can now fit into a small closet what will the remainder of the space be used for?

A) You can never have enough storage space!
B) A fitness center for the IT staph.
C) Lounge for PPP employees
D) Youth Hockey!

If the County builds a 15 million dollar facility and Bob decides to sell it for 6 million because we can't afford the payments what should he do with the cash?

A) Pay off the bond
B) Speculate in Chamber Buck futures
C) Remodel the Courthouse!

If Highway Dept Supervisor Kennedy overbids 10 out of 10 bids to towns and refuses another 10 losing 100% of all town business, then to compensate Bob lays off 3/4 of the Highway Dept employees, cuts union pay by 5% effectively cutting the County budget by 20% , how much will your taxes drop as a result?

A) -20% (right?)
B) This is evidence of the County's collapsing revenue stream.
C) Hey! Look over there! A big storm is coming!
D) They rose 1.1%

EXTRA CREDIT! 
If Bob went hiking for 10 days on the Appalachian trail that included the 4th of July weekend and the 4th came on a Thursday that year how many business days would he miss?

Ans: None.  Venezuelan  women don't want him either.