http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/06/union-curbs-rescue-wisconsin-school-district

""This is a disaster," said Mark Miller, the Wisconsin Senate Democratic leader, in February after Republican Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget bill that would curtail the collective bargaining powers of some public employees. Miller predicted catastrophe if the bill were to become law — a charge repeated thousands of times by his fellow Democrats, union officials, and protesters in the streets.
Now the bill is law, and we have some very early evidence of how it is working. And for one beleaguered Wisconsin school district, it’s a godsend, not a disaster.

The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of 0,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that 0,000 deficit into a .5 million surplus. And it’s all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.

In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they’ll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated .2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.

Of course, Wisconsin unions had offered to make benefit concessions during the budget fight. Wouldn’t Kaukauna’s money problems have been solved if Walker had just accepted those concessions and not demanded cutbacks in collective bargaining powers?

"The monetary part of it is not the entire issue," says Arnoldussen, a political independent who won a spot on the board in a nonpartisan election. Indeed, some of the most important improvements in Kaukauna’s outlook are because of the new limits on collective bargaining.

In the past, Kaukauna’s agreement with the teachers union required the school district to purchase health insurance coverage from something called WEA Trust — a company created by the Wisconsin teachers union. "It was in the collective bargaining agreement that we could only negotiate with them," says Arnoldussen. "Well, you know what happens when you can only negotiate with one vendor." This year, WEA Trust told Kaukauna that it would face a significant increase in premiums.

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, ‘We can match the lowest bid,’" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Then there are work rules. "In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they’re going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes — from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students. Those changes would not have been possible without the much-maligned changes in collective bargaining.

Teachers’ salaries will stay "relatively the same," Arnoldussen says, except for higher pension and health care payments. (The top salary is around ,000 per year, with about ,000 in additional benefits, for 184 days of work per year — summers off.) Finally, the money saved will be used to hire a few more teachers and institute merit pay.

It is impossible to overstate how bitter and ugly the Wisconsin fight has been, and that bitterness and ugliness continues to this day with efforts to recall senators and an unseemly battle inside the state Supreme Court. But the new law is now a reality, and Gov. Walker recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the measure will gain acceptance "with every day, week and month that goes by that the world doesn’t fall apart."

In the Kaukauna schools, the world is not only not falling apart — it’s getting better."

I was most suprised that the teacher unions could force schools to only get insurance from a single company that the teacher unions c

My debts have been discharged in Chapter 7. However, a major electronics store has contacted me indicating they have a lien against a laptop computer purchased from their store (on a store credit card) and they want the property returned. Can this property be seized?

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I need some advice please… Should I leave my husband?
I have been married for almost 6 years. Im 24 and he is 26. We have two young daughters: 3 & 5. The whole time we have been married he has cheated, numerous of times and the worst part is once it was with my sister for 8 months. and the last time was last August a weekend fling and the other woman lied and claimed she was pregnant and wasnt… He also is very abusive, mental..physical..and verbal… mainly the verbal and thats practically an every day thing… calling me every name in the book… even at times infront of our children… I love him. but not inlove.. theres a huge difference… We married young and we have even talked about divorce several of times and that we would be better off as friends… but for some reason we keep holding on… We just moved from SDakota to FL in november and I am alone here with no family.. Just his… We are staying with his dad and its a night mare… I feel so unwanted. and as if Im an outcast… (im white and he is Jamaican) so a huge cultural difference there… His dad doesnt really like me and I can tell by his actions…

I cry every day almost because I want out and cant stand being mistreated.. I have an opportunity to leave without him knowing next month… but I need to wait til after we file bankruptcy.. (long story)

I have recently begun to talk to a guy I met 8 years ago… he recently divorced a year ago and also has 2 children same ages as mine… We want to be together and we have so much in common… He knows my circumstances and wants me out.. says its not a good situation for my kids and I.. and we both are developing feelings for each other… He is willing to fly down here from SD. and bring us back home… he says im a dream come true… and wants us to be a family and treat me with the respect that I and the kids deserve… and I trust him… The only thing that Im scared of is leaving… its a huge change… and I know Ill be happy and safer…. My whole family wants me back home because they have seen the bruises on me before.. and heard the stories… also my husband was in jail last year for choking me and beating up my 19 yr old brother…. my brother steped in as he was choking me… and it was a mess…

like I said I still love him at times… but its not inlove feelings… I look at my husband with anger and pain and 90% of me wants out… I need some advice PLEASE!!!!!!

