>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN PRODUCTION.
>> YOU ARE WATCHING "HERE AND NOW" ELECTION COVERAGE.
OUT-OF-STATERS COME IN FOR THE ELECTION AN TONY EBERS TO FORCE
THE HAND FOR PFAF FALLS FLAT. CHARLESTON FRANKLIN JOIN US FOR
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE AND THE MENOMINEE TRIBE IS SUING BIG
SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES. WE SPEAK TO THEIR LAWYER. ANOTHER EM PASS
OVER PFAS LEAVES COMMUNITIES WAITING AND HOW SOME SCHOOL
DISTRICTS USE TOOLS TO KEEP TAX RATES STABLE. IT IS "HERE AND
NOW" FOR APRIL 19TH. FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND& FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN.
>> ENTHUSIASM FOR VOTING IN THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS WAY DOWN FROM FOUR YEARS AGO. THAT
IS A MESSAGE FROM THE LATEST MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL OUT
THIS WEEK. FOR DETAILS WE TURN TO POLL DIRECTOR CHARLESTON
FRANKLIN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> OVERALL HOW DOES DO
DOES ENTHUSIASM COMPARE?
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT VOTING. THAT IS QUITE A DROP. IT WAS DOWN IN
OUR JANUARY POLL ALSO ABOUT 20 POINTS BELOW WHERE IT HAD BEEN
FOUR YEARS AGO. NOW ENTHUSIASM CAN CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF
THE YEAR, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY BAKED IN. BUT AT THE
START OF THE RACE IT SHOWS WE ARE NOT REALLY EAGER IN LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE FALL CAMPAIGN. >> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE
PRESIDENTIAL MATCHUPS IN YOUR POLLING. IT IS TRUMP 51% TO
BIDEN AT 49%. IN YOUR LAST POLL THEY WERE EVEN. BUT YOU ALSO
FOUND INDEPENDENT RFK , JR. GOT 13% AND TAKING VOTES FROM TRUMP.
WHAT IS THIS SPELLING FOR BIDEN?
POLLS NOW, THAT REPUBLICANS VOTE FOR KENNEDY ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE
POINTS MORE THAN DEMOCRATS VOTE FOR KENNEDY. SO IT IS A LITTLE
MORE FROM THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. NOW THE GREEN CANDIDATE, JILL
STEIN AND INDEPENDENT CORNELL WEST TAKE MORE FROM DEMOCRATS
THAN REPUBLICANS. THIS MONTH IS A SMALL CHANGE. TRUMP IS UP TWO
IN THE HEAD-TO-HEAD, UP BY ONE POINT IN THE FIVE-WAY RACE, SO
THE NET EFFECT OF ALL THIS IS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED BIDEN'S
POSITION BUT IT IS A VERY SLIGHT DIFFERENCE. ONE LAST THING,
KENNEDY GETTING 13%, REMEMBER IN 2016, WHICH WAS THE RECENT HIGH
WATER MARK IN WISCONSIN, ALL INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES TOGETHER
ONLY GOT 5.5% OF THE VOTE. >> SO 13% IS A BIG NUMBER.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE TAMMY BALDWIN AND HOVDE COMPARISON,
AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS IS DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDWIN, 52 TO 47
HOVDE. HOW HAS THAT MOVED SINCE HOVDE ANNOUNCED?
VOTE QUESTION BECAUSE HE WASN'T
AN ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE YET. THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME OF POLLING
THAT. HOVDE HAS GOTTEN BETTER KNOWN SINCE JANUARY, WHEN WE DID
ASK IF YOU HAD A FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE VIEW. THEN IN
JANUARY, 82% SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW ENOUGH TO HAVE AN OPINION.
THIS TIME IT IS 56% SO SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN NAME
RECOGNITION BUT STILL MORE THAN HALF THE ELECTORATE DON'T HAVE
AN OPINION. THAT IS TOTALLY NORMAL FOR NONINCOME WANT
CANDIDATES FOR THIS STAGE BUT BY COMPARISON 11% SAID THEY DIDN'T
HAVE AN OPINION OF TAMMY BALDWIN.
