Joint Finance Executive Sessions Recap

The Joint Finance Committee wrapped up its third Executive Session this week, here is a recap of select items.

Before the voting began on the biennial budget, the co-chairs released a memo that removed 14 non-fiscal policy items from the Governor's budget recommendation. The proposed change in city and county assessments and the two plans to change the advisory boards at DNR and DATCP were among the items that were taken out of the budget.

Wisconsin Technical College System

The most controversial topic within the Wisconsin Technical College System issue papers was the proposed elimination of the Educational Approval Board (EAB). Because this issue deals with the proposal to merge the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), the EAB issue papers will be taken up by the JFC at a later date.

As the result of several Budget Buddy requests, the JFC voted to retain a 30% cap on the performance-based funding for tech schools starting in 2017-18 and remaining at that level going forward.

Elimination of Long-Term Vacancies Vote: Alt 2, adopted, 16-0
Performance Based Funding Vote: Adopted 16-0 w/ 1 motion
Tuition Freeze in High Demand Fields Removed from budget (non-fiscal policy item)
Educational Approval Board Deferred Action: Not taken up today

Other Adopted Motions:
Motion #95: Definition of an "employer" member on the Milwaukee Technical College Board.
Motion #94: Waives fees for insuring people who take fire fighter training courses if they are already covered by insurance.
Motion #24: Allows a home-schooled individual under the age of 16 to attend a tech school; which brings parity to home school kids with public school kids.

Transportation

• The Fiscal Bureau released a paper that re-evaluated base year revenues for the transportation fund.

• This paper shows that the condition of the fund has improved over the last few months.

• The improvement includes $73.5 million more in the transportation fund than was originally estimated at the time of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) biennial budget request in 2014.

• This $73.5 million will help reduce the amount of transportation bonding in the budget when this issue comes before the JFC for a vote.

• Three factors explain the bulk of the additional dollars: 1) $20.2 million increase in the estimated opening balance due to higher motor vehicle fuel tax and registrations; 2) $9,2 million increase in gas tax revenues are anticipated for the upcoming 2015-17 biennium; and 3) $43.3 million reduction in estimated debt service.

• The estimated fund balance had previously been estimated at 0.3% of the gross transportation fund revenues for the biennium. Under the re-estimates, that figure rises to 2.2%.

Natural Resources -- Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation

The JFC voted to eliminate 13.35 vacant positions and reduce department funding for these positions, which saves over $1 million/year from the Fish and Wildlife Account. Additionally, the Committee allocated funds for the department to continue to remove car-killed deer from highways. A bipartisan motion was adopted to have DNR do a more in-depth study of the Fish and Wildlife Account so they will be able to come back to the legislature with recommendations on how to make the fund more stable in the future.

Fish and Wildlife Account Condition Vote: Adopted w/ 2 motions (Motion #144 (12-4), Motion #146 (16-0))
Repeal Car-Killed Deer Appropriations Vote: Adopted 16-0 w/ 1 motion
Conservation Warden Overtime and Computers Vote: Alt. A2b, B3, adopted 12-4
Recreational Vehicle Re-estimates Accepted by unanimous consent
Snowmobile Supplemental Trail Aids Joint Finance Requests Vote: Adopted 16-0 w/ 1 motion
ATV Landowner Incentive Program Vote: Alt. 1, adopted 12-4
Wolf Depredation Program Appropriation Vote: Alt 1, adopted 16-0

Other Adopted Motions:
Motion #147: Senator Tiffany and I introduced this motion that streamlines regulations and removes the requirement that a license is necessary to pursue bear. To achieve this, the motion eliminates Class B bear licenses. In addition, the JFC voted to specify that no license is required to conduct certain activities (tracking, baiting, etc) as long as these activities aren't being conducted for the purpose of shooting at, taking, catching, or killing a bear.

So far this budget season, we've:
• Reduced all funds by $19.5 million
• Reduced GPR spending by $9.7 million
• Reduced the number of FTE positions by 26
 

Wisconsin Moving in the Right Direction

Bill Paves Way for Timely Emergency Response

Last week Tuesday, April 14th, the Wisconsin State Assembly voted to advance Assembly Bill 122, a bill I co-authored with Senator Jerry Petrowski (R - Marathon).

The bill was then brought to the Senate floor this Tuesday, April 21st, where it also passed.

AB 122 helps to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of Wisconsin residents by creating an exemption to road weight limitations for public utility, telecommunication or certain cooperative association vehicles responding to service outages.

The goal of this legislation is to allow response vehicles to operate legally in times of an emergency to ensure that individuals do not have to go without power or heat simply because a service truck cannot access a road necessary to fix a downed power line.

AB 122 is intended to be very limited in scope and would only be used to address emergency service outages.

Spring Survey

Have a good weekend and stay warm!

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