PDA

View Full Version : Education Costs - Rest of the Wisconsin Story



soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 10:36 AM
No suprise here!
Inside deals - teachers unions > favored insurance companies > Dem Politicians :rolleyes:

Now we know why the unions in Wisconsin were so noisy!!!

(paraphrased...)
Remember the violent and disgusting demonstrations over Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker doing away with the collective bargaining for teacher's unions? The results are in. Some school districts went from a $400,000 deficit to a $1,500,000 surplus as a result. Why? :eek:

It seems that the insurance company that provided all the "so-called" benefits to the teachers, was an insurance company owned and operated by the teacher's union. Since they were guaranteed to get the insurance business from the teachers and the State had to pay for it, and not the teachers, they were increasing the annual costs every single year to become the most expensive insurance company in the state. Then the insurance company was donating millions and millions of dollars to their favorite democrat politicians, who when they got elected, guaranteed to keep funding the unions outrageous costs. In other words, the insurance company was a "pass through" for Wisconsin taxpayer money directly to the democrat politicians.

Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away.

Now that the State of Wisconsin is free to put the insurance contract out for bid, and lo and behold, they have saved so much money it has turned deficits into surplus amounts. As a result, none of the teachers had to be laid off, everyone got a raise, etc., etc., and the taxpayers of Wisconsin don't have to pay more taxes to fund the union's political ambitions.

If you weren't aware of the reasons why Gov. Walker was fighting to take away collective bargaining, it gives you an idea of the problem that conservatives have. Outside of one or two, none of them know how to speak up and explain properly what the problem was. We could sure use a Ronald Reagan now, someone who could explain things for people to understand, since we know that people don't like to read anymore.



Wisconsin schools buck union to cut health costs
By: Byron York | Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork | 07/07/11 8:05 PM
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker performs a ceremonial bill signing of the new budget law outside his office at the Wisconsin State Capitol on March 11, 2011 in Madison. The new law helped the Hartland-Lakeside School District save money on health care costs by switching providers.The Hartland-Lakeside School District, about 30 miles west of Milwaukee in tiny Hartland, Wis., had a problem in its collective bargaining contract with the local teachers union.
The contract required the school district to purchase health insurance from a company called WEA Trust. The creation of Wisconsin's largest teachers union -- "WEA" stands for Wisconsin Education Association -- WEA Trust made money when union officials used collective bargaining agreements to steer profitable business its way.

The problem for Hartland-Lakeside was that WEA Trust was charging significantly higher rates than the school district could find on the open market. School officials knew that because they got a better deal from United HealthCare for coverage of nonunion employees. On more than one occasion, Superintendent Glenn Schilling asked WEA Trust why the rates were so high. "I could never get a definitive answer on that," says Schilling.

Changing to a different insurance company would save Hartland-Lakeside hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be spent on key educational priorities -- especially important since the cash-strapped state government was cutting back on education funding. But teachers union officials wouldn't allow it; the WEA Trust requirement was in the contract, and union leaders refused to let Hartland-Lakeside off the hook.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/07/wisconsin-schools-buck-union-cut-health-costs

GDC
8/2/2011, 10:46 AM
Yes, our country is going in the ****ter because of all the evil and greedy teachers, firemen, etc.:rolleyes:

badger
8/2/2011, 10:46 AM
I am not sure the Examiner is the most trusted news source out there, but the Associated Press just moved a story that said that excluding private group efforts, $4.2 mil has been raised so far by Republicans and Democrats for the Wisconsin recall effort.

The fight is far from over in the Badger State.

sappstuf
8/2/2011, 10:57 AM
I am not sure the Examiner is the most trusted news source out there, but the Associated Press just moved a story that said that excluding private group efforts, $4.2 mil has been raised so far by Republicans and Democrats for the Wisconsin recall effort.

The fight is far from over in the Badger State.

Why not? There were stories being written about this sort of thing in the local media before the Examiner picked it up.


WEA Trust keeps money from districts that switched coverage

A health insurance company affiliated with the state's largest teachers union is refusing to release hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal money to school districts that recently dropped the company in favor of less expensive providers.

WEA Trust declined to reveal the total amount of federal money being withheld from school districts that left the trust. But one official said the trust collected a total of $9 million on behalf of school districts in its plan.

