Helpful Wisconsin Links
Unsubscribe
If you would like to unsubscribe from Representative Ballweg E-Update, please click here.
8th Annual Joan Ballweg Leadership Scholarship
This week guidance counselor’s at all eleven high schools in the 41st
Assembly district will receive packets for students to apply for the 8th
Annual Joan Ballweg Leadership Scholarship.
Eligibility is open to all graduating seniors continuing their education
in a 2-year technical college program or a 4-year baccalaureate degree
program. Students must be graduating with at least a 3.0 average on a
4.0 point scale, and must reside in the district. If you are unsure
whether or not you reside in the 41st Assembly District, you can visit
the legislature’s website at www.legis.state.wi.us. Then click on the
link “Who Represents Me?”, and type in your address to determine your
home district.
“This scholarship is to encourage and reward students that take a role
in leadership in their high school,” states Ballweg. “My hope is they
will continue their leadership roles in college and with their future
employers.”
Deadline for applications is April 16, 2012. The packets are available
at area high school guidance offices, you can also contact my office for
a scholarship application packet toll free at (888)534 0041 or e-mail us
at rep.ballweg@legis.wi.gov.
LRB 2395 - Snowmobile legislation
This week Representative Ballweg and Senator Olsen drafted legislation to generate revenue for the Snowmobile Program to establish and maintain the trails. Below is a summary of the draft. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Wisconsin is
home to approximately 25,000 miles of snowmobile trails, the largest
such system in North America.
Snowmobiling has become one of Wisconsin’s leading outdoor activities,
contributing by some estimates over $1 billion annually in tourism and
retail revenue to our state. It should be known that our state’s
snowmobile program, regarded as one of America’s best exists without
funding from non-snowmobiling taxpayers.
It is not state or local government providing these trails – they are
provided by snowmobile clubs and county alliances whose members
volunteer time and effort to establish and then maintain the trails
throughout the season. Non-club members enjoy this statewide system at
relatively no cost and without effort.
While Wisconsin’s trail system has expanded, its level of funding and
number of active volunteers has remained static. Fuel costs, costs for
grooming machines and parts, insurance rates, etc. have all risen while
the cost of registering a “sled” has not. The gap in funding is
typically covered by the clubs and their members who simply love their
sport. The gap in manpower available to establish and maintain the
trails has become overwhelming.
We often turn to our local snowmobile clubs and to the Association of
Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs (AWSC) for solutions to resolve snowmobiling
difficulties. These entities strongly recommend the “two-tiered”
approach to addressing funding and manpower shortfalls.
LRB-3295 was introduced to help assure the future of this prized outdoor
activity that contributes so greatly to our state’s economy. My
proposal is somewhat similar to the initiative introduced by Senator
Holperin and Rep. Danou last session, but absent of the spending
measures found in their efforts.
LRB-3295 makes registration of a snowmobile a one-time event rather than
a requirement every two years. Annual trail passes would need to be
purchased and displayed, and these passes would become the basis for
appropriations.
LRB-3295 also sets the cost of an annual trail pass at $35.00, and
essentially provides a credit of $20.00 to snowmobile club and AWSC
members who have, on average paid that same amount in annual dues. The
cost of an annual trail pass for these AWSC and club members would be
$15.00.