JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE

Senate Members


Co-Chair: Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona

Democratic members Republican members

Assembly Members


Co-Chair: Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson

Republican members Democratic members

BUDGET LINKS

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

UW Administrators Testify

The chancellors from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and UW-Stout and the provost from UW-River Falls testified. The UW-Stout chancellor asked for continued funding for a manufacturing partnership program, UW-Eau Claire chancellor in support of the system growth agenda, and UW-River Falls provost for higher pay for faculty.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 03:47:00 PM  

More Testimony on Doyle's Budget

Marvel Lemke, the Register of Deeds for Taylor County speaking on behalf of the state Register of Deeds Association, testified regarding Gov. Doyle's proposed increases to copy fees for vital records.

Lemke said copies of birth certificates will be raised from $12 to $20 under Doyle's budget, and records for marriage and death certificates would raise from $7 to $20. She said the copy fees should not be diverted to other programs, and said more needs to be spent on preservation of vital records and for software updates for register of deeds office.

A CESA 10 employee testified in support of incentives in the budget for school districts who develop wind power.

One local resident spoke in favor of raising tipping fees to deter out of state trash dumping and for more money for the state land stewardship program. He also spoke in favor of reinstating the Public Intervenor position in the state Department of Justice, as Doyle proposed. The man referred to AG J.B. Van Hollen's decision to remove the state from an environmental lawsuit against the federal government, calling Van Hollen "no friend of the environment."

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 03:10:00 PM  

Committee Hears Testimony About Corrections, UW Tuition and the QEO

The JFC has heard testimony from two pastors who would like to see full funding for Gov. Jim Doyle's $22 million proposal for Treatment Alternative and Diversion program in the Department of Corrections.

Five individuals banded together to support Doyle's proposal for early intervention funding for children with autism and for his proposal to mandate insurance companies cover people with autism.

A UW-Eau Claire student stepped up to ask for a tuition freeze in the UW System, and a tech school student asked for more financial aid for the WTCS.

The superintendent from the Pepin Area School District said his board opposes the governor's proposal to repeal the QEO unless it is accompanied by the rescinding of revenue limits and an overhaul of the school funding formula.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 02:35:00 PM  

More Testimony to Come

As of 1:30 p.m., there were 145 people signed up to testify.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 02:25:00 PM  

Other Testimony

The Neillsville School District superintendent said he is happy with Gov. Doyle's proposal to increase aids for special education, bilingual education funding and school transportation aids, but said overall the governor's education budget doesn't go far enough.

Ken Yost, of the Barron County Economic Development Association, asked the committee to support the governor's proposal to boost funding for the Wisconsin West Rail Transit Authority, and also asked for Department of Transportation bonding authority for WWRTA.

As with last week's hearing in DeForest, a large group of high school-age kids is at the meeting today dressed in bright orange long-sleeved t-shirts. They are representing Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco, and they urge the JFC to support Gov. Doyle's proposal to increase the $1.25 per pack increase for cigarettes and to increase funding for smoking cessation and avoidance programs.

Joan Curran of Gunderson Lutheran Health asked the committee to remove the proposed 1 percent tax on hospitals from the budget, saying the proposed tobacco tax increase would do enough to allow the state to capture more federal money for Medicaid. She also urged the committee not to allow a diversion of funds from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund. Two local physicians also testified that the state should keep its hands off the patients compensation fund.

Three more superintendents of small school districts, Chetek, Mellon and Cameron, testified about the difficulties their districts face. A parent from Chetek and a retired school teacher from Chippewa Falls praised the governor's 2/3 school funding proposal.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 01:27:00 PM  

Dentist Asks Medicaid Money Go Toward Dental Care

Dentist Kent Vandehaar asked for more Medicaid money to be directed for dental care. Vandehaar said his practice has stopped accepting MA patients because he loses money under the current reimbursement rate.

"I want to accept more patients, but I can't afford to," he said. He pointed out that of the $4.4 billion MA budget, only 1 percent is directed toward dental care.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 12:48:00 PM  

Locals Voice Concerns

Mark Drangstveit, a logger from Black River Falls, asked the committee to lift weight restrictions on bridges or to direct more cash to improve bridges to handle more than the 98,000-pound limit that is currently law. He said the current restrictions "are like putting a roadblock on every single highway in the state."

Dave Fish representing St. Joseph's Hospital spoke against the 1 percent gross revenue hospital tax. Fish said the budget's highest goal should be to help the poor, but said the tax is "not sufficent in looking at the long term viability and achievements of what needs to be done."

Neil Haselwander, a local realtor, voiced his opposition to the governor's boost to the real estate transfer fee, which he said would double the cost of the transfer fee on a $166,000 home from $500 to $1000. He said the transfer fee would stifle investment in the state.

Bob Sather of Ace Ethanol in Stanley spoke in support to the governor's renewable fuels initiatives in the budget, and said he believes the goal of having 25 percent of the state's energy come from renewable sources is achievable.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 12:44:00 PM  

Chippewa Falls Mayor Hedrington Opens Testimony

Chippewa Falls Mayor Dan Hedrington opens up the testimony by urging integrity in the budget.

He said his city has reduced spending and reduced taxes by honesty in budgeting.

"Honesty in the budget is essential," Hedrington said.

Hedrington told the committee to end the "shell game" of shifting segregated funds for unrelated purposes, and asked to restore general transportation aids to 1988 levels. He also asked to maintain the current level of the expenditure restraint program for municipalities.

The meeting is well-attended by local legislators. The non-committee members in attendance are Dem Sens. Pat Kreitlow and Kathleen Vinehout, GOP Reps. Jeff Wood, John Murtha and Terry Moulton, and Dem Rep. Jeff Smith.

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posted by Administrator @ 3/27/2007 12:26:00 PM  

Blog Editor

Greg Bump

Contact: bump@wispolitics.com

Blog Description

Updates on Joint Finance Committee action on the 2007-09 Wisconsin state budget, from the first JFC meetings through the governor's final vetoes.

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