La Crosse
The city of La Crosse joined Madison and Milwaukee Thursday in becoming the third Wisconsin city to vote to raise its minimum wage above the statewide level of $5.15.
The La Crosse City Council voted 11-4 to increase its wage to $5.70 per hour as of Dec. 1 and $6.50 per hour as of Dec. 1, 2006.
Some state lawmakers are at odds with local government officials over who should have control over wage ordinances. State Senate Republicans approved legislation last week that would ban individual cities from raising the minimum wage. If the bill passes the Assembly and Gov. Jim Doyle signs it, the minimum wage could only be set by the state.
Madison
Rep. Frank Lasee, R-Bellevue, reintroduced the Taxpayer Bill of Rights in the Assembly Friday.
Commonly referred to as TABOR, the legislation seeks to create a constitutional amendment that limits how much local governments can tax, similar to the property tax freeze that passed the Legislature several weeks ago but met Gov. Jim Doyle's veto shortly thereafter.
The TABOR law has to pass through two sessions of the Legislature and then a public referendum before such an amendment would become law. TABOR was introduced but did not pass the Legislature in 2004.
Madison
Ald. Warren Onken, District 3, will step down from the City Council on Tuesday after nearly three decades of service.
\I've been at it for 28 years,"" Onken said. ""I'm a little tired and I have some personal issues to deal with.""
Onken, however, said stepping down will not be easy.
""I'm going to miss it,"" he said.
Onken serves on eight committees, including the Alcohol License Review Committee, the Board of Estimates, the Monona Terrace Convention and Community Center Board, and the Transport 2020 Implementation Task Force.
Although Onken will not serve on the City Council, he is optimistic about remaining active in the city of Madison.
""I'm hoping I can talk to the mayor and be on a committee or commission here and there,"" he said. ""I'm pretty sure I'll be involved.""
Onken is the longest-serving member of the City Council and when asked if that places him in a leadership role for the council he replied ""that's for other people to answer, not me.""
