State Budget Hearings Have Concluded; Committee to Begin Voting
Soon
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) has concluded
public hearings on the budget, having taken public testimony on
hearings throughout the state. The committee co-chairs, Sens.
Russ Decker (D-Schofield) and Kitty Rhoades (R-Hudson), have
been conferring to schedule meetings and agenda for the
committee as it attempts to craft its version of the proposed
State Budget before referring the document for final action by
the full Legislature.
With the Republicans in the majority in the Assembly and the
Democrats in charge of the Senate, JFC, with eight members from
each house, is also comprised of eight members from each party.
Part of the negotiation prior to agreeing on the schedule and
agenda is to agree on which areas of the budget proposal will
start from the Governor’s proposal (requiring nine votes to
remove an item), and which areas will be treated as starting
from base (requiring nine votes to include an item).
The Legislature Has Returned for Floor Periods
on April 17 and April 24
The Assembly passed a proposed constitutional amendment (on
second consideration) that would require voters to present photo
ID at the polls on a 54-43 vote, with Dem Reps. Peggy Krusick of
Milwaukee, Andy Jorgensen of Ft. Atkinson, and Ann Hraychuck of
Balsam Lake voting with Republicans members.
Governor Doyle vetoed legislation adopted by the Republican
controlled legislature in each of the last two sessions. While
the Governor’s action is not required on a proposed
constitutional amendment, it is questionable if the Senate,
which is now under Democrat control, will support the proposed
amendment. If the Senate were to pass the proposed amendment,
without change, the measure would be presented to the electorate
to determine if the constitution should be amended.
Meanwhile, the state Senate adjourned yesterday day while a
motion was pending to pull legislation out of committee that
would end future sick leave benefits for elected public
officials. In other action, the Senate unanimously approved all
24 appointments on the agenda including former DOA Secretary
Marc Marotta as a member of the Bradley Center Sports and
Entertainment Corporation and the re-appointments of Corrections
Secretary Frank and DFI Secretary Keating Heinemann.
Both houses currently plan to meet again next Tuesday, April 24.
Legislative Audit Bureau Recommends Oversight for
State IT Projects
The Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB), in a report released this
week, recommends that the state create standards for planning
large, high-risk IT projects. The report was requested by
legislators following a string of stories on IT projects that
were abandoned, over budget or delayed. It says most problems
occur in the planning for complex, high-risk projects.
It tallied 184 IT projects from the fiscal years 2004-06 and
beginning of 2007 that will cost an expected $291.7 million.
The Lab also recommended that the state receive regular reports
from the largely independent University of Wisconsin System on
its projects. The LAB also says the Legislature should consider
reactivating the Joint Committee on Information Policy and
Technology along with the IT Management Board.
The LAB also found that the Department of Administration, which
has large oversight over executive branch projects, has focused
"on its own troubled e-mail and server consolidation projects."
See the report's highlights:
http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lab/reports/07-5highlights.htm
See the report: http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lab/reports/07-5full.pdf
State-Local Tax Burden at a Record High
Wisconsin taxpayers shoulder state-local tax burdens at 12.3
percent of income, according to a recent report prepared by the Tax Foundation. Overall, state and
local tax burdens will fully consume 11 percent of the nation's
income in 2007 - a new record. The previous high occurred in
2005 at 10.9 percent.
According to the report, this estimate of state-local tax
burdens at an all-time high comes at a time when personal and
corporate incomes have risen for almost four consecutive years.
Extension Requested for SeniorCare
The state has formally requested an extension to use federal
funds for the SeniorCare program through Dec. 31 as the state
looks for a replacement that "uses Medicare Part D as the
primary provider of prescription drug coverage" to Wisconsin
seniors.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week
formally denied the state's request for an extension of a waiver
that allows Wisconsin to use federal money to help fund the
program. The denial by DHSS was based on the state did not
provide information needed to fully evaluate the program and,
therefore, did not meet required cost saving measures.
In denying the request, the agency offered to extend the program
through the end of this year as Wisconsin seniors transition to
the federal prescription drug program.
Governor Doyle Formally Requests Six Month Extension of
SeniorCare, April 10, 2007
Letter requesting extension: Kevin Hayden,
secretary of the state Department of Health and Family
Services.
Senate Committee to Hear Testimony
The Senate Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term
Care and Privacy, will hold an information hearing on April 18
for invited speakers only.
Testimony will be taken relating to current Wisconsin programs
affecting seniors, including SeniorCare, Wisconsin’s Elderly
Benefit Specialist/Legal Assistance Program; and, Wisconsin’s
Volunteer Ombudsman Program.
Gov. Doyle Announces Energy Policy
Gov. Doyle recently announced new initiatives that are part of the his
plan to achieve the goal of “25 by 25” – getting 25 percent of
our electricity and 25 percent of our transportation fuels from
renewable sources by 2025.
Office of Energy Independence
Gov. Doyle signed an Executive Order creating the new Office of Energy
Independence to advance the Governor’s vision on energy policy
and promote the state’s bioindustry. The office will serve as a
single-point of contact for citizens, businesses, local units of
government and non-governmental organizations pursuing bio
development, energy efficiency and energy independence. The
office will also identify federal funding opportunities and
serve as the State Energy Office, working to maintain federal
designation and funding.
Task Force on Global Warming
Governor Doyle signed an Executive Order creating a Task Force on Global Warming that
will bring together a prominent and diverse group of key
Wisconsin business, industry, government, energy and environment
leaders to examine the effects of, and solutions to, global
warming in Wisconsin.
Credit-Trading System
To keep the cost of renewable energy down and to encourage more
development across the Midwest, the PSC is launching a market
driven regional effort with Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North
Dakota and the province of Manitoba to track and trade renewable
energy credits. The Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System
will help support and stimulate a trading market to help these
regional partners meet their renewable energy standards.
Jan Alf Appointed Interim Director of Forward Wisconsin
On July 9th, Jan Alf will celebrate her 20th year with Forward
Wisconsin, meaning that she has been with the organization for
all but two years of its existence. Last week the Forward Board
asked Jan to take over the reins of the organization as its
Interim Director.
Among other activities, Jan has served as President of the
Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) and has
chaired or co-chaired the Governor’s Conference on Economic
Development since 1997.
Craig Thompson to Head Transportation Development Association
Wisconsin Counties Association legislative director Craig
Thompson has been selected to become the Executive Director of
the Transportation Development Association (TDA).
Thompson has been with the Counties Association for almost 16
years and will be leaving to work at TDA on April 30. Thompson
will replace Bob Cook, who left the group late last year to
become vice president of governmental affairs for the
engineering firm HNTB.
Commerce Appointments
Aaron Olver and Chandra Miller Fienen have been appointed Deputy
Secretary and Executive Assistant at the Department of Commerce.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Secretary, Olver was Senior
Advisor to Gov. Jim Doyle. Olver served as the Executive
Assistant for the Department of Commerce from 2003 to 2006.
Before joining the Doyle administration, Olver was management
consultant with McKinsey and Company in Chicago, where his
practice focused on business development and growth strategy.
Olver earned a BA in Economics at UW-Madison, and completed
graduate study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford
University, Oxford, UK, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Miller Fienen comes to Commerce via a San Francisco law firm
where she practiced civil litigation. A Wisconsin native, Miller
Fienen graduated Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota and
earned her J.D. from the University of California School of Law.
For more information on legislation of interest to CTCW
members, go to the CTCW Tracking Report. |
