Wisconsin Democracy Campaign press release:
Wealthy special interests are blocking communities from tailoring laws that best fit the needs and wishes of their citizens because they contribute millions of dollars to state policymakers who concoct state laws that prohibit local decision-making to benefit big campaign contributors, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign report shows.

The report, "Gagging Democracy", highlights state laws and proposals introduced since 1999 to overrule actions by locally elected officials on smoking in bars and restaurants, workers’ wages, public land use, billboard removal, school start dates and other issues previously left for local governments to decide. The proposals were backed by business, manufacturing, tourism, construction and other wealthy special interests that felt they were hurt by decisions by local communities.

http://www.wisdc.org/pr080405.php