NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN
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SENATOR NASS PRESS RELEASE: "SERIOUS VALIDITY CONCERNS OVER BACKLOG OF NEGATIVE RESULTS"
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Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) is calling on state and local public health officials to publicly announce if their agencies currently have backlogs or had backlogs at any time since at least June 1, 2020, in reporting negative Covid-19 test results. He is also demanding that state and local public health officials appropriately correct all data, particularly positivity rate calculations, upon entering all backlogged negative results.
"After the stunning revelation that Dane County had 17,000 unreported Covid-19 negative results that dramatically skewed the positivity rates in that county for at least three weeks, the public can no longer be assured that all state and local data is reliable without greater transparency and honesty from public health bureaucrats. In every corner of Wisconsin, local governments, private businesses and individual citizens have been using the flawed Covid-19 data to make key decisions and now must reevaluate those decisions once the accurate positivity rates are known," Nass said.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) acknowledged that Dane County is not the only reporting agency in the state with a backlog. However, DHS has refused to identify the local public health agencies with backlogs in entering Covid-19 negative test results.
In Dane County's situation, according to an analysis by WKOW- Channel 27 in Madison, the inclusion of the 17,000 negative results had the following impacts on positivity rates, as of July 18th:
- The 7 day positivity rate dropped from 13.4% to about 4%
- The average daily positivity rate dropped from 6.1% to 2.1%
"There is no doubt in my mind that the state positivity rate and many local county positivity rates are skewed significantly higher by the backlogs in reporting negative results. While the development of backlogs was not intentional, the decision by public health officials to stay quiet about the existence of the backlogs was clearly intentionally and terribly inappropriate, Nass said.
DHS has provided limited information regarding the backlog even with their confirmation it exists and is significant. Here is what we know:
- Most counties are attempting to enter positive Covid-19 test results int he state data collection system within 1-3 days.
- Counties that have seen increases in Covid-19 test volumes over the last two months (which is most of the 72 counties) have dealt with backlogs in entering negative results into the state system. Often the delay is believed to be about 5-6 days, but there are situations like in Dane County that have run 10 days or more in backlogs.
Nass noted that when DHS provides its daily Covid-19 briefing, the public and media are given the impression that testing data is timely and accurate. He emphasized that the backlog in entering negative results dramatically skews the percentage positive calculations (this includes the daily percentage, the 7-day percentage and the 14-day rolling average) used in determining if we are identifying more cases due to increased testing or are in a period if increased spread of infections for other reasons.
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STATE TO PROVIDE SECOND ROUND OF WISCONSIN FARM SUPPORT PROGRAM
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Another round of funding will be distributed through the Wisconsin Farm Support Program, according to an announcement from Gov. Evers' office yesterday. The second round will begin on August 10th.
Evers also announced that nearly 12,000 Wisconsin farmers received a total of $41.6 million through the joint program between the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR). Each recipient received $3,500.
"I know this won't cover all the impacts our farmers have faced, but farmers have always had our back and we have to have theirs, and I'm proud of the work that DOR and DATCP have done to support them during this challenging time."
More information on how to apply can be found
here.
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EVERS CUTS $250 MILLION IN SPENDING, ANNOUNCES 'NORTH STAR VALUES'
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Governor Evers announced last week that he has directed the Department of Administration to work with state agencies to identify $250 million in cost savings for the remainder of the fiscal year (ending in June 2021).
"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on our nation, state, communities, businesses, and families," Evers said. "All state and local governments are now experiencing the difficult balance of providing vital services to residents in crisis while also managing tough fiscal realities. While I am still hopeful that the federal government will adopt further bipartisan proposals to stabilize funding for state and local services, in the face of continued inaction and uncertainty, the unfortunate reality is that we must take these steps and make more significant cuts."
