From the June 15, 2004 Oshkosh Northwestern

Environment of Jobs Act leans reader to Palmeri

Oshkosh residents recently received updates from state Sen. Carol Roessler and state Rep. Gregg Underheim that contained information on the “Jobs Creation Act” that both enthusiastically supported. While the title of this act is appealing, the reality of this lobbyist-driven legislation is anything but.

Roessler said the Act “streamlines many of the state’s regulations ... without compromising or reducing environmental standards.” According to the Attorney General’s office, the legislation “appears more to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, intended more to eat out citizens’ natural resources, clean air and clean water, than to significantly deliver or save any jobs!”

Former Department of Natural Resources secretary and now director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation George Meyer said the bill will, “result in lower water quality, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, loss of biodiversity and the loss of natural scenic beauty.”

Underheim said “the ability of our state to do everything it can to attract and maintain business ... has to remain a top priority” for our government. I must say with all due respect to Underheim, this bill does anything but attract and maintain business.

In a Wisconsin economy report from University of Wisconsin Professor Jon Udell, job retention and growth was shown to be achieved best through “a quality labor force, worker attitudes, stability and quality of life in the region.”

Nowhere in his report is it stated that environmental regulations are limiting Wisconsin’s economy.

It is time to support a candidate who supports Oshkosh and the rich environmental heritage of Wisconsin. Green Party Assembly candidate Tony Palmeri publicly opposes the Job Creations Act. He is a positive voice for family-supporting jobs, for protecting the environment, and for real democracy. Tony Palmeri in office will mean power to the people, not power to the corporate lobbyists!

:Lindsey Kronenwetter, Oshkosh