Prominent political commentator Ezra Klein is set to speak at Memorial Union in Madison next week for a public lecture. Klein, lead The Washington Post’s Wonkblog, before leaving to create Vox.com, a general news site that provides context to complicated current events. Klein was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Washington […]
Business Day in Madison 2015
Date Thu, Mar. 5, 2015 - 7:28pm By Hamilton
Business Day in Madison is the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce largest event of the year, with record setting attendance, speakers, seminars, and legislative visits. Speakers included: KT McFarland, a foreign policy expert that advised three sitting American presidents; Ed Goeas, of the Tarrance Group, a national pollster; Governor Scott Walker; Attorney General Brad Schimel; John […]
Bills of Note: TIF and Screenings for Newborns
Date Thu, Mar. 5, 2015 - 7:22pm By Hamilton
In this week’s edition of Bills of Note, we update you on the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package and a bill that requires newborns be screened for lysosomal storage disorders. TIF Bill Package The tax increment financing bill package is a product of the 2014 Legislative Council study committee on TIF – also referred […]
Legislature in Midst of Extraordinary Session on “Right to Work”
Date Fri, Feb. 27, 2015 - 9:43am By Hamilton
Last week, legislative leaders announced an extraordinary session of the Wisconsin legislature to pass Right to Work legislation. Soon after the announcement, Governor Scott Walker said he would sign Right to Work into law if the bill reaches his desk. Right to Work laws are designed to protect employees from being forced to pay dues […]
LinkWisconsin Gets Upgrade
Date Fri, Feb. 27, 2015 - 9:36am By Hamilton
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has announced the LinkWisconsin website has been upgraded to a new website with some new features and tools. According to a post from PSC Chairperson Phil Montgomery, “The launch of our new website correlates with the transition of the State Broadband Office’s (SBO) LinkWISCONSIN initiative from a federal grant […]
Election Update: 20th Senate District and Waukesha County Exec
Date Fri, Feb. 27, 2015 - 9:32am By Hamilton
State-wide primary elections were held in mid-February, deciding many mayoral candidates and referenda across the state. The two elections to follow on the state level were the special primary election for the 20th Senate District, and the primary for Waukesha county executive. The seat for the 20th Senate District is currently vacant because the predecessor, […]
LFB: Administration to Delay $108 million Debt Payment
Date Thu, Feb. 26, 2015 - 4:44pm By Hamilton
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) has released a memo describing the administration’s planned restructuring of a general purpose revenue (GPR) $108 million commercial paper principal payment in May 2015. According to the memo, the governor and Department of Administration (DOA) are planning to delay a $108 million debt payment in the current Fiscal Year (FY) […]
State Court Decides on Municipalities Ability to Revoke Conditional Use Permit
Date Thu, Feb. 26, 2015 - 4:06pm By Hamilton
On Thursday, January 8, 2015 the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case Oneida Seventh Generation Corp. v. City of Green Bay (2013AP591). The supreme court will decide whether the court of appeals properly applied the substantial evidence test, which can effect when a conditional use permit can be revoked by a municipality. […]
Supreme Court to Decide on PSC Wind Turbine Siting Rule
Date Thu, Feb. 26, 2015 - 3:35pm By Hamilton
On Thursday, February 5, 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case Wisconsin Realtors Ass’n v. PSC (2013AP1407). The Court will decide whether the Public Service Commission (PSC) followed state statute when promulgating PSC 128, relating to wind turbine siting restrictions. Background The Legislature passed Wis. Stat. §196.378(4g)(b) which authorized the PSC […]
Supreme Court to Determine Wrongful Death Case
Date Thu, Feb. 26, 2015 - 3:25pm By Hamilton
On Wednesday, February 4, 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case Christ v. Exxon Mobile Corp. (2012AP1493). The Court will decide whether the discovery rule will apply to third parties in wrongful death and survival actions. Background This case contains wrongful death and survival actions involving nine former employees of Uniroyal […]