(Black and White Members Supported Free Access to City Resources)
Tomorrow Monday September 2, 2024, Labor Fest will take place after a one-year hiatus. This year, however, for the first time in many years, it will be held at a City Park – Penoyer Park. Nothing unusual there. What is unusual, is that the City of Kenosha payers will foot a big chunk of the bill.
The group, AFL-CIO is a democrat political action committee and many people believe that the City footing much of the bill is a conflict of interest at best, and illegal at worst. That’s because the AFL-CIO donates money and endorsed many of the candidates that supported the measure at the meeting.
Under the resolution that passed 9-6, the City will be providing, for free, the following:
● 40 Picnic Tables
● 40 Benches
● Fencing (Snow and/or Portable)
● 20 Garbage Carts
● 15 Recycling Carts
● The Pennoyer Park BandShell
● City Employee Labor To Move These Items
The cost to other nonprofits that have used the same park and same equipment? $1,125, says Alderman Eric Hauggard. The sponsor of the Resolution, Council President Jan Michalski, says that the AFL-CIO shouldn’t have to pay because Labor Fest is “beneficial to the city as a whole and this is a basically a national holiday.”
Aldermen LaMacchia and Hauggard seemed to spearhead the opposition, with LaMacchia saying, “If we do it for one, we got to do it for everybody. And you guys have no idea what can of worms are opening up. I was a union rep for 25 years so I have no problem with unions at all. The problem is we’re supposed to be fiscally smart with the city. We’re going to give a giveaway $1,100 I know it’s not a lot of money but you’re doing it for one – $1,100 $1,100 $1,100, $2,500 it adds up. Come on people!”
During the meeting, Aldermen Seil, Kennedy, and Pizzala all asked to be added to the resolution as co-sponsors. Alderman Holly Kangas spoke out against the City’s funding of the fee-waiver, but then voted in favor of it.
Curt Wilson, who is closely associated with Labor abstained, but was 100% in support of the subsidy. 16th District Alderman Dominick Ruffolo was excused, but said he would have voted for the waiver of the fees, saying that “next time, it should not be a city-sponsored event and they should pay the fee,” Ruffolo told KCE.
Rick Gallo, the president of the AFL-CIO was present at the meeting. Alderman McKay asked Gallo many pointed questions that Gallo ignored and skirted. For example, Gallo was asked how much money the event raised. “What we do is we take whatever profit we make from beer sales and put that into a separate fund that we use to to do certain political education endeavors on behalf of the council.” Beer sales, say one former Alderman, is the lion’s share of the fundraising at the event. “Mr. Gallo I think your actions are commendable. Your group is worthwhile. But I also would argue that there’s plenty of other organizations out there that benefit the community that aren’t taking any for themselves but are yet still being charged that fee so I believe that’s a bad precedent to set,” said Alderman Kelly McKay.
(File Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The hurdle for the Aldermen’s deliberations seemed to be the fact that the former and current mayor already promised Gallo that the City would be fully funding the event. Gallo said as much, voluntarily. Labor Day is a National federal holiday recognized across the country.
“Laborfest has been a city sponsored event for as long as I can remember,” Bogdala (R) told KCE. “It not only celebrates the contributions of labor, but also celebrates our employees. Today I have the honor of recognizing one of those employees as one of Labor Persons of the Year, Kelly Fonk one of our outstanding firefighters.”
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosah County Eye)
The local newspaper knew about this controversy but instead of asking tough questions or even writing about it, they wrote a fluff piece about the event. It was written by activist reporter Terry Flores.
You can watch the entire debate here:
36 Responses
Looking at the list of aldermen and mayor we can see why the city is turning into a DUMP!! Laborfest is as LEFT wing as it gets!
Dude… these are elected officials. Don’t like then vote. Otherwise STFU
Tool
Yeah bc voting is “fair” and “honest”
Dude… these are elected officials. Don’t like then vote. Otherwise STFU
I do vote!!! When crazy people vote for them because they have a D behind there name we are going down the tube.
Is that English, STFU? Not to mention “dude”- that’s always a classy word that reflects how bright one is.
Well, the board is a liberal majority so no real surprise.
How ignorant are these aldermen?
They aren’t ignorant at all, they are smart enough to buy votes with other people’s money.
Democrats celebrate laborfest while Republicans do the work.
BINGO!!!
Terry Flores is a horrible reporter.
