Walker gives himself more power to fill high state jobs

[undeterred]

Madison — Gov. Scott Walker will be able to name political appointees to fill three dozen civil-service jobs that handle open records requests from the public under the budget-repair law he signed last week. The changes affecting 15 state agencies and offices are among the provisions of the law that drew less attention over the past month because of the epic fight over its provisions stripping public employee unions of most of their bargaining power. Walker's separate 2011-'13 budget proposal would also make a political appointment out of another key civil service job - the top lawyer spot at the agency overseeing state labor law.

Jay Heck, executive director of the Wisconsin affiliate of the liberal group Common Cause, said the change to political appointments didn't save the state any money and shouldn't have been included in the budget-repair bill. The measure continued a process - begun under previous Republican and Democratic governors - to exert political influence over more public jobs, said Heck, whose group advocates for taxpayer funding of political campaigns and openness in government. Heck said political appointees may be more interested in fulfilling the letter of the law in open records cases than the spirit. "I don't think there's any question that a political appointee, their inclination is going to be more toward protecting their boss than complying with an open records request," Heck said.

Dane County officials - County Executive Kathleen Falk and District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, both Democrats - have filed separate court actions seeking to block the law from being published on March 25 and taking effect the following day. Hearings in those cases are scheduled for Friday, and a ruling is expected from Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi on whether to issue a temporary restraining order to block the law from being published.

The law would make existing civil-service positions into 37 new political appointments, including 14 general counsels, 14 communications positions in state agencies and other positions, including legislative liaisons doing lobbying for agencies. That would allow Walker and agency secretaries to hire and fire employees in those positions at will.

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said that made sense because workers in those jobs represent Walker as part of their work. "These positions, by their very nature, represent the governor and the administration to legislators, members of the media and other members of the general public. It is reasonable to have them appointed," Werwie said. Most of the positions have at least some duties providing information to the public. For instance, the general counsels serve as their agencies' top lawyers and handle requests under the state's open records law as well as a host of other issues, from advising agency secretaries to personnel matters.


much more at http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118217614.html

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. Just what we've been saying

as people have time to take a breath and see what else is in the bill, they will find more and more reasons to be appalled and disgusted.

I hope the lawsuits keep coming, and sending good vibes to Sumi! (stop the bill, stop the bill, stop the bill...)