NUMBERS ARE EVEN AT 50%. WHAT IS THE IMPLICATION OF THAT?
50/50 TIE MEANS THIS COULD LOOK
LIKE A CLOSE RACE WHEN PEOPLE WERE THINKING OF BALDWIN'S
11-POINT ONE SIX YEARS AGO THIS LOOKS LIKE A MUCH CLOSER RACE
THAN IN 2018. THE OTHER IS THAT I THINK HOVDE ACTUALLY BENEFITS
IN AN ODD KIND OF WAY IN THAT 50/50 SPLIT WE ARE SAYING
DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDWIN OR REPUBLICAN ERIC HOVDE WHEN HALF
THE ELECTORATE DON'T HAVE AN OPINION OF HOVDE SUPPLYING THE
REPUBLICAN LABEL HELPS THEM DECIDE THIS IS SOMEONE ON MY
TEAM OR MAYBE NOT ON MY TEAM. TWO OTHER WAYS OF ASKING THE
QUESTION SHOW A RANGE OF ANSWERS WITH BALDWIN AHEAD BY AS MUCH AS
SEVEN OR FIVE AS WE HAVE JUST EMPHASIZED ON THE REGISTERED
VOTER, OR TIED. SO IT IS A RANGE OF THINGS. I THINK A CLOSE RACE
IS THE BEST ANSWER TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT.
>> LOOKING KIND OF DEEPER INTO THE ENTHUSIASM PART OF YOUR
POLLING SPECIFIC TO -- VERY ENTHUSIASTIC
COMPARED TO 59% OF TRUMP VOTERS. THEN FOR NOT AT ALL ENTHUSIASTIC
TO VOTE 62% SAY THAT FOR JOE BIDEN, 37% FOR DONALD TRUMP.
>> I THINK THIS IS REALLY THE LOOK OF THE RACE, THAT TRUMP HAS
A VERY SUPPORTIVE, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC GROUND BEHIND HIM.
BIDEN VOTERS ARE JUST SIMPLY MAYBE BIDEN VOTERS. THEY ARE
CERTAINLY MOSTLY NOT TRUMP VOTERS BUT NOT EXCITED ABOUT THE
RACE OR ENTHUSIASTIC. THEY LIKE THE COUNTRY HAVE RESERVATIONS
ABOUT BIDEN'S AGE, ISRAEL AND HAMAS AND ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
MAKING BIDEN SUPPORTERS UNENTHUSIASTIC EVEN IF THEY ARE
STILL COMMITTED TO VOTING FOR THEM. YOU MOBILIZE THOSE
UNENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT ERS. >> LET'S LOOK AT THE ISSUE, THE
TOP THREE ISSUES WERE THE ECONOMY, IMMIGRATION AND
ABORTION. IT SEEMS OF NOTE THAT THE ISSUE OF ISRAEL AND GAZA WAS
WAY DOWN THE LIST AT 2%. >> WAY DOWN. AMONG PEOPLE 18 TO
29 IT WAS 7% THAT SAID ISRAEL AND GAZA WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT
PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE THAT INDIVIDUAL GROUPS
AND PARTICULAR ISSUES CAN MOBILIZE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE REALLY STRONG OPINIONS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE ON THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE OR EVEN AMONG YOUNG
VOTERS AND IT IS LESS THAN 7% AMONG DEMOCRATS AND PEOPLE WHO
CONSIDER THEMSELVES VERY LIB RAT. THE OTHER THING ON THIS
ISSUE IS THAT DEMOCRATS PUT ABORTION AS THE FIRST ISSUE BUT
IMMIGRATION ONLY GETS 1% AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR
DEMOCRATS. IT AND THE ECONOMY ARE BY FAR THE TOP TWO ISSUES
FOR REPUBLICANS. >> ALL RIGHT, CHARLES FRANKLIN,
THANKS VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
>> A MENOMINEE NATION LAWSUIT
AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS LIKE META, SNAP, UBER AND TIKTOK
BLAMES THE COMPANIES FOR REWIRING THE BRAINS OF TEENS AND
YOUNG ADULTS, CAUSING SUICIDAL DISTRESS. THE SUIT ALLEGES THE
ALGORITHMS CODED IN TO THE PLATFORMS ENCOURAGING OBSESSIVE
SCROLLING AND RESULTING NEGATIVE SELF-IMAGE, ESPECIALLY AMONG
GIRLS. THE LAWSUIT CITES THE CDC, SAYING TRIBAL SUICIDE RATES
FAR EXCEED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ALLEGING A LINK TO SOCIAL MEDIA
USE. WE ARE JOINED NOW BY ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE MENOMINEE
INDIAN TRIBE, TIMOTHY PURDON. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> YOUR LAWSUIT DESCRIBE HOW THIS HAS DEVASTATED TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. WHAT IS THE SITUATION AMONG THE MENOMINEE IN
WISCONSIN?
