Highlights: On to the Supreme Court in Wisconsin; MI Gov begins assault on local government; OH and PA sees movement on voter-ID legislation; Alaska GOP seeks curb on unions; IN GOP raises fines on Dems as ad war heightens on both sides; OH Budget would hurt public pensions; Full Scrooge Alert here http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/

Wisconsin

WI: Attorney General appeals restraining order on labor law
In a case that appears bound for the state Supreme Court, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Monday asked the state appeals court to lift a Dane County judge's hold on a law sharply curtailing public union bargaining

Wisconsin appeals judge's hold on collective bargaining law
CNN
By the CNN Wire staff (CNN) -- Wisconsin's Republican attorney general on Monday appealed a judge's decision to halt the enactment of a controversial new law that curbs the collective bargaining rights of most state employees

Retirees protest Walker's budget proposals at the Capitol and talk of times past
UW Badger Herald
Scott Walker's bill to limit collective bargaining and proposed biennium budget that they said would have injurious effects on the state's elderly population. The protesters, organized by the non-profit advocacy group Wisconsin Alliance of Retired

Christina Pohlman: Walker continues to show radical agenda
La Crosse Tribune
Republicans have a mantra of keeping wages low, and they openly aspire to make Wisconsin into an enduring red state by transforming us into a right-to-work state. Consumer demand fuels our economy. How much consumer spending will there be in a

Republicans challenging unions in state capitols
Green Bay Press Gazette
A similar proposal to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights drew throngs of protesters Thursday at the Ohio Capitol. Hundreds more have demonstrated in Tennessee and Indiana, where Republican-led committees have advanced bills to

Ohio

OH: Budget would knock state pension funds off solvency track
Imagine that you have a 30-year mortgage. But you have only enough money coming in to pay off the mortgage in 35 or 45 years. In essence, that's the new dilemma for Ohio's public pension funds.

Many Toledoans continue to protest Senate Bill 5
13abc.com
No hearings this week on the bill that would limit the collective bargaining rights of public workers in Ohio, but that didn't stop those against the controversial bill from protesting. Many held signs, some wore buttons, and others were out voicing

Kasich says raising local taxes 'not an option'
Massillon Independent
By Anonymous AP Ohio's governor says legislation to curtail the collective bargaining rights of public employees should help local government and school districts deal with reduced state funding. Gov. John Kasich tells The Columbus Dispatch…

Indiana

Mitch Daniels Targeted By Democrats In Indiana (VIDEO)
Huffington Post
Seeking to draw Governor Mitch Daniels further into contentious debate over collective bargaining rights in Indiana, Democrats are out with a new ad going after the potential presidential contender. Talking Points Memo obtained an advanced copy of the

Legislature will proceed to discuss bills
Indianapolis Star
The National Right to Work Committee and the Indiana Right to Work Committee say they are launching a media campaign to push Daniels and legislative leaders to let the right-to-work bill come up for a vote. That legislation would bar unions and

GOP Raises Fines in Indiana Battle
Wall Street Journal
This month, a three-week standoff in Wisconsin over collective-bargaining rights ended when Republicans worked around the state's quorum requirement for bills containing fiscal items. That approach wouldn't work in Indiana, given the necessary

Dems go after Indiana Gov. Daniels on his home turf
The Hill (blog)
Like in Wisconsin, the Legislature's Democrats have fled the state to prevent a vote on a right-to-work bill that labor groups contend would threaten their collective bargaining rights. For Daniels, the fight could have ramifications for his potential

Michigan

MI: Gov. Rick Snyder to local governments -- Cut costs or lose some state aid
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Gov. Rick Snyder wants local governments to curb pension and health care costs as a condition of receiving some of their state revenue sharing aid.

Lansing-area students may face suspension for unauthorized Capitol protest

Rachel Jackson is a rookie at playing hooky. But the Eastern High School junior had enough fluency in truancy to lead hundreds of students to skip school Friday and send state lawmakers a message: Don't cut education funding.

Ohio

OH: Ohio may require voters to show a photo ID
If you vote on Election Day or cast an absentee ballot in person, you would have to provide photo identification under legislation that could come up for a House committee vote today.

Pennsylvania

Show me your voter ID

The Butler County lawmaker, well known for his desire to crack down on “undocumented aliens” who have entered the U.S. illegally, has introduced two bills aimed at requiring all voters, every time they vote, to present a photo ID, which in most cases is a drivers license. Generally, voters now only have to their mugshot to a poll worker the first time they vote at a new polling place.

Minnesota

House GOP calls for cuts to state's workforce

Republicans in the Minnesota House are proposing a 12 percent reduction in the state's workforce, a salary freeze for state employees and other cuts to state agencies.

GOP-backed tax bill passes House committee

A House panel has passed a Republican-backed tax bill that would cut income taxes for Minnesotans, but could lead to property tax increases.

Maine

Rail companies' struggle for solvency hangs on manufacturing

The railroad industry's ability to move huge volumes of goods over long distances is also its biggest enemy in Maine, where a dwindling manufacturing base means customers who need rail transport are becoming too few and too far between.

Shippers, manufacturers, consumers ride a delicate balance in Maine

The transportation industry, for the most part, operates behind the scenes to the point that most Mainers take it for granted. That does not mean any given product's journey was simple.

Alaska

GOP lawmakers seeks to curb collective bargaining GOP lawmaker seeks to curb collective bargaining rights The growing push to restrict the collective bargaining rights of government employees has reached the far-flung state of Alaska.

Florida

David Russ: Florida tops Wisconsin in union rights
Gainesville Sun
Section 6 of the Florida Constitution says "Right to work: The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor

Attacking collective bargaining by public employees is shortsighted
SILive.com
He trumpeted the line of attack being heard in Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey and elsewhere. Philosophically, conservatives see government as a barely necessary evil, viewing its workers' union voice with hostility. Labor sees gove…….