Week in Review: All Politics is Local

The axiom "all politics is local" was illustrated this week on Brookfield Patch and other southeast Wisconsin Patch.com sites, as the political drama in the state Capitol was debated at a Brookfield Town Hall meeting, Elmbrook School Board meeting, Waukesha County election forum, and dinner tables and office cubicles across Brookfield.

Here's a look back at some of this week's stories on Brookfield Patch:

Sunday: At a Town Hall meeting in Brookfield, state to collective bargaining and school funding. But the meeting was civil compared to one the following night in Wauwatosa, where host U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner abruptly ended the meeting after the crowd angrily interrupted and jeered Vukmir. Vukmir told Fox News she believed the meeting was hijacked by an orchestrated "mob." 

Monday:  areas at city restaurants located near residential neighborhoods, city plan commissioners recommended Monday. On the lighter side, Brookfield Patch had a at the Brookfield Public Library to celebrate the author's birthday. 

Tuesday:  Tuesday as state lawmakers granted the Town of Brookfield a rare opportunity to create a tax incremental financing district. Mayor Steve Ponto said the new complex will "poach" existing city tenants and Von Maur should be built at Brookfield Square mall, but Boston Store opposed that move.

The Elmbrook School Board learned the for the 2011-12 school year, even with pension and health savings from the governor's budget repair bill. 

Wednesday: Can't make a city meeting but want to see what happened? at their convenience. City Clerk Kristine Schmidt posted the first meeting online Tuesday.

Capitol votes Wednesday and Thursday: The state Senate set off a firestorm of protest as it as part of a budget repair bill passed without the 14 Democrats who fled the state for three weeks. The Senate's 18-1 vote included aye votes from Brookfield's senators, Leah Vukmir and Rich Zipperer. The next day, , with Brookfield's representatives Paul Farrow and Dale Kooyenga voting aye, to adopt the bill that also requires public employees in the Wisconsin Retirement System to pay 5.8 percent toward their pensions. 

The Elmbrook teachers union said, but the superintendent said teachers would still have input in decisions. they supported the changes. The . 

Patch had three reporters at the Capitol, who compiled  and . 

Thursday: The April 5 state Supreme Court election is garnering more attention amid the state budget controversies. On Thursday night, incumbent and other issues. The election forum also included a , with Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Lloyd Carter and incumbent Circuit Judge Kathleen Stilling touting their differing expertise. 

Friday: , an eighth-grader at Pilgrim Park Middle School. Emma manages to pull down A grades while earning a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, playing softball for the Pride of the Midwest and volunteering at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Saturday:  this week — showing why middle school , that will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Brookfield East High School's cafeteria. Also, the Brookfield Central Saturday over Greater Metro Conference rival West Allis Central in a nail-biting . It's now on to Milwaukee Pius XI, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 1, at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Have a great week, everyone.