Also like I said before Im waiting to file bankruptcy… we are in the process of foreclosure in SD. and have delinquent/charged off credit cards, and medical bills.. and a repoed car from January… He has messed up my life… If I knew I would be ok to wait and file bankruptcy at a later date I would leave ASAP… but I have a judgement against me on a medical bill… so I think the smart thing would be to stay here and wait it out til after bankruptcy….

I WANT TRUE ADVICE!!! and please no degrading me… I hear it everyday from him and cant take it anymore…. SO PLEASE HELP ME!

Sorry for being long.

I got married late in life. I was 34 and she was 27. We couldn’t have kids for some reason so we eventually adopted 4 kids. They are now 10, 8, 7, and 6. Things went pretty good in our marriage till we adopted the last 2 they are biological brother and sister. My ex never wanted to adopt them. She claims I forced her to adopt them. She found out she could still get money each month for these kids because they have emotional problems. She started to be I would say to the point of emotional abuse with them. She finally kicked me out of the house after a fight because I would not punish them the way she wanted them to be punished.

I moves in with my mother who was dying and took care of her till she died. I ended up started therapy and anti depressant. Paxill. It’s been 2 years now and the divorce is finally finalized. I inherited all the credit card debt ,000. My attorney cost me ,000. I still owe him ,000. I will haveto file for bankruptcy.

In the meantime. I work in a hospital my boss and I got into it he wanted me fired. I ended up switching departments and started working the graveyard shift. Part of the divorce I got the kids 35% of the time. My ex wanted me to have them only 10% so I got a pretty good time with them.

My ex still treats the youngest 2 different. Never hugs them or tells them they are loved which she does with the older 2. She also has told them to there face that the girl will be pregnant by the time she’s 15 and the boy will be in a group home by the time he’s 12.

I moved into a condominium 1/2 mile away from the kids. I am renting it. It’s the cheapest place in town. With rent, child support, utilities , phone and car payment(my credit is ruined can’t get another car). With that going out I have no money even for food. Easy solution would be get a second job. I am 17 months away from retiring from the hospital. Last week I was rushed to the emergency room with a perferated colon. Stayed in the hospital for 5 days. They may haveto operate when the colon heals. My ex wouldn’t bring the kids up to see me or give me a call. My boss is being very good to me. I have been calling into work 2-3 times a month for the last 2 months. She is moving me to the afternoon shift next week that way if I need time off work there are more people to cover. Right now I am still very weak I will probably haveto go back part time. There is no way right now to get a part time job. In the meantime I contacted my ex since my visitation hasto change she has agreed to only 1/2 the amount that I used to have with the kids. Meaning 78 hours a month less. I have my attorney helping me with that.

My kids are my entire life. I can’t cope when they are not with me. About a month ago I was to the point of suicide. I know I wouldn’t do it for the kids sake. They changed my depression meds to celexa now. My siblings are mad at me because they want me to let my ex take 100% custody. So I don’t even have them backing me up.

I have so much crap going on and whenever I say it can’t get worse it does. How can I stay above water and not sink. I am to my breaking point again.

Since Border’s just filed for bankruptcy and will be closing all it’s stores, would it be stupid to buy their eReader, the Kobo? I take it that the online bookstore would be close too, right? So after it’s shut down, I wouldn’t be able to put books on it any more?

I was seriously considering the Kobo touch.
That wasn’t the question…

I was listening to my recorded lecture, but I could not catch the word my professor was saying.
He said " A young lady filed Chapter13 by herself without an attorney. What is that called?"
There was the background noise and I his voice was blocked and I can not get the word.
Does anybody know the terminology for a person who is filing chapter 13 by herself?

I talked with the BR Atty. yesterday and he said my fee to the trustee could not be lowered due to what has been already done. He told me if I can’t pay the trustee the my case will be dismissed and all the creditors can come back after me, Now I have one year to go, Haven’t my creditors been paid? And what is the percent or chance they would come back after me if this is dismissed due to my financial situation at this time. Reason being the payments stopped my husband passed and he paid the trustee, little did I not know he didn’t for awhile when he was ill, the BR was filed in the state of California! Someone have some answers that went threw this and had to have thier case dismissed for certain reasons, the other option he gave me was to re-file chapter 7 to me that defeats the purpose plus I don’t have the income right now to even pay him to start a Chapter 7!