COUNTRY THE RESERVATION COMMUNITIES LIKE MENOMINEE, YOU
KNOW, OR A LONG TIME, DECADES REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE TRIBAL
YOUTH, THE TEENAGE POPULATIONS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, REALLY
SOME OF THE MOST AT-RISK POPULATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU
LOOK AT ANY OF THE STATISTICS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE
RATES, THOSE SORT OF THINGS, A NATIVE AMERICAN FEMALE TEENAGER
HAS A FIVE-TIME RATE OF SUICIDE RISK TO A WHITE FEMALE TEENAGER.
THOSE SORTS OF STATISTICS ARE ALL TOO OFTEN IN INDIAN
COUNTRIESN. THE LAST TEN YEARS WE HAVE SEEN INJECTED INTO THAT
VULNERABLE POPULATION THE SOPHISTICATED BUSINESS PRACTICES
AND ALGORITHMS O OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES WHICH THE
GROWING RESEARCH AND DATA DIRECTLY LINKS TO DECREASE --
>> IN YOUR BELIEF DOES A YOUNG PERSON ENGAGING WITH SOCIAL
MEDIA APPS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS?
CLEAR. THE CDC STUDIES ARE CLEAR AND ESTABLISH A LINK. SO THAT IS
THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS BEHIND THIS LAWSUIT AND A NUMBER OF THER
LAWSUITS. LET'S BE CLEAR, MENOMINEE ENTITY IS NOT THE
FIRST TO COME FORWARD AND SEW THE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS FOR
NEGATIVE IMPACT FOR THE TEEN MENTAL HEALTH. AT LEAST 41 STATE
ATTORNEYS GENERAL FILED LAWSUITS SIMILAR TO OURS LAST OCTOBER
AGAINST THESE COMPANIES INCLUDING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
FOR STATE OF WISCONSIN. THIS IS A NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC, CRISIS.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IMPACTING YOUNG PEOPLE. THE POINT OF OUR
LAWSUIT IS IN THE MIX OF ALL THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATION OF TEENAGERS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE NATIVE TEENS LIVING
IN THEIR RESERVATION COMMUNITIES.
>> SO THAT IS WHY THIS IS WHAT YOU DESCRIBE AS A FIRST OF ITS
KIND LAWSUIT?
HISTORICALLY OVER THE LAST 150 YEARS TRIBAL NATIONS HAVE NOT
NECESSARILY COME FORWARD AND EXERCISED THEIR SOVEREIGNTY IN
THIS WAY. COMING FORWARD, FILING A LAWSUIT ON A PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS IMPACTING THEIR RESERVATION AS IT IS IMPACTING
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. IN THE BIG TOBACCO CASES OF LATE 90s,
AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES WERE NOT PLAINTIFFS, THEY DID NOT SUE.
