Greetings!  I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend.  We now get the privilege of gearing up (pardon the pun) for the Walleye Weekend at Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac.  I wanted to touch base about this week's floor session and a State Budget update. 

Because of positive updated revenue projections from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the state legislature has a real opportunity to put Wisconsin back on the path to prosperity.  This new revenue projection of approximately $636 million over 3 years is not a blank check for the same out-of-control government spending that got us in our Budget mess in the first place.  This bill keeps us living within our needs and pays the bills just like you do.  I supported this bill as it passed 84-12 and is now in the Senate.

This bill's major provisions will prevent delays in school aid payments, pays back the illegal raid of the injured patients and families compensation fund, and net Wisconsin $23 million in federal Medicaid funds to ensure continued access to health care for our most vulnerable citizens by paying our bills a month early.  Attached is a PDF summary of the major components that this bill addresses.     

The Joint Committee on Finance voted the 2011-13 State Budget out of their committee and it is now onto the Senate and Assembly for our input, discussion, and ultimate approval.  The Legislative Fiscal Bureau is in the process of putting together a summary of all the committee's changes and I will forward that link when it is available.  The Fiscal Bureau is telling me it may be on Monday.  However, here are some of the major policy changes:

K-12 Funding Gets a Needed Boost

Republicans showed that education remains a top priority by allowing for an additional $116 million dollars in the governor’s budget for public schools in our state. In order to help low revenue school districts there was a motion passed that allows for a $100 per pupil increase in the first and second year of the biennium. This would be funded in the first year by an amount up to $50 on the property tax levy with an equal amount matched by state general purpose revenue (GPR). The second year would be funded entirely with local effort.

In the past, low revenue school districts had traditionally been allowed to increase their property tax by $100 per pupil in order to maintain the equalizing effect of the state funding formula. This budget differs from that by providing GPR the first year of the biennium in order to keep our property tax increase under Governor Walker’s goal of less than 1% over the biennium.

For all school districts in the second year the same idea was applied where school districts could utilize the state matching program up to $100 for every child in their school district. This funding would be a one time categorical aid meaning it would not go into the state equalization aid formula thus allowing every school district in the state to qualify.

Public Instruction -- Choice, Charter, and Open Enrollment

The Joint Committee on Finance voted to expand parental choice in Milwaukee County and to the Racine area.  The enlarged program would begin in 2011-12 with an expansion to students attending any Milwaukee County school and the Racine Unified School District.  Regardless of the geographic locations, any private school that meets the standards can participate in the program.  There would no longer be an enrollment cap in Milwaukee's program while in Racine, choice would be phased in; 250 students in the first year, 500 in the second year and no cap in the third year.  Income eligibility for Racine would be 300% of the federal poverty level with priority given to low-income families if there are more students applying than the positions available.

School choice legislation was also passed for the Green Bay area allowing for parents to decide on its implementation.  The action provides that if a petition signed by a number equal to 25% of the number of pupils enrolled in the Green Bay School District this year.  This program would also be phased-in. 

Journal Times:  School vouchers for Racine added to the state budget

UW System Schools Get added Flexibilities

The UW-Madison will not break off from the UW System.  The committee decided that more flexibilities should be given to every school in the UW System.  The committee voted to give universities the freedom from government red tape when dealing with personnel, budgeting and buying goods and services.   A new state task force will explore the issue further. 

Journal Sentinel:  Panel keeps UW-Madison part of system

Recycling Mandate and Grants Restored

You should not see anything different in your local recycling program.  Members of the Joint Finance Committee made sure the state recycling mandate continues to be on the books even though Governor Walker removed it from his budget.  County and municipal recycling grants will get a $19 million appropriation for each of the next two years.  This reverses the governor's proposal to do away with both the funding and the mandate.  Lawmakers heard from their constituents and community leaders who did not agree with the governor's proposal.  I know Wisconsin is a leader in recycling efforts and now with this decision, we can hopefully continue our great recycling efforts around the state with state appropriations.  The $7 per ton recycling tipping fee would also be deposited in the environmental fund, not the economic development fund as proposed by Governor Walker. 

Combating Fraud in W-2, Wisconsin Shares and Food Shares

Our state needs to step up efforts to combat fraud in important services to the needy, from W-2 to the childcare assistance program called Wisconsin Shares and the state food stamp program called FoodShare.  I feel it's essential that we stop people from literally stealing money from the state when there are families who truly need the help.  For Wisconsin Shares, the budget committee passed a motion to require background checks for childcare workers and to limit the payment of subsidies for providers who are caring for their own children.  A 24-month limit would be placed for those receiving W-2 and hours for education would be limited to 10-12 hours a week.  To combat the rampant fraud and abuse in the food stamp program, we're asking the Department of Health Services to study important program changes including putting a photo on enrollment cards and FoodShare benefit cards as well as a promoting the purchases of nutritional foods.

