Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Walker Budget May Take Over Baraboo Circus Museum

Am hearing there is some sort of reverse privatization and state takeover of Circus World Museum in Walker's budget - - the Museum is on state land, but is run by a private non-profit foundation - - that is designed to channel Museum revenues to the state.

Am checking...

Some details, here:

Gov. Scott Walker recently unveiled a budget plan that includes rolling Circus World — whose property is state-owned but whose operations are funded privately — into the Historical Society. This would include making Circus World’s staffers state employees; funneling the site’s revenue into state coffers; and ending a lease agreement between the state and the Circus World Museum Foundation, Inc., which has operated the museum for 54 years...

Circus World leaders characterize the Historical Society’s plan as a cash grab. Circus World attracted 71,000 visitors in 2012, easily the most among state historic sites. The museum cleared $318,000 in 2011.

“They view us as the single largest revenue coming to the gate of all their sites, and they want it for themselves,” [Executive Director Steve] Freese said.

Walker’s proposed two-year budget, which requires Assembly and Senate approval, calls for spending $1.2 million to pay 10 Circus World employees. Meanwhile, projected revenues of about $2.4 million — from admissions, donations and other sources — would go to the Historical Society.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

There was a discussion of this on Sly's radio show (WEKZ- Monroe) on Friday, I think. Something bad is afoot. The public-private partnership we have now works well; why change it? We have the state historical society working with big donors who pay for things like those elephants bathing in the Baraboo River. Would Walker have the taxpayers paying for elephant upkeep?

Anonymous said...

Selling the heating plants, taking over the Circus World Museum... interesting

Anonymous said...

I suppose once they take it over they can sell it.

Sue said...

In related news, Rep. Kleefisch prepares to introduce legislation legalizing big-game hunting in Wisconsin.

Anonymous said...

the first act booked - the amazing vanishing redistricting files!

Jake formerly of the LP said...

And have the one-time revenues fill in budget holes for the next 2 years (much like the Koch-funded Transportation budget). Then Walker leaves the state totally broke for the next Guv in 2015, while claiming he "cut taxes".

Anonymous said...

No matter what happens in 2016, we can be sure that Walker will have left the state. There's no way he's staying around for the fallout from all these irresponsible decisions. We'll be Walker-free someday.