WHEN THEY SETTLED TRIBAL COMMUNITIES DIDN'T SHARE IN THE
SETTLEMENT DOLLARS. OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS THAT HAS
CHANGED AND HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN LITIGATION AGAINST OPIOID
MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. AGAIN,
AN EPIDEMIC THAT HAS HIT TRIBES HARD. OVER 250 FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES FILED LAWSUIT AGAINST THE OPIOID
MANUFACTURERS. WHEN THOSE SETTLED OVER 1.5 BILLION WILL
FLOW DIRECTLY TO TRIBES FROM THOSE SETTLEMENTS. THIS IS THE
LATEST SITUATION WHERE TRIBES ARE EXERCISING THEIR
SOVEREIGNTY. SITTING SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER WITH THE
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM WISCONSIN, FROM MINNESOTA,
BRINGING THE CASES SAYING WE ARE TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, WE ARE SOV
R SOVEREIGN AND OUR PEOPLE ARE
IMPACTED, IT IS A ROBUST EFFORT BY TRIBES IN THE COUNTRY.
>> WHAT IS YOUR SUIT SEEK ING?ENTER
>> THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. THE SUIT ALLEGES THERE'S BEEN A
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS CREATED. WE ARE SEEKING COMPENSATION,
ABATEMENT. WE WANT TO SEE THAT THE DOLLARS FLOW TO THE TRIBES
SO THEY CAN DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUICIDE CRISIS THAT IS LINKED TO THE BUSINESS
PRACTICES OF SOME OF THESE DEFENDANTS.
>> SO ARE THERE SPECIFIC IDEAS, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, ON THE PART
OF THE TRIBES OF HOW THEY WOULD SPECIFICALLY USE THIS MONEY?
THE -- WE ARE TAKING THE FIRST
STEP IN WHAT COULD BE A VERY LONG JOURNEY TOWARDS JUSTICE
HERE. TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE AT THE END IS A
LITTLE PREMATURE. I CAN TELL YOU IN THE OPIOID CASES TRIBES THAT
HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF THAT 1.5 BILLION HAVE BUILT TREATMENT
FACILITIES, EXPANDED TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES ON THE RESERVATION
AND IN THOSE SORTS OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, MENTAL HEALTH
CARE OPTIONS ARE ALL TOO SCARCE IN INDIAN COUNTRY. SO ANY MONEYS
BROUGHT IN TO HELP PEOPLE ON THE RESERVATION IS A BIG HELP.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT THERE. TIMOTHY PURDON, THANKS VERY
MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> ACTION PART NEW FEDERAL
LEVEL S HAVE BEEN SET AT FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION, MUCH LOWER
THAN WISCONSIN'S 70 PARTS PER TRILLION. ON INACTION PART
LAWMAKER S HAVE REJECTED GOVERNOR EBERS CALL TO SPEND 125
MILLION TO DEAL WITH PFAS .ENTER STATE AND NATIONAL
LAWSUITS AGAINST PARTIES DEEMED RESPONSIBLE FOR PFAS
CONTAMINATION ARE IN VARIOUS ONE TRIAL GOES ON LATER THIS
YEAR. TYCO MANUFACTURED FIRE FIGHTING FOAM USED AT TRAIN
FACILITY, AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES INCLUDING PESHTIGO
ARE HOT SPOTS. AFTER YEARS OF TESTING, FIGHTING, LOOKING FOR
HELP OUR NEXT GUEST IS FORMER CHAIR OF THE TOWN OF PESHTIGO
GOOSH BOARD, CINDY BOYLE.
YOUR OWN PROPERTY?
YEARS. >> SO THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HOPING TO COME TO THE RESCUE OF PLACES
LIKE PESHTIGO FROM STATE, THE FED, LAWSUITSES, COMPANY
OUTLAYS. HAS THAT MONEY YET MADE A DIFFERENCE?
