UP: State workers. Gov. Scott Walker proposes giving all state workers, including UW employees, a 1% raise in each of the next two years. Pending approval from a legislative committee this week, the pay hikes would go into effect Sunday. It would be the first raise in five years for most employees. State employees used to negotiate for raises through their unions, but 2011's Act 10 eliminated that ability.
DOWN: Madison Birth Center. The Middleton-based facility that provides a space for midwives to deliver babies announced last week it will close in November, after it failed to get the area's four HMOs to cover its services. Not enough women can pay for the delivery service out-of-pocket, a fee of almost $8,000.