I filed chapter 13 bankruptcy 5 years ago. I finished it a year ago and was informed that private sallie mae loan was defaulted and turned over to Allied Interstate. I contacted them after my ch 13 was finished. Allied Interstate said that After I pay 3 months of payments that they can put me in the 0.01 percent interest payment plan since my loan has been charged off. This has never happened. After 6 months I would call Allied and they would tell me something like check next month. Now it has been 9 months, and Allied has told me that there is nothing that they can do, and the guy tried to get me to settle with them ,and find a loan somewhere.

Every time I call Sallie Mae, they transfer me to Allied Interstate. I have been making these payments on time for 0.00 and my loan total has been going up instead of down. What can I do?

I am a computer professional with 11 years experience, some college, some tech school, no degrees. After school, I was unemployed from late 2008-2010 because apparently we are in the throes of our 2nd great depression. Currently I work at the only job in my city that was willing to hire me; a gas station. I am a clerk dodging bullets on third shift, dealing with people writing their names on the bathroom wall in feces, and bringing home 240 bucks or less every two weeks. I was denied foodstamps and healthcare by the state of WI, so to survive during almost 2 years of unemployment before landing my gas station career I took out a credit card to buy food, gas, and outrageously priced cigarettes as I’ve been unable to quit (judge if you must). Currently I have racked up nearly 13,000 dollars of credit card debt. Each month I pay in 200 to one card, and 120 to another leaving just enough for rent… most of the time. (Not electric bill, food or other expenses). I have been applying to an average of 5 jobs per day only to be ignored time and again, and last week I gave up completely on looking for work, and have decided to enjoy my life a little rather than hanging out at a job center every day off. I own nothing. I have a beater ford escort from the early 90s that I purchased for 250 dollars cash, a matress, some sheets, and a couch I picked up off a corner. I also own a dartboard and a cheap handgun given to me by my girlfriend’s father (which I think about using daily). Not really worried about the repo man coming to call if you know what I mean. Since all the debt was used buying perishable goods, and since I can’t find work, I am thinking my best course of action would be to file chapter 7 bankruptcy so I can once again sleep at night, riding my bike in the summer, not working winters, and just stealing food to survive. Being white and having no children it’s more than obvious welfare won’t work for me. Just looking for some insight… maybe someone has some advice for me.
It’s my understanding they can only garnish wages in a chapter 13 bankruptcy, and even then, only on disposable income. Making just under 00 dollars a year, this just isn’t feasible to repay. It’s starting to look like this is my version of a government bailout…

So my bf is thinking about filing chapter 13. They said he won’t owe child support arrears as long as he pay 400 a month plus half of his taxes every year for 5 years. But he forgot to ask if he files will his children’s mother receive a check for everything owed. I told him most likely she will but I’m not sure. But I was just wondering would she actually get a check for what owed to the kids its a little more then14,000 plus interest which adds up to over 18,000. Thank you in advance BTW.

I can’t open bank account because I filed bankruptcy. The banks will not accept because of that. I have been looking for alternatives and while googling I found a thing known as "online account". They say that to open online checking account, i make opening deposit with credit card. Whatever I pay with credit card is my online bank balance. And that then they will mail me checkbook to my house. For depositing check, they said I should scan and email them the check I want to deposit. And that they will use those scans to process the deposit. They say they will also send visa check card through mail, and it can be used at any ATM. Is this scam or real? The online check account site says initial deposit must be 500 dollars using credit card or western union. Is this real or scam?
Also that I should scan and email copy of my social security and driver license for opening of account

OK here is my problem, I have so many bills that I cannot possibly pay all of them off. I have a ton of old medical bills from back before I had insurance, and I have some more current ones as well, I can’t afford to pay them. I’m pretty sure these bills would add up to probably over ,000 total. I had an auto repossession in 2003 which shows as a charge off for 00 something, I have 3 credit cards that are pretty much close to the limit if not at it already, totaling close to 00. I have an online store account that I owe 0 some dollars on. I have gotten myself in a bind, and I need advice from someone who has been there. I pay on all of the charge cards, the online store, my current truck payment, gas/and or upkeep, rent, insurance, household items, i chip in on utility payments, and groceries, phone bill, and whatever else comes up, and I just cannot afford to put out any more. My main question is what does it take to qualify for bankruptcy eligibility? I pay an auto loan, but the loan is in my fathers name since he got the truck for me, so that will not show as outgoing in my name, how do I get around that? I pay rent where I live, but it is to my boyfriend, so i have no proof per say on paper. Please help, I feel like I’m in a tunnel and I can’t get out. Serious answers only please.
If it would be better for you, you may email me, click on the email or send to johnson.april86@yahoo.com Thank you

did they? i heard from my friend but i cant find it any where online

My mother-in-law’s situation:

