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As we reach the end of another year, we at The Hamilton Consulting Group (Jim Hough, Bob Fassbender, Pat Osborne, Andy Franken, Amy Boyer and Saralee Fassbender) extend our wishes to all of you for a happy holiday season! Since our Tidbits are Political, we extend a special thanks to our elected and other public officials who have chosen to dedicate their professional lives to public service. Agree or disagree, we respect the commitment and sacrifices that go with the dedication to help make our state and nation a better place to live and work. We look forward to participating with all of you in 2005 and beyond to further improve and enhance the laws and regulations that advance the positive climate of our great state.
| In this Issue |
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PSC, WE Energies Request High Court Hearing in Coal Plant Case
DOR Releases Major Study on Taxes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin on Honor Roll of Economic Development Report Card
Lawmakers Propose Changes to License Application Requirements
Kedzie Elected Assistant Senate Majority Leader
Governor Schedules State of the State for Jan. 12, 2005
Speaker Gard Announces Assembly Committee Structure & Committee Chair
Doyle Names Amy Kasper as Chief Legal Counsel
Federal Developments |
| Policy Developments |
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PSC, WE Energies Request High Court Hearing in Coal Plant Case
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has asked the state Supreme Court to bypass the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and review a recent Dane County Circuit Court decision on the approval of the Oak Creek power plants.
Citing concerns over reliability as well as significant increases in electricity rates, the PSC’s request includes a request for an expedited hearing. The court has ordered that responses to the motion and petition for bypass are due on or before December 27, 2004.
Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan ordered state regulators to redo the approval process because the utility failed to provide required cost and design information about new power transmission lines it will need to run the $2.15 billion plant in Oak Creek.
DOR Releases Major Study on Taxes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's overall system of state and local taxation is slightly progressive to proportional, according to a new Tax Incidence Study released by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. This means that lower income households tend to pay a slightly smaller share of their income in taxes than higher income households
Of the $15.1 billion in 2001 taxes studied, property taxes totaled the most, $6.3 billion; personal income taxes, $4.37 billion; sales taxes, $3.74 billion; corporate taxes, $472 million; and utility taxes, $235 million.
The last such study was in 1979.
Wisconsin on Honor Roll of Economic Development Report Card
According to a recently released study by the Center for Economic Development, Wisconsin’s economy has shown strong improvements in its human and infrastructure resources as well
as in the competitiveness of its existing businesses.
The study is the 18th annual report card by CFED, a nonprofit, Washington-based organization. To make it possible to see the "big picture," CFED has developed 68 measures organized into a three-index framework: Performance, Business Vitality, and Development Capacity.
Wisconsin received top grades in Performance due to short-term employment growth. The image is slightly sullied, though, when you see Wisconsin’s 49th-place ranking for mass layoffs.
Wisconsin earned a B in the Business Vitality index due to modest boosts in business closings and strength of traded sector. In the Development Capacity index, Wisconsin maintains a C.
Lawmakers Propose Changes to License Application Requirements
Legislation proposed by State Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-new Berlin, would require proof of legal residence before applicants could get a Wisconsin driver’s license. Wisconsin is one of only 10 states in the country that does not have such a requirement.
Citing a need to improve the country’s security, Gundrum points to the terrorists involved in the Sept. 11 attacks who had valid state drivers’ licenses. Gundrum said he has asked for his proposal to be drafted into legislation that he hopes to introduce once lawmakers reconvene in January.
State senator Mike Ellis is proposing similar legislation to make the Wisconsin driver’s license a more reliable identification document.
Ellis proposes the following changes in order to obtain a driver’s license:
§ Require U.S. citizens to provide a social security number
§ Persons without social security numbers may not simply sign an oath that they are not eligible for a social security number.
