Thursday, July 21, 2005

Progressive Or Porkressive?

A life-long Republican businessman from Sturgeon Bay says he thinks Democratic Governor Jim Doyle's administration is good for Wisconsin. What he didn't say is that his company will probably be the beneficiary of $8 million worth of state business grants courtesy of Doyle's 2005-07 state budget.

"I've been a Republican all my life. I won't hesitate to say, this administration is good for Wisconsin. This is an administration that is progressive," Mike Kelsey, president of Palmer Johnson Yachts, told the Appleton Post-Crescent in a July 15 published report.

Last February, Doyle sent the Legislature a budget asking to spend $6 million to build a boat slip to be used by Palmer Johnson and Bay Shipbuilding Company. In addition, the governor wants to give Palmer Johnson $2 million to help it build a yacht construction facility. Both proposals sailed through the Republican-controlled Legislature and are waiting for final approval by Doyle with the rest of the budget.

There is no record Kelsey has made campaign contributions to a legislative or statewide candidate since 1993 but fellow executive William Parsons has contributed $1,555 - all to GOP candidates - since 1997.

Let's see what Doyle's 'porkressiveness' gets him down the line.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We should expect nothing other than what we are getting as long as cash is flowing into the campaign coffers. Whether Republican or Democrat we should hold their feet to the fire until we get 100% public funding of campaigns.

Anonymous said...

Palmer Johnson is a MAJOR employer in Sturgeon Bay. William Parsons, at the time this article was published, and long before, (about 2002) ceased to be involved with Palmer Johnson Boatbuilders.