We Brought The People To The Capitol

Two out-of-state residents with property on a lake up north are suing a Burnett County town over a ban on wake boats—vessels designed to make waves that are large enough to surf.

The pair say the town board in Scott rushed to pass a ban last November before they could make their case.

Wake boats are an unwelcome addition to some lake residents, who are concerned about the noise and the impact on shoreline erosion and the bottoms of shallow lakes.

Founding Editor Pat Kreitlow says small towns trying to protect their natural resources run the risk of large legal bills unless the state legislature steps in and puts rules in place to establish where and how these large-impact boats can operate.

“Stop playing political games” — that’s the message Heather DuBois Bourenane delivered to the Wisconsin Legislature on our radio show this week.

DuBois Bourenane spoke to us after a few hundred citizen-lobbyists roamed the state Capitol on Tuesday with messages of support for public schools, health care, child care, and other priorities that were repeatedly mentioned during last month’s public hearings before the Joint Finance Committee.

A coalition of groups organized the event, centered on a request of Gov. Tony Evers: If the Republican version of a state budget bill doesn’t adequately fund these important public services, veto the entire budget bill instead of trying to fix it with partial vetoes.

La Crosse voters elected a new mayor—and made history.