This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Hey, Greg..what a great question!
Earlier today on his FranklinNOW.com blog, Greg Kowalski wrote the following:“I ask, is it possible to name a development which led to our taxes going down?”
Hmmmmmm…
Verrrrrrrrryyy interesting.
Now let’s see…..
Where have we seen or heard that question before?
Let’s rewind the blogs…..
And go back to April 12, 2007.
On that date, I wrote the following on my blog to Greg:
”Now some time ago, you challenged me on your blog and asked me a direct question and I forwarded you an answer. In fairness, I now have a question for you.
You have written with confidence that the construction of new business will result in a reduction in taxes in the community. In one of your latest blogs you wrote: “the opening of new taxes for the district along the 27th Street corridor would have most likely allowed our taxes to either stay the same or lower slightly.” You’ve made this point more than once on your Common Sense blog. (That’s what Greg called his blog back then. I still don’t know why he changed the name. He’s never offered a clear explanation).
Here’s my question. Can you pinpoint for me the last time anywhere in Wisconsin that the opening of a new business or businesses resulted in a reduction in taxes in that community?”
WOW!
Again, that was six months ago.
Excuse me, but if I’m such a big, bad horrible guy, why is Greg Kowalski taking blog material out of the Kevin Fischer playbook?
As one of Greg’s fans likes to say, I JUST HAD TO COMMENT.
In the same blog, Greg writes:
“I mentioned the fact that the majority of school district taxes from the Franklin Business Park, as well as all the school district taxes along South 27th Street go to Oak Creek, not Franklin.”
Now I'm not saying Greg is wrong about that. I am saying I am not sure he's correct that the MAJORITY of school district taxes that he mentions go to Oak Creek. I would respectfully ask Greg to provide the data that the MAJORITY of those taxes go to Oak Creek.Greg also wrote in this particular entry:
“A few months ago, I brought up the news that the City of Franklin apparently did a comfortable handshake with our "users" next door in Oak Creek by promising them $5.5 million dollars towards an interchange on I-94 & Drexel Avenue, 100% in Oak Creek City boundaries.”
This one's misleading. The casual reader would assume that what Greg wrote is true.
The fact is that neither Mayor Taylor nor the Franklin Common Council has taken official action to promise Oak Creek anything. Greg refers to a "comfortable handshake." It could be an agreement on a cocktail napkin....doesn't matter. Where is the Common Council resolution? Where is the Mayor's approval?
I would pose another question to Greg: What did you mean by what you wrote, because it is misleading and cries out for clarification. He has prompted Franklin residents to believe a large expenditure has been appropriated when it has not.
Like other Franklin residents, I look forward to Greg's response to my two questions.
SPECIAL NOTE: I debated whether or not to post this tonight, knowing that Greg, through no fault of his own, is having technical problems with his blog. I wanted to be fair, understanding he can't respond as quickly as he might want to. However, I decided that posting tonight would allow Greg a head's up and more time to work on researching the answers to my questions.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.