| |
While the Wisconsin Legislature
is not currently in session debating major
public policy issues, there is significant
buzz and activity in and around the Capitol.
Both Houses of the Legislature and the
Administration are involved in obtaining
public input, research and drafting in
anticipation of a very busy and active
fall session with additional public hearings
and floor debate scheduled for September,
October and November. As we have frequently
reported, the focus of our elected officials
is economic development and job creation.
While attraction of new businesses to
our state is always a goal, the main focus
of the upcoming session is the retention
and expansion of existing Wisconsin businesses.
Among other things, expect action on regulatory
reform, capital investment, Tax Incremental
Financing, tax credits and other incentives
and civil justice.
On the federal level, transportation
appropriations bills in both Houses of
Congress are receiving much attention
and various items are being released regarding
dollars that are being proposed to be
returned to Wisconsin. We will continue
to monitor and report as these authorization
bills work their way through Congress.
| Wisconsin Politics and Policy |
 |
| GM Facility Moves to Wisconsin
On Wednesday, September 5, Governor
Doyle announced
that General Motors Service and
Parts Operations will build a
new Parts Distribution Center
(PDC) in Hudson, Wisconsin. The
announcement was made at a groundbreaking
ceremony in Hudson. The state
has agreed to provide $1.15 million
in grants to assist the project,
including an $850,000 major economic
development grant to the City
of Hudson, and a $300,000 customized
training grant to train new employees
on the new equipment. The new
facility will replace the existing
PDC in Edina, Minnesota. The facility
will handle automotive replacement
parts shipments to more than 500
GM North Central Region Dealerships
in seven states. Construction
of the plant is expected to be
completed by fall 2004.
Wisconsin Legislators
Kick-Off B.L.O.O.D. Coalition
At a September 2 press conference
during the Capitol Blood Drive,
a bipartisan group of Wisconsin
Legislators announced the formation
of a new Coalition known as Bipartisan
Legislators Organized for Outreach
to Donors, or B.L.O.O.D. The Legislators,
from across Wisconsin, joined
together in an effort to help
improve the nation’s blood supply.
The Coalition intends to educate
citizens on the importance of
giving blood, increase constituent
awareness of blood-giving opportunities,
and increase blood donor levels
in Wisconsin. Coalition members
are listed in the American Red
Cross press
release, issued August
27, 2003.
Product Liability Legislation
Gets Hearing
On Thursday, September 11, an
initiative to change Products
Liability law in Wisconsin will
get a public hearing before the
Assembly Judiciary Committee.
(The hearing is scheduled for
10:30 a.m. in room 225 Northwest.)
The legislation, including AB 317
and its Senate companion bill
SB 126,
would alter existing products
liability law in Wisconsin in
several important ways. For details
and analysis of the proposed legislation,
see The Hamilton Consulting Group’s
Update
on this issue.
Building the New Wisconsin
Economy
The state of the state’s economy,
in addition to attracting recent
surges of attention from both
the Wisconsin Legislature and
the Governor’s office, has also
prompted other significant initiatives.
Recently, representatives from
Wisconsin’s news media, economic
development, academic, business,
and labor communities joined together
to create Building The New
Wisconsin Economy (BNWE),
a group committed to keeping citizens
informed on upcoming economy-building
initiatives, and provoking citizen
discussions on the state’s economy.
As part of its two year commitment
to participate in building the
new Wisconsin economy, BNWE will
begin holding forums (seven total)
across the state over the next
15 months. The first forum is
scheduled for September 16 in
Wausau, and will provide an overview
of the primary areas that affect
economic development, including:
people, business, capital, infrastructure,
and institutions. For further
information on BNWE, including
membership profiles, upcoming
forum dates, and other background
information, go to the BNWE web
site at http://bnwe.info.
Election Reform Initiatives
Get Hearing
On Wednesday, September 10, the
Senate Committee on Education,
Ethics and Elections will hold
a public hearing to address several
bills relating to Wisconsin state
election reform. Among the bills
to be heard by the Committee that
day are: SB 76,
relating to mailing, transmittal,
and witnessing of absentee ballots;
SB 79,
relating
to filing of financial statements
by candidates and personal campaign
committees; SB 81,
relating to residency of certain
election officials; AB 116,
relating to use of moneys
from the Wisconsin election campaign
fund to make certain false representations;
AB 119,
relating to reporting of information
by nonresident registrants under
the campaign finance law; AB 120,
relating to notice regarding ineligibility
to vote; AB 121,
relating to recruitment, training,
certification, and compensation
of election officials; AB 141,
relating to the eligibility of
employees of cities, villages,
towns, and counties to be candidates
for elective public office; AB 175,
relating to mailing, transmittal,
and witnessing of absentee ballots.