She is not a horrible “reporter”. An actual “reporter” would REPORT the news. Flores is far-left stenographer for the democrat party.
And Terry if you actually read this, they have been, are, and will always be ILLEGAL ALIENS.
Labor day….A celebration of American jobs gone to China and now headed to Mexico with the union membership not even having a thousand bucks to pay thier own way.
Deadbeats.
No doubt Buffet Bob Wirch will be attending for a free lunch along with Tod Ohnstad and the ghost Rudy Kuzel.
So much Joy–Unburdened by what has been.
BWA HaHaHaHaHaHa. Hecho en Mexico BWA HaHaHaHaHa
Terry Flores should never be forgotten for the time she quoted
a guy for her story in the K. News that said his name was Phil McCracken.
Phil is real! He’s an electrician
Anybody that prefaces their comment with: “Basically.”
Is either lying, or they are making up an answer and are
simply buying time with filler words.
Pay attention to this in the future.
It will help you read people much better.
Strength Trough Joy… Have fun at your socialist event!
Does this mean that all the churches across the city should start paying property taxes? I mean after all they are conservative in nature and it would be a conflict of interest if they didn’t pay it… right? 😀
Conservative in nature? Haaa. Ok smiley!
Religion is for conservatives? That’s odd…(and makes total sense really).
Depends if you’re talking about Jesus or “Republican Jesus” – check out the memes – one feeds and heals the sick… The other requires a substantial co-pay and a drug test.
What about all the church festivals? They 100% should have to pay. Thinking park use and, more importantly, damage due to over use, OH… let’s not forget endless garbage pickup. Fare is fair, right?
Sincerely,
“OK 😃ly”
Fair, not fare.
Don’t forget to pay your dues!
File under ‘ya can’t make this stuff up……co-founder of the AFL-CIO and UAW…..
“Before joining the Democratic Party, (Walter) Reuther was a member of the Socialist Party of America. Although Reuther always denied it, some, including J. Edgar Hoover, have suspected that at one time he was a member of the Communist Party.” (wikipedia)
You say socialist like it’s a bad thing. Guy must take his own trash to the dump every week and shovel his snow to the center of the road every winter.
You live out in the country? Enjoying all that socialism roadwork where the ROI makes zero sense if consider what would pay in taxes to justify it.
Unfettered socialism, unfettered capitalism- both are bad. It’s a horse shoe. Both ideologies take you to same place – authoritarianism.
Really what would you expect ? A socialist organization being funded by elected socialist for a celebration . How far would the Brotherhood of Electrical workers get asking for a free city party ? Or perhaps the Teamsters ? Not far my guess . Bottom line our elected socialist know whom is buttering there communist bread . So nothing to see here folks. Just our elected officals kissing the ass of there buddies .
Oh you mean like churches not paying property taxes. Wonder what the losses revenue is for the ‘weekly celebrations’ of conservative values and indoctrination cost the tax payers every year? Going to guess in the millions – just in Kenosha.
I had fish fry with the butt-plumber Phil Macrackin and Bob Wirch(D) at VFW last weekend.
Ah the confluence of MAGA and socialism… How will the AMC/Chrysler trash respond to KCE attacking UAW getting special treatment from Kenosha’s version of the uniparty?
This is wrong on so many levels.
Not who the event is for but the fact that at anytime the city council can just decide to spend, or not charge money for whomever they want.
We put them in office to make decisions and be stewards of our money. Not to give it away because they can connect it to a holiday.
$1,125. ? That’s a mortgage payment for some !
They nickel and dime and dollar you for copies of documents you may need here and there to try to offset the cost of ink and paper. Why not give that away ?
By the way. Are those numbers even accurate ?
Isn’t any labor cost on a weekend not to mention a holiday Monday overtime ? Maybe even double or triple ?
The rules for items like this are set in stone and should not be circumvented at will. They should not be allowed to change the rules !!!
If the council has time to talk and vote on frivolous things like this then maybe they don’t have enough other things to do. And if that’s the case then why do we pay them so much ?
How did it turn out?
It was mostly peaceful.
Democrat = deadbeat. Makes total sense. I’m sure there are some illegalities present. Let’s see if someone can find them. Just because there is a majority vote doesn’t mean it’s a legal action.
I have no issues with Labor Fest per se but I do if it supports a political objective that separates it from being a purely civic function. Mr. Gallo’s comments establishes that it isn’t a purely civic function.