Not even a week after Buzzfeed’s relationship with the Koch Brothers is exposed do we learn that a near civil war erupted in public television over documentaries that focused on Charles and David Koch. In an expose written by Jane Mayer of the New Yorker it is revealed that two public television affiliated documentaries prominently featuring the Koch family came under pressure to be censored and edited due to fear that Charles and David Koch, major donors to public media, would withdraw support.

In his proposed budget, Governor Walker recommends setting aside a portion of education funding to distribute to schools based on their performance. While this proposal might sound attractive on the surface, it will result in significant funding increases for schools with few low-income students, disabled students, or English language learners. Schools with larger percentages of those students would be allocated a much smaller share of funding.

Budget reserves have been in the news recently, with the legislature sharply rebuking the University of Wisconsin System for maintaining a sizable reserve. The irony is that the state itself has a fiscal cushion that is far too small, according to a new analysis from the Wisconsin Budget Project.

Several important aspects of the budget bill’s funding for public assistance programs have received little or no attention.

Small Disagreement Suggests Deep Dispute over Role of Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed a bill Wednesday to approve a bipartisan idea, but in the process rekindled debate about respect for collective bargaining. What made the debate interesting and significant is that it could have been avoided by simply passing the version of the bill approved by the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Advisory Council, with the full support of the labor and business groups on that advisory body.

States that follow the economic policy agenda promoted by ALEC risk weakening state economies and harming middle class families. That’s the message of a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which outlines American Legislative Exchange Council’s policy recommendations and their negative effects.

In his State of the State message this evening, Governor Walker reiterated his intent to cut the state income tax for “middle class” Wisconsinites. We won’t learn any details until the Governor’s 2013-15 budget is introduced next month, so it’s hard to critique the plan now. However, it’s not too soon to raise the sorts of questions and concerns that state policymakers should be considering in the months ahead, as they debate the budget bill.

Can the state afford a significant cut in the income tax?

MCW Enterprises Ltd., a Canada-based corporation, announced on Nov. 19 that it has received all necessary permits to streamline tar sands extraction at its Asphalt Ridge plant located in Vernal, Utah starting in December.

I’m just an old guy, but I remember when high voter turnout was something that a state was proud of.

Last Monday, I attended the Austin Overpass Light Brigade’s fourth gathering. As previously reported on Firedoglake, the group had been shut down by police at its previous two attempts. The message on election eve was DO MORE THAN VOTE, and occupiers came prepared for police interference.