WisPolitics Budget Blog

Rep. Scott Suder's motion to specify that no more than 10 percent of Stewardship Fund lands purchased in any fiscal year may be smaller than 10 acres failed 7-9, with Sen. Darling voting with committee Democrats.

A second Suder motion to authorize the DNR to contract with non-profit conseration organizations, land trusts and private companies to perform land management activities on DNR properties passed 16-0.

Labels: DNR, Stewardship_Fund, Suder

Suder said the omnibus package on Corrections funding is "an astonishing bipartisan agreement.

He drew laughs from the committee room when he said the meeting of the minds he had with Pocan on the issue was the most unlikely "since Reagan met Gorbachev."

Pocan was the only member of the Assembly to vote against the sex offender GPS tracking legislation Suder championed last session. Now Pocan has signed on to the proposal.

"Some said we could never achieve this," Suder said. "I never thought I'd see a Suder-Pocan motion on Corrections."

Pocan credited Suder with bringing the package together, and said he and Suder "share common goals" of community safety while at the same time reducing Corrections costs by reducing prison populations.

Labels: Corrections, Pocan, Suder

A motion from Sen. Decker and Rep. Suder to provide an additional $3 million beginning in fiscal year 2008-09 to the DHFS for grants to community health centers passed 14-2.

Labels: Decker, DHFS, Suder

Rep. Suder is taking another run at his motion to keep DMV service centers from closing, modifying his earlier motion to prohibit closure unless an alternate plan for providing service is submitted by DOT and approved by the JFC.

UPDATE - The motion fails 8-8 along party lines.

Labels: DMV, Suder

The committee is moving through the agenda with alacrity. A motion by Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, to require OSER to implement pay progression system for attorneys in the Office of State Public Defender through the 2007-09 collective bargaining process.

Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbottsford, said the motion would be more appropriate for the full Legislature to take up.

The motion was rejected on a party-line 8-8 vote.

Labels: OSER, Public Defender, Suder, Taylor

A motion from Sen. Taylor and Rep. Suder to turn the Judicial Council into a separate agency was unanimously passed by the JFC.

The council was deleted as an independent agency in the 1995-97 budget, according to the LFB. At that time, the support functions of the council were placed under the umbrella of the Judicial Commission. The Judicial Council is currently budgeted $11,899 in supplies and services.

Under the motion approved by the JFC, funding for one attorney position of $177,600 for the biennium is provided. The motion also stipulates that the attorney can not have made any contributions to candidates for state or local office.

Suder said the proposal has the support of Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Justice Dave Prosser.

Labels: Judicial Commision, Judicial Council, Suder, Taylor

Rep. Suder introduced a motion to amend budget paper 576 to open any land purchased with the Outdoor Recreational Activities Land Acquisition Program to hunting, fishing and trapping, within season.

Suder's motion also includes a provision that no more than 10 percent of program grant funds be used to purchase parcels less than 10 acres.

The motion is approved 15-1, with Rep. Colon the sole dissenter.

Labels: DNR, Suder

What started out as a breeze has bogged down as both sides dig in over Gov. Doyle's budget proposals.

The latest is Doyle's proposal to charge a $5 fee to small businesses who file sales tax returns by paper was roundly criticized by Republicans. The proposal, called the "tax tax" by some Republicans, is aimed at encouraging electronic filing. (Budget paper 688.) The fee is expected to generate an extra $2.8 million in revenue for the state annually.

Republicans moved to eliminate the proposal.

Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale, said some small businesses don't have access to the Internet, and he also has privacy concerns "if you're like me and the Department of Revenue shared your Social Security number with the rest of the world."

Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbottsford, said the proposal punishes those who don't have Internet. "Let's be honest, this is a tax on a tax."

Rep. Dan Meyer, R-Eagle River, said the session was shaping up to be "a great day for government" with the number of spending fee increases the committee has already approved.

But co-chair Sen. Russ Decker, D-Wausau, said filers can also avoid the fee by filing by phone. Suder replied that not all residents, such as the Amish, have telephones.

Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, said we are moving toward an electronic society, and that there is efficiency to be gained by technology that reduces the need for staff and bigger government.

Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said Republicans are "making a mountain out of a mole hill."

"It's really simple, you make a phone call, you don't have to pay an extra fee."

Labels: Decker, Jauch, Stone, Suder, Tax Tax, Taylor

Responding to Rep. Robin Vos' argument that the Capital Budget loads debt on future generation through borrowing, Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, said waiting will cost more in the long run.