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT FUNDING
COMING TO STATES ON WHAT APPEARS TO BE A CONSISTENT BASIS AT THIS
POINT FOR MORE THAN WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR EVEN SEVEN YEARS
AGO, OR SIX YEARS AGO. TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOT NO A SIGNIFICANT
MEANINGFUL WAY AS FAR AS A PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR OUR
COMMUNITY, NO YET BUT THE DNR IS PUTTING THAT TO WORK AND WE
HAVE TO GET THAT FUNDING RELEASED FROM TRUST AND INTO THE
DNR DIRECTION. >> AS TO THE IN-FIGHTING OVER
125 MILLION WHAT DO RESIDENTS LIKE YOURSELF THINK ABOUT THAT
FIGHTING IN MADISON WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THIS URGENT HELP?
IT IS COMPLICATED, AS ARE ALL
THINGS PFAS. BUT I WONDER -- I UNDERSTOOD VERY WELL THAT SB312
LEGISLATION AND UNDERSTOOD THE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT.
I'M CONCERNED -- I'M GRATEFUL GOVERNOR EBERS DID VETO. WE AS A
STATE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS BILL'S LAW WEAKENED. IT IS THE
SINGLE MECHANISM BY WHICH RESIDENTS IN WISCONSIN HAVE
PROTECTION WITH THE DNR. IF THEY LOSE THAT PROTECTION IN ANY WAY,
SHAPE OR FORM OUR COMMUNITY FOR ONE WOULD NEVER HAVE BENEFITTED
FROM HELP THEY HAVE PROVIDED US SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT FOREMOST
IN OUR MINDS AS THINGS GO FORWARD. I AM VERY, VERY HOPEFUL
THAT NEW LEGISLATION WILL MAKE ITS WAY OR THAT THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE WILL AT LEAST RELEASE THOSE FUNDS AS INTENDED OVER A
YEAR AGO. IT NEEDS TO START BEING ABLE TO BE PUT TO WORK.
>> SO PFAS IS COMPLICATED. ALL THE REMEDIATIONS AND ALL THE
RESPONSIBLE PARTIES AND ALL OF IT. HAS THIS DIVIDED YOUR
COMMUNITY?
PEOPLE GET A LITTLE BIT WORN OUT. MAYBE THEY GET A LITTLE
DEFEATED AND FEEL LIKE THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A SOLUTION OR
MAYBE PEOPLE THOUGHT THE SETTLEMENT THAT TYCO DISTRIBUTED
THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY WAS THE BEST THEY COULD HOPE FOR AND ARE
NOW CHOOSING TO NOT THINK ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW THE
TOPIC TOO WELL TO DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS, SO MYSELF AND
OTHERS WHO ARE IN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ROLES AND ADVOCACY
ROLES ARE MOVING FORWARD TOWARD SAFE WATER AND ACCOUNTABILITY
FROM THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY. >> YOU DESCRIBE BEING EXCITED
ABOUT A NEW ANNOUNCEMENT OUT OF THE EPA. WHAT WAS THAT.
>> YES. SO THIS MORNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FINALIZED A
RULE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS. THEY ARE DEEMING PFOA AND
PF OS AS HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, WHICH IS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT
WILL QUALIFY THEM UNDER SUPERFUND THAT. SEEMS
CONTRADICTORY TO HOPE YOUR COMMUNITY WOULD BE CONSIDERED
FOR SUPERFUND BECAUSE BASICALLY MEANS YOU LIVE IN A VERY
POLLUTED AREA BUT MEANS THE EPA HAS THE AUTHORITY TO HOLD
PARTIES RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THEY DO ADEQUATE, COMPREHENSIVE
REMEDIATION FOR THINGS LIKE SURFACE WATER, SOILS, AS WELL AS
HELP INNOCENT LAND OWNERS SUCH AS MYSELF HAVE PERMANENT SAFE
WATER SOLUTIONS. AFTER TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT THERE WAS
UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS. WITH TODAY'S
ANNOUNCEMENT WE ARE VERY VINDICATED AND ENCOURAGED AND
OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE IS STILL A STRONG PATH FORWARD, SO WE ARE
VERY, VERY GRATEFUL THIS RULE HAS GONE INTO PLACE.
