Thumbs up/down: Restoring quail, blocking tax cuts for seniors, Riverside Park trail
(Published Monday, June 18, 2007 12:38:10 PM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
To efforts to restore quail to Milton Township. Tallgrass Restoration is trying to reintroduce northern bobwhite quail to its 220 acres of prairie at County N and Highway 59. The species is native to the region and used to be plentiful in Wisconsin. But populations declined starting about 50 years ago as developments and farming practices eroded their habitat. Tallgrass is using a "surrogator," designed to slowly introduce quail chicks to the wild so they're more likely to adapt to their environment. "Once you hear their call, you understand why people want them back," said Chris Kaplan, project manager.
To blocking tax cuts for senior citizens. Republicans in the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee made motions that mirrored two bills authored by Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, to create major tax cuts for residents living on retirement income. The proposals would gradually phase out state taxes on pension income and exempt from taxes certain amounts of income for retirees reaching certain ages. Republicans favored the motions, but all Democrats voted against them, leaving a tie vote that means the motions failed. "Real tax relief for senior citizens could have been one step closer to reality, but once again, Democrats stood in the way," Kedzie said. Perhaps Democrats were too busy protecting Gov. Jim Doyle's many boosts in taxes and fees to consider something as worthy as a tax break for retirees living on fixed incomes.
To improving a Riverside Park trail. The Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation will organize volunteers to work from July 19-22 to upgrade the upper trail on the north end of the park in Janesville. The section of the state's Ice Age Trail is in a part of the park known as Devil's Staircase. The Janesville City Council wisely agreed to waive ordinances to let work crews stay in the park after hours and camp there. The foundation plans to fund the $15,000 project on its own and through grants without city money. It will extend the city's network of 25 trail miles by a mile. The new 3-foot wide dirt trail will be limited to hikers, allowing them to view the scenery along the river bluffs. "It's a great opportunity to get into a part of the park that traditionally is not accessible," says Mike Williams, city leisure services director. Some local folks enjoy volunteering with groups such as the Sierra Club and American Hiking Society to improve trails around the country each year. It's nice that Janesville will be the focus of a similar project.
To the annual Tub Run in Janesville. The run involving the Southcentral Wisconsin Janesville Harley Owners Group marked its 13th year of benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Saturday. The long line of motorcycles might frustrate motorists caught in the traffic jam, and others might criticize the event as just another reason for rowdy, leather-clad riders on noisy bikes to party. But the event is the nation's fourth-largest muscular dystrophy fund-raiser by a Harley Owner's Group. And how many local charity causes can say they've topped the $1 million mark in total donations? The answer is not many.
To pulling a state benefit from veterans. Isn't it just like politicians? Brag to voters about all they've done for veterans, and then try to rescind the deal a year later? The state had waived tuition for veterans enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses in the UW System. The idea was that the state would eventually recoup its investment through higher income taxes from these veterans. But now with another budget deficit and an estimated cost of up to $52 million during the next two years, the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to kill the graduate school waiver. What, like no one considered the possible outlay during the fanfare of enacting the waiver? We wonder how many young adults saw that carrot, that extra incentive, and signed up for service, putting their lives on the line. Many veterans, if they survive, will return from Iraq with disabilities and no benefits for their families. It would be unfair to yank the free graduate school tuition now.
To efforts to restore quail to Milton Township. Tallgrass Restoration is trying to reintroduce northern bobwhite quail to its 220 acres of prairie at County N and Highway 59. The species is native to the region and used to be plentiful in Wisconsin. But populations declined starting about 50 years ago as developments and farming practices eroded their habitat. Tallgrass is using a "surrogator," designed to slowly introduce quail chicks to the wild so they're more likely to adapt to their environment. "Once you hear their call, you understand why people want them back," said Chris Kaplan, project manager.
To blocking tax cuts for senior citizens. Republicans in the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee made motions that mirrored two bills authored by Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, to create major tax cuts for residents living on retirement income. The proposals would gradually phase out state taxes on pension income and exempt from taxes certain amounts of income for retirees reaching certain ages. Republicans favored the motions, but all Democrats voted against them, leaving a tie vote that means the motions failed. "Real tax relief for senior citizens could have been one step closer to reality, but once again, Democrats stood in the way," Kedzie said. Perhaps Democrats were too busy protecting Gov. Jim Doyle's many boosts in taxes and fees to consider something as worthy as a tax break for retirees living on fixed incomes.
