DNR's 'Deck Chairs on the Titanic' budget falls short
A proposed 2017-'19 budget to operate the short-handed, 'chamber of commerce mentality' (Walker's definition) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is moving forward that, yes, does add four employees to the understaffed monitoring of fast-growing large animal feeding and manure generating operations - -
- - but only moves those four staffers from other jobs while agency-wide downsizing and laissez-faire management continues.
The proposed budget continues the annual permit fee charged to these behemoth operations with thousands of animals producing tons of manure that jeopardize nearby wells, streams and lakes at $345 - - of which the DNR retains a mere $95 - - sort of like charging a giant semi-tractor trailer a dime for an annual license plate renewal and labeling it a fair contribution to State Patrol operations and road maintenance.
The proposed budget could lead to wasting millions of dollars the agency cannot to sacrifice by studying the leasing or building a new forestry management headquarters out of too-blue Madison where it is logically placed near other state management operations to Walker-friendly northern Wisconsin.
The partisan politics of the move are embarrassingly obvious and give the lie, again, to Walker's alleged small-government preferences.
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The proposed budget continues the annual permit fee charged to these behemoth operations with thousands of animals producing tons of manure that jeopardize nearby wells, streams and lakes at $345 - - of which the DNR retains a mere $95 - - sort of like charging a giant semi-tractor trailer a dime for an annual license plate renewal and labeling it a fair contribution to State Patrol operations and road maintenance.
The proposed budget could lead to wasting millions of dollars the agency cannot to sacrifice by studying the leasing or building a new forestry management headquarters out of too-blue Madison where it is logically placed near other state management operations to Walker-friendly northern Wisconsin.
The partisan politics of the move are embarrassingly obvious and give the lie, again, to Walker's alleged small-government preferences.
6 comments:
They are adding permit writers so that they can stay on top of reviewing the self-monitoring that CAFOs do and respond to citizen complaints. There is nothing pro-active here.
What a mess they have made out of the DNR, and much of the rest of our state government. How long will it take to get it straightened out once these people get out of office? I heard 40 years, but that was last year. I suppose it's now up to at least 45. So, I along with many others will never see it flourish again in our lifetimes. Such a shame.
Who needs a DNR when you are going to turn the state's waterways into open sewers and toxic waste pools? Don'tcha see, if we destroy the environment, then we don't have to spend money protecting and saving it.
Eliminating any and all environmental oversight will save a bunch of money for teabaggin' billionaires who happen to live out-of-state. Locals, smocals -- you can go to Minnesota or the UP if you want to see the environment.
Pretty soon, you will not be able to go to Canada though -- Scotty is serious about building that wall...
Moving the forestry department is not a done deal. They simply explored the cost of relocating.
@Scott Pitta: Copy clarified. Thanks.
It's all about killing state agency performance and then telling the public that these agencies are doing a poor job of serving the public interest. THIS THEN CALLS FOR FURTHER SPENDING CUTS FOR THESE AGENCIES .....EVENTUALLY STARVING THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE OR MAKING THEM SO INSIGNIFICANT THAT THEY HAVE NO REAL FUNCTION. In the process this opens up less and less regulation for Walker's corporate special interest donors so that they can rape Wisconsin for profits and funnel more money through the dark money conduit to Walker and friends. Has anyone checked to see how many state employees in the higher pay ranges have been sent packing because of Walker's civil service changes that allow for trumped up evaluations that show poor worker performance. The quick answer to all of this is to vote all those with "R's" by their name out of office. The less quick answer is to get the Doe investigation to the U S Supreme Court.
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