Political Tidbits

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June 16, 2006

With this issue, Tidbits officially begins its 2006 campaign coverage. It is our intent to provide objective information regarding candidates and to identify key, substantive issues as we near the fall elections. We will also cover significant judicial races as they develop, although the elections will not occur until next February (primary) and April (general).

2006 is a very big election year in Wisconsin. We elect a Governor (and Lieutenant Governor) every four years, and 2006 is one of those years. The same is true for Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Treasurer. All 99 Assembly and 17 (out of 33) Senate seats will also be filled by election in November.

The biggest, most visible, election, that of Governor, has boiled down to a two-person contest between incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican challenger Mark Green, currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and former member of the State Assembly. In the next issue of Tidbits, we will present biographical data on the two candidates, and we will examine their positions on key business and economic development issues throughout the summer and early fall.

The race with the biggest primary draw - in both parties - is that for Attorney General. Incumbent Peg Lautenschlager is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, while two Republicans with substantial prosecutorial backgrounds (J.B. Van Hollen and Paul Bucher) are vying for the nomination in September to face the winner of the Democratic primary. We have provided comparative biographical data below. The respective primaries are likely to focus heavily on personalities and which candidates can better sell their abilities, since positions on issues do not vary substantially between the two Democratic candidates or between the two Republican candidates.

Our initial coverage of legislative races focuses on “open seats” where incumbents are not seeking re-election. (Those announced to date are listed below.) All of the incumbents who are not seeking re-election deserve our thanks for their commitment to public service and their contribution to the betterment of our state. The next legislature will be minus a number of people who have played significant roles in public policy development over the past several years.

Our coverage of key legislative races will begin in earnest after the July 11 deadline for filing nomination papers when all of the candidates are clearly identified.

Policy Developments

Legislative Council Names Committees/Chairs
Interim Study committees are established by the Joint Legislative Council to examine major issues and problems identified by the Legislature. The study committees are made up of Legislators and members of the public who are interested in or knowledgeable about the study topic. The committees usually recommend introduction of bills in the next session based on the committees’ research, deliberation and findings.

The following is a Summary of the June 9, 2006 Joint Legislative Council Mail Ballot establishing 2006-07 Interim Study Committees and Chairs.

Special Committee	Chair	Summary of Duties
Affirmative Action	Sen. Glenn Grothman	Review policies for student admission to the UW and Wisconsin Technical College Systems and state contracting and hiring.
Airport Authorities	Rep. Jeff Stone	Review possible ownership & operation of airports by authorities to foster regional and state economic growth.
Applicability of Open Meetings Law to Quasi-Gov'tal Bodies	Sen. Scott Fitzgerald	Review AG opinions and develop legislation regarding applicability of the Open Meetings Law to quasi-governmental bodies.
Charter Schools	Rep. Leah Vukmir	Study current state laws and develop proposed legislation for charter schools.
Disaster Preparedness Planning	Rep. Joan Ballweg	Study and make recommendations for public and private cooperation in preparedness planning for emergency responses in disasters.
District Attorney Funding and Administration	Rep. Mark Gundrum	Review state funding and state administrative functions in relation to district attorneys.
Expunction of Criminal Records	Rep. Robin Vos	Study circumstances under which the records of criminal complaints and convictions may be expunged by Wisconsin courts and other record custodians.
Great Lakes Water Resources Compact	Sen. Neal Kedzie	Develop legislation to ratify and implement the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact proposed by the governors of the Great Lakes states.
Highway Weight Limits	Rep. Mark Gottlieb	Review the system of motor vehicle weight limits on highways and bridges.
Navigability and Drainage Ditches	Sen. Alan Lasee	Review methods to clarify “navigability” as defined in statutes and administrative rules.
Nuclear Power	Rep. Phil Montgomery	Study the role of nuclear power in Wisconsin's energy future and develop legislation.
Placement of Sex Offenders	Reps. Garey Bies and Scott Suder	Studies current policies and practices of the Department of Corrections relating to placement of sex offenders.
Recodification of Chapter 21, Military Affairs	Sen. Ronald Brown	Reorganize Ch 21 in a logical manner, renumbering and retitling sections, consolidating related provisions, modernizing language, and making other necessary organizational changes.
Review of Crimes Against Children	Sen. Alberta Darling	Review statute for sex crimes against children for clarification and consistency and appropriateness of penalties.
Review of State School Aid Formula	Sen. Luther Olsen	Study state school aid formula for public elementary and secondary schools, and develop legislation to improve allocation of state funds to school districts.
State Trails Policy	Sen. Roger Breske	Review policies and issues relating to public use of trails, with an emphasis on use by motorized vehicles, and recommend policies or methods to implement policies.
Strengthening Wisconsin Families	Rep. Steve Kestell	Study Wisconsin Works (W-2) Program and child welfare system to improve collaboration.
Uniform Debt Management Services	Rep. Steve Wieckert	Review statutory law to determine whether to recommend adoption of the Uniform Debt Management Services Act to the Wisconsin Legislature.

