Wisconsin political news for
clients and colleagues.
Previous issues of
Political Tidbits can be found at Tidbits Archive.
Click here to begin your free subscription.
July 25, 2003
On
Thursday July 24, 2003 Governor Doyle signed – with vetoes – the
2003-05 State Biennial Budget as
2003 WI Act 33.
For a summary of veto highlights, please see The Hamilton
Consulting Group’s
Wisconsin State Budget Update.
As
expected, the Governor made substantial use of his veto authority
making a total of 131 full or partial vetoes to the budget bill
adopted by the Legislature. In total, the vetoes reduce all funds
appropriations by $315 million, increase the size of the general
fund balance to $205 million, and reduce the structural deficit by
over $258 million. Major veto decisions include the
elimination of the GOP sponsored plan to freeze local property
taxes and substantial revisions to the transportation budget.
Budget
links:
Wisconsin
Politics
Senate Will Vote
to Override Property Tax Freeze Veto
In a
statement made following Thursday’s budget signing,
Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend) announced that
the Senate would vote to override the Governor’s veto of the
property tax provision in the biennial budget bill.
Special Election
Results In
The July 22 Special Election filled two Assembly seats (AD-21 and
AD 71, respectively) vacated earlier this year by the election of
Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) and Julie Lassa (D-Plover) to the
State Senate. Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee) defeated Al
Foeckler (D-Oak Creek) in the race for the AD-21 seat, turning
over a traditionally Democratic seat to the Republicans after nearly
80 years of Democrats occupying the seat. This election increased
the Republican majority in the Assembly to 59-40. Honadel, a
businessman, accumulated 61 percent of the vote in his victory
over Foeckler, an Oak Creek alderperson and attorney. Louis John
Molepske Jr. (D), a prosecutor, narrowly defeated Jackie Szehner
(R), a local businesswoman, both of Stevens Point, in the race for
the AD-71 seat.
Welch Takes on Feingold
On July 20, State Sen. Bob Welch (R-Redgranite)
announced he would run in 2004 for a U.S. Senate seat against
12-year incumbent United States Senator Russ Feingold (D-Middleton). Sen.
Feingold has one and one half years left on his second six-year term.
Gary George Recall Election
On July 22, State
Rep. G. Spencer Coggs
(D-Milwaukee) and former State Sen. Monroe Swan (D-Milwaukee) filed
nomination papers to run against the current State Sen. Gary George in a
recall election. The primary election is scheduled for August 19, with the
general election scheduled for September 16, 2003. Only two candidates may
move on from the primary to the general election. It is expected, however,
that Swan’s eligibility as a candidate will invoke a challenge due to his
1980 conviction for embezzlement of federal funds, and the State
constitution provision prohibiting convicted felons from holding public
office. Any challenges must be filed by July 25, 2003.
Meanwhile, Sen. George has
filed a lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court challenging the State
Elections Board’s decision to allow the recall election to go forward,
alleging that the Board was conspiring against him in its denial of his
challenge to the recall petition.
Senate Forms Select
Committee on Job Creation
On July 21, Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend)
appointed members of a new Select Committee on Job Creation. The
Committee was formed to develop and oversee legislation for the fall floor
period relating to growing
Wisconsin’s economy. The Committee’s approach will be three-pronged,
focusing on 1) regulatory reform; 2) capital/investment; and 3)
infrastructure.
Sen. Panzer named Sens.
Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) and Cathy Stepp (R-Racine) to co-chair the Job
Creation Committee. Panzer also named Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) as a
member of the Committee. So far, no Democrats have been named to the
Committee, although it was reported that Sens. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar) and
Chuck Chvala (D-Madison) will be appointed by Senator Minority Leader Jon
Erpenbach (D-Middleton). The Committee’s first meeting is scheduled for
August 4, 2003, and the meeting will focus on regulatory reform.
Policy Developments
Aging Drivers in
the Spotlight
The July 16 crash involving 86-year-old
Santa Monica,
Calif. motorist Russell Weller, who allegedly drove his car into a
crowd of people, killing 10 and injuring at least 40, has helped
to focus attention on the growing population of aging drivers. The
baby boomer generation will soon join the ranks of the nation’s
aging drivers, and several initiatives are being developed to
address the issue of enhancing safety for aging drivers while
continuing to support their independence.
On July 18, State Rep.
Sheldon Wasserman (D-Milwaukee)
announced his intention to introduce legislation to revise the
licensing requirements for select aging drivers. Additionally, the state
budget earmarks some new federal highway dollars for a pilot Enhanced
Mobility Program, aimed at promoting safety for aging drivers. (See the
Hamilton Consulting Group’s
Update on the Enhanced Mobility Pilot Program.)
