|
Capitol Notes
WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update |
TO: Clients/Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company, S.C.
FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
& Wimmer Company, S.C.
DATE: March 9, 2012
SUBJECT: Weekly Legislative and Political Update
|
|
Mining Bill Fails
This week saw high drama in the Capitol as the state Senate voted down by a 17 to 16 margin legislation that would have allowed for a new mine in Wisconsin. Senator Dale Schutlz (R-Richland Center) joined all 16 Democrats in defeating the controversial proposal.
As expected reaction to the defeat of the proposal was numerous and heated.
As a result of the Senate's defeat of the proposal, Gogebic Tactonite LLC, the company that proposed the mine, announced that it was dropping its plans to build the mine in northern Wisconsin, which it claims that it would have invested $1.5 billion in the project and would have created at least 700 jobs if the legislation would have passed.
Most of the attention around the mining debate the past several weeks focused on Schultz who has served in the Senate for nearly 30 years and is considered to be one of the more moderate members of the Senate Republican Caucus. For weeks, Schultz was offering his own mining proposal with long-term Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) who represents the area of the state where the mine was proposed. According to Schultz and Jauch, their proposal would have allowed for more protection of the environment and the long term impacts of the mine on local communities.
In reacting to the Senate's defeat of the proposal, Governor Walker expressed disappointment by saying, "Somehow politics trumped everything else. I think more than anything else the (lack of ) movement out of Madison from these 16 senators were driven more by the political wishes of people outside of our state in Washington, D.C,. who didn't want (me) to have a political victory here," (www.jsonline.com).
Enviromental groups, led by the League of Conservation Voters, cheered the defeat of the proposal by saying:
"Gogebic Taconite's announcement that they are leaving Wisconsin confirms that the company was never interested in responsible mining. Further, it illustrates Governor Walker's eagerness to place polluting special interests above Wisconsin's working families," ( http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/March12/0306/0306consvotersgtac.pdf).
It is still possible, however, but mostly unlikely, that compromise mining legislation could be achieved in the next several weeks, and if so, Governor indicated this week that he would call a special legislative session to consider any such legislation.
|
|
State Capitol Happenings
Representative Van Roy to Retire
This week, Representative Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay) announced that he is retiring at the end of his term later this year. Van Roy, 73, was elected in 2002 after a career in the restaurant business. He operated the River's Bend Supper Club from its founding in the mid-1970s until 1988.
He served as chairman of the Assembly Committee on Homeland Security and State Affairs and the Assembly Committee on Small Business. He also served on the committees on Transportation; Aging and Long Term Care; Health Corrections and the Courts; Tourism, Recreation and State Properties (www.greenbaypressgazette.com).
Van Roy joins three other GOP Assembly members - Representatives Meyer, Spanbauer and Meyer - in retiring at the end of the year.
State Jobs Numbers Increase
There was good news on the state's economic front this week when the state Department of Workforce Development announced that Wisconsin's unemployment rate dropped to 6.9 percent in January as the state added 12,500 jobs.
The state added 15,700 private-sector jobs between December and January, but lost 3,200 government jobs (www.wispolitics.com).
To view the DWD release, click here:
http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/120308DWDjobs.pdf
Judge Halts New Voter ID Law
Dane Judge David Flanagan granted a temporary injunction against the state's new Voter ID law because he believes that two civil rights groups - the NAACP and Voces de la Frontera - have demonstrated a probability they will succeed on the merits of their lawsuit they have filed against the new law. In granting the temporary injunction, Flanagan said that the groups' members face the probability of irreperable harm if the requirement remains in place (www.wispolitics.com).
The order ceases enforcement of the voter ID requirement for the spring general election, which is on Tuesday, April 3.
To read the Judge's order, click here:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/large/Order_Granting_Injunction.pdf
|
|
The Week Ahead - Last Week of Session
Next week will be a very busy week in the Capitol since the legislature will be concluding its 2011-12 legislative session. Both the Senate and Assembly are expected to be in several days next week.
As of this writing, only the Assembly has announced its calendar for Tuesday, March 13. To view the calendar, click here:
http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/calendars |
