Posted on 03/22/2012 8:01:41 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
MADISON — A funding showdown is shaping up between one of the Legislature's most powerful committees and Wisconsin’s elections watchdog, in part over a recall database not released to the public.
The GAB's $75,000 expenditure on a database that failed to allow the public to search recall petition signatures stopped state Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, dead in his tracks. He is co-chairman of the Joint Finance Committee, or JFC, which reviews all bills dealing state appropriations and revenue before they pass to the Legislature.
“Why would we pay (GAB) money to create a useless database that the public can’t use?” Vos asked Wednesday, condemning GAB for wasting taxpayer dollars on the database.
The $75,000 database purchase is part of the $404,500 request from the Government Accountability Board. This is the price tag for administering the 2012 recall elections — as of Feb. 24.
JFC has yet to even look at the entire request.
GAB created the database in response to Waukesha County District Court Judge Mac Davis’ January ruling that the agency “take reasonable, affirmative steps to identify and strike duplicate, fictitious or unverifiable signatures from recall petitions.”
After the ruling, Vos in a letter to Kevin Kennedy, GAB executive director, requested the agency select a vendor with the purpose of making the website searchable and public.
“This is something the public was demanding, and (Vos) was hopeful that would be the case,” said Vos spokeswoman Kit Beyer.
GAB spokesman Reid Magney argued that the database is searchable.
“It just doesn’t contain all of the information that Rep. Vos wanted in that database,” Magney said.
The accountability board contracted with Janesville data entry company Data Shop Inc. for $75,000 to create the database, which would include petition signers' first and last names, and a link to the petition page they signed.
But Vos wanted the database to include searches for categories like city or ZIP code.
Magney said those searches would jack up the price, but he did not provide a dollar figure.
Regardless, the database is not available to the public on the GAB website. Magney said doing so would cost taxpayers more money, but he did not specify the amount.
Verify the Recall, a conservative elections integrity organization, has released a public searchable database.
GAB has said it would not use that organization’s database to verify the 1.9 million signatures on recall petitions targeting Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators.
Instead, GAB posted scanned PDF copies of the petitions on its website, but they are not searchable unless Wisconsinites scroll from page to page in search their names.
Magney said GAB expects to spend a total $975,000 on recall expenses, which includes $250,000 for educating the public on voter ID requirements, something that may drop off the budget depending on the judicial outcome of the state's voter ID law.
Between Jan. 19 and Feb. 2, GAB had received $222,168 for temporary staff for recall petition services.
In total, GAB estimates the recall elections will cost taxpayers some $9 million, including $3 million for poll workers’ training and salary.
“We realize the Legislature has just been wrapping up; they’ve had a number of things on their plate,” Magney said. "The (JFC) continues to meet periodically to consider these types of requests. We expect they will consider this request at some point."
Beyer said Vos will “continue to have a critical eye on how government agencies spend taxpayer dollars.”
Wisconsin GAB Fails Again ping
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...HAH...'cause they don't want anyone looking at the database???.....if you can't find it, or if you can't find it in time, nobody has a bicth?? ..
...hey, the database was there, too bad that you were too dumb to read it.......
Here is the searchable database creation of which was overseen by TEA Party groups. Some 14,000 volunteers participated in the transcription of the data.
http://www.iverifytherecall.com/main.aspx
But, but, but — in another story published today, the GAB has refused to look at the Tea Party DB, or use it to disqualify any of the “signatures”. They just want more money to do what they are required to do by law. I say DISBAND the GAB!
I have used the database and found in my area that a convicted sex offender signed the recall petition as well as someome who is a teacher and friend who said she wouldn’t sign it, but because it was passed around at the union meeting, she signed.
That is pure, unmitigated BS.
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) is an oxymoron. Who are THEY accountable to?.. No one!
GAB, accountable? no, but hand in hand with the WI Democrat Party & public employee unions.
Exactly! They are a band of useless tools.
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