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League of Wisconsin Municipalities
Ph: (608) 267-2380
(800) 991-5502
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Fiscal Bureau Projects $283 Million Deficit at end of Current Budget Cycle
As you probably heard, last week the Legislative Fiscal Bureau issued new revenue estimates, which showed that the budget picture for the current fiscal year has worsened. The state is on track to finish 2014-15 with a deficit of $283 million, which is $153 million deeper than the Department of Administration (DOA) had estimated in November.
Not all of the news in the LFB memo was negative. Although the LFB projects that tax revenue in the current fiscal year will be $173 million less than what DOA estimated in November, LFB also estimates that the tax revenue in the next biennium will be $177 million higher than November's estimate. Overall, the changes to the November revenue estimates for the current fiscal year and the 2015-2017 biennium offset one another. The bottom line is that the state's budget picture has not improved since November, when the DOA's numbers showed a $2.2 billion gap between projected revenue and agency budget requests.
Needless to say, the Governor and the Legislature have a difficult task in coming up with a balanced budget while retaining sufficient funding for medicaid and other programs. The prevailing wisdom is that the UW System will face significant cuts in the next budget. We have received no information and heard no rumors regarding what funding levels for shared revenue and other municipal programs the Governor may propose.
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League's Advisory Committee on Legislation Meets
Last week, the League's Advisory Committee on Legislation met for the first time this legislative session. The committee reviews legislation affecting municipalities and recommends policy positions to the League's Board of Directors.
At last week's meeting, the committee voted to retain the League's current position opposing establishing a statewide uniform policy governing the release of sex offenders into communities. The League's current policy position, as established by a resolution passed by the membership in 2011, supports retaining the ability of municipalities to adopt ordinances regulating where convicted sex offenders may locate in the community.
The Committee also voted to recommend that the League join with the City of Madison in seeking legislation clarifying that municipal owned land is exempt from adverse possession. In other action the committee voted to:
- Recommend support for the Municipal Environmental Group -Water Division's efforts to codify its proposed framework for managing frozen water laterals.
- Join with Milwaukee in supporting the creation of a grant program funded by Forestry Tax dollars to help municipalities manage trees damaged by emerald ash borer disease.
- Discussed concerns over the Wisconsin Realtors Association's idea for legislation prohibiting local time of sale requirements.
The League's Board of Directors will review the committee's recommendations at its next meeting on February 6.
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League Staff Continues Partnership for Prosperity Road Show
Last week, League staff presented the League's Partnership for Prosperity legislative agenda to municipal officials and state legislators at meetings in River Falls, Valders, and Beaver Dam. The "P4P" tour continues this week with presentations in Waterford and Kronenwetter.
Learn more about the League's Partnership for Prosperity Agenda here.
Tweet your support for the League's Prosperity Agenda: http://ctt.ec/2PzEC
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Recently Introduced Legislation
No new legislation affecting municipalities was introduced last week.
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Hearings on Municipal Bills
No public hearings on municipal bills have been scheduled yet.
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