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The budget process was on pause this week, as legislators anxiously await the updated revenue projections from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which are expected early next week. Included in this week's Tidbits
is a summary on the most recent budget action from the Joint Finance Committee from their last two meetings. Also in this week's Bills of Note
, we have a rundown on the status of the TIF bill package and an overview of the recently introduced legislation to merge WEDC and WHEDA into a new state agency, the Forward Wisconsin Development Authority.
If you wish to receive additional information about a topic addressed in Tidbits, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Hamilton Consulting Team.
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| JFC Takes Further Action on State Budget |
The Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) met on April 17 and April 22 to continue voting on Governor Walker's proposed 2015-2017 state budget. JFC passed a number of motions, which modified the governor's proposed budget. This includes action on portions of agency budgets in the Department of Military Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Commission of Insurance, Board on Aging and Long Term Care, Department of Health Services (DHS), State Historical Society, Department of Tourism, Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation portion of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The highlights of these motions are detailed below.
JFC did not meet this past week and is waiting for the Legislative Fiscal Bureau's updated revenue estimates to be released, which could be as early as this Monday. The governor and many legislators have stated any additional projected revenue would first be appropriated to K-12 education aid.
Read more...
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| Bills of Note: Mergers and the TIF Bill Package |
This week in The Hamilton Consulting Group's Bills of Note series, we provide you with an update on the status of each bill in the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package. In addition, we included an overview of the bill to merge the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), into a single entity called the Forward Wisconsin Development Authority.
TIF Bill Package
The tax increment financing (TIF) bill package is a product of the 2014 Legislative Council study committee on TIF - also referred to as a Tax Incremental District (TID). Since we last reported on the bill package, a number of bills have moved into the legislative process.
WHEDA and WEDC Merger
In his proposed 2015 -2017 budget, Governor Walker consolidated two state agencies, the WHEDA and the WEDC and into a single entity, called the Forward Wisconsin Development Authority (FWDA). The proposed merger has generated a lot of discussion among the legislators, given that it was just a few years ago, in his 2011-2013 budget that Governor Walker created WEDC from the Department of Commerce.
In order to vet the merger carefully, Sen. Rick Gudex (R-Fond Du Lac) and Rep. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) are circulating a standalone bill to merge WHEDA and WEDC.
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| 3M Day on the Hill |
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3M Day on the Hill attendees with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.
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3M Company held their Wisconsin Day on the Hill recently and met with many legislators and agency personnel to discuss issues relating to manufacturing, transportation and corrections.
Attendees, which included plant managers from around Wisconsin, heard presentations from Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Mark Gottlieb, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), Shelly Harkins from the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), individuals from the Department of Corrections to discuss monitoring under the Division of Community Corrections, Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester).
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| National Expert on Broadband, Susan Crawford, to Visit Madison |
National expert on broadband policy, Susan Crawford, will be speaking in Madison on May 11 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Monona Terrace.
Crawford is well-known in Internet and technology circles and is widely regarded as the expert in broadband and telecommunications policy. She works with local leaders - mayors, chief technology officers, city administrators, agency directors, civic groups and nonprofit leaders - to implement broadband strategies that create more agile, competitive and economically resilient communities.
Read more...
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| Sen. Farrow Resignation to Take Effect July 17 |
Senator Paul Farrow (R-Pewaukee) is resigning from the 33rd Senate District seat he holds as of July 17, 2015, to become Waukesha County Executive.
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| DNR's Coolest Fish Contest |
"Does a lake sturgeon beat a bowfin, a burbot beat a sauger?" The Department of Natural Resources is holding an online contest to determine which fish really is the coolest.
Head to the Wisconsin DNR's Facebook page and you can vote for your favorite fish.
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| Hamilton Consulting: Your Government Relations Easy Button |
The Hamilton team is working to make sure our clients have the tools necessary to accomplish their government relations goals. We encourage our clients to remember to make use of all the many services we provide:
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- Political Fundraising Calendar - Hamilton's political fundraising calendar allows you to see all of the upcoming fundraising events and import them to your own calendar.
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The Hamilton Consulting Group Political Tidbits is a free newsletter on Wisconsin political and policy developments. Please it to others who may wish to receive this service.
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