Wauwatosa Republican Senator Interferes In City Of Milwaukee Labor Policies

Suburban and out-state legislators love to lecture Milwaukee and interfere in its schools, labor and budgetary issues - - look at what Scott Walker and his allies want to do to Milwaukee schools through unlimited expansion with public funds of the private school choice program - - but here comes State Senator Leah Vukmir, (R-Wauwatosa), proposing state legislation to exempt Milwaukee police officers and fire-fighters from residency requirements that the city and unions involved have negotiated and agreed up for many years.

This is akin to earlier state legislation also created as political favors to the Milwaukee Police Association that required only the City of Milwaukee to continue to pay the salaries and benefits of police officers convicted of crimes - - but whose cases were still somewhere in an appeals' process - - and another Milwaukee-only state law also forced local taxpayers to cough up portions of top police union officials' salaries.

Vukmir's scheme is another effort using state power to weaken the City of Milwaukee and its elected leaders politically while catering to unions that support Republican candidates.

Home rule? Local control? A fair use of legislative authority?

Hardly. It's Big Government, GOP-style.