Jauch used as an example the state Capitol renovation project. With Building Commission secretary Rob Cramer's help, he was able to estimate that the cost of restoring the Capitol building would have ballooned by a third if started today, from the estimated $160 million that was spent to an estimated $240 million if the project was undertaken now.

Jauch also argued that the building program could generate as many as 30,000 construction jobs.

Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbottsford, said he agreed with Jauch that the Capitol renovation was a good investment.

"You may want to frame that," Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, quipped.

"Someone call a doctor I think I'm having a heart attack," Jauch said.

However, Suder added, while the projects are worthy, taxpayers cannot afford them, and the list must be prioritized.

Labels: Capital_Budget, Jauch, Suder

UW System schools are some of the big winners in Gov. Jim Doyle's capital budget. Last week, the Doyle-run Building Commission approved a $1.2 billion capital budget for 2007-2009, including $460 million in general fund supported borrowing.

Two years ago, the Building Commission approved a $1 billion capital budget with borrowing of $430 million. The Joint Finance Committee later cut the borrowing down to $400 million.

GOP members of the commission balked at the amount of borrowing in the budget, perhaps signaling problems in the Republican-run Assembly.

Gov. Jim Doyle addressed Republican criticism after the meeting, saying overall the level of borrowing in the budget is down, particularly in transportation due to the completion of the Marquette Interchange project, which according to the DOT will wrap up in 2008.

"We're right in the range of where you should be," Doyle told reporters. "The consequences of doing some of the things that were talked about today like just drastically cutting maintenance ... talk about pushing it off on future generations."

The capital budget now moves to the Joint Finance Committee, where it will likely face more criticism about borrowing levels, and will be rolled into the full budget bill upon approval from the Legislature.

Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, a member of the JFC, said there are concerns over bonding and borrowing levels, and suggested some projects could be eliminated in committee.

"There are a number of important projects in the capital budget, however," he said. "What I think we're going to look at on the Joint Finance Committee is the ability to pay for those projects. It's a very aggressive capital budget, but there may be some projects we just are unable to afford."

Initial GPR debt service to revenues estimates put the load at 4.14 percent for fiscal year 2008, but Building Commission Secretary Rob Cramer provided a revised debt ratio schedule at the meeting that seemed to quiet the criticism for now. According to the revised estimates, the debt ratio will increase from 3.78 percent this fiscal year to 3.92 percent in FY08 and 3.93 percent in FY09, before falling back to 3.91 percent in FY10 and 3.85 percent in FY11.

See the memo:http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070319DebtRatio.pdf

Adjusted for inflation, all fund spending on the state building program has dropped 4.5 percent over the last two budgets, according to figures supplied by the Department of Administration. The DOA figures also show a 5 percent decline in general funds supported borrowing over the last two bienniums when the dollars are adjusted for inflation.

See charts on the capital budget spending trend:http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070323PurchasingPower.pdf

Click here to see the complete capital budget.

Labels: Capital_Budget, Doyle, Suder

Rep. Scott Suder, a frequent and harsh critic of the UW System, didn't miss an opportunity to grill Reilly and Walsh today, questioning them on topics ranging from in-state tuition for "illegal immigrants" to the decision to remove faculty salary information from the Internet.

Suder, a Republican from Abbotsford, asked whether the officials had a cost estimate for Gov. Doyle's budget proposal to make in-state tuition available to undocumented individuals. Reilly and Walsh said they didn't have a figure, but after prompting from Suder said they approved of the policy.

"I'm glad UW administration is on record supporting that (tuition breaks for illegal immigrants)" Suder said. Reilly and Walsh argued that Suder was misrepresenting the policy, which requires students graduate from a state high school and are working toward citizenship, but Suder retorted, "You can spin it any way you want to."

When Reilly said the salary information for faculty was removed from a UW Web site because it provided an easy way for competing universities to recruit faculty out of the system, Suder asked for three examples of that happening.

"There's never been a question we lose star faculty to people who pay more," Walsh answered.

"I don't think it should be secret," said Suder.

Reily said the information is available on cd for any one who inquires. "Yeah, that's great," said Suder, adding that his constituents shouldn't have to go that step to determine how much taxpayer money is being spent on faculty salary.

Suder then delved into other personnel matters. "Does the housekeeper at the UW President's residence still have a backup position?" he asked. Reilly said that backup position has been eliminated. "I give you kudos for that," said Suder.

"Does the UW System currently employ felons?" he asked.

"Did you say felons?" Walