MO’ MONEY

MO’ GRANTS

MO’ PROBLEMS

MO’ TAXES

YOUR BENJAMINS!!!

882. Welcome to Blog 95 or as I like to call it, “Jim Paine’s Revenge For Jenny Tour” as he systematically ruins this city. Giving away taxpayers money like Tic Tacs on Halloween. It’s like a fire that can’t be extinguished.

FIRE MARSHALL JIM

This next story should convince you that Fire Marshall Jim Paine is not competent to be Mayor of this or any city or any other elected position anywhere for anything. Even you, Dee Dee “Flamingo Feathers” Fetters need to take notice. Here it is.

883. Mayor Paine, you’re kidding right? After overseeing and making a complete mess of the 2024 assessments that cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of tax dollars with your bogus appraisals, you are poised to repeat your absolute momentous debacle again in 2025? Oh and by the way Dee Dee, take note of this. It was Jim Paine who fired the assessor, it’s not like he quit. So when an elected leader or a CEO fires a top employee, it is their job to have the situation under control so the change can be as seamless as possible. Unless of course you are Jim Paine. And it would have been nice if “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson would have questioned Paine on this.

State law requires property assessments collectively be assessed within 90% to 110% of fair market value, the latter of which is determined by the state.



“There is some question about whether or not we are going to come in under compliance,” Mayor Jim Paine said. “So, we were not compliant as of the end of last year, which was our final year and therefore would trigger a reassessment.”

The city’s Human Resources Committee authorized filling the open assessor position on Monday, April 21 after approving an updated job description. However, the administrative delay in filling the position is not connected to the delay in completing the 2025 assessment roll, Paine said.

“If there is some adjustment that can be made prior to finalizing the roll, then I will... pursue that,” Payton said.

“There’s a very real possibility that it will come in compliant, but all that would mean is that we don’t have to do a full revaluation of all commercial and residential,” Paine said. “We would still be reevaluating a number of commercial properties.”

Paine said there is still the possibility that large commercial properties were valued too low.



“There’s still going to be a pretty aggressive effort on the large commercial properties,” Paine said, noting it does not include small retail properties.

887. This is about the fourth or fifth time that Paine has talked about raising taxes on commercial properties. Just one problem here. Jim Paine cannot just waive a wand and raise taxes. They must be assessed. I would even argue that based on him and his administration that commercial values have dropped, not increased. If I had a commercial property in Superior I would start doing my homework to fight the city because my gut tells me you are going to be hit with major tax increases like the residential taxes in 2024. Maybe even worse. If I was looking to buy or build commercial property, I would avoid Superior at all cost entirely. In fact I might seriously consider moving out of Superior. There are many other cities and states that would welcome your business more than this one. And he mentions “A pretty aggressive effort on the large commercial properties”. What exactly does that mean? I think you, our readers know. So, Paine is telling our largest employers that he is coming to send them a massive tax bomb right up their arses. Nice, real nice Jim “Job Killer” Paine.

Paine said that work will continue until the full assessment book for 2025 is done.

That full book includes all assessments citywide that will be reviewed by the Assessment Board of Review when it meets in September.



“I have been hopeful that as we raise the commercial values, that should offset a lot of those new, higher residential values,” Paine said.

888. Paine said: 

“I have been hopeful that as we raise the commercial values”

“As we raise”? It’s like it’s a done deal? I guess the new assessor, whoever that might be, gets it right or guess who’s getting fired next?

Paine said even if the city is required to conduct another full revaluation, he doesn’t anticipate the property values will change as dramatically as they did in 2024.

889. Tell me he didn’t just say that because that’s what he said last year and how did that work out for ya? Does Paine just have a short memory or does he think that you do?

Prior to the revaluation in 2024, the city’s overall assessed value was about 63% of fair market value, according to Department of Revenue data. The city first came out of compliance with state law in 2021 when assessments accounted for about 83% of fair market value.

“Once again, folks should challenge their assessments … if they think they could not sell their property for that amount,” Paine said. He said people would be required to provide information to support their claim, but he encouraged people to call the assessor’s office at 715-395-7222 to make an appointment.



“We will be going into another uncertain tax period with the school district, and we don’t know what will happen with the citywide assessments,” Paine said. “But just to be safe, at the very least, folks need to make sure their assessment is correct, and we absolutely need their help doing that.”

890. This is a mess. The biggest story and the biggest scandal coming from the city of Superior in 2024 and perhaps the past several years is poised to perhaps repeat itself in 2025. And all because of one man. Jim Paine. The most reckless, stupid, lazy and incompetent Mayor I have ever had the displeasure to live under. I really am running out of things to say. But the real question is how much more can the residents and businesses of Superior take from this guy? I would say nothing more. We will talk more on this on an upcoming Blog.