Evers announced that the Department of Administration and state agencies will follow the same "North Star Values" in identifying cost savings. In a statement, Evers listed those "values" as:
- Our primary responsibility is to provide Wisconsin residents relevant, quality, and timely services
- Public service means making sure Wisconsin's hard-earned tax dollars ae invested in ways that benefit their communities. It is also about being deeply knowledgeable and aware of the complicated ways in which state government, local governments, and individuals are interconnected financially (directly or indirectly)
- Transparency and accountability to both the Wisconsin public and state employees requires that we communicate prompt and useful information to stakeholders regarding budget reduction activities
- Humility, creative problem solving, service, flexibility, truth and patience: those are the values that will help us navigate the difficult fiscal road ahead
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DSPS: OVERHAULS PLAN REVIEW PROCESS
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The state's Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) says it has revamped its plan review process, a key step in most building projects.
"The new process not only shortens customer wait times but also realigns staff for greater efficiency, flexibility, and growth," a statement read. "These changes additionally promote greater equity among customers and level expectations of constituents."
The department also
released a report detailing the changes and "gains" for customers. The department says it used a Lean Six Sigma approach to identify barriers, redesign systems, build in forecasting thresholds, and replace legacy tools. According to their statement, some commercial building plans are being reviewed and returned in five weeks.
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POLICE DEPARTMENTS WITHDRAWING FROM DEMOCRAT CONVENTION ASSISTANCE
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The police departments of the cities of Fond du Lac, Franklin, and West Allis have withdrawn from their agreements to assist the Democrat National Convention and Milwaukee law enforcement with security during the drastically scaled back convention.
A mandate from the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission has forced Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales to ban his officers from using pepper spray and tear gas to combat riots.
Fond du Lac Police Chief William Lamb, who serves also as chairman of the Wisconsin Police Executive Group, told reporters that the group respects the commission's decision, but strongly disagrees.
He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; "We believe in removing those tools, the use of checmical irritants or pepper spray, from the available resources that the law enforcement officers would have at their disposal if protests become non-peaceful would severely compromise the safety of the public and also the safety of the law enforcement officers who would be assigned to protect the DNC."
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JUNE LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS RELEASED
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Unemployment rates decreased in Wisconsin's 12 metro areas over the month and increased over the year. Unemployment rates for June ranged from 6.9 percent in Wausau to 10.0 percent in Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis.
Unemployment rates decreased in Wisconsin's 34 largest cities over the month and increased over the year. Unemployment rates ranged from 6.8 percent in Fitchburg to 12.8 percent in Milwaukee.
Unemployment rates decreased in all of Wisconsin's 72 counties over the month. Rates ranged from 5.7 percent in Lafayette County to 20.0 percent in Menominee County.
Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims:
Sunday, 2872 (2020) vs. 381 (2019)
Monday, 5333 (2020) vs. 807 (2019)
Tuesday 3438 (2020) vs. 570 (2019)
Wednesday 3014 (2020) vs. 514 (2019)
Thursday 2758 (2020) vs. 568 (2019)
Friday 2749 (2020) vs. 574 (2019)
Saturday 787 (2020) vs. 116 (2019)
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By clicking the link, you acknowledge that it is the policy of WPT, Inc. to publish all comments that are submitted by members each week, often including broad differences of opinion within the weekly responses. Our organization values our role in fostering dialogue within our membership, but does not take responsibility for the individual views and opinions expressed herein. It is the right of WPT to remove responses that what the organization deems to be vulgar, hateful, or inflammatory language.
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WEEKLY MEMBER POLL RESULTS
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Do you usually read WPT's guest articles?
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No, I read them to get perspectives and views I may not have.
No, I don't skip. I try my best to keep an open mind and seek out truth wherever it can be found. If I can learn truth from someone with whom I don't always agree, how can that be bad for me?
No. I often skim the article first to see what's being said. Sometimes I learn something! Sometimes it ends up being similar to what I already thought. Other times it becomes something not worth reading.
It fine to get thoughts of other people
Highlight of my week is reading the opinion of others.
If I know I will not agree I may not read the article as throughly
No. This was a well thought out and productive guest article.
I read them all and listen to both sides. Interesting to hear how different the same topic is from Ben Shapiro's on one side and the NPR/Bloomberg take on the other side.
