Outsourcing waste and fraud

Op-Ed by Mark Klipstein, SEA president, appearing in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WisOpinion.com.

"Everyone agrees the state of Wisconsin has been wasting tens of millions of dollars outsourcing public projects that could be done in-house more efficiently. Every significant study on the subject agrees. The Legislative Audit Bureau agrees. The Governor's Commission on Waste, Fraud and Abuse agrees. State agencies and key legislators agree."

"So what are the Walker administration and Republican legislators proposing? A new bill that would weaken existing state law that requires agencies to assess in advance the costs versus benefits of outsourcing work." [from article]

The Governor's Commmission on Waste, Fraud & Abuse - Final Report released

A special commission Republican Gov. Scott Walker created to root out government waste has released its report identifying 16 areas of potential state and local government savings that add up to about $456 million. Critics have said that it's misleading and the governor is taking credit for others' efforts. Regarding outsourcing, the report noticeably goes out of its way to justify the use of costly consultants and discredit previous studies done by others.

Final Report

Rep. Mark Pocan and Sen. Chris Larson, the only two Democrats on the commission, published an alternative report which criticizes the work and the still officially unpublished report of the full commission. In the report on page 8, they address costly outsourcing, referencing DOT in particular, and offer two recommendations, one of which relates to Act 89.

Alternative Report

Article - Walker's waste panel finds $456 million savings (madison.com 1/10/2012).

At least our pensions are safe – Aren’t they????

Article by Robert Beglinger, past president of Am. Federation of Teachers-WI, member AFT-W Retirees Chapter.

"As many of you know, Governor Walker has commissioned a study to see how the WRS could be privatized. This decision to change what is arguably the most secure pension system not only in this country but in the world threatens the future of annuitants, as well as actives." [from article]

New (de)compensation plan details released

Summary of comp plan impacts on SEA members. (from Nov-Dec 2011 SEA View)

Compensation Plan Toolkit (OSER) - Links to the 2011-2013 Compensation Plan as well as resource documents that show if and where former contract provisions are covered going forward.

Letter from DOA Secretary Mike Huebsch regarding compensation plan being submitted to the Legislature's Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER).

Pay schedule - proposed Pay Schedule 14: Engineering.

Article - Plan would freeze state workers' wages for two years. - Jason Stein & Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

SEA Membership.  What can I do?

Recommit your SEA membership.

What's next and why be a member? - A voice for all.

Useful information links

• Impact of 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 - (Budget Repair Bill) on health insurance premiums and WRS contributions
• OSER FAQ regarding the 2009-11 "Budget Repair" Bill
• ETF - FAQ regarding retirement benefits
• ETF - Changes to your WRS benefits
• WRS - Retirement benefits calculator

Wisconsin Act 47 - Continuing Education Requirements for Wisconsin's LAs.

The Wisconsin’s Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) has implemented rules on requirements for the State’s Landscape Architects to earn (and document) continuing education hours/credits as a prerequisite for applying for licensure renewal. See the following:

• Landscape Architects must earn (and document) hours/credits as described at the following link: http://drl.wi.gov/profdetail.asp?pdetailid=2018&profid=103&locid=0
• Landscape Architects should also visit the Administrative Code for more details: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/rsb/code/a-e/a-e011.pdf
• Landscape Architects can search for courses that meet the continuing education requirements at the LA/CES web site here: http://laces.asla.org/

Wisconsin Act 47 - Continuing Education Requirements for Wisconsin's PEs.

The Wisconsin’s Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) is in the process of implementing rules on upcoming requirements for the State’s PEs to earn (and document) continuing education hours/credits as a prerequisite for applying for licensure renewal. See the following:

• DRL’s draft rules were posted to DRL’s website on November 18, 2010. To review the rules go to the following link http://drl.wi.gov/profdetail.asp?pdetailid=1345&profid=92&locid=0 , and then see the “CLICK HERE” at bottom of the page under “Continuing Education Requirements”.
• Please review the rules.
• If desired, provide comment on the rules (this is your opportunity for public comment on the rules). Comments may be emailed to Ms. Yolanda McGowan, Legal Counsel at DRL – her email address is Yolanda.McGowan@wisconsin.gov. Comments may also be snail mailed to Ms. McGowan’s attention at Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing, 1400 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53708-8935.
• A public hearing on the proposed rules is tentatively scheduled for April 19, 2011 at the Architect-Engineers Joint Board Rules Committee Meeting. Comments will be accepted until/through the public hearing. NOTE THAT THIS MEETING/HEARING DATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE – watch for any changes on DRL’s web-site at http://drl.wi.gov/meetings.asp?meetingid=20&locid=0.

2011 Retirement Rate Increase.

The Department of Employee Trust Funds recently announced the 2011 Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) contribution rates required for retirement earnings effective January 1, 2011. The 2011 WRS Benefit Adjustment Contribution (BAC) rate for general employees was raised to 1.5% and the employee required contribution for employees with protective occupation status (POS) was raised to 5.8%.

Language contained in the current Compensation Plan and collective bargaining agreements pertaining to WRS contributions limit the Employer’s payment of the BAC for general employees to 1.3% and the employee required contributions for POS employees to 5.0%. For this reason, both general and POS employees (represented and nonrepresented) must pay the required additional contribution. General employees’ payroll deductions for BAC will be 0.2% and POS employee’s deductions for the employee required contribution will change from the current 0.5% to 0.8% (0.3 increase) for all WRS earnings, effective January 1, 2011.

The first WRS deduction from employees will occur on the payroll checks dated January 13, 2011.