Changes

One of the Franklin Center's sites, the [[Wisconsin Reporter]], was launched in January, and it's articles have been featured in weekly newspapers across the state. In February, the outlet supported a poll that claimed 71% of Wisconsin residents thought Governor [[Scott Walker]]'s budget proposal to cut the collective bargaining rights of most of the state's public sector workers was 'fair.'<ref>Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. [http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=6d195a77b46a877ab2b3a62b1&id=aae9b36e46&e= BREAKING: Poll Shows 71% of Wiscosnites Think Walker's Budget Changes are "Fair]," organizational press release, February 24, 2011.</ref> The suspiciously high percentage caused some to question the source of the poll.<ref>[http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/group_pushing_the_group_behind_the_conservative_poll_of_walkers_budget_plan_wisconsin_poll_has_gop_ba.php The Conservative Group Behind The Poll of Walker's Budget Plan], ''Talking Points Memo'', accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> But a lot of local and national news outlets cited the poll without investigation, including MSNBC.<ref>Talking Points Memo TV, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMlyFVp3Kxg&feature=player_embedded MSNBC Pushes Right-Wing Wisconsin Poll], ''YouTube'', accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> Data from the poll of 500 likely voters was managed by Pulse Opinion Research, owned by Scott Rasmussen, a trustee of the [[Property and Environment Research Center]], which has ties to the [[Koch Brothers]] and [[Exxon Mobil]].<ref>American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, [http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=274486 Recipient: Property and Environment Research Center], ''Bridge Project'' profile, accessed June 2013.</ref> The Rasmussen Poll also released a poll that "showed 48% of American voters supported Walker, while just 38% supported the unions,” said Evan McMorris-Santoro writing for ''TPMuckracking''. “That poll was criticized for asking leading questions that seemed to point respondents toward opposing the unions.”<ref> Evan McMorris-Santoro, [http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/mysterious-conservative-poll-of-walkers-budget-plan-hits-wisconsin.php Mysterious Conservative Poll of Walker’s Budget Plan Hits Wisconsin], ''Talking Points Memo'', February 24, 2011.</ref>

==Recipients of Franklin Center Funding==