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| Wisconsin: Legislative & Political Weekly Update
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TO: Clients & Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc. and Wimmer & Company
FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
and Wimmer & Company
DATE: March 6, 2009
SUBJECT: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
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Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Announce Budget Hearings Around the State
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Joint Finance Committee (JFC) Co-Chairs Senator Mark Miller and Representative Mark Pocan announced on Wednesday, March 4th, a series of budget hearings across the state of Wisconsin. As a addition to the initial list, JFC member Representative Gary Sherman and state Senator Bob Jauch announced on Thursday, March 5th the Ashland hearing session.
The budget bill, AB 75, will get seven hearings out of the state capitol at the end of March and the beginning of April.
The public is invited to attend and participate: "Members of the public are invited to comment on the state budget through testimony before the committee or by providing written comments to the committee. Those who wish to testify are asked to limit their comments to 3 minutes."
Here is the list of hearings that was released:
Sparta:
Monday, March 23
10 am-4 pm
American Legion Hall
1116 Angelo Road
Milwaukee Metro:
Wednesday, March 25
10 am-4 pm
State Fair Park
Banquet Room #2
640 S. 84th St. West Allis
Eau Claire:
Friday, March 27
10 am-4 pm
UW-Eau Claire
Haas Fine Arts Center
Gantner Concert Hall
121 Water Street
Ashland:
Saturday, March 28
Starting at 9 am
Ashland High School
Auditorium
1900 Beaser Ave. Racine: Monday, March 30 10 am-4 pm Case High School Theater 7345 Washington Ave. Appleton: Wednesday, April 1 10 am-4 pm Lawrence University Stansbury Theater Music Drama Center 420 E. College Ave Cambridge: Friday, April 3 10 am-4 pm Amundson Community Center 200 Spring St. www.wispolitics.com
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Federal Stimulus Update: Transportation and Infrastructure |
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The White House released more details on Tuesday, March 3rd on the federal stimulus money allocation for highway and infrastructure projects.
Wisconsin, along with the other states, has 120 days to assign appropriated federal stimulus money designated for transportation and infrastructure projects.
As to the quick turnaround on assigning the projects, the Recovery.gov website explains: "Parts of the allocation are set aside to make sure that urban, suburban, and rural areas alike all get a share. But since local leaders -- mayors and governors -- know their communities best, much of the money is left to states' discretion. And if states don't use it, they lose it. To make sure that funds go out quickly to give our economy the jolt it needs, states have 120 days to assign the funds to specific projects."
Other allocations include:
$49 million for projects in urban areas
$95 million for suburban projects
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Governor Doyle addressed Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Advisory Council
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Governor Doyle addressed the Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Advisory Council on Thursday, March 5th at Manpower World Headquarters in Milwaukee. In his address to the council, he emphasized the need for more jobs and continued investment in Wisconsin businesses. He also stressed the importance of regional economic development.
Doyle emphasized the importance of maintaining good education, continuing basic affordable health care, protecting the people through basic police force and fire services, and creating new jobs. ( www.wispolitics.com) "This budget is a major step forward," Doyle said. "We must invest in our workers ... get people to work and move this state forward." Speaking specifically about the need to adapt to the changing economic climate as it relates to jobs, he announced $5.8 million for strategic workforce training. According to Wispolitics.com, the programs reflect a major change in the way Wisconsin and its partners train workers and meet the needs of employers in growing sectors.
"This is a very difficult time, it is a time when we have to decide what is most important to us," Doyle said. "The Wisconsin Sector Strategic Workforce Initiatives is a new way of doing business."
The Strategic Workforce Initiative will be funded with nearly $3 million in federal funds over the next two years. In future months, multiple grants will be rewarded in the first step to bringing together leaders of industry, labor, education, economic development and workers in seven Wisconsin regions. The leaders will form partnerships to identify the workforce need of high-growth sectors and develop ways to meet these needs. Specific industry partnerships can seek grants that will present resources and funding for workers. For regions that are ready, grant money will be available immediately.
www.wispolitics.com
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Governor Doyle announced support for national cap-and-trade system to curb carbon pollution
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Governor Doyle backed a national cap-and-trade system to curb carbon pollution.
He said in a conference call on Tuesday, March 3rd that a federal cap-and-trade system for controlling carbon emissions could be a reality by 2012 or 2013.
The House wants to move legislation by this Memorial Day, and the Senate wants to debate the issue before the end of the year. But Doyle said during a conference call with reporters from Washington, D.C., "most people recognize there has to be a several- year period of time" for a transition period before it could be implemented.
In the meantime, he'll continue to work with a coalition of Midwest governors to come to a regional agreement.
"I think it is highly preferable that there be a national system. But I do believe that the work we're doing in the Midwest can be very helpful, and we have to do it because the Midwest has some very unique concerns here," he said, citing the region's longtime reliance on coal power and manufacturing base.
"The work we've done in the Midwest can really make sure the Midwest's interests are being put forward as the Congress debates the national cap-and-trade system," he said.
Listen to audio from the conference call:
http://wispolitics.com/1006/090303Doyle_energy.mp3
Doyle also attended a symposium on climate change on Capitol Hill. Afterward, he again voiced to reporters his support for a cap-and-trade system.
"I hope that as Congress now moves forward with this, that the work that we have done at the state levels ... that we will be able to share what we have been doing with Congress," Doyle said at the news conference. "We are very hopeful that Congress will act. This is something that we have been seeking to do in the Midwest."
The symposium Doyle attended was cosponsored by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, among others, and was attended by a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers in addition to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"We know that America has a key leadership role to play on this," Blair said, describing how important it is that the U.S. participate with other countries in enacting legislation that addresses climate change.