DNR’s Hassett Announces Air
Permit Improvement Initiative
On June 24, 2003, DNR Secretary Scott Hassett
announced Wisconsin’s Air Permit Improvement Initiative, an
effort to improve air permitting in Wisconsin that, said Hassett, would be
one of his top priorities during the upcoming biennium. The effort will
involve streamlining the permit process for
Wisconsin businesses that must apply, and receive, air permits
in order to construct new facilities, or operate existing facilities.
Additionally, said Hassett, the effort will involve reforming
Wisconsin’s “New Source
Review” regulations in view of recent federal changes in this area.
Federal Developments
SBC Aligns With
EchoStar
On July 21, SBC Communications, Inc. and EchoStar Communications
Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH)
announced a strategic partnership for launching a new,
co-sponsored television service they call the “SBC DISH Network.”
The alliance will offer SBC customers (telephone services) and
EchoStar customers (television services) the ability receive both
of these services from a consolidated provider – the new, SBC DISH
Network.
Key elements of the
partnership include:
-
Co-branding – the new network carries a name combination
referencing both entities;
-
Unified services – SBC and EchoStar customers can combine
their telephone and television services into an account from one provider;
-
Single bill – SBC DISH Network will provide one bill for
combination services; and
-
Bundling flexibilities – SBC DISH Network will offer a new
multitude of services, and this offering may create more choices for
customers to pick which services they’d like and which they would not
like.
Also, as expected, SBC
filed its application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
on July 17, to provide long distance service in Wisconsin. The FCC has 90
days to review the application and make its determination.
Alternate Clean Air
Legislation Rivals Bush’s Clear Skies
On July 14, 2003, Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
introduced a bipartisan clean air bill,
S.843, otherwise being called the Clean Air Planning Act. The
legislation expands upon the Bush Administration’s pending Clear Skies Act,
by further reducing emissions from power plants. The Clean Air Planning Act
would place more stringent limits on mercury, sulfur, and nitrogen
emissions, and cap carbon dioxide emissions at 4.5 million tons/year by
2008, and 2.25 million tons/year by 2015.
Sen. Alexander’s
co-sponsorship of this bill marks a break with the Bush Administration,
which had had the Senator’s support for the Clear Skies Act prior to
introduction of the new legislation. On July 12, Sen. Alexander announced
his intention to support the new bill, as well as his intent to break with
supporters of Bush’s bill, by saying ''The president's proposal is a good
beginning, but it doesn't go far enough in my back yard.''
See related news
articles:
Alexander Breaking With ‘Clear Skies’ Plan: Jul. 13, 2003, The Tennesean;
GOP Senator Faults Bush’s Clean Air Plan: Jul. 15, 2003, The Washington
Post;
Critics Say E.P.A. Won’t Analyze Some Clean Air Proposals: Jul. 13,
2003, The New York Times.
Political News
The governor gets it right (opinion): Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, July 25, 2003.
Doyle vetoes
GOP property tax limits: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 24, 2003.
Doyle signs
budget: Janesville Gazette, July 24, 2003.
Doyle nixes property tax freeze: Appleton Post-Crescent, July 24, 2003.
Doyle to spare area projects: Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 24, 2003.
Republican Honadel snags control of 21st District: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, July 23, 2003.
Lawmakers build up campaign war chests: Appleton Post-Crescent, July 23,
2003.
Leibham named to state’s job creation panel: Manitowoc Herald Times,
July 23, 2003.
Business spending may be looking up: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July
23, 2003.
Doyle calls for more economic synergies: Madison Capital Times, July 22,
2003.
Feingold bill seeks Medicare payment equity: Green Bay Press-Gazette,
July 22, 2003.
Doyle shuts door on new prisons after next year: Appleton Post-Crescent,
July 22, 2003.
Doyle says he'll veto road projects: Wisconsin State Journal, July 20,
2003.
Doyle targets highway plans: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 20, 2003.
I
Doyle wants $150M rainy day fund: Appleton Post-Crescent, July 20, 2003.
Welch declares Senate attempt: Appleton Post-Crescent, July 20, 2003.
Upcoming Fundraisers
Monday, July 28:
-
State Rep. Judy Krawczyk
(R-Green
Bay),
Green Bay, 5:00p.m.
-
State Rep. Gabe
Loeffelholz (R-Platteville), Platteville, 6:00p.m.
Wednesday, July 30:
Thursday, July 31:
-
State Sen. Ted Kanavas
(R-Brookfield),
Milwaukee,
6:00p.m.
-
State Rep. Tom Lothian (R-Williams
Bay),
Fontana, 6:00p.m.
|