§ Allow issuance of a driver’s license to persons who are legally in the United States on a visa. The expiration date of the license would coincide with the expiration date of the visa. |
| Wisconsin Politics |
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Kedzie Elected Assistant Senate Majority Leader
Senate Republicans caucused earlier this week and elected Senator Neal Kedzie as Assistant Majority Leader to replace Senator Mary Lazich who recently resigned from that position, to which she had been elected only weeks earlier. Kedzie, a Republican from Elkhorn, was elected to the State Senate in 2002. He served in the State Assembly from 1997 until his election to the Senate. Senator Kedzie will also serve as Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural resources and Transportation for the 2005-06 session.
Governor Schedules State of the State for Jan. 12, 2005
Governor Doyle announced this morning that he has requested the Legislature schedule a special joint session for Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 to allow the Governor to present his State of the State Message. The January 12 date is a very early date for the State of the State. The Legislature’s schedule has not yet been set, although the first floor period days are not expected until the last full week in January.
Speaker Gard Announces Assembly Committee Structure & Committee Chair
Assembly Speaker John Gard has announced the Assembly committees and the majority party members who will hold the important and powerful position as chairs of the respective committees. The names of the other Republicans and Democrats, except for Joint Finance, have not as yet been announced. The Committees and the Chairs are:
Aging and Long Term Care: Rep. John Townsend.
Agriculture: Rep. Al Ott.
Budget Review: Rep. Samantha Kerkman.
Campaigns & Elections: Rep. Stephen Freese.
Children & Families: Rep. Steve Kestell.
Colleges and Universities: Rep. Rob Kreibich.
Corrections and the Courts: Rep. Garey Bies.
Criminal Justice and Homeland Security: Rep. Scott Suder.
Economic Development: Rep. Terry McCormick.
Education: Rep. Debi Towns.
Education Reform: Rep. Leah Vukmir.
Energy & Utilities: Rep. Phil Montgomery.
Family Law: Rep. Carol Owens.
Financial Institutions: Rep. Jean Hundertmark.
Forestry: Rep. Don Friske.
Government Operations and Spending Limits: Rep. Frank Lasee.
Health: Rep. Greg Underheim.
Highway Safety: Rep. Jerry Petrowski.
Housing: Rep. Steve Wieckert.
Insurance: Rep. Ann Nischke.
Joint Administrative Rules: Rep. Mark Gottlieb.
Joint Audit: Rep. Suzanne Jeskewitz.
Joint Finance: Rep. Dean Kaufert.
Joint Legislative Council: Rep. Steve Wieckert.
Joint Retirement: Rep. Dan Vrakas.
Judiciary: Rep. Mark Gundrum.
Labor: Rep. Steve Nass.
Medicaid Reform: Rep. Curt Gielow.
Military Affairs: Rep. Terry Musser.
Natural Resources: Rep. Scott Gunderson.
Property Rights and Land Management: Rep. Sheryl Albers.
Public Health: Rep. J. A. Hines.
Rural Affairs and Renewable Energy: Rep. Gene Hahn.
Rural Development: Rep. Mary Williams.
Rules: Rep. Mike Huebsch.
Small Business: Rep. Karl Van Roy.
Southeast Wisconsin Freeways: Rep. Mark Honadel.
State Affairs: Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald.
State-Federal Relations: Rep. Thomas Lothian.
Tourism: Rep. Mark Pettis.
Transportation: Rep. John Ainsworth.
Urban & Local Affairs: Rep. Dan LeMahieu.
Veterans Affairs: Rep. Gabe Loeffelholtz.
Ways and Means: Rep. Jeff Wood.
Workforce Development: Rep. Judy Krawczyk.
Doyle Names Amy Kasper as Chief Legal Counsel
Governor Jim Doyle has named Amy Kasper as his Chief Legal Counsel. Kasper previously served as Assistant Legal Counsel in the Governor’s Office, and is replacing Stan Davis, who has been Chief Legal Counsel since January 2003 and who is leaving to join the law firm of Quarles & Brady. Kasper began her new duties on Dec. 14. |
| Federal Developments |
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Federal Appropriations Bill Signed
Congress recently passed an omnibus bill that will provide government funding for fiscal year 2005. The $388 billion omnibus package ties together FY 05 funding for nine government departments and many federal agencies.
