Earlier this year, Tidbits reported on a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision (McCutcheon v. FEC) in which the court struck down individual aggregate contribution limits to federal campaigns. In McCutcheon, the law in question limited how much an individual candidate could receive in total from numerous contributors. The Supreme Court held that the law was […]
Part of Wisconsin Campaign Finance Law Invalidated by Federal Court
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 1:47pm By Hamilton
Federal Court Upholds Voter ID Law
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 1:36pm By Hamilton
Earlier this summer, Tidbits reported that the Wisconsin Supreme Court had issued its long awaited opinions (League of Women Voters v. Walker and Milwaukee Branch of NAACP v. Walker) upholding Wisconsin’s controversial Voter ID law (2013 Wisconsin Act 23) and declaring it constitutional. However, the law was still on hold after the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s […]
Study Committee on Transfer of Structured Settlements
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 12:36pm By Hamilton
The Legislative Council has convened a summer study committee that has legislators and public members reviewing the transfer of structured settlement payments. The committee has been meeting since late July to hear presentations from Wisconsin and national professionals who handle structured settlement agreements. By late 2014, the committee plans to submit legislation to the Wisconsin […]
Gov. Walker Releases Jobs Plan
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 12:34pm By Hamilton
Governor Scott Walker has released a 64-page campaign jobs plan, “Continuing Wisconsin’s Comeback.” Walker’s plan focuses on: Tax reduction and relief; Closing the skills gap through worker training and higher education tuition freezes; and Putting more controls on state entitlement programs, to get more people working. You can read the highlights of the jobs plan […]
WEDA Names First Executive Director
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 12:28pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) has named its first full-time executive director: Brian Doudna, of the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC). WEDA President Patrick Schloss said the organization was looking for a candidate who was “active in economic development” and had a “proven ability to grow an organization and proven leadership to […]
TIF Study Committee Moves Towards Possible Legislation
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 11:23am By Hamilton
Members of the Study Committee on the Review of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) discuss possible legislation. At the most recent meeting of the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Review of Tax Increment Financing (TIF), legislators and public members discussed bill concepts they would like drafted for review prior to the upcoming legislative session. […]
Structural Deficit Pegged at $1.8 Billion but Fluctuating
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 11:17am By Hamilton
Following the Department of Revenue report in August on a $281 million tax revenue shortfall for the end of FY14 (June 30, 2014) the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) has re-estimated the “structural deficit” going into the 2015-17 biennium. The structural deficit is a measure of how general fund tax collections in the current 2013-15 budget […]
Agency Budget Requests Submitted to DOA
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 11:14am By Hamilton
This week, state agency budget requests for the 2015-17 biennial budget were due. The Department of Administration (DOA) and the Governor’s Office will now spend the several months reviewing agency requests and developing recommendations for the Governor on which request items should be included in the next budget bill. Consistent with budget directions issued to […]
41 Maps and Charts that Explain the Midwest
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 11:12am By Hamilton
This week Vox.com released a collection of maps and charts to explain the Midwest to the rest of the nation. The graphics discussed everything from what states are officially considered part of the Midwest, to the geometric formula it would take to actually tip a cow, but Hamilton Consulting had a few favorites: […]
3 Wisconsin Cities Top Best Places to Live in US
Date Thu, Sep. 18, 2014 - 11:02am By Hamilton
Livability.com has named its Top 100 Best Places to Live, and Wisconsin tops the list. Madison, Wisconsin was named #1 Best Place to Live in 2015, a move up from #5 on the 2014 list. The list, made up of small and mid-sized cities, are ranked based on amenities available, demographics, economic strength, education, health […]