Possibly.
Maybe partially skip over them
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Do you think Gov. Evers should issue a statewide order requiring K-12 schools to remain physically closed this fall?
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Local schools
I think a few schools who insist on opening should be allowed to open and just see how it goes, first before opening everything up. I know that some schools have tried football practice and have already have shut down from the transmission of COVID.
I do think children should be back in school. Schools should do what is best for the students, distancing,masks.
One size fits all is not the way to go. Schools should be open
It should be made by local schools.
Leave that desision to the local school districts.
Local schools
Local Schools should decide.In Milwaukee,Barret's puppet health officer decided to shut down all schools because of a fear that private and parochial schools would attract parents who wanted their kids to get an education.
local schools
I think the local schools should decide what is best for students and staff.
Local districts should make that call.
Statewide or it will dampen effectiveness. Until we have a working vaccine for covid the schools should stay closed. mandatory proof of vaccination
This should be a local decision.
schools should opened, as they need to keep kids from falling behind.
My goodness, our state does not have any where near the problem that others do and this is a non issue above HWY 29. Where was this outrage during the swine flu. I'm becoming more and more convinced this is way too political.
time for kids to get back to school - use common sense and extra sanitization to keep everyone safe and healthy. this isn't going away without people developing immunity by being with others
I believe decisions that chiefly affect local communities are best made by local communities. I also believe the best decision in this case is to open schools to in-person instruction. The greater good! We all need to get back to real life.
I don't know. I have too little information that's not horribly biased one way or another. I want some FACTS without spin!
We are hurting these children by not letting them back in school.
It should be up to each school district
Evers knows nothing about education. The proof of that is the sad state of education in Milwaukee.
Although I'm against a shut-down, leave it to the local school boards to figure it out. At least you can vote out school boards members.
If the schools are closed I want my tax returned to me
Local decision.
The local school boards should decide what's best
choice
State, county, and local.
Interesting how Trump letting the states make more local decisions on Covid feels a lot like Evers letting school districts make more local decisions on Covid. That can't be possible from both a Democrat and Republican, can it????
Local schools should make the decision.
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Given the economic uncertainty facing the state, should school districts and local governments postpone their plans to ask taxpayers for money through referenda, or should they move ahead with their plans?
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Lot of folks do not have the extra money for taxes.
They should postpone! Our local district narrowly passed a referendum this spring and they are going full speed ahead on a new elementary school which they don't need!
COVID will change many things going forward including how we educate young people. School districts should wait on asking for money as the purpose behind the ask may no longer be valid.
kinda hard to milk a dry cow....state coffers are getting empty!
See what November brings.
There is too much unknown now.
I'm not sure I want my tax dollars going towards a virtual public school that is not trained to do so.
let families recover economically before hitting them with yet another tax
Postpone. We're all in this together.....
I am 100% convinced that schools need more independent oversight to ensure they are not wasting money. When I worked for the schools, and CESA #11, I saw schools waste hundreds of thousands of dollars a year - or more - on wasteful things. Something needs to be done to fix the waste issues!
Government has shut down businesses and now they want money from lack of tax dollars from these businesses. Too bad. Now government is going to have to tighten their belt.
I think we have just seen lack of funds, should about cutting costs
They need to learn to live within their means.
We are in crisis mode and they want to spend like drunken sailors, that may not be politically correct statement. c
taxpayers are not going to have extra money.
Let the local school boards decide
Let them vote
If they build this would be good time since no one in the schools possibly for 20-21 school year.
Lets let the pandemic shake out first.
For crying out loud, one minute they say the schools should remain closed because of covid, and the next breath they want to build new schools! Ive never understood public school logic, never seemed to operate within their means!!
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Were you surprised to learn that DWD mistakenly overpaid $21.2 million in benefits in June?
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a prime example of too much big government
yes, those wheels grind slowly. and fix a mistake? Lol.
Yes, I thought computers where suppose to make things easier! Maybe some more training would help!
