Business Taxation – Our experience covers the gamut of tax issues that impact business and economic development in Wisconsin. Over the years, we have joined forces with other state-wide organizations and entities to defeat many tax initiatives, including efforts to:

We also have been engaged in debates relating to capital gains, venture capital, job training and employment tax incentives, as well as specific proposals relating to workers compensation and unemployment compensation taxes.

Civil Justice Reform – For close to 20 years, we have represented the Wisconsin Coalition for Civil Justice, a broad based coalition involved in civil justice reform, and the Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, a statewide organization of lawyers involved in the defense of civil litigation. Working with these and other groups, we helped in passing sweeping civil justice reform, including:

Economic Development – We have over 20 years of experience on economic development issues, including tax incentives, job retention, worker training, land use and energy issues. While policies get that create, expand and retain businesses and jobs get broad-based support, developing solutions that make it happen requires experience and diligence. We’ve held executive positions within Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and have represented the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) for over 20 years. Recent economic development successes include:

Education – Education, both K-12 and higher education, is critical to the business climate in Wisconsin. Whether from the standpoint of fair and equitable taxation, to providing the proper skills and training for a high quality workforce, we have the expertise, knowledge and contacts to advise and represent business and education interests. We’ve held key staff positions on the legislature’s education committees, and have assisted in the development of what is now known as the Sage program.

Energy – Energy policy has become an increasingly important debate in Wisconsin, dominated by concerns over the reliability of our generation and transmission infrastructure. We have worked on landmark energy legislation over the years on behalf of utility, industrial and economic development clients. Specific initiatives include:

In addition to legislative initiatives, we represent clients before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.

Environment – Sound environmental policy is a top priority for our industrial and utility clients. Our economic development and civil justice clients also have a keen interest on aspects of these debates. We have governmental experience on important programs such as the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund, and extensive private practice experience in environmental engineering and law. These unique qualifications allow us to take a leading role in developing and negotiating workable solutions to often vexing environmental problems. A sampling of some of these efforts includes:

Federal Issues – We have solid personal and professional relations with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation and have fostered those relationships over the years to the benefit of the firm’s clients. More and more, our clients depend on us to successfully lobby our U.S. Senators and Representatives on national issues, as well as Wisconsin - specific issues. These efforts included placing op-ed pieces on federal legislation from business leaders in statewide newspapers, obtaining letters to our congressional delegation by Wisconsin legislative leaders and associations, developing advocacy pieces such as Web pages for business groups, and related grassroots efforts. Examples of federal issues experience include:

Financial Services – We have been involved in issues relating to financial services and institutions for more than 20 years. The majority of our focus has involved issues relating to mortgage lending. We were actively involved in the development of legislation to regulate mortgage bankers and mortgage brokers, as well as legislation involving mortgage lending practices, privacy issues, usury, property liens, assessment and payment of property taxes.

Health Care – Our health care experience covers a full spectrum of heath care issues. We are actively involved in issues relating to medical assistance programs and funding, health insurance plans and regulations, and core Wisconsin programs such as BadgerCare and Health Insurance Risk Sharing Program (HIRSP).

Insurance – Wisconsin is home to many national leaders in the insurance business, and as such leads the nation in both market and product innovation and policy development. Our team has worked, in both our public and private capacities, on all major insurance issues over the past decade and a half. In addition to legislative activity, The Hamilton Consulting Group has had extensive interaction with the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Examples of insurance activity include:

Transportation – We have been involved in transportation issues for over 20 years, and work with important transportation stakeholders groups that focus on funding priorities and sources for transportation infrastructure. These clients and allied groups include the Wisconsin Highway Users Coalition, the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association and Wisconsin Women in Transportation. We are also involved in several transportation advisory committees such as the State Rail Plan, State Highway Plan 2020, and the Transportation Finance Study Committee.