Friday, March 18, 2011

Dane County Judge Enjoins Budget Repair

No surprise of course--it's Dane County, the most entitled County in the universe.

WTMJ 620 Radio reports that Ms. Sumi issued a temporary injunction barring implementation of the law.

She'll be out of town for a week.

State/Local bankruptcy? No hurry, Judge!

UPDATE: JSOnline story.

Note well: Senate Rule 93 governs "Special Session" procedures. Rule 93 specifically states that no notice is necessary when in Special Session.

That was a Special Session.

Like I said, The Most Entitled County in the Universe--complete with the Most Injudicious Judges.

6 comments:

RAG said...

I know her and she is not a leftie.

As one of the state's Open Meetings Law experts I was perplexed a bit by this as the legislature has seen fit to impose on itself standards that can be less than those on your local city council or school board which by itself doesn't seem right.

Rule 93 exists in both the Assembly and Senate and is actually silent on timing but deals with distribution of the notice. Interestingly there is no parallel rule specifically applicable to joint committees, which may be an oversight (not uncommon in Madison).

Frankly, the Open Meetings Law needs repair to subject the legislature without exception to the same standards as any other governmental body. Kind of hypocritical for them to have a double standard.

Of course, all that's needed is for the bill to be properly noticed and voted on again.

I read the opinion and there is a lot of good nonpartisan food for thought in it. The legislature under this governor and his predecessor as well needs a little wakeup call -- and I'm not even addressing the substance of what does on but the manner which is getting pretty ugly.

RAG said...

What goes on, I meant to say.

Disgruntled Car Salesman said...

I don't buy it.

Clearly overreaching her judicial powers and another case of legislation from the bench.

Dad29 said...

RAG, as you well know, the Legislature can impose any damn standards it wants on itself. "Equity" with locals is not relevant.

So far as the AG, both clerks, and the LRB are concerned, adequate notice was given.

End of story.

Now, as to obiter dicta: the judge can say anything she wants to say. But her opinion of Legislative procedure, as you know, is irrelevant UNLESS there was a direct violation of the law or Constitution involved.

There was not. Even if there were, that judge has NO power to TRO the Secretary of State, as SCOWI has made clear a number of times.

RAG said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Display Name said...

"No notice"? Where does it say that? Illusory Tenant has a great and detailed follow-up.