President Bush succeeded in his drive to keep the overall 2005 appropriations budget to about $822 billion (excluding emergency supplemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) with the resulting bill representing one of the leanest budgets for domestic departments in many years. Although a few agencies, such as Amtrak and NASA, were spared cuts, negotiators required every other discretionary program funded in the omnibus to be shaved by 0.75 percent. As a result, even programs whose budgets were frozen will get less money. The leaner budget, though, will still allow a seven percent increase for the Pentagon and a nine percent increase for the Department of Homeland Security.
Report: Wisconsin Scores in Middle for Bioterrorism Preparedness
Over two-thirds of states and the District of Columbia achieved a score of six or less out of the 10 possible indicators on a recently released study (exec. summary pdf doc) (complete report, 72 pg. pdf doc) examining our nation’s ability to respond to public health emergencies. Wisconsin is one of 20 states to receive a six out of 10.
Some specific observations relating to Wisconsin:
· The state has sufficient lab response capabilities for a bioterrorism threat, but not for a chemical terrorism threat;
· Wisconsin is not one of one-third of states that electronically tracks disease outbreak information by national standards.
· Wisconsin has a publicly available plan for a flu pandemic;
During a news conference announcing his resignation earlier this month, departing HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson highlighted the importance of bioterrorism preparedness issues. |
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CTCW Political Tidbits is a 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.ctcw.org/form-subscribe-tidbits.html.
To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.ctcw.org/form-unsubscribe-tidbits.html.
© 2004 The Hamilton Consulting Group |
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For further information on these initiatives, contact Jim Hough at The Hamilton Consulting Group.
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In the News |
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State's job recovery humming along nicely: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 17, 2004.
Growth rate of state economy in 2003 just above national average: Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 16, 2004.
Keep import tax, Doyle tells U.S.: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 16, 2004.
State spreads tax burden: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 16, 2004.
Wisconsin shouldn’t license illegal immigration (opinion): Appleton Post-Crescent, Dec. 16, 2004.
Panel OKs pact to broadcast Capitol proceedings: Appleton Post-Crescent, Dec. 16, 2004.
Coal-plant case taken directly to high court: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 16, 2004.
Power line crosses scenic river hurdle: Wausau Daily Herald, Dec. 16, 2004.
Electricity demand spikes: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 16, 2004.
Study Backs Regional Rail: Madison Capital Times, Dec. 15, 2004.
Unclogging those fuel clogs (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 14, 2004.
Bush Taps EPA Chief As Health Secretary: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 13, 2004.
Homeowners carry heavier tax load: Baraboo News Herald, Dec. 12, 2004.
Commerce chief to leave agency: Appleton Post-Crescent, Dec. 11, 2004.
Nettles leaving state job: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 11, 2004.
Fuel quality declining, auto industry asserts: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 11, 2004.
State Should Get More From Casinos, Lawmakers Say: Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 11, 2004.
Make Wisconsin Entrepreneur-friendly Wisconsin (opinion): Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 9, 2004.
Manufacturers to receive development grants: Racine Journal Times, Dec. 9, 2004.
DNR grants review of air permit for Weston power plant: Janesville Gazette, Dec. 9, 2004.
Board passes DNR job cuts, higher fees: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 9, 2004.
Should Wisconsin develop a tollway system of its own? (opinion): Racine Journal Times, Dec. 9, 2004.
Study praises state's climate for small businesses: Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 8, 2004.
Former state governor will keep options open: Appleton Post-Crescent, Dec. 4, 2004.
The Thompson tenure (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 4, 2004.
Thompson resigns Cabinet post: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 4, 2004.
Cowles keeps role in Senate leadership: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Dec. 6, 2004.
Appeal Oak Creek ruling (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 6, 2004.
Sensenbrenner driven by driver's-license issue: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 5, 2004.
Two Rivers is proactive in sale of plant (opinion): Manitowoc Herald times, Dec. 5, 2004.
Plan to build turbines two miles from Horicon Marsh needs study (opinion): Fond du Lac Reporter, Dec. 3, 2004. |
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