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State increases tax auditors — and corporate tax collections

Despite COVID-19’s severe economic impact, state corporate tax collections remained strong in the most recent fiscal year, rising 20.2%. Normally among the first revenues to decline in a recession, corporate taxes have been an unusual bright spot during the current downturn, and an enhanced state audit initiative may help explain why.

Peter Kwong

Open your heart, and hear the music

There’s music everywhere; open your heart, and you can hear it. Come share the joy, and feel how others feel; may it be sadness, hurt, happiness, whatever; let music fill our hearts and help us enjoy life, one day at a time.

Your Right to Know: State should name schools with COVID-19 cases

The state Department of Health Services has said it finds “no public health value in releasing the names of the school districts with active cases of COVID-19.” Meanwhile, other states across the country are releasing this exact same data in the interest of public health.

In a recent column for the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Coalition, journalist and council member Jonathan Anderson urges state health officials to make the names of all schools with COVID-19 cases public. The column is available for publication by WNA members.

Editor Emily Massingill leaves The Monroe Times

After three years in what she described as her “dream job,” Emily Massingill on Friday worked her last day as editor of The Monroe Times.

She announced her departure and said goodbye to readers in a column Saturday. Massingill did not specify what was next for her, but called leaving the Times “one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in my career.”

covid 19 restrictions, masks, evers

Poll: Do you support increased COVID-19 restrictions?

A new poll question about whether readers support Gov. Tony Evers’ recent actions to increase COVID-19 restrictions is now available to be used by WNA members.

Results from our previous poll question about whether readers will continue to watch the presidential debates are also available. The data is made possible through a partnership with Polco that aims to help members better engage readers and access enhanced data and insights.

Call me Lord Christian

I’ve been called many things over the years, and now I can add a title to my name that would have made those callers’ heads explode — Lord. Yes, I have been officially proclaimed Lord Christian Hardie because I am a Scottish landowner.

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A look at how cities are reimbursed for state facilities

As local officials throughout Wisconsin ramp up work on annual budgets for their communities, they face the largest gap on record between costs they incur providing services to state facilities and the reimbursement they receive from the state for these services.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association