Republicans Ring Budget Warning Bells
On June 14, Senators Mike Ellis and Rob Cowles issued a press release regarding a general fund structural deficit and anticipated major program cost increases the state faces for the 2007-09 biennium. The same day, Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz issued a press release regarding an estimated shortfall in the current Department of Transportation Budget.

General Fund Budget
Senators Ellis and Cowles announced that the state is facing a $1.537 billion structural deficit based on a June 6, 2006 Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) memo prepared for Senator Ellis.

In addition to the structural deficit, the Senators projected an additional shortfall of $1.129 billion based on an LFB analysis of average cost increases in three major GPR areas - school aids ($495 million), medical assistance ($434 million), and state employee compensation ($200 million).

In total, the Senators warned that the state is facing a $2.666 billion deficit for the next biennium. That projection does not include estimated revenue growth of $553 million in 2007-08 and $610 million in 2008-09, as noted in the Senators’ release.

Department of Transportation Budget
Senator Schultz’s release called attention to a currently estimated $68 million shortfall in the DOT budget this biennium.

Based on a June 14, 2006 LFB memo on the current condition of the Transportation Fund, the shortfall relates primarily to lower fuel tax revenues than were projected during budget passage. Gas tax revenues are now projected to be $70 million lower over the biennium than budgeted.

DOT has indicated the shortfall will likely be addressed by administrative reductions and delaying miscellaneous expenditures, but believes that construction projects and payments to local governments will not be affected.

Wisconsin Politics

Overview of Attorney General Candidates
Following are brief biographical sketches of the four candidates seeking election as Attorney General in 2006. There will be Democrat and Republican primaries in September, with the winners facing off in the November general election.

Peg Lautenschlager, Incumbent

Current Position: Attorney General, State of Wisconsin, 2003 to present.

Other Public Sector Positions:

United States Attorney, Western District of Wisconsin, 1993 to 2001
State Representative, Wisconsin State Assembly, 1989 to 1993
District Attorney for Winnebago County, 1985 to 1998

Private sector Experience: Private Law Practice in Oshkosh, specializing in family and domestic abuse law, 1980 to 1985

Law Degree: J.D., UW Madison, 1980

Undergrad: B.A., Lake Forest College, Illinois, 1977

Year and Place of Birth: 1995, Fond du Lac

Family: Married, 3 children, 2 step-children

Kathleen Falk, Democrat Challenger

Current Position: Dane County Executive, 1997 to present

Other Public Sector Positions:

Assistant Attorney General, Wisconsin Department of Justice, 1983-1997
State Public Intervenor during 12 of those years, 1983-1995

Private Sector Experience: Co-Director and Legal Counsel for Wisconsin Environmental Decade, 1977 to 1983

Law Degree: J.D., UW Madison, 1976

Undergrad: Stanford University, 1973

Year and Place of Birth: 1951, Milwaukee

Family: Married, 1 son

Paul Bucher, Republican Candidate

Current Position: District Attorney, Waukesha County 1988 to present

Other Public Sector Positions:

Assistant District Attorney, Waukesha County, 1983 to 1988
Legislative Staff, Capitol, Madison

Law Degree: J.D., Marquette University Law School, 1981

Undergrad: University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1977

Year and Place of Birth: 1956, Milwaukee

Family: Married, 5 children

J. B. Van Hollen, Republican Candidate

Current Position: Private Law Practice and candidate.

Public Sector Positions:

United states Attorney, Western District of Wisconsin, 2002 to 2005
District Attorney, Bayfield County, 1999 to 2002
District attorney, Ashland County, 1993 to 1999
Assistant U.S. Attorney Western District of Wisconsin, 1991 to 1993
Assistant State Public Defender, Spooner, 1990 to 1991

Law Degree: J.D., UW Madison, 1990

Undergrad: St. Olaf College, Minnesota, 1988

Year and Place of Birth: 1966, Rice Lake

Family: Married, 2 children

Legislators Not Seeking Re-election/Seeking New Offices
The following incumbents are not running for re-election this fall.