Hartland-Lakeside Superintendent Glenn Schilling accused WEA Trust of telling school districts in March that they would receive the federal money as a premium credit for fiscal 2011-'12 "because they wanted to retain their business" - not because federal rules required it.

The Hartland-Lakeside district now stands to lose that money because the School Board voted Thursday to drop WEA Trust. But by switching to United HealthCare, the district still expects to save $690,000 in the new fiscal year, which started Friday, Schilling said.

"If WEA Trust is a nonprofit, why are they so expensive?" Schilling added.

The Hartland-Lakeside district serves the village of Hartland and the towns of Delafield, Merton and Pewaukee.

The Pewaukee School District could lose nearly $60,000 because its School Board voted Friday to switch from WEA Trust to United Healthcare. The switch still will offer the district $378,000 in savings for next year, said Assistant Superintendent John Gahan.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/124953739.html

TUSooner
8/2/2011, 11:04 AM
Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away.
Got any support for THAT extremely broad assertion?

And you are right that it is no surprise that you posted a screed from an unabashed organ of the rightest-wing (directionally speaking).

Of course, the WEA insurance scam may well be true, and bravo to the state for ripping it all up, if that's really what happened. The problem, i.m.h.o., is that your political posts are like those of Rush Limbaugh's Parrot and a few others: They are the product of such a thoroughly and narrowly indoctrinated mind that the smart move by the reader is not to presume credibility, never to presume that one is getting the full story or the big picture, and always to suspect exaggeration and disingenuous extrapolation (such as the quoted passage). I don't say you are never right, I just can never take your word for it. That's pretty much how I felt about Bill Clinton, by the way, if you really want to be offended.

soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 11:13 AM
Got any support for THAT extremely broad assertion?

And you are right that it is no surprise that you posted a screed from an unabashed organ of the rightest-wing (directionally speaking).

Of course, the WEA insurance scam may well be true, and bravo to the state for ripping it all up, if that's really what happened. The problem, i.m.h.o., is that your political posts are like those of Rush Limbaugh's Parrot and a few others: They are the product of such a thoroughly and narrowly indoctrinated mind that the smart move by the reader is not to presume credibility, never to presume that one is getting the full story or the big picture, and always to suspect exaggeration and disingenuous extrapolation (such as the quoted passage). I don't say you are never right, I just can never take your word for it. That's pretty much how I felt about Bill Clinton, by the way, if you really want to be offended.

The truth be dammed, huh?

BTW - I did note that I was paraphrasing another article....didn't I?
I report! You decide!
(But, then again, YOUR mind is already made up that teacher's unions are pure as the driven Wisconsin snow!)
:rolleyes:

Caboose
8/2/2011, 11:23 AM
Yes, our country is going in the ****ter because of all the evil and greedy teachers, firemen, etc.:rolleyes:

Stop pretending someone even said anything like that.

TUSooner
8/2/2011, 11:25 AM
The truth be dammed, huh?

BTW - I did note that I was paraphrasing another article....didn't I?
I report! You decide!
(But, then again, YOUR mind is already made up that teacher's unions are pure as the driven Wisconsin snow!)
:rolleyes:

You prove my point by misconstruing what I said.
I love the Truth, I just know better than to expect it from your posts.

soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 11:28 AM
So....what did the Huffington Post say about it!
Not reported on???
Suprise, suprise, suprise.
That's the point!
:pop:

Alinskyian tactic!
Don't bother to refute the facts.
Attack the messenger!
Good job kid!

badger
8/2/2011, 11:29 AM
Why not? There were stories being written about this sort of thing in the local media before the Examiner picked it up.



http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/124953739.html

That's a better link :)

soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 11:31 AM
I am not sure the Examiner is the most trusted news source out there, but the Associated Press just moved a story that said that excluding private group efforts, $4.2 mil has been raised so far by Republicans and Democrats for the Wisconsin recall effort.

The fight is far from over in the Badger State.

Badger!
Any such news stories outa the state's papers?
Or, is free speech still being controlled by the Dems?

Position Limit
8/2/2011, 11:33 AM
so much rage

TUSooner
8/2/2011, 11:34 AM
Yes, our country is going in the ****ter because of all the evil and greedy teachers, firemen, etc.

