Thank you for taking the time to read this week's e-update. I always strive to include information you find interesting and informative as it relates to my work in Madison and the 60th Assembly District.
My most important goal remains serving you, my constituents. Helping you find solutions to difficult problems when it seems like the state is unresponsive is the single greatest reward for my staff and me. I take constituents' input seriously and continually work hard on your behalf.
I always have your thoughts and concerns in mind when deciding whether or not to support legislation. Furthermore, I appreciate when you take time out of your schedules to contact me.
Have a great week,
This week's survey
This week, the Assembly Committee on Local Government held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 612, relating to county registration of animal-drawn vehicles.
In many rural communities, state and county highways have witnessed considerable wear-and-tear from horse-drawn vehicles. Those who use horse-drawn vehicles as their primary methods of transportation, the Old Order Amish and Mennonites, do not, of course, pay gasoline taxes on their horse-drawn vehicles. The authors of this legislation submit that since these individuals are using roads in their communities, they should be required to pay for upkeep.
Current law allows local units of government to enact an ordinance to collect an annual registration fee for motor vehicles that weigh less than 8,000 pounds and are kept in that political subdivision.
Assembly Bill 612 allows a county to enact an ordinance requiring registration of, and imposing an annual flat registration fee not to exceed $100 on, animal-drawn vehicles that are commonly kept in the county and used primarily for transportation purposes. The bill also requires a county to pay 50 percent of any such fee to a town in which the vehicle is kept.
Please, take a minute to answer this week's survey question regarding the imposition of a registration fee on horse-drawn vehicles used primarily for transportation purposes.
Thank you to everyone who answered last week's survey question regarding the funding authority for additional district attorney positions. In total, 87 individuals answered, with 44 percent of respondents believing that the legislature should be responsible for determining the total number of new assistant district attorney positions.
30 percent of respondents argued that this responsibility belongs to the attorney general.
8 percent believed that the Supreme Court should determine the total number of new assistant district attorney positions.
Lastly, just six percent of respondents believed the governor should be vested with the authority to determine the number of new district attorney positions.
10 percent selected "other" Responses include:
"The people should decide. We no longer trust any of you to work in our best interest."
"I think it should be a joint effort between all parties involved. Prove there is a need and if so, fill the position."
"All of the above working together for the benefit of the people they serve, not partisan politics."
"The governor and legislature need to work together."
"The public should decide, as attorneys are a self-service business."
Local Government Committee
This week, the Assembly Committee on Local Government, on which I serve, will hold a public hearing and executive session on legislation on a multitude of issues.
Participating in an Assembly Committee on Local Government public hearing.
Assembly Bill 360
Assembly Bill 360, authored by Representative Rick Gundrum of West Bend, and Senator Duey Stroebel, seeks to provide clarity in Wisconsin statutes by establishing a fair, impartial and straightforward procedure for verifying the results of elections for commissioners of lake protection and rehabilitation district boards, in addition to creating a mechanism for conducting a recount of these elections.
Additionally, this bill requires ballots to be counted and the election results read immediately before the attendees at their annual meeting. Any candidate or designee can observe the counting of the ballots, in addition to requesting a recount prior to the adjournment of the meeting if the difference in votes cast for the top two candidates is fewer than 10.
The bill was approved unanimously, via voice vote, in the Wisconsin State Senate.
Assembly Bill 498
Assembly Bill 498, a bipartisan proposal introduced by Representative Scott Allen and Senator Duey Stroebel, stipulates that local units of government may only make a property assessed clean energy (PACE) program loan to, or enter into a loan repayment agreement with, an owner or lessee of a property that is a residential property containing at least five dwelling units or a commercial property.
Under current law, a city, village, or town may impose a special charge against real property for services rendered by allocating the cost of the service to the properties that are served. Additionally, a city, village, town or county may make a loan to, or enter into a loan repayment agreement with, an owner or lessee of a premises for making or installing certain energy or water efficiency or renewable resource improvements. The local unit of government may collect a loan repayment under the PACE program as a special charge.
Assembly Bill 661
Assembly Bill 661, a bipartisan proposal that I proudly cosponsored, makes changes to the methods used for filling town board of supervisors vacancies; outlines procedures for the removal of town officeholders; and procedures to appeal the denial of a temporary use permit or extension.
Under current law, a vacancy on a town board is filled at a special election or by an appointment made by the remaining town board supervisions and the town clerk. Assembly Bill 661 provides that if there are two vacancies on the town board, the remaining supervisors, the town clerk, and the town treasurer appoint an individual to fill one vacancy and the remaining supervisors, including the appointee, and the town clerk appoint an individual to fill the vacancy.
Currently, if a village board trustee is temporarily incapacitated because of physical or mental disability, the board may appoint a person to discharge the trustee's duties until the disability is removed. This bill establishes analogous parameters for members of a town board of supervisors who is temporarily incapacitated.
Assembly Bill 661 authorizes an applicant to appeal the denial of a temporary use permit application or permit extension application by the chief of a fire district if the basis of the denial is a discretionary determination. Under the bill, the applicant may appeal the denial to the common council or town board to which the application relates. Following a hearing on the denial, the council or board may approve the applicant's permit or extension application.
Legislation
This week, Senator Duey Storebel and I introduced LRB 3742, legislation proposed by a constituent from the Town of Trenton, relating to the net capital loss deduction.
A capital loss is incurred when a capital asset, such as an investment or real estate, decreases in value. The loss is not realized until the asset is sold for a price that is lower than the original purchase price. In essence, a capital loss is the difference between the purchase price at which the asset is sold, where the sale price is lower than the purchase price.
Under current law, an individual subtracts his or her capital losses from capital gains when computing the amount of gain subject to state income tax. For example, when a Wisconsinite sells stock for less than the purchase price, taxable capital gains are reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
If the capital loss exceeded the capital gains, the individual may use up to $500 of the net loss to offset ordinary income, thus reducing the amount ordinary income subject to the tax. If the individual's net capital loss exceeds $500, he or she may carry forward the excess to future years and offset up to $5000 or ordinary income each year until the loss is used up.
This legislation is being introduced to align state law with federal law as it relates to capital losses. It takes six times as long to reduce a capital loss in Wisconsin than it does at the federal level. This adds costs for tax compliance, and since the capital is eventually realized, Wisconsin is adding those costs just to take the time value of money from Wisconsin without a clear policy reason.
LRB 3742, in addition to bringing state law in line with the federal tax code, increases the maximum annual offset for Wisconsin income tax purposes from $500 to $1,5000 for married individuals filing separately and $3,000 for all other individuals.
This completes alignment between Wisconsin tax law and the Internal Revenue Service Code on this issue. Alignment eliminates confusion for individuals seeking to deduct capital losses.
State of Wisconsin Blue Books
My office still has copies of the 2019-2020 State of Wisconsin Blue Book available. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please click the following link. My staff and I will make it a priority to ensure that your copy arrives in a timely fashion.
60th District Events
The following are events that will be held this week, in the 60th Assembly District. If you have any upcoming events you would like included, please contact my office.
One of the best ways to date with what is happening in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking system. This service affords you with the opportunity to track legislative activities in Madison. Upon creation of a free account, you can sign up to receive notification about specific bills of committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject (i.e., health care, education, etc.).
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Rep. Rob Brooks State Capitol, Room 216 North P.O. Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0060 or (608) 267-2369 Rep.Rob.Brooks@legis.wi.gov| |
