Highlights: Shenanigans in WI Supreme Court Election, Prosser goes up big; OH GOP positions to avoid referendum; MO GOP approves budget, prompting showdown with Schweitzer; Florida GOP move for deep cuts to healthcare and layoffs in public sector; Christie: ‘ teachers' union 'bullies and thugs' while pushing compensation limits; Working Texans up in arms about budget; Scrooge Alert here http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/

All Around

Where labor is weak, state workers face huge cutbacks
As the nation debates collective bargaining in Wisconsin, public workers in Alabama, Texas and many other states are fighting over massive pay cuts, huge increases in health premiums and basic civil service protections.

Wisconsin

WI: Corrected Brookfield tally puts Prosser ahead after 7,500-vote gain
In one explosive stroke Thursday, the clerk in a Republican stronghold tilted the tight Supreme Court race in favor of Justice David Prosser by recovering thousands of untallied votes for the incumbent.

High-profile lawyers retained for possible Supreme Court recount

With a recount of the tight Supreme Court race likely, the Prosser and Kloppenburg campaigns have hired legal counsel.

Wisconsin Officials Challenge Temporary Bar to Collective Bargaining Law
Bloomberg
By Andrew Harris and Marie Rohde - Fri Apr 08 04:01:01 GMT 2011 Wisconsin's Supreme Court was asked by state Attorney General JB Van Hollen to throw out a lower- court case in which a judge barred enforcement of a law limiting public workers' ability

Ohio

Part of SB 5 could go into budget bill

A movement might be brewing among top Republicans that could thwart a referendum on Senate Bill 5 well before Ohioans have a chance to vote on the controversial issue.

Indiana

Rally focuses on unions' positive impact
Terre Haute Tribune Star
“A lot of people don't even understand what collective bargaining really is,” he said, noting that many polled believe it to be exclusively limited to wages and benefits of union members. Breedlove said collective bargaining represents “civil rights”

Missouri

MO: Logjam over Missouri jobless benefits broken
A logjam holding up extended unemployment benefits broke Thursday when Senate Republicans crafted a compromise that aims to cut other federal stimulus spending to send Washington a message about the deficit.

Florida

Florida lawmakers plan for deep budget cuts and government worker layoffs

Florida's tough economy knifes through separate spending proposals approved Thursday by the Republican-led House and Senate, with deep cuts to schools, health and social programs used to cover an almost $3.8 billion budget shortfall.

House, Senate approve austere budgets

As the Senate and House adopted austere budgets marked by deep cuts in healthcare and schools Thursday, transplant surgery survivor Mary Ellen Ross had an urgent plea for lawmakers

Pennsylvania

Corbett tours Clairton plant, defends cuts...

LIST: 50 PA schools adopting wage freezes...

PHILLY TO CLOSE 50 SCHOOLS

Montana

MT: Republicans approve budget bill, setting up showdown with Schweitzer
Republicans on a key budget panel Thursday evening approved the session's major spending bill, setting up a showdown with Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who has promised to veto the bill in its current form

Republicans tout 10 bills they say create jobs

GOP legislative leaders said they are sending 10 pieces of legislation to the governor on Thursday that help deliver on their promise to create jobs — and at the same time borrowed a shtick from Gov. Brian Schweitzer and rolled out branding irons of their own

Michigan

Construction industry is safer in states without 'right-to-work ...
AnnArbor.com
The study's release comes as the national debate over right-to-work laws continues. In Lansing, at least one bill has been introduced to make Michigan a

New Hampshire

About 150 turn out to debate right-to-work legislation - Wednesday ...
Proponents and opponents of House Bill 474 disagreed whether the legislation would create more jobs and encourage companies to move to the state, ...

Texas

Thousands protest cuts, demand lawmakers find more revenue

Thousands of state workers, community activists and union members rallied Wednesday outside the Capitol to protest budget cuts.

New Jersey

NJ: Christie calls for teachers to be paid based on student and classroom performance, labels teachers' union 'bullies and thugs'
NEW YORK -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday called for public school teachers to be evaluated based equally on their classroom performance and student achievement and accused the state's largest teachers' union of being a group of "bullies and thugs."

Gov. Christie is 4th-highest paid governor in the United States

Gov. Chris Christie is the fourth highest paid governor in the nation, according to a report today by Stateline.

Alabama

Alabama Democrats ready to "rumble" to close corporate tax loopholes

Democrats in the House of Representatives this morning said large companies are using loopholes to avoid paying their taxes in Alabama, and those loopholes should be closed as a way to boost the state's ailing education budget.

Maine

Aroostook County Republicans set up fund to buy labor mural

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Republicans in northern Maine are raising money so the state can buy a disputed labor mural from the federal government.

Illinois

Union supporters rally in Gurnee for collective bargaining
Chicago Sun-Times
“We're trying to rally people to make sure our Legislature doesn't take away our collective bargaining rights,” said Lake County Federation of Teachers President Mike McGue. “This is a preemptive strike to forestall what happened in Wisconsin from