New regulations passed in April 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education included gender identity and sexual presentation in the definition of sex-based discrimination. On Jan. 9, a federal district court struck down the 2024 regulations and they are no longer effective.

The Title IX policy put in place in July was crafted under the 2024 regulations, so the district is moving back to the language used prior to the change. “A lot of work went into that. It’s frustrating, now we’re going backwards,” District Administrator Amy Starzecki told the board.



Jamie Wilson, director of food service, told board members that Coca-Cola will fund two $1,500 student scholarships for the next five years. The new scholarships were part of Coca-Cola's bid to continue providing beverage service at the high school. 

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Crystal Hintzman provided an update on work the district has done to comply with the state’s new reading law, Act 20. 

The law requires Wisconsin schools to shift to a phonics-based curriculum model known as 'the science of reading' for students in 4-year-old kindergarten through third grade and assess reading levels to achieve proficiency in reading before fourth grade. Staff development work began last spring in the Superior School District and assessment work has been going on behind the scenes, Hintzman said. 

It has been an unfunded mandate so far. The state has yet to release the $50 million allocated for the program to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction to provide support to districts to offset the cost of implementing Act 20, Hintzman said.

NEXT SCHOOL BOARD STORY

The 2% raise for 2025-26 had already been budgeted.

By Maria Lockwood April 16, 2025 at 1:50 PM

SUPERIOR — The Superior School Board approved across-the-board wage increases for the 2025-26 school year of 2%. The board voted Monday, April 14, to add 2% to the base step for teachers and support, professional and administration staff.

“To the entire school board, I want to thank you all for the commitment you’re making by investing in our teaching staff with next year’s raise," said Superior High School biology teacher Lee Sims. "It’s no secret that we’re in challenging financial times, with declining enrollment and lack of state funding for public schools.” A raise of anything less than inflation would be losing ground, Sims said, and the board’s decision shows that they value Superior teachers.

891. Excuse me Lee Sims, it was the taxpayers that gave you a raise not the school board. You also said: 

"It’s no secret that we’re in challenging financial times, with declining enrollment and lack of state funding for public schools.”

You are right Lee Sims. It is challenging financial times, for taxpayers and yes your enrollment is down. In my opinion no raises are deserved at this time. And I’ll tell you why here on the Blog.

Board members acknowledged that there are still some pay inequities regarding support and administration staff. “So we’re going to make an effort this summer to meet as the Personnel and Negotiations Committee, to look at all those groups and really comprehensively look at them and make sure they are more equitable going forward,” said board member Nick Olson. 



The cost of the salary increases will amount to a little over $314,000 for teachers, about $161,000 for support staff, nearly $25,000 for professional staff and nearly $51,000 for administration staff, according to the agenda. The increases had already been included in the district's budget.

In other business, the board: 



Approved overnight field trips for the Superior High School Spartan Spin class and for eighth grade science students to attend the Lake Superior Youth Symposium.

Approved handbook language to add two paid holidays — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr. Day — for professional and support staff.

TAXPAYER

892. What do our friends at Soupnutz.net have to say about all this. Lots.

April 2025 School Board Meeting Highlights: Budget Woes and Accountability Concerns

April 7, 2025 – School Board Meeting Recap

Subtitle: When $80 million doesn’t stretch far enough, but excuses still do.

A classic slow start—people can’t tell if they’re voting or just showing up. Half of them sounded like they wandered into the meeting looking for the free cookies.

• The much-hyped Four Corners and student updates? Postponed.
• One teacher was sick, so a bunch of reports got punted to next week.
• Overnight field trips? Approved. So hey, somebody gets out of town.

Now we get to the “fiscal fire drill” part of the show, where Business Manager David See takes the mic—and taxpayers take a deep breath.

“Your taxes are going to go up… unless the state saves us.”

Excuse me? You’re sitting on an $80 million dollar budget, shrinking student population, and still can’t make it work? Meanwhile, See’s solution? Blame Milwaukee, inflation, property values, the weather, probably Mercury in retrograde too.

Here’s what taxpayers are hearing loud and clear:

• “We’re broke.”
• “It’s not our fault.”
• “Give us more money or brace for cuts.”

Translation: We’re mismanaging funds, but we’ve prepared a very informative PowerPoint about why it’s not on us.

Frustration with See is reaching terminal levels. Many believe he’s no longer just a bearer of bad news—he is the bad news. Spreadsheets, vague justifications, and kicking the can have turned into a credibility crisis. The phrase “we’re fiscally responsible” is starting to sound more like satire than stewardship.