See more in DC Wrap:
http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Content=174
www.wispolitics.com
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| Wisconsin GOP touts own Joint Task Force on Economic Development |
| State GOP lawmakers unveiled a new joint task force on economic development they say would solicit input from state business leaders through a series of roundtable discussions.
The Republican contend the Democratic-controlled legislature has largely ignored concerns of the business community in the wake of the economic crisis and massive budget deficit challenges. As a result, Republican Senate Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Democrats weren't invited to participate in the task force. Fitzgerald was specifically critical of his Democratic colleagues in the state Senate: "It's pretty clear what the agenda (s) that the Democrats have already launched in the state Senate. That's why we're doing this, I think. We want to hear the other side."
The Wisconsin Jobs NOW Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Randy Hopper of Oshkosh and Rep. Rich Zipperer of Pewaukee, will initially hold roundtables in Green Bay, Eau Claire and Milwaukee. Other GOP lawmakers will serve as "contributing members" to the task force, which will be joined by executives Mike Savignac of PDQ Manufacturing in De Pere, John Radke of BioResearch Inc. in Brown Deer, and Ed Schafer of Silver Spring Gardens Inc. in Eau Claire.
According to the Wisconsin Jobs NOW Task Force website, the Task Forces was created to: "develop legislative initiatives that will have a positive impact on Wisconsin jobs. The Task Force will provide a forum for employers across Wisconsin to share their thoughts on the condition of Wisconsin's business climate and suggest changes to strengthen it. These suggestions will be developed into a report of legislative recommendations to grow jobs and stimulate our economy that will be submitted to the Legislature."
At the press launch at the state capitol of the Economic Task Force, Hopper said "You solve problems with an economy by creating consumers; you create consumers by offering jobs. The people that are offering those jobs are the people we ought to be talking to."
Radke said his business needs capital to survive but that the current climate has made gaining capital in Wisconsin for a small business "next to impossible."
"What we don't need is for anybody to make it more difficult than it already is," Radke said.
See the website for Wisconsin Jobs NOW:
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| Next Week's Legislative Committee Calendar |
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Mar 10 Tue
Judiciary and Ethics (Assembly)
10:00 AM
225 Northwest Items: Assembly Bill 78
Public Hearing
Mar 10 Tue
Public Health (Assembly)
10:00 AM
400 Northeast Items: Assembly Bill 44; Assembly Bill 56
Public Hearing
Mar 10 Tue
Economic Development (Senate)
10:30 AM
411 South Items: Economic Development Portal.; WISCareers; Helping Adult Learners Complete Unfinished Degrees
Public Hearing
Mar 10 Tue
Judiciary and Ethics (Assembly) (Executive Session)
11:00 AM or upon adjournment of public hearing which ever is later
225 Northwest Items: Assembly Joint Resolution 15; Senate Joint Resolution 6; Assembly Bill 61; Senate Bill 36; Assembly Bill 60; Senate Bill 37
Executive Session
Mar 10 Tue
Urban and Local Affairs (Assembly)
11:00 AM
300 Northeast Items: Assembly Bill 8; Assembly Bill 33; Assembly Bill 85
Public Hearing
Mar 10 Tue
Environment (Senate) (Executive Session)
3:00 PM
300 Southeast Items: Senate Bill 5; Assembly Bill 3
Executive Session
Mar 11 Wed
Natural Resources (Assembly)
9:30 AM
417 North (GAR Hall) Items: Assembly Bill 43; Assembly Bill 114; Senate Bill 12
Public Hearing
Mar 11 Wed
Justice Reinvestment Initiative Oversight (Legislative Council)
10:00 AM
411 South, State Capitol, Madison Items: (None)
Overview: · Presentations on intermediate findings of the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center relating to Wisconsin's correctional system and community corrections: o Dr. Tony Fabelo, Director of Research. o Mike Eisenberg, Research Manager. o Marshall Clement, Project Director. o Marc Pelka, Policy Analyst. · Discussion of committee assignment. Study Meeting
Mar 11 Wed
Retirement Systems (Joint)
10:00 AM
400 Southeast Items: Corporate Governance and Clawback provisions within the State of Wisconsin Investment Board
Public Hearing
Mar 11 Wed
Domestic Biofuels (Legislative Council)
10:00 AM
412 East, State Capitol, Madison Items: (None)
Overview: Discussion of draft legislation draft letters to the Wisconsin Congressional delegation and the Governor identified at the December 16, 2008 meeting, relating to a state renewable fuels standard; biofuel feedstock, production, distribution, increasing the demand for biofuels, and duties of the Office of Energy Independence. Study Meeting
Mar 12 Thu
Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs (Senate)
10:00 AM
411 South Items: Senate Bill 46; Senate Bill 20
Public Hearing
Mar 12 Thu
Insurance (Assembly) (Executive Session)
11:00 AM
328 Northwest Items: Assembly Bill 15
Executive Session
Mar 12 Thu
Commerce, Utilities, Energy, and Rail (Senate)
1:30 PM
Council Chambers, Two Rivers City Hall, 1717 East Park Street, Two Rivers, WI 54241 Items: Dominion Resources; Dr. Patrick Moore; Forest Ceel; Katie Necola; Mark Buss; Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Public Service Commission (PSC); Frank Jablonski; Charlie Higley
Public Hearing
Mar 12 Thu
Energy and Utilities (Assembly)
1:30 PM
Council Chambers, Two Rivers City Hall, 1717 East Park Street, Two Rivers, WI 54241 Items: Public Service Commission (PSC); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); Dr. Patrick Moore; Frank Jablonski; Charlie Higley; Katie Nekola; Dominion Resources; Forrest Ceel; Mark Buss
Public Hearing
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