SeniorCare Protected

Several changes were also made based on the feedback that the Committee received from residents all across the state. Perhaps most significantly, there will be no change to the SeniorCare Program. Thousands of Wisconsin’s senior citizens depend on this program for much-needed help with their prescription drugs, and they will see no change in their coverage or eligibility.

Shared Revenue and Tax Relief -- Direct Aid Payments

Members of the Joint Finance Committee reduced the cut in assistance to counties and cities throughout the state.  The governor's proposal set the shared revenue cut at $96 million.  This provision provides $19.3 million in state dollars to offset the cut to $76 million.  Most cities, towns, villages and counties would see their reduction go from 50% to 25%.  Cities with populations under 110,000 would see a change in their reduction from 50% to 15%. The motion also eliminates the county and municipality maintenance of effort that required a level of spending for emergency services from two years ago.

Associated Press:  Local aid cut to communities softened

Prevailing Wage

Committee members addressed prevailing wage laws too.  The motion sets new project thresholds of $48,000 for single-trade projects, $234,000 for multiple-trade construction projects conducted by municipalities with less than 2,500 people (provided a private contractor is used) and $100,000 for all other multiple-trade municipal and state public works projects.  These thresholds would not apply to any projects below $25,000.  The motion also deletes the prevailing wage laws of publicly funded private construction projects.  There are some discussions of tweaking it a little and I am evaluating some of the major concerns.

 Manufacturing Tax Credit

Joint Finance Committee members approved a motion to help make Wisconsin the number one state in manufacturing jobs.  In an effort to bring an onslaught of jobs to the state, the committee passed a measure to phase in a manufacturing tax credit.  the provision would go into effect in January 2013 with a 1.875% credit the first year, 3.75% the following year and 5.526% in the third year.  I support this idea of saying to manufacturers, "Come to Wisconsin, we are serious about creating and keeping jobs here." 

Journal Sentinel:  Business production tax break added to the budget

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Job creation is job one in this Legislative Session.  This provision establishes the funding for the new public-private partnership of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).  After much community and legislator input, the committee also voted to keep the Main Street program to help communities with economic development efforts.  WEDC will expend at least $250,000 annually on the Main Street program.

Employment Relations Commission

Counties and municipalities will get more tools to deal with reduced aid from the state.  New hires to local law enforcement agencies and firefighting departments will be required to pay into their pensions. However, current employees would be exempt.  In addition to this exemption language proposed by the Governor, the committee addressed the issue of pay compression between represented and non-represented police officers.  In an effort to make everyone the same, the Governor's exemption was extended to non-represented (administrative and managerial positions) and sheriffs.

Also, school districts will be allowed to enter into memoranda's of understanding with their employees in order to modify compensation and fringe benefits for 90 days after the enactment of Act 10 only if the agreement was made before February 1, 2011.

Rep. Thiesfeldt honors and surprises Dr. Gayle Hytrek with a plaque last Thursday night.  Dr. Hytrek served as president of Maraine Park Technical College for the last 7 years and is retiring.  Best Wishes!

We don't have a trillion dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion dollar debt because we spend too much. - Ronald Reagan

Here is a link from the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources about Walleye: click here

These following facts are taken from this link (click here) and are also provided so you can be at your finest for Walleye Weekend: 

Facts About Walleye

Walleye are one of the most popular game-fish in the nation. Their original range was across Canada and then in a triangular shape southward with the point of the triangle terminating in Alabama. Over the last hundred years walleye have been stocked in waters in almost every state.

In Canada, walleye are called pickerel, jackfish or dore´ while in the U.S. they are commonly called walleyed pike.

Walleye are closely related to saugers and belong to the perch family. They are not related to pike.

Walleye are often unpredictable, are constantly on the move and will bite like mad one day then disappear for a week for no apparent reason. And, when they decide to quit biting, almost nothing will change their minds.

Walleye have big marble-like eyes which have a layer of reflective pigment in the retina. This gives walleye a built in advantage – they can see well in dim light – but their most common prey, yellow perch, cannot. This highly developed night vision allows walleye to do most of their feeding at night.

Because walleye eyes are so sensitive to light, they don't like bright sunlight. If the water is clear and there is no shade in the shallows, walleye will go as deep as 40 feet to escape the penetrating rays of the sun.

My office has responded to 2304 constituent concerns, inquires, position statements, congratulations, and ideas since January 3, 2011.   Also, this is the 18th E-update--enough to keep you informed but not to overwhelm you with tons of emails.  (That's about 1 every 10 days on average.)  If you have an outstanding issue sent into our office we are diligently researching it.  Please touch base with me again if somehow it got caught in our spam filter or human error.