See laid out a financial horror show:

• Up to $1.5 million drop in equalization aid.
• Property values up? Taxes go up too—because logic is dead.
• Enrollment’s down, but hey—have more babies or shut up.

And the killer quote?

They’ve said this for years, and now voters are asking: Why hasn’t anything changed? Where’s the accountability? Where’s the innovation? Why is a district with more money than some third-world nations still shaking a tin cup?

Parents are burned out. Sports and clubs are nickel-and-diming families into oblivion.

• Kids are now part-time telemarketers.
• Fundraisers are relentless, redundant, and regressive.
• Some sports are running deficits—while the district still claims to be “fiscally responsible.”

Some minor handbook tweaks were discussed, mostly around teacher flexibility and whether principals get to own teachers’ time like a late-stage cult leader.



Oh, and they tossed staff two new holidays—the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and MLK Day—as if that’s gonna hush the growing discontent over compensation, workload, and insurance.

Thanks to legal flip-flops, the board now has to revert back to the 2020 Title IX rules. Tons of work down the drain, morale in the toilet.

Curriculum Director Crystal Hintzman updated the board on Act 20 compliance and literacy training. Teachers are doing the work. The state? Not paying a damn cent of the promised $50 million support fund.

Here’s the real talk:

• The district has an $80 million dollar budget and still can’t keep the lights on without begging.
• Teachers are grinding. Parents are paying. Kids are hustling.
• And David Seee keeps standing at the mic like a man allergic to solutions, saying, “Well, it’s complicated.”

Taxpayers are no longer amused. They’re organizing. They’re watching. And they’re asking the one question the board hasn’t answered:

893. Thanks again to Soupnutz.net for another great story. Here is my take.

NOT ANOTHER CENT, NICKEL, DIME, QUARTER OR DOLLAR. NO MO’ MONEY!



When you look at the chart above the city and county take in a combined $21,918,235.00 and the school district takes in $19,584,932.00. That’s almost 50-50. I don’t know about you but does it make sense that it would cost as much to run the schools than the city and county combined? 

894. I think it’s time that we get an outside forensic audit of the city, county and school district finances because this continuous call for more taxes has got to stop. 

1. How come every time I look at the news the schools are crying poor?
2. What happened to all the billions that schools got during COVID?
3. If you’re enrollment is down, why the need for more money?
4. Why does the US pay more to educate kids than any other country but only ranks 31st in the world?
5. Why are kids graduating that have problems reading, writing or even have problems breaking a dollar bill?
6. Why are kids graduating and have little to no work skills?

 FINAL THOUGHTS

895-Jim Paine has said many times in the last few months that the city did not collect more property taxes in 2024 than the previous year. Really? Then why are so many people complaining that their tax bills were so much higher than the previous year? If Paine is right, and I don’t believe him, then who got the money?

It should not be hard to find out. Why doesn’t he, the county and the school district get together and produce the total tax billings for 2023 and 2024 and then we can see who got what. That would be pretty easy to do. If they aren’t willing to do that, then all those who vote against it ought to be voted the hell out of office.



In fact until they produce those numbers and agree to an outside audit, all tax increases, raises, grants etc. should be frozen. It may seem a little radical but I think what they are doing is way more radical. You deserve transparency and accountability. It’s about time you get it. 

The vast majority of teachers (82%) say that the overall state of public K-12 education has gotten worse in the last five years. Only 5% say it’s gotten better, and 11% say it has gotten neither better nor worse according to the Pew Research Center. 

It's Wisconsin fishing opener! 

Governor Evers proposed a higher license fee for fisherman in this state budget. No trolling here, just casting that out there for everyone to know. 



Good luck today, fisherman! 

Craig Sutherland posted this on Saturday:

Every year, the city council votes on its committee appointees, and this year, one name stands out in the Metropolitan Interstate Council: former city councilor Van Sickle as the “Citizen Appointee.”

Let’s not forget that these citizen appointees are recommended by the mayor—who happens to be married to former councilor Van Sickle. If that’s not nepotism, I’m not sure what is!
Ask your city councilor to vote NO. Other notes: He has his staffer and another councilor(Ludwig) appointed as citizens.

JIM PAINE ENTERPRISES PRESENTS

895. True story. The day after Sarah Anderson beat Jenny van Sickle I said to my wife that Paine better not give her some kind of appointment or job in city government. I’ve seen this one too many times at all levels of politics by both parties and I absolutely hate it. It’s an insult to the voters.

JIMZILLA

JENZILLA

898. That’s it. Thanks for reading and see you next time on the Blog.