The reaction to the proposal to change the quorum

MADISON-one of the 14 Democratic Senator, who failed to prevent the vote, the State of Wisconsin's Constitution proposes that future business would be to make the change. ineffective

Before editing, the Executive Director of the Scott Walker the budget repair bill of materials (BOM) to deal with only the collective bargaining rights, 19 Senate Republican sat almost three weeks of waiting. They were one of the Senator to take the required quantity may be a vote, even if the State of the Democratic minority on the left.

Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, is the author of the change in the Constitution that would have to call the vote, the lawmakers, is known as quorum.

The State Constitution says at least three-fifths required to be present at public finances or the budget issue to vote. That applies to the Senate and Assembly.

Cullen: n the new proposal would require that provision only by a simple majority.

The proposal is to get the support of the isle.

"It is disappointing that the amendment to the Constitution would be necessary to make sure that such a thing never happens again, but three long weeks after it has been nice to hear the sound again, finally," said Senate Majority Leader, Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, Alaska.

"It may be his attempt to smooth the difficulties Democrats and the Government may be able to connect to is," said St. Norbert College political science professor Charley Jacobs. "This is the sort of branch of sorts on olive oil by saying, we are ready to work with you in a more comprehensive way."

Cullen: n the proposal is, however, to get the support of all his fellow Democrats.

"Senator Cullen periods will not be able to do so, but I am inclined to support it," said Sen. Dave Hansen, (D)-Green Bay. "I think we got you are careful when we are in the process of amending the Constitution. What we did was extraordinary, and we think we made it extra grounds. It is very important. It's more than likely to happen again. But it is set out in the Constitution, and many, many years ago for a reason. It is the balance of power. "

The proposal still has a long way forward. It is not only in this legislature should pass, but also in the next election period, without the changes to be made. It then go to the voters of the Member State-wide referendum. This would mean, should soon be in April 2013.

People wanted change, and the Walker supply

This is what looks like the hope and change.

Last year, the candidates of all political stripes ran on a platform of "change" and "reform" and "no more business as usual" in Madison. And almost universally, the crowds cheered.

This month, that rhetoric turned into reality with the introduction of be .gov. Scott Walker's bold budget repair proposals. Not everyone is cheering anymore. That's understandable. The tonic Walker has prescribed for our ailing state economy is strong stuff. The changes he has proposed in the way taxpayer-funded workers are paid will force tough economic choices are many good, hard-working public employees.

It is a situation with which every private-sector employer can empathize because nearly every one of them has "been there, done that" to some degree over the last several years. While the public sector has been largely insulated from the effects of the recent economic smart, employers and workers in the private sector have been forced to make modifications in size, in compensation and in their business models to adjust to the new economic realities that face them.

While these tough, cost-saving measures were being taken by the private sector, government costs and government deficits continued to grow unchecked, nabs were artificially balanced by leaders from both political parties via accounting gimmicks, one-time federal funds and segregated funds is raids.

Today, the easy answers have run out for Wisconsin, government, and the bill is coming due. Santa Claus is not coming from Washington, D.C., with a new bag of cash. The easy savings and transfers within the state budget have all been tapped out.

After more than a billion dollars in new tax hikes last legislative session, our state tax climate is already so high it ranks as one of the least conducive for job growth and new business creation in the nation. In fact, in order to achieve the same budget savings without passing the reforms proposed by the governor, nearly 6,000 state employees ' jobs would have to be eliminated.

Walker's budget repair bill shows an understanding of the fact that the state can no longer simply cut or spend its way out of its fiscal mess. We must grow our way out. To that end, the governor's proposal lays the groundwork for a new day of rates budgeting and fiscal honesty that draws government costs in line with the taxpayers ' ability to pay.

It gives the government at the state and local levels powerful new tools to control their costs without requiring massive cuts in jobs or critical services. Most important, it creates a stable, sustainable fiscal model to serve as a platform for private-sector economic development and job growth.

While Walker and lawmakers supporting these reforms have had all manner of sinister motives ascribed to them by opponents of the budget repair bill, their real motive is an manau and long-overdue acceptance of some very hard realities.

• The reality is our state is broke. In fact, it's worse than broke. It's getting ready to check into a $ 3.6 billion cell in debtor prison.

• The reality is that public employee costs account for 60% of state operations costs and 75% of the costs of the local school district.

• The reality is that Wisconsin taxpayers currently pay more than $ 1 billion a year to fund health insurance for public employees-more than double what they paid for 10 years ago.

• The reality is that to fill a $ 3.6 billion budget hole via tax hikes would require more than a 50% increase in income taxes.

• The reality is that without the proposed reforms in public-employee compensation and bargaining, thousands of public employees will lose their jobs. No job. No take-home pay. No health care. No pension. No kidding.

• The reality is that the status quo is no longer an option for our state.

The reforms being proposed are not pleasant or painless. However, the Walker and the Legislature should be commended for understanding that it is only a entry to honestly confront the hard realities of today that will allow the state to build a brighter economic reality for tomorrow.

Steve Baas is vice president for government affairs of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.