After taking a break for the holiday season, the legislature is headed back to the floor. The Assembly will be back on the floor on January 14 and the Senate will be back later this month. There are a few dynamics that could affect the remaining months with regard to what items make their […]
ACA Enrollment in Wisconsin
Date Thu, Jan. 9, 2014 - 2:22pm By Hamilton
Recent communications between the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services and the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reveal 32,000 Wisconsinites have been identified as being eligible to receive BadgerCare after visiting the federal health exchange to obtain health care coverage. This is a good chunk of the 83,000 childless adults DHS estimated would […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Sets Schedule for January
Date Thu, Jan. 9, 2014 - 2:02pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in eight cases this month. The subject matter of the cases runs the gambit from a used car case with a plaintiff represented by Wisconsin’s self-proclaimed Lemon Law King Vince Megna, to insurance coverage cases, to questions of the legality of traffic stops. The court’s calendar and […]
DNR Continues Focus on Reform
Date Thu, Jan. 9, 2014 - 2:00pm By Hamilton
Dept. of Natural Resources Sec. Cathy Stepp laid out her plans for 2014 in the latest edition of AgriView News. While the article focuses on DNR’s involvement with and oversight of the state’s agricultural community, the general push for transparency between the agency and the public and the emphasis on streamlining regulations is indicative of […]
Economic Development Update
Date Thu, Jan. 9, 2014 - 1:12pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) came before the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee this week. The committee voted along party lines to allow the pseudo-agency to continue operating, but delayed decisions on what to do with surplus funds earmarked for economic development and WEDC’s request to create a not-for-profit foundation funded by state businesses to […]
State Hosting Tax Reform Roundtables
Date Thu, Jan. 9, 2014 - 12:56pm By Hamilton
At the request of Gov.Walker, hitting the road recently are Lt. Gov. Kleefisch and Dept. of Revenue Sec. Chandler. They are traveling across the state to listen to the opinions of Wisconsinites on the state’s tax burden and their ideas for reform. While the roundtables are designed to cover property, income, sales, and business taxes […]
WEDC Releases Annual Report
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2013 - 10:08pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has released its annual report for fiscal year 2013, highlighting the organization’s efforts to improve the state’s business climate. WEDC provided the following executive summary of the report in a press release announcing the report’s availability: WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization, provided more than $330 million in […]
Legislative Snapshot
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2013 - 12:00pm By Hamilton
This week saw completion of the round of three special elections to replace Republican Assembly members who left their seats for other positions. Jeff Stone’s southeastern Wisconsin seat was won easily by Franklin alderman Ken Skowronski on Tuesday, so the Republican’s in the Assembly retain their 60-39 majority. Republicans are a lock to hold […]
Supreme Court to Hear Voter ID Cases
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2013 - 9:58am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has announced it will take up and rule upon two cases challenging the constitutionality of the state’s voter ID requirement. Oral argument has been scheduled for Feb. 25, 2014, an opinion should be issued by the end summer when the court’s current term ends. Though League of Women Voters v. Scott […]
Senate Holds Hearing on Tax Credit Transferability Bill
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2013 - 9:53am By Hamilton
On Dec. 18 the Senate Committee on Economic Development held a public hearing on SB 449, which would allow for the limited transfer of Economic Development Tax Credits. Under current law, tax credits can only be used if the original tax credit recipient has a corresponding state income tax liability. If an original tax credit […]