Assembly Open Seats

6^th Assembly District – Rep. John Ainsworth (R-Shawano) is not seeking re-election; he has served in the Assembly since 1990 and has served as Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee since 2001.
23^rd Assembly District – Rep. Curt Gielow (R-Mequon) is not seeking re-election; he was elected to the Assembly in 2002 and reelected in 2004. Among other assignments, he has served as Chair of the Medicaid Reform Committee and the Speaker’s Task Force on Medical Malpractice.
29^th Assembly District – Rep. Andy Lamb (R- Menomonie) is not seeking re-election; he was elected to the Assembly in 2004 and served as Vice Chair of the Economic Development and Financial Institutions committees.
37^th Assembly District – Rep. David Ward (R) Fort Atkinson is not seeking re-election; Rep. Ward was first elected in 1992. He has served as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance since 1999 and as vice chair this past session.
40th Assembly District – Rep. Jean Hundertmark (R-Clintonville) is giving up her seat to run for Lt. Governor. Rep. Hundertmark has chaired of the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions and has served as Assistant Majority Leader in 2003-04.
54^th Assembly District – Rep. Greg Underheim (R-Oshkosh) is not seeking re-election; he was elected to the Assembly in June 1987 in a special election and has been reelected since 1988. Underheim has chaired the Assembly Health Committee since 1995.
56^th Assembly District – Rep. Terri McCormick (R- Appleton) is running for the 8^th Congressional District; McCormick has been a member of the Legislature since 2000 and currently chairs the Assembly Economic Development Committee.
62^nd Assembly District – Rep. John Lehman (D- Racine) is running for the 21st State Senate seat that is being vacated by Republican Sen. Cathy Stepp. Lehman was elected to the Assembly in 1996 and has been reelected since 1998.
89^th Assembly District – Rep. John Gard (R- Preshtigo) is running for the 8^th Congressional District seat. Gard was elected to the Assembly in October 1987 in a special election and has been reelected since 1988. He currently serves as the Republican Leader and the Speaker of the Assembly and previously co-chaired the Joint Committee on Finance.
97^th Assembly District – Rep. Ann Nischke (R-Waukesha) will not seek re-election. She was elected to the Assembly in 2002 and has chaired the Assembly Insurance Committee.
98^th Assembly District – Open seat since resignation of Rep. Scott R. Jensen (R-Town of Brookfield) in March 2006. Jensen is a former Speaker, Majority Leader and Joint Finance Co-Chair.

Senate Open Seat

21^st Senate District – Sen. Cathy Stepp (R – Sturtevant) not seeking re-election; Sen. Stepp was first elected in 2002. She has chaired the committees on Economic Development and Job Creation and Financial Institutions.

Straw Poll Voters Favor Lautenschlager/Feingold
The state Democratic convention was held in La Crosse on June 9 and 10. According to a WisPolitics.com Straw Poll, Democrats favored Peg Lautenschlager for attorney general, Scot Ross for secretary of state and Russ Feingold for president.

Of those who voted, 315 backed Lautenschlager for AG, or 57.5 percent, compared to 41.6 percent for Falk. In the secretary of state primary, Ross was supported by 54.2 percent, and for president, Feingold received the backing of 53.8 percent. 2000 Dem nominee Al Gore was next, followed by Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.

Federal Developments

New U.S. Attorney in Western District
Iowa County District Attorney Erik Peterson was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the new U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Former U.S. Attorney J.B. Van Hollen resigned last year to run for Wisconsin attorney general.

Peterson was one of three candidates submitted to the White House last fall by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner and Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold.

Peterson, 36, served as Iowa County district attorney from January 1999 until June 2006, when he resigned. He also has served as an assistant district attorney in Richland County from 1995 to 1998. He graduated in 1995 from Marquette University Law School.

Political News

Governor's creation of new office criticized: Appleton Post-Crescent, June 16, 2006.

1% sales tax plan gains ground: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 16, 2006.

Towns urged to draw up rules for wind farms: Appleton Post-Crescent, June 16, 2006.

100 miles of power lines approved: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 16, 2006.

It's time for some action on health care reform plans (opinion): Appleton Post-Crescent, June 16, 2006.

Verdict puts Doyle on defense: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 14, 2006.

Thompson verdict may affect state employees: Wisconsin State Journal, June 14, 2006.

Tittl plans run for Assembly: Manitowoc Herald Times, June 13, 2006.

Tending economic growth (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 13, 2006.

Area job prospects take a hit: Green Bay Pres-Gazette, June 13, 2006.

Kohl could be X factor for state Democratic races: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 11, 2006.