Stop pretending someone even said anything like that.

Well really, wasn't it pretty much the point of the OP that the WEA scam proves that all public employee unions are evil and corrupt? I quote: "Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away."

soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 11:35 AM
Why not? There were stories being written about this sort of thing in the local media before the Examiner picked it up.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/124953739.html

If the WEA is a "non-profit", there should be an investigation into how $$ was funneled to Dem politicians!
Where is Eric Holder when he should be working?

Oh! I guess he is still reading the New Black Panther Voter Intimidation report.
:rolleyes:

jkm, the stolen pifwafwi
8/2/2011, 11:56 AM
Well really, wasn't it pretty much the point of the OP that the WEA scam proves that all public employee unions are evil and corrupt? I quote: "Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away."

I think that you will be surprised by how often items like this will crop up, regardless of the political affiliations. Governments by their very nature are huge targets for scams. Unions just happen to be one of the entities that have the size and organization to create the scams, but it doesn't mean that companies or other organizations can't run them as well.

Lets notice the key points in this story:

1. You are locked into one provider owned by the person you are signing the contract with and apparently without rate caps or competition clauses. In other words, a big no no by the person that authorized the CBA.

2. No severability with the company written into the contract

3. No whistleblower path by the school district.

4. No motivation on the part of the school district to force a change via political pressure (IE during the monster demonstrations).

All of these point towards the general apathy that governments have tended to show towards getting taxpayers the best possible deal on these negotiations (like you would see in a competitive environment).

jkm, the stolen pifwafwi
8/2/2011, 11:58 AM
If the WEA is a "non-profit", there should be an investigation into how $$ was funneled to Dem politicians!
Where is Eric Holder when he should be working?

Oh! I guess he is still reading the New Black Panther Voter Intimidation report.
:rolleyes:

Its probably similar to Newt's spider web of organizations. The WEA Trust is probably for profit and sends all of the proceeds to the PAC.

TUSooner
8/2/2011, 12:10 PM
I think that you will be surprised by how often items like this will crop up, regardless of the political affiliations. Governments by their very nature are huge targets for scams. Unions just happen to be one of the entities that have the size and organization to create the scams, but it doesn't mean that companies or other organizations can't run them as well.

Lets notice the key points in this story:

1. You are locked into one provider owned by the person you are signing the contract with and apparently without rate caps or competition clauses. In other words, a big no no by the person that authorized the CBA.

2. No severability with the company written into the contract

3. No whistleblower path by the school district.

4. No motivation on the part of the school district to force a change via political pressure (IE during the monster demonstrations).

All of these point towards the general apathy that governments have tended to show towards getting taxpayers the best possible deal on these negotiations (like you would see in a competitive environment).

Take note, soonercruiser, this ^^^ is how an intelligent person talks about the WEA scam and the role of public unions and similar organizations. Me? Well I was really just talking about you, it's true.

badger
8/2/2011, 12:16 PM
Be nice, guys. It's a rough economy for all of us.

I have a soft spot for Wisconsin because I grew up there and same goes for the schools and teachers since while they might have had differing political ideologies from my parents, they seemed to genuinely care about us bratty kids becoming better students, better readers, writers, musicians, athletes, people, etc.

If there is any benefit to a stinky economy, it's when expenditures that might be deemed wasteful (like a potentially corrupt insurance company that funnels money to powerful unions to keep making more money off taxpayers) come to light.

soonercruiser
8/2/2011, 12:17 PM
Well really, wasn't it pretty much the point of the OP that the WEA scam proves that all public employee unions are evil and corrupt? I quote: "Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away."

This is definately NOT an intelligent discussion on the news piece.
So, I see how you brain works.
1. I post a story for discussion.....or more clarification.
(At least Sapp does that without judgement.)
2. You make a wild conclusion as to my motives and thinking.
3. You feel "justification" in attacking the messenger.
(But, don't add anything to the overall discussion.)
Duh! Childish!
:rolleyes:

The object is discussion; not name calling!

Caboose
8/2/2011, 12:45 PM
Well really, wasn't it pretty much the point of the OP that the WEA scam proves that all public employee unions are evil and corrupt? I quote: "Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining. No wonder the States are taking it away."

Well really, did the poster I quoted say anything like what you just said?