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 question
Utility tax collections, which are intended to be returned to counties and municipalities as utility aid, are instead being used by the state as General Purpose Revenue (GPR). Shared revenue utility aid payments help counties and municipalities pay for services provided to tax-exempt utility property. These payments-in-lieu of taxes are also viewed as partial compensation for the air pollution, noise, traffic congestion, property maintenance, emergency services, and land use limitations caused by the presence of utility property.
In recent years, the state has retained around two-thirds of utility tax collections for use as GPR, rather than return those dollars to the counties and municipalities in which those utilities are located.
Utility aid payments have not kept pace with inflation, causing rising local government costs to be unfairly shifted to the owners of taxable property. What is more, utility aid has been stagnant, both as a percentage of tax collections and in the actual dollars distributed to counties and municipalities.
In fact, since 2013, the annual percentage increase in utility aid has largely been declining, with counties and municipalities receiving less than a one-percent increase in both 2016 and 2017.
Importantly, utility aid is intended to cushion and spread the burden of the loss of revenue due to utility property being exempt from local taxation. Stagnant or declining aid results in a burdensome shift in taxes to owners of the remaining taxable property.
The provision of utility aid also helps counties and municipalities offset the cost of providing a variety of services that are required by state law, including emergency management services.
Please, take a minute to answer my one-question survey on utility aid payments.
Thank you to everyone who provided input on mandatory vaccinations and Governor Evers' proposal to eliminate the personal and religious exemption. In total, 147 individuals responded to this week's survey question.
Fifty-five percent of respondents expressed support for eliminating the personal and religious exemptions for vaccines. Conversely, thirty-seven percent of respondents opposed the exemptions.
This week, legislation was introduced by Representative Gordon Hintz, to eliminate the personal exemption for vaccines. I will continue to monitor this bill and keep your thoughts in mind if it comes to the floor for a vote.
Listening Sessions
Thank you to everyone who attended last week's budget listening sessions in Cedarburg, Port Washington, and Trenton. I very much enjoyed meeting with you and listening to your views on the 2019-21 state budget and other Wisconsin-based issues.
If you were unable to attend last week's listening sessions and would like to meet with me to discuss the budget or other issues, please contact my office to schedule a meeting.
Participating in a budget listening session in Cedarburg
Participating in a budget listening session in Trenton
Participating in a budget listening session in Port Washington
Spring Survey
Thank you to everyone who has taken my spring survey thus far. Surveys hit mailboxes a couple of weeks ago and have been starting to trickle into the office. If you have yet to submit the survey, please do so at your earliest convenience. If you want to save on postage, you can take the survey on my website.
60th District Events
The following are a few events that will be occurring this week, in the 60th Assembly District. If you have an upcoming event that you would like included in my weekly e-update, 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) 267-2370 Rep.Rob.Brooks@legis.wi.gov| |