Wisconsin’s Chief Justice
to Lead Nation’s Chief Justices
On Wednesday, September 3, the
Wisconsin Supreme Court announced
that its Chief Justice, Shirley
S. Abrahamson, has been elected
to a one-year term as President
of the national Conference of
Chief Justices; her term will
begin in August 2004. The national
Conference of Chief Justices is
an organization composed of top
judicial officers from the 50
states and additional U.S. territories.
The Conference is a forum for
its members to share information,
develop educational programs,
and learn about initiatives from
other states. Chief Justice Abrahamson
has served on the seven-person
Wisconsin Supreme Court since
1976, and has been Chief Justice
since 1996. |
| Federal Developments |
|
| No
federal news this week. |
| Upcoming Fundraisers |
|
| Saturday, September 6,
2003:
Sunday, September 7, 2003:
Monday, September 8, 2003:
Tuesday, September 9,
2003:
-
State Rep. Dean Kaufert
(R-Neenah), 5:00 p.m., Neenah,
WI
-
Wis. Ct. of Appeals
Judge Charles Schudson, 5:00
p.m., Milwaukee, WI
Wednesday, September 10,
2003:
-
State Sen. Tom Reynolds
(R-West Allis), 5:30 p.m.,
West Allis, WI
-
State Sen. Majority
Leader Mary Panzer (R-West
Bend), 5:00 p.m., Milwaukee,
WI
-
State Sen. Dave Hansen
(D-Green Bay), 5:30 p.m.,
Green Bay, WI
|
CTCW Political
Tidbits is a weekly newsletter on
Wisconsin political and policy developments
prepared for CTCW members by The Hamilton Consulting
Group. Employees of CTCW member organizations
can subscribe at: http://www.hamilton-consulting.com/wmba/form-subscribe-tidbits.html.
To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.hamilton-consulting.com/wmba/form-unsubscribe-tidbits.html
© 2003 The Hamilton
Consulting Group |
|
|
Tidbits Links
| Subscribe
Unsubscribe
Tidbits Archives
Current
Edition
|
| For Further Information |
|
For
further information on
these initiatives, contact
Jim Hough at
The Hamilton Consulting
Group.
|
In the News |
|
| SeniorCare
renewal running smoothly after
initial confusion: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Sept. 5, 2003.
Environmental
groups oppose utility pollution
pact: Appleton Post-Crescent,
Sept. 5, 2003.
Power plant
settlement challenged: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Sept. 5, 2003.
Doyle agrees
to another tribal gambling deal:
Janesville Gazette, Sept. 4, 2003.
Bill
seeks Internet ID protection:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Sept.
5, 2003.
Government
relief is a key to growth (opinion):
Wisconsin State Journal, Sept.
4, 2003.
Build
basic services to promote growth
(opinion): Wisconsin State
Journal, Sept. 3, 2003.
State
tax revenues just miss: Appleton
Post-Crescent, Sept. 3, 2003.
Environmental
groups oppose utility pollution
pact: Appleton Post-Crescent,
Sept. 5, 2003.
Power plant
settlement challenged: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Sept. 5, 2003.
Opponents
of gas price law renew push for
repeal: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Sept. 1, 2003.
Legal
challenge needed to block Clean
Air attack (opinion): Racine
Journal Times, Sept. 2, 2003.
Recycling
urged for construction waste:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Aug.
30, 2003.
Traffic
stops can save lives: Wisconsin
Rapids Daily Tribune, Sept. 2,
2003.
Effect
of tougher drunken driving standard
debated: Wausau Daily Herald,
Sept. 1, 2003.
Officials
hope tighter standard cuts drunken
driving in state: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Aug. 31, 200.
State
keeping eyes on gaming tables:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept.
2, 2003.
Brainy
plan will build economy (opinion):
Wisconsin State Journal, Sept.
2, 2003.
Economic
forums designed for public:
Wausau Daily Herald, Sept. 2,
2003.
State
losing jobs as slump goes on:
Wausau Daily Herald, Aug. 31,
2003.
Region
plays on power in numbers:
Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune,
Aug. 30, 2003. |
|
|
