http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/ Bayview, WI News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/d821ee92b48b3639a51a6fd2aa57f8a9.html The topic of a possible statewide sales tax increase from 5 percent to 6 percent to help fund education became heated and emotional Thursday night at a forum for area state Assembly candidatesThe tension was particularly noticeable between Republican incumbent Rep Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls and Democratic challenger Kristen Dexter of Eau Claire candidates in District 68 Dexter an Altoona school board member for six years said the education funding system based on property taxes is broken and she's tried to convey that message to Moulton but it hasn't gotten across Costs have gone completely out of control Dexter said If Terry Moulton had done his job we wouldn't have had this situation of property taxes where seniors are worried about losing their homes but legislators won't do the job They refuse refuse to acknowledge this problemShe said she'd consider any option for fixing the problem including raising the sales tax to draw in an extra 800 million for educationMoulton countered by saying spending increased by 36 percent in the Altoona school district more than twice the rate of inflation while Dexter has been on the board When the district was in a bind it went to the taxpayers Moulton saidI don't know if that's the way my opponent is going to govern down in Madison go to a referendum he saidDexter acknowledged she's asked for referendums at the district because we need to preserve our education that is No 1Moulton said he's all for looking for ways to reform the education funding system but he doesn't favor increasing taxes on corporations that might send them out of state and leave behind unemployed workersRaising the sales tax would simply shift the tax from one group to another he said Other Republican candidates shared similar answers to Moulton's they would not be in favor of raising the sales tax District 93Challenger Darcy Fields a Republican from Eau Claire said he could not support a tax increaseGiven the economic situation that prevails every single function of the government in the next year or two is going to have to tighten its belt and there are going to be some very tough choices to make he said I'd be open to funding education at its current level and would consider looking at alternatives but I could not support a sales tax alternativeHis Democratic opponent incumbent Rep Jeff Smith of Eau Claire said a sales tax increase could provide property tax relief and he'd be interested in finding alternative ways to support educationWe need to start looking out for homeowners and families and that is to support K12 education and find alternative ways to support public education and take pressure off of homeowners he saidDistrict 92Dan Hellman of Sparta is fighting to keep a Republican seat in the 92nd Assembly District where incumbent GOP Rep Terry Musser of Black River Falls isn't seeking reelection Hellman said the problem with a statewide sales tax increase is that no one can guarantee property taxes would decrease if the sales tax increased He said it would take a constitutional amendment that stated property taxes wouldn't support schools cities or states to guarantee itHis Democratic opponent Mark Radcliffe of Black River Falls said the Legislature needs to look at every single potential way to fix corporate loopholes and exemptions that allow corporations to not pay taxes and that might help solve the education funding problemDistrict 69Incumbent Republican Rep Scott Suder of Abbotsford said No way It's not going to happen when asked about the sales tax increase Constituents don't want it eitherTim Swiggum a Democrat from Owen who unsuccessfully challenged Suder two years ago said Something has got to give The state could reduce or underfund schools but then the schools will just seek funding from taxpayers Swiggum saidHe said he would be willing to consider a sales tax increase proposalDistrict 67Don Moga a Republican from Jim Falls said he's not in favor of increasing taxes but money would have to be cut from other areas in order to free up more funding for educationWe have to look at priorities and shift some money here or there and do what we think is necessary said Moga I wouldn't be in favor of any new taxesIncumbent Rep Jeff Wood of Chetek an independent who used to be a Republican but left the party a few weeks ago said he does not favor a tax increase but would be open to looking at how education is funded When sales tax went from 4 percent to 5 percent it didn't buy down property taxes Wood said It wouldn't work againThe local Charter Communications public access channel will replay the forum between now and Nov 4 Election DayBanks can be reached at 8305840 8002367077 or emilybanksecpccom http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/5055507dc144e25739ebf96865691028.html STURGEON BAY The chairman of the Door County Board has asked the state to consider removing the historic Michigan Street Bridge in Sturgeon Bay http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/a1323fa5990a54cfe3df1aa76accfce2.html The chairman of the Door County Board has asked the state to consider removing the historic Michigan Street Bridge in Sturgeon Bay http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/bde0ec7d65df119d52e577b2814a3a36.html Former Eau Claire school district Superintendent Bill Klaus reportedly has cleaned out his Northstar Middle School principal's office but whether he's leaving the district remains uncertainKlaus and the school board are scheduled to meet Monday at which time he and the board could reach agreement on his employment status and bring an end to the threemonth board investigation into issues involving Klaus' contractBoard members and other sources with knowledge of the situation said it's anyone's guess whether the two sides will reach an accord Monday The outcome likely will hinge on Klaus' willingness to reach middle ground with the board those sources saidAmong the options to resolve the issue are Klaus' dismissal which could result in a lawsuit against the district depending on terms of the board's offer and Klaus receiving his 267209 retirement stipend payment and possible additional compensation for his contract that runs through June 2012The meeting will be the latest in a series as the board investigated changes to Klaus' contract designed to allow him to begin receiving retirement stipend payments last summer earlier