WI DNR board stops quick land sale to Walker donor
Remember when Walker and his hand-picked chamber-of-commerce-water carrier DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp tried and failed to convince the Wisconsin Legislature - - through the budget - - to weaken the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board by wiping out much of its oversight authority?
Here's a good reason why that legislative failure was a win for the public: the board tabled a deal negotiated by DNR bureaucrats to sell prime lakefront land in northern Wisconsin to a major Walker campaign donor.
That news had broken last week, and came on the heels of an earlier uproar over the agency's plan to sell large amounts of prime public acreage surrounding trout ponds and headwaters in Northern Wisconsin - - and more parcels statewide, too.
Wisconsin's constitutionally-protected waterways and the public's rightful access to them have far less value if developers are allowed to build on and 'improve' them.
The people - - their water rights and the DNR's credibility already under attack - - need strong, not weakened public resource stewardship.
Here's a good reason why that legislative failure was a win for the public: the board tabled a deal negotiated by DNR bureaucrats to sell prime lakefront land in northern Wisconsin to a major Walker campaign donor.
That news had broken last week, and came on the heels of an earlier uproar over the agency's plan to sell large amounts of prime public acreage surrounding trout ponds and headwaters in Northern Wisconsin - - and more parcels statewide, too.
Wisconsin's constitutionally-protected waterways and the public's rightful access to them have far less value if developers are allowed to build on and 'improve' them.
The people - - their water rights and the DNR's credibility already under attack - - need strong, not weakened public resource stewardship.
2 comments:
Watch Walker in some way circumvent the DNR Board and get this sale done. He owes the Uhlines big time for their financial backing[ millions of dollars]and he'll find a loophole or a clause in the law that allows the sale to go through. We might not hear of the sale but it'll get done and then hidden from the public. Just like the Kenosha Casino . Walker buried the $2.2 million study he ordered after it recommended the casino be approved and reported their was little litigative risk to taxpayers by okaying the casino. Walker rejected the casino claiming he did so to protect taxpayers from lawsuits and buried the report so the public could not see its recommendations.
Walker rejecting the Kenosha Casino deal to gain favor with Republicans in Iowa backfired (I heard they were strongly against gambling). It was all a total waste and SE Wisconsin could have now been looking at many more jobs and much lower unemployment, especially for Racine. The state could have been looking for greater revenues in their coffers too. The governor held his own self-interest and welfare above the people and in turn hurt the state's economy. I can't believe he is considering running for a third term as governor. He needs to go work just for himself. And, Wisconsin needs term limits for Governor just as many other states have.
Will the Uhliens get to buy the property? I think Wisconsin has already given them enough. Let them go back to Illinois and stay there. Our public lands are not be for sale. I sincerely hope the DNR board is on their toes and stops all of these land grabs.
Don't trust anything Walker does going forward. He has an ulterior motive for everything he does. Let's concentrate on getting some of his cronies out of office in the 2016 election.
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