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Legislative Update

April 23, 2005

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Legislative Session

The Legislature will not meet April 27-29. A veto session is still scheduled for May 11-13.

Bills signed into law by the Governor

AB-209. Allowing an individual income tax deduction for certain amounts contributed by a great-grandparent, aunt or uncle to a college savings account or a college tuition and expenses program.

Bills vetoed by the Governor

SB-253. Allows four more UW institutions to charter K-12 schools with Board of Regents approval. In his veto message the Governor said that expansion of the independent charter school program would “dilute the program’s goal of improving educational opportunities for students living in Milwaukee and Racine.” He added that the bill would also “drain state funds from existing public schools and increase property taxes.”

AB-830. Funding for engineering instruction at the UW-Rock County Campus. In his veto message, Governor Doyle said that he did not want the Legislature earmarking funding outside of the budget process for campus-specific programs in the University of Wisconsin System. “Circumventing the university’s normal budget process will harm our ability to consider the overall needs of the entire system,” the Governor explained, adding that “this proposal has great merit and will urge the Board of Regents to include it in their next budget proposal." In response to the veto, UW System President Katharine Lyall said "The University of Wisconsin System was looking forward to launching this effort in collaboration with the Janesville community, local businesses, UW-Rock County and UW-Platteville to extend much-needed engineering education opportunities to citizens of that region. We're disappointed that the Governor felt that the state's finances couldn't accommodate this project at this time, but we appreciate his leaving the door open for its consideration in the 2005-07 university budget proposal.”

TABOR

Representatives Frank Lasee (R-Green Bay) and Jeff wood (R-Chippewa Falls) released their updated version of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) today. Claiming that “taxpayers in this state need protection,” and that “our tax burden is too high,” Lasee and Wood submit that their compromise will “help relieve some of the concerns we’ve heard in the Legislature and around the state.”

Included among the TABOR changes contained in the substitute amendment:

Inflation will still be the main growth factor, but instead of a single year, the inflation factor will consist of the average of the last three years;
Increased spending limits for schools and technical schools;
Exemption for the UW System, other than any state funds;
More options for governments to maintain spending levels during economic downturns;
A budget stabilization fund, funded with excess revenues;
Looser requirements for bonding referendums.

The Board of Regents passed a resolution opposed to TABOR, as has the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. The Badger Action Network (BAN) is communicating with its members.

Other News

Four-term Democratic State Rep. Tom Hebl of Sun Prairie will seek the nomination for the 16th State Senate District, now held by Sen. Chuck Chvala, who has not announced his intentions for this fall, but is not expected to seek re-election. Hebl joins a field that already includes Rep. Mark Miller of Monona and Tim Coger of Sun Prairie.

Milwaukee County Supervisor James G. White will seek the 4th Senate District seat being vacated by Gwen Moore, who is running for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by Cong. Jerry Kleczka. White has served eight years on the Milwaukee County Board.

Marathon County Clerk of Courts Donna Seidel announced her candidacy today for the 85th Assembly District, which is being vacated by Democratic Rep. Greg Huber. He was elected circuit judge in the April 6th Spring Election. Seidel, 53, of Wausau, is the first to announce for the seat. She will run as a Democrat.

Republican Robin Vos of Burlington will run for the 63rd Assembly District seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Bonnie Ladwig. Vos owns RoJo's Popcorn Co., which currently employs 15 people in various locations throughout the state. He announced his candidacy today.

UW-Oshkosh professor Tony Palmeri will run for the 54th Assembly District seat, currently held by Gregg Underheim, as a Green Party Candidate. Palmeri ran as a Democrat in 1996, but says he joined the Green Party because both major parties are following politics as usual.

HINTZ TO SEEK 54th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT SEAT
Democrat Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh announced his candidacy today for the 54th Assembly District, currently represented by Republican Gregg Underheim. Hintz is the son of former Oshkosh Mayor Stephen Hintz.

End Note

A brief summary of Legislative action on bills affecting the UW System will be available next week. The Legislature will return for the May 11-13 veto session. An extraordinary session may be added to either of these calendars or later in the spring, to address AJR-55 (TABOR) and other issues.

For further information, contact Margaret Lewis at (608) 262-4464.