>> COMBINE THAT WITH RECENT EPA SETTING MAX AT FOUR PARTS PER
TRILLION, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
AFFECT US BECAUSE WE ARE ON PRIVATE DRINKING WELLS BUT LAST
WEEK AGO WEDNESDAY -- SO ALL PEOPLE ON WATER THROUGH PUBLIC
UTILITY HAVE ASSURANCE OF PROTECTION, ESPECIALLY FOR
WISCONSIN, WE HAD AS YOU MENTIONED 70 PARTS PER TRILLION
AND EPA ADJUSTED THAT TO FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION, A MORE
PROTECTIVE NUMBER. WE ARE GRATEFUL. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED
IN 30 YEARS. THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT STEPS. I'M GOING TO
GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT. THAT TELLS ME TWO THINGS: INDUSTRY
LOBBYISTS ARE VERY GOOD AT THEIR JOB. NUMBER TWO, IT TELLS YOU
HOW BAD PFAS IS THAT THOSE TWO RULES STILL WERE MADE.
>> ALL RIGHT. CINDY BOYLE, WE LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> JUST BEFORE THE APRIL ELECTION WE REPORTED ON THE RISE
OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE GOING TO REFERENDUM FOR
OPERATING EXPENSES. IN FEBRUARY AND APRIL VOTERS APPROVE 41
OPERATING REFERENDUM, THE BIGGEST 250 BILLION A YEAR FOR
MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS FOUND
REQUESTS DENIED. THE TWO WE PROFILED, FORT ATKINSON AND
RICHLAND, SAW THEIRS PASSED. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTERS AT
SCHULZ TELLS US THEY USED THE SAME METHOD TO MAKE THEIR
REFERENDUM LOOK MORE APPEALING TO VOTERS PROMISING THE TAX
INCREASE WOULDN'T COST THEM ANYTHING.
>> IN THE RUNUP TO ELECTION DATE THE FORT ATKINSON SCHOOL
DISTRICT HELD A PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION ON THE
REFERENDUM. REFERENDUM PROVIDES THE DISTRICT
TO USE FUNDS DIFFERENTLY. >> THE DISTRICT WAS TELLING
VOTERS THE OPERATIONAL REFERENDUM WOULD LET THEM LEVEE
ADDITIONAL 6.5 MILLION A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS TO AVOID MORE
CUTS BUT IT WAS PROM MISSION VO
PROMISING VOTERS IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN TAX INCREASE.
>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE FIGURES STRAIGHT BECAUSE I'M
HAVING TROUBLE RELATING. >> A LOT OF CONFUSION.
>> I'M AFRAID I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION.
>> HERE IS THE AMOUNT IF THE ATKINSON RECEIVES FROM PROPERTY
TAXES. THEY COULD PROMISE 6.5 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE
NEXT ATHLETE YEARS WOULDN'T INC BECAUSE THEY RAISED LEVEE BY 7
MILLION THE YEAR BEFORE TO PREPAY A CONSTRUCTION LOAN
CALLED DEFEASANCE. IF THE REFERENDUM PASSED THEY WOULD GO
BACK TO PAYING THE NORMAL PAYMENT IN FUTURE YEARS.
DEFEASENCE IS PREPAYING INTEREST. ABBOT SAYS AFTER THE
REFERENDUM FAIL ED THE PRIOR YEARS THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED
TO RAISE LEVEE TO PREPAID DEBT. >> THE IDEA OF DEFEASANCE OR
PREPAYING DEBT IS DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND BUT
DEFINITELY IS A STRATEGY THAT IS A LONG-TERM BENEFIT TO THE
TAXPAYER. IN OUR CASE IT EQUATES TO AROUND 3.4 MILLION IN SAVINGS
OF INTEREST OVER THE TERM OF THOSE 20-YEAR BONDS.
>> BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CLEARLY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY THEY
HAD ALREADY RAISED TAXES ON THEIR OWN. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS
NEEDING VOTER APPROVAL TO REALLOCATE FUNDS.
>> THEY ARE SAYING WE NEED MONEY TO MAINTAIN CURRENT PROGRAMMING
WE HAVE. WE CAN'T USE THAT FUNDING OVER THERE THAT WE USED
TO PREPAY THE DEBT. >> IT REALLY WASN'T SINKING IN.
>> OF THAT PREPAID 7 MILLION ONE-TIME PAYMENT, THEY ARE
SEEKING PERMISSION TO SHIP 6.5 MILLION THREE TIMES.
>> WE ARE LEVEEING THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT OVER EACH YEAR.
APPROXIMATE -- VOTER PERMISSION. >> DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER WE
VOTE YES OR NO. YOU ARE STILL GOING TO JUST MOVE IT AROUND TH
IS -- >> IN OUR BEST EFFORTS TO BE AS
SIMPLE OR TO BE AS CONCRETE AS POSSIBLE WHEN TALKING ABOUT
SCHOOL FINANCE, IT STILL IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND HOW ALL OF THAT WORKS.
DISTRICT AN INCREASE IN STATE AID A COUPLE YEARS AGO WOULD
HAVE MEANT A DROP IN THE TAX RATE.
>> WE WANTED TO STABILIZE THAT MILL RATE AND USE THAT TO
PRE-PAY SOME OF OUR EXISTING DEBT.
BOARD SAID THE SCHOOL DECIDED TO USE DEFEASANCE TO KEEP THE RATE
THE SAME. >> WE HAVE TAKEN AN 8.7 MILLION
DEBT AND CUT DOWN TO JUST UNDER FOUR MILLION.
>> THAT HELPED THEM TO GET THIS TAX NEUTRAL AS WELL.
>> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT GAP TO DO THIS OPERATIONAL
REFERENDUM AT ZERO TAX IMPACT. >> BOTH DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS
SAY THIS USE TO SET UP THE OPERATING REFERENDUM WAS KEY TO
PASSAGE. CAN LIVE WITHOUT SO WE ARE
FORCED TO CREATE AN EFFORT THAT WILL HOP FULLY BE AS SUCCESSFUL
AS POSSIBLE IN PASSING REFERENDUM.
REFERENDUM PASSED BY 139 VOTES. FORT ATKINSON BY 79. SOME
NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME RESULTS. VOTERS IN
MOSSTON REJECTED BY 480 VOTES. VOTERS IN THE JEFFERSON SCHOOL
DISTRICT REJECTED THEIRS BY 685. BOTH MOSSTON AND JEFFERSON WERE
ASKING FOR LESS MONEY THAN THEIR NEIGHBORS BUT EACH OF THOSE CAME
WITH A TAX INCREASE. SHOULD WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE DISTRICTS
USING DEFEASANCE?
HAVE REFERENDUM DEBT FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY ARE
TAKING OUT BONDS ON AND USE THAT STRATEGY TO STABILIZE THE MILL
RATE. IF THEY ARE NOT PASSING AN
ADDITIONAL REFERENDUM THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN KEEP THAT TAX RATE
STABLE OR WHERE IT HAD BEEN IS PRE-PAY DEBT, IF THEY HAVE DEBT.
BUT OF COURSE WHEN DISTRICTS RUN OUT OF DEBT THAT OPPORTUNITY
EVAPORATES AS WELL. >> FROM FORT ATKINSON I'M ZAC
SCHULTZ FOR "HERE AND NOW". >> FOR THIS AND MORE VISIT
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG AND CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB. THAT IS OUR
PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG. HAVE A GOOD
WEEKEND. ?
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.