The Wheeler Report recently sat down with Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb to discuss service, safety, and better roads. What are the biggest accomplishments of your agency in the past few years?We were able to open up over 30 new DMV centers, so now we have DMVs open at least 20 hours a week […]
Employment Law Changes a Necessary Component to Economic Growth
Date Mon, Jan. 28, 2013 - 4:47pm By Hamilton
In 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce prepared a report titled “The Impact of State Employment Policies on Job Growth.” The review covered all 50 states and unfortunately, Wisconsin was ranked in the worst tier with 14 other states. Wisconsin joined California, New York, Illinois and Michigan as a state where employment laws are considered […]
Transportation Funding Amendment on Fast Track
Date Thu, Jan. 24, 2013 - 10:22am By Hamilton
One of the bills moving quickly this legislative session is a proposal that would take steps toward amending the state constitution to prevent transportation funds from being used for non-transportation related projects. Since 2003, more than $1.3 billion has been redirected from the transportation fund and spent on unrelated programs. SJR4 proposes a constitutional amendment […]
Mining Bills Introduced
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 10:13pm By Hamilton
It’s only the third week of the legislative session but already two separate mining bills have been introduced and a 12-hour marathon hearing held over one of the proposals. Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) and Senator Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) have introduced comprehensive iron-ore mining legislation designed to streamline the approval process for iron mines […]
Transportation Commission Releases Final Report
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 9:31pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Transportation Finance and Policy Commission today gave unanimous approval to its final report on the needs of Wisconsin’s transportation system over the next decade, including a set of recommendations for how those needs can be funded. The Commission report titled, Keep Wisconsin Moving – Smart Investments, Measurable Results, calls for additional annual investments […]
Gov. Walker Announces 2013-15 Biennial Budget Address
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 8:33pm By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker will deliver the 2013-15 Biennial Budget Address on February 20, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers.
Act 10 Upheld by Federal Appeals Court
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 4:45pm By Hamilton
In Wisconsin Education Association Council, et al. v. Walker, et al., a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, the controversial budget repair bill that curtailed the collective bargaining rights of certain public employees, in its entirety. The decision is the latest among the long-running […]
LAB’s Financial Statements Audit Uncovers Problems in UW System
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 4:38pm By Hamilton
The Legislative Audit Bureau has completed its financial audit of the State of Wisconsin as of, and for, the fiscal year (FY) ended June 30, 2012. The LAB provided a “clean” or unqualified opinion on the FY 2011-12 financial statements; however the report identified concerns with the University of Wisconsin System’s statements. [The] financial statements […]
Biennial Audit Bureau Report Highlights Fraud, Waste, and Mismanagement Hotline
Date Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 - 3:53pm By Hamilton
The Legislative Audit Bureau has released its biennial report summarizing the LAB’s statutory responsibilities and highlighting audits and reports completed between January 1, 2011 and December 21, 2012. According to the report, the LAB published more than 60 reports during the given time period, including 24 financial audits report and 21 program evaluation reports and […]
Nate Silver Tackles the Budget
Date Thu, Jan. 17, 2013 - 4:30pm By Hamilton
Nate Silver, the New York Times’ statistics whiz, who shot to stardom (well, stardom for a statistician) for his elections forecasting, has taken a crack at answering the question “What Is Driving Growth in Government Spending?” Silver’s analysis of government spending at the federal, state and local level on entitlement programs, defense, interest on the […]