Republican failure

Jason Stein’s June 24 story, “State lawmakers will miss budget deadline,” reminds us of the difference between a promise made and a promise kept.

For the previous six years, Republicans have controlled every branch of Wisconsin government. They’ve had world enough and time to craft a biennial budget before the state-mandated deadline. Why then are they unable this year?

It’s not a rhetorical question; their failure carries consequences. Counties such as mine — the sixth-largest in the state — and certainly counties such as Milwaukee — Wisconsin’s biggest — depend on Madison. If you expect your children to be properly educated, your roads paved and plowed, your restaurants inspected and your neighborhoods protected, you could be impacted.

As an arm of the state and provider of last resort, counties depend on the state to provide the framework upon which they organize operations. Absent that frame, they’re hamstrung. We can’t plan; we can’t execute longterm. Thousands of people — taxpayers, to be sure — depend on us. They deserve better.

A decade ago, when I served in the Assembly, the budget was signed into law before the June 30 deadline for the first time since 1977. Unfortunately, this continues to be the exception, not the rule. If the people don’t make elected officials accountable, this kind of dereliction will continue. We pay our legislators not for their activity, but for their accomplishment. We pay them to get the job done.

In the past, when the branches were divided, stalemates could be chalked up to partisanship. This time it can’t. Our Republican Senate blames our Republican Assembly. Our Republican governor blames both. While they’re playing politics the rest of us are driving to work through potholes.

Citizens should remember who serves whom and who pays the freight. It’s time for our legislators and governor to earn their keep.

Thomas M. Nelson Outagamie County Executive Appleton