Saving tourism and our lakes from Phosphorus Pollution and Algae delayed due to costs! 700 Waterways Fail, and counting...

Pollution is okay, because despite revenue surpluses, we can't afford to reduce it:

jsonline: In another bill passed by the Senate, the state would delay costly phosphorus reduction regulations that would reduce algae-causing pollution in waterways. Aimed at addressing one of the top water problems in the state, the regulations were approved in 2010 during the administration of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. About one-quarter of the state’s more than 700 waterways fail to meet water quality standards for phosphorus.

That's a lot. Yet, business and community treatment plants can't afford it. Really, but the environment and tourism can? Seems we have a problem, great lovers of the outdoors:

But business groups and some municipalities said that the new limits would place undue burden on them while other major sources of phosphorus pollution, such as farms, avoid such limits. The bill gives a community or industry an option to delay stricter regulations, for as long as 20 years, if it can prove financial hardship in trying to meet them. 

Funny thing, PBS's Market to Market took an in-depth look at Iowa, who seems to take phosphorus and nitrogen pollution very seriously. They seem to care about their drinking water:

See, as we cut taxes and give back revenues, now we can’t afford to pay for ways to stop pouring phosphorus into our lakes and rivers. Common sense:

During that time, permit holders would have to cut phosphorus discharges. Environmentalists have expressed worries about the bill such as the length of the two-decade delay. Amber Meyer Smith, a lobbyist with Clean Wisconsin, said her group is now officially “neutral” after amendments approved in committee last week addressed some of the group’s concerns. “We think they have made some positive changes,” she said.

There you go, compromise by those trying to save the environment. And so continues our slide into the trash heap. This is what we’re leaving out kids, who will have to raise their own taxes to clean this up.

The Dark Age of Walker: When a road is a road, and a bridge just an ugly bridge. "No Tax Pledge" strips Aesthetics from beautifying Wisconsin due to lack of funding. Tourism next?

There goes the neighborhood.

This is just too short sighted and horrendous to imagine happening in Wisconsin.

jsonline-Patrick Marley: Republican lawmakers are making a move to end a state Department of Transportation

Remember this...?

program that funnels up to $15 million a year into murals, landscaping, stamped concrete and other aesthetic features (that) ensure community buy-in for road and bridge projects. The GOP lawmakers are also targeting for elimination plans to install color-changing decorative lights on Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge. They say money for such projects should go toward roads.

"I don't think it's a time where we can afford all of the extras," said Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna).

We should change our slogan to “Open for Business, we just look like shit.”

Transportation officials counter that the program - called community-sensitive design -

gets residents on board with major projects that become defining features in their communities. They say the program also helps attract more businesses … Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt praised how the program … Having aesthetically pleasing roads and bridges gives visitors a good first impression of his city and helps invite higher-quality development, he said. "We do not want to look like a concrete jungle," he said. "We do not want to take the cheap way out."

But the no tax pledge to an out-of-state special interest group is preventing Republicans from increasing fees and taxes, at a time when they should, and technology and gas mileage is changing. Who needs “embellishments:”

Rep. John Nygren said his committee would seek ways to find savings for transportation and "scrutinize the need for 'embellishments.'

Instead of being able to adapt to change, Republicans instead are backing away from real solutions:

"A legislative task force earlier this year determined the state faces a $6.8 billion funding gap over the next decade for transportation infrastructure and recommended raising taxes and fees to cover it.

Feigning concern, Rep. Steineke knows what’s best anyway, justifying the unjustifiable.

Steineke said he couldn't ask taxpayers to pay more for roads while the community-sensitive design program remained in place. He acknowledged the program accounted for comparatively small amount of money - about 1.5% of highway construction - but said that money would be better spent on additional road projects.

Tourism Ad good, but a little late environmentally. It's more nostalgic.

It was funny to see our local news stations cover the new tourism ad by filmmaker David Zucker. Really, was 30 seconds really to much time to take out of the news cast? They never played the thing, just talked over maybe a few seconds of it. Wow, time is tight. Here's a little story that went with the release:

WPR: Governor Scott Walker got some help from Hollywood during a state tourism news conference today when he was asked to clarify his position on gay marriage. As the governor finished answering the question filmmaker David Zucker broke in to try to shift the discussion back to state tourism: "These questions are distracting from the governor's effort to promote gay tourism. Can you speak to that Governor?" 

Tech Free Tourism Sell Job Silly and for Suckers.

Just how dumb do they think we are?

jsonline: Dave Decker is executive director of the Tri-State Tourism Council, which covers southwest Wisconsin and parts of Iowa and Illinois. He's urged tourism businesses to promote technology-free getaways - in part because it's sometimes hard to get a wireless connection in their neck of the woods. Take a perceived "negative" and turn it into a positive, says Decker, going against the grain of many tourism destinations that tout the fact they have high-speed Internet connections almost everywhere.

I hate cell phones so much and for so many reasons, but seriously, tech free zones?

If you have a bed and breakfast or farm retreat, for example, ask people to leave their electronic gadgets at the door. Put their cellphones in an egg basket and don't give them back until they leave. Don't be militant but have a little fun with it, Decker says.

Go to hell. What kind of loser would buy into this lunacy and sell job:

Technology-free getaways have gained some acceptance. The Irish Hollow Inn, in Galena, Ill., for example offers luxury cabins with fireplaces and spas but no television. "It's a shock at first when people realize there's no TV or telephone, and they have to talk with each other. But we are sold out every weekend," said co-owner Matthew Carroll.

What’s next…tents?

About three hours from New York City, a 100-acre organic farm in the Catskill Mountains offers technology-free vacations where guests stay in tents tucked into a hillside facing a creek. The farm advertises that its accommodations don't have electricity or free Wi-Fi.

Bathrooms...the wheel...?

Protests boost Dane County to Number 2 for Tourism Spending!!! We beat the Dells.

There is one bright spot in Wisconsin’s eceonomy; tourism. That’s only temporary of course until the Republicans pass new mining legislation.

jsonline: Visitors to Wisconsin spent near­ly $10 billion in 2011, an 8% increase from the previous year, according to a study released Friday by the state Department of Tourism. The spending, by both business and leisure travelers, directly sup­ports more than 128,000 jobs. Tourism is a core strength of the state's economy.

While Scott Walker blames protesters for killing jobs during the months the state actually saw job growth, I’ll bet he won’t give credit to those same protesters for boosting tourism spending:

WSJ: In Dane County, tourism spending rose 9.3 percent to $894 million, putting it behind only Milwaukee County ($1.5 billion) as the state's top tourism county. Ironically, part of Dane County's increase was the result of thousands of protesters converging on the State Capitol in 2011 to protest Walker's plan to restrict collective bargaining. 

Thanks to all the civil unrest, we beat out the wonderland of water parks in America, Sauk County.

Sauk County, home to many of the Wisconsin Dells area tourist attractions, ranked third in spending at $809 million, an increase of 7.3 percent.

And let’s give credit to Walker for using the conservative activist Waukesha courts for boosting tourism spending there:

Waukesha County ($617 million, an increase of 8.2 percent) was fourth.