than previously allowed Stipends are payments given to teachers and administrators in the Eau Claire school district upon retirement for up to five years in addition to what they receive from the Wisconsin Retirement System New hires no longer will receive stipends when they retireBoard members have said little publicly about what punishment if any they deem appropriate for Klaus' attempt to access his retirement stipend despite the fact he hadn't retired and without the knowledge of at least some of the board The board subsequently voted in October against granting Klaus that money which he said he wanted early in case he died before retiringSources familiar with the board's investigation of Klaus' contract said board members' stances regarding Klaus vary ranging from firing him with no buyout of his contract to paying Klaus his stipend and buying out at least a portion of his contractThose scenarios likely wouldn't be enough to persuade Klaus to agree to a settlement according to statements in recent weeks by Klaus' lawyer Thomas Guelzow of Eau Claire Guelzow has said he would advise Klaus to sue the school district if any settlement agreement doesn't include Klaus' full stipend payment and a buyout of the remainder of his contract Those significantly different stances could make an agreement Monday unlikely But there are signs the two sides may have softened their positions somewhat and that a deal could be worked outKlaus' cleaning out his office confirmed Thursday by district officials points to his not remaining as Northstar principal Guelzow previously said Klaus who was placed on paid administrative leave in April intended to remain working as principal at the schoolBoard members meanwhile have expressed a desire to resolve the Klaus matter before the start of the upcoming school year On Monday they approved an agreement with Personnel Director Jim Kling allowing him to resign and retire Aug 15 the most recent sign the board wants to move beyond the Klaus issueKling was among a group of district administrators who failed to notify board members of concerns about Klaus' contract after learning of it last summer when Klaus requested that former school board President Carol Olson sign and backdate a memo authorizing his stipend payments to begin last August Olson signed the memo even though she was no longer a board member and apparently without the knowledge of the board at that timeBoard members have expressed frustration with Kling's apparent willingness to work on behalf of Klaus receiving his stipend and about his failure to fulfill repeated LeaderTelegram requests under the state Open Records Law for information related to Klaus' contractDespite that frustration the board decided to pay Kling 64 a 148500 retirement stipend he didn't qualify forAs part of the deal Kling will receive 90 percent of the stipend he would have been eligible for had he remained in that position for one more year District rules stipulate that administrators must work at least 10 years here to qualify for retirement stipends and Kling had worked here since 2000Emerson can be reached at 8305911 800 2367077 or julianemersonecpccom http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/c6fbd174e8329f51c3c815f4d40d21f4.html BROWNSVILLE Texas AP Hurricane Dolly barreled into South Texas on Wednesday lashing the coast with winds up to 100 mph and dumping heavy rain that flooded some lowlying areas but spared levees along the heavily populated Rio Grande ValleyAuthorities had feared the first hurricane to hit the US since last September could produce up to 20 inches of rain in some areas possibly breaching levees in the heavily populated Rio Grande Valley But shortly before its center came ashore the Category 2 storm meandered 35 miles north of the border veering away from the flood wallsThe levees are holding up just fine said Johnny Cavazos emergency coordinator for Cameron County There is no indication right now that they are going to crestAlthough the system weakened to a Category 1 hurricane shortly after crossing the resort area of South Padre Island officials cautioned that the danger had not passed About 5000 people went to public shelters in three Texas counties hit hardest by the stormMore were expected as night fell and at least 53000 customers were left without powerHopefully people won't get stupid and go out and think the storm has passed said Kevin Pagan the manager of an emergency center for the three countiesMost of the destruction from wind was on the island where the hurricane knocked out power to thousands of homes ripped off roofs and smashed windowsRoads and yards were strewn with toppled trees fences power poles and streetlights Business signs rolled around the streets like tumbleweeds The causeway linking the island to the mainland was closedA 17yearold boy fell from a seventhstory balcony injuring his head breaking his hip and fracturing his leg The boy was being treated at an island fire station It was not immediately known if the accident was directly caused by the stormAs Dolly weakened Wednesday night authorities turned to watch for flooding caused by the inches of rain being dumped across Texas and MexicoBetween 5 and 12 inches of rain had fallen in Brownsville's Cameron County by Wednesday evening and another 3 to 7 inches was expected during the night according to the National Weather Service Estimates in Laguna Vista and Bayview reached 12 inchesSmall communities just north of Brownsville were hit by high winds and flooded with murky waters from the storm including lowlying colonias small villages of immigrants who live without sewer and water service A family of eight had to be rescued by sheriff's deputies when floodwaters surrounded their homeNo deaths were immediately reported in Mexico but Tamaulipas state Gov Eugenio Hernandez said 50 neighborhoods were still in danger from flooding http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/11a3e66a957305c8fce1a7e45501809a.html Ashland council delays possible donation to Northland pool http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/3b6b1749531a1ad95aa64cbc9cc12fa8.html The Michigan Street Bridge is back open in downtown Sturgeon Bay but things are a little different now for drivers with larger vehicles http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/bayview/content/f93d6752710f4adca52daafcaddc62e0.html STURGEON BAY Even before the Michigan Street Bridge was shut down Monday because of severe structural deterioration city and Door County officials were trying to figure out how to reopen the span