A government entity making a mistake, that never happens. I think it's a great idea to let the government control more of our lives......give me a break and wake up people.
no controls on this? no wonder it's having problems
Just more proof that government doesn't know what they are doing.
That is the government is run and think about putting more programs under government control
Government idiots.
Too many claims, too many new hires.
Yes, my wife did not receive a single check
No excuse for such a mistake.
Yes.
I don't. Hard to believe a govt entity mishandling tax payers funds.
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On this date in 1903, Doctor J. Marchessault arrived in the first automobile ever seen in Ashland, WI, an Oldsmobile. He loaded up a friend and newspapers and drove to Washburn and Bayfield to notify those communities of Pope Leo's death. (Source: Wisconsin Historical Society)
What was the first car you remember riding in? What was the first car you owned? Did you have a favorite automobile through the years?
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My parents brown chevy
I first owned a Ford Galaxy. My favorite automobile was my Chevrolet Spirit of America car
First travel, 56 Ford. First ownership, Toyota Corolla.
First rode in 1948 ford car and a 1937 IH pickup. First automobile owned was a used 1958 ford car.
A '51 Chevy to commute to UW-M was my first car.Always bought used Buicks and Oldsmobiles and drove them till they quit.Can't stand the crappy little cars of today.I drive a pickup truck that I use on my farm.
a 1957 Chevrolet a 1972 Plymouth Gold Duster
First car I rode in was a 1967 Chevy Impala. The first car I owned was a 2000 Chrysler Voyager Van. My favorite auto was my brother's T-top Trans Am.
My first auto was a used "53 Buick. I loved that car and wish I still had it.
First car I remember was a 1949 Plymouth. First car I owned was a 1962 Plymouth. Favorite was a 1973 Buick Electra 225. It was big, heavy, and smooth as silk!!!
Probably my Dads 53 pontiac chieftan. My first was a 64 pontiac catalina. still have one of my faves, a 68 coupe de ville, a true land yacht! had it for 40 years now..
An Austin-Heally. My dad sold sports cars when I was little. He would sometimes bring one home on the weekend so we could have a ride.
I was born in 1966. First vehicle I remember riding in was our blue, 1967 Chevy C-10 pickup. First car I owned was my Grandma's 1960 Ford Falcon. Favorite vehicle over the years has got to be one of my current vehicles, 2003 Toyota Corolla. Never needs repair and goes down the road to the tune of 40 mpg!
Growing up in the 40's and 50's it was always a big deal to see the new cars coming out. You could tell one car from another and knew what year it was made. Nowdays, we haven't a clue. My new 2020 car thinks it knows more than I do. Some of the new features are good. Unfortunately, many people still drive like idiots.
Oldsmobile Dodge pickup truck 1964 mercury montclair
1980 AMC Spirit 2 door hatchback. Straight 6, American made, Wisconsin made! 350,000 plus miles and not a single issue. Never should have traded that car in.
Loved my brothers 69 Mustang Boss 302 Wish I still had my first car, 74 Dodge Challenger. Favorite car has always been 63 Corvette split window.
My parents 1958 White Oldsmobile
First car ride '40 Chevrolet, first car owned '51 Pontiac.
Nissan.
My first car was a 53 chevy. Drove it for 10 years. We had a 50 caddie, 48 Chrysler New Yorker, and a 54 Desoto station wagon. Use to take them to the big Iola car show in mid 70s. So much fun.
Pontiac first I owned. My 1975 firebird was my favorite
First ride was in Dad's '39 Ford. The first car I owned was a '57 Chevrolet Bel-Air two door hardtop. Favorites were a '71 Impala Custom Coupe and a '99 a Chrysler 300 M.
!958 Chevrolet Impala my favorite was a '78 Firebird Formula
1962 Pontiac Catalina was the first car I remember riding in. My favorite, because I learned to drive in it, was a 1970 Oldsmobile 442
1955 Olds Ninety Eight. 1970 Chevrolet Nova. Love them all.
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