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Feb. 4, 2005
Policy Developments
Property Tax
Freeze Bill Advances
At a public hearing Feb. 1 on the property tax bill [AB
58,
SB 28], a proposal would freeze local property taxes for three
years, limiting municipal levy increases to the full amount of new
construction. It will also allow technical colleges and school
districts to increase their levies by 2.6 percent each year, which
is the statewide average growth in new construction.
The Joint Finance Committee
approved the plan 12-4, Republicans for the limits and Democrats against
them, after amending it slightly to make the limits more strict than the
original proposal.
The plan would have to pass
both houses of the Legislature and be signed by the governor to become law.
Committee Hears Debate on
Voter I.D.
Assembly Bill 63 would require
Wisconsin’s voters to present a valid photo I.D. when registering or
voting. State. Rep. Jeff Stone, one of the bill's main sponsors, said
Wisconsin voters want to
know "that we have fair, accurate elections."
The Assembly's Committee on
Campaigns and Elections heard testimony at a hearing on Thursday in a packed
room at the Capitol. Supporters raised concerns that the current system is
open to fraud, but opponents say the new requirement would disenfranchise
voters.
Under the proposal released
Monday, voters would have to present a valid identification card issued by
the military or the state or a Wisconsin driver's license before casting a
ballot or registering on Election Day. Under the bill, those who could not
afford the $9 state-issued ID card would get one for free.
Ethanol Bill Prompts Six Hour Hearing
On Feb. 3, the Assembly Agriculture Committee held a six hour hearing on
ethanol. The topic for the sometimes lively hearing was Assembly Bill 15,
which would mandate that automotive gasoline contain about 10 percent
ethanol. There would be an exception for fuel at airports, marinas and
racetracks.
Generally, the ethanol industry and farm community
supported the bill, with petroleum and other business groups testifying in
opposition.
An emerging issue vetted at the hearing was that
increased emissions associated with ethanol may impact
Wisconsin’s
attempt to reach ozone attainment. Tom Darlington highlighted the
preliminary findings of a study
by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
That study, which
Darlington’s firm authored,
found that blending conventional fuel with 10 percent ethanol, as would be
required under AB 15, will substantially increase emissions of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). VOCs and NOx form
ozone and are the primary targets for controlling ozone in
Wisconsin’s
nonattainment areas.
WMC’s Jeff Schoepke noted
that if those findings prove valid, the increased emissions would lead DNR
to recommend additional reductions from industrial sources in nonattainment
areas. (All the eastern counties on Lake Michigan, from Door south to
Kenosha, are
currently designated nonattainment for ozone.)
DNR Permit Backlog
Eliminated
Governor Doyle
recently announced that the backlog of 342 Title V Air Operating Permits
has been eliminated, a goal he set when he took office in January 2003. In
addition, water permits have been expedited and plans are under way for
streamlining the Air Management Program in
Wisconsin.
The permit backlog was
eliminated mainly through reallocation of resources. DNR staff previously
responsible for compliance was given authority to write permits as well.
The ongoing plan for
improving and streamlining the permit processes includes:
-
Replacing the
individually negotiated approach with simplified permits for smaller
sources with fewer emissions.
-
Holding additional public
hearings on draft rules to implement the expanded use of general permits
and to establish registration permits, with the final rules to be
developed in early 2005.
-
Developing a proposal to
expand permit exemptions for smaller sources and providing the legislature
with recommendations for developing a consolidated permit process, which
combines the functions of operation permits and construction permits, in
early 2005.
State Highway Costs Off
Track
According to a
recently released report by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation,
costs for major highway projects have exceeded estimates given when the
projects were approved. 27 active “major” highway projects were examined,
with the current estimated cost for design services, real estate,
construction and other related expenses totaling $1.36 billion more than the
original estimated cost of the projects at the time they were recommended to
the Transportation Projects Commission (TPC) and the Legislature for
enumeration.
Of the $1.36 billion
increase, some $573 million or 42% can be attributed to inflation alone over
the 15-year time span covered in the report. Other factors affecting the
estimated cost increases include:
-
Real estate costs ($207
million or 15%)
-
Construction labor and
materials ($216 million or 16%)
-
Design costs ($212
million or 15%)
Arrowhead-Weston Line
Proceeds Despite Douglas County No Vote
County supervisors voted 15-11 Wednesday night not to allow American
Transmission Co. to build the power line across county property.
As a result of this
decision,
officials for ATC say they are forced to move a portion of the project
in Douglas County onto private land.
Wednesday's vote reaffirmed
a 17-4 vote in opposition to the line that supervisors took more than five
years ago.
Federal Developments
Bush Plan Offers
Expanded Health Insurance
President Bush's budget will include $140 billion to expand health
coverage for the uninsured and seek $45 billion in savings from
the Medicaid program for the poor, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services said on Thursday.
Mike Leavitt said he would
reduce wasteful Medicaid spending, which could help offset the cost of the
additional coverage that will be included in the administration's proposed
2006 fiscal year budget. The budget will be released Monday.
Leavitt said he intends to
crack down on "creative" state accounting practices that foist Medicaid
costs onto the federal government, end Medicaid's overpayment for
prescription drugs and crack down on senior citizens who hide assets to get
Medicaid to pay for nursing home care. Those moves, Leavitt estimated, could
save $60 billion over 10 years.
The administration also
aims to ease the burden on states by permitting them to reduce or change
benefits for Medicaid beneficiaries whose coverage isn't required by federal
law.
Political News
State lawmakers hear both sides of voter ID debate:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 4, 2005.
North Woods power line hits snag:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 4, 2005.
Ho-Chunk tribe balks at making its gaming payment to state:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2005.
Kaufert: Ho-Chunk should pay or shut down casinos:
Baraboo News
Republic, Feb. 2, 2005.
Lautenschlager leads Bucher in AG campaign fund raising:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2005.
Campaign-finance issue just talk (opinion):
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Feb. 2, 2005.
Voter fraud problem needs more attention (opinion):
Manitowoc Herald Times, Feb. 2, 2005.
Petri’s truth in polling bill needed (opinion):
Sheboygan Press, Feb. 2, 2005.
Panel OKs limit on property taxes:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2005.
Doyle eliminates backlog of permits to state’s polluters:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2005.
Air quality advisory prompts phone calls:
La Crosse Tribune, Feb. 2, 2005.
Air warning prompts call for alternative energy:
La Crosse Tribune, Feb. 2, 2005.
DOT admits being off on road costs:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2005.
GOP wants voters to use photo IDs:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 1, 2005.
Doyle holds big financial lead over potential GOP rivals:
Janesville Gazette, Feb. 1, 2005.
Health care worker shortage looms, association says:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Feb. 1, 2005.
Plan may reduce property taxes:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 30, 2005.
Lawmakers encourage more ethanol use:
Marshfield News Herald, Jan. 31, 2005.
Lawmakers push state ethanol mandate:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 30, 2005.
More people are finding gas-electric hybrids appealing:
La Crosse Tribune, Jan. 30, 2005.
Less state money for road work strains maintenance
capabilities: Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Jan.
30, 2005.
County wants out of highway pact:
Wausau Daily Herald, Jan. 30, 2005.
License law curbs number of teen accidents:
Racine Journal Times, Jan. 30, 2005.
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