Within the budget, local municipalities are released from many previous mandates.  The one that seems to be initiating the most conversation is the recycling mandate repeal.  The recycling repeal brings to an end the mandate on local municipalities to operate a recycling program with curb side pick up.  Municipalities may continue to operate their local programs but will not be required to do so by the state and will not receive state aid.  Currently, this program is funded by part of the tipping fee which other states pay when they dump their garbage in Wisconsin.  Municipalities split about $32 million, which is only a portion of the millions in tipping fees paid each year.  They would no longer receive this amount to operate their recycling programs; the $32 million would be designated to fund the new Wisconsin Economic Development Corp which is replacing the Department of Commerce. 

I do not believe the recycling mandate should be lifted.  Advances in what can be made from recycled plastics and materials are happening daily; recycling is necessary for our future.  Just like any market there are going to be highs and lows but I believe the market for recycled material will only increase as resources become scarcer in the future.   

Through the Farmland Preservation Program, Wisconsin is trying to modernize farmland preservation plans, provide planning grants to reimburse counties for farmland preservation planning, and increase income tax credits for program participants.   

The Agriculture Enterprise Areas were developed to maintain large areas of land primarily in agriculture use.  Through this program Wisconsin strives to continue encouraging farmers and local governments to invest in agriculture.  This program also provides an opportunity to enter into farmland preservation agreements to claim income tax credits. 

The final part of the Working Lands Initiative is the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Grant Program or PACE.  This program was developed to protect farmland through voluntary programs to purchase agricultural conservation easements.  

I have been contacted by a number of constituents in the district that are directly effected by a portion of one or more of these programs; some of which would like to see parts of the PACE program to continue.  The current budget proposal would eliminate the PACE program but I am working with my colleagues and the Governor’s office in an effort to reach a compromise that would allow the PACE program to continue in a revised fashion.  I believe that Wisconsin must find a way to protect valuable agriculture land from development.  Once this land is developed it is lost forever.   

I am continuing to review the budget proposal and seek constituent input.  I want to remind everyone that this is still a proposal and I believe as the budget moves through the process we’ll see more changes being made.  Please don’t hesitate to contact my office on how we can continue to move this state forward without raising taxes. 

As in the past I would continue to encourage you to contact my office with ideas for this next legislative session and on individual pieces of legislation.  Now more than ever your ideas and opinions need to be heard, so we can begin to get Wisconsin back to work.  As before I will continue to work across the aisle to find common ground and move legislation forward.  Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (608) 266-3404, or Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov. 

Please share this update with your friends and neighbors within the 47th Assembly District and if there is anybody you know who would like to be included please respond to this email with their email address. 

I want to remind everyone that my door is always open and you can always visit me at my Madison office in the Capitol (223 North).   Please do not hesitate to contact me with any issues you maybe facing.  You can call my office at 608-266-3404 or email me at Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov.  I look forward to hearing from you.