1) 72 years old. Single. 40 year old deadbeat son living in her spare bedroom.
2) Owns home with 0K loan balance on a realistic value of K. No other debt.
3) Her total income(social security + small pension) is about equal to her fixed costs (mortgage, tax, insurance, utilities)
4) She has been draining her small savings to pay for food, emergency repairs, uncovered medical expenses. That balance is approaching zero.
5) No assets other than household goods and an old car.

Desired outcome:
1) Get out of house and rent small apt with no room for son, lower rent, vs mortgage payment, close to daughter.
2) Get rid of car.
3) No need for decent credit other than to get apartment lease started. She’s never going to buy anything that would require credit.

Bottom line is she needs to lower her monthly fixed costs, get rid of parasitic son and move closer to my wife and I for logistical and financial help.

So my question is does she really need to declare Chapter 7 or can she just do a foreclosure and walk away? I believe a simple foreclosure is the best thing for her; simpler and less stress. Any other thoughts and things she needs to consider?

I’m looking at this as a simple process: 1) Rent apartment and start utilities. 2) Move. 3) Stop paying mortgage. 4) Deal with bank on foreclosure but I don’t really know what she has to lose by just ignoring them.

Thanks.

I am tired of collection companies and interest rates.What happens if you just don’t pay anything and just don´t go for Bankruptcy.?? Is it going to clear from my credit score one day or is it going to keep follow me after I die.???
Can you please someone explain to me?, what happens if you just do nothing. Is it end of the world.?
When you pay on time you are a good person, once you miss one payment you are in the Black List. Is it fair?
I don´t want to live according to some numbers anymore.
Am I not qualified to have anything I want because I don´t have a Good Credit Score.
Am I not qualified to live very simple life because I have a low numbers.
Who decides this?

My other house went to foreclosure and now the mortgage insurance company is suing me for 0,000. I don’t want to file for bankruptcy, but do I have to?

I have a homestead on my home. I’m retired and living on a pension and barely make ends meet (I know I will have to find a part-time job soon after the little bit of cash I have runs out). I don’t have anymore money in the bank except for my pension, no stocks, I took money from my life insurance policy which I already spent, no other properties, no jewelry, and I drive a 17-year old car. I do have money in my 401k and IRA, which people tell me they cannot touch. I know I can’t go to jail. What can they take from me or do to me, legally? Any advice is very much appreciated. Thanks.

a. can you file a chapter 13 if you are unemployed and receiving unemployment insurances.
b. what are New york exemptions
C. if i chose chapter 13 will I have to continue to pay interest on my unsecured debit?
d. does chapter 13 kill your credit score?

So my hubby and I joined a debt settlement company to help with our k debt. It was originally for 48 months, we have completed 18 months and payed off some debts already. So now I have been served with 2 summons from 2 of the debts. the debt settlement company tried to settle with them, but they want way more than we can afford) Has anyone been thru this? My options are go to the court date and see what judge decides I have to pay, pay the huge amount they want(which we can do for a couple months but then just default again) or do Chapter 13 bankruptcy. This is just awful because I feel we were on the right track paying off the debts and learning how tomdeal with credit. I live in Texas so they cannot garnish wages or have a lien on my home. They can only put a levy on our bank accounts, which we no longer have direct deposit and have minimum cash in there in order to avoid them taking everything by surprise. Any opinions?

I met with a lawyer today and he told me I couldn’t file Ch 7 because I had equity in my home, and couldn’t file a ch 13 because I couldn’t prove that I could make the monthly payments…………………. What!!!!!!!!!! Do I have any options?

I filed for Chapter 13 in Sept. 5, 2002 and the release date is Sept.5th. 2007. I will have overpaid my payments and want to know what the time period is for RECEIVING THE DISCHARGE LETTER IN THE MAIL?

I reside in Macomb, Michigan
I was told is was 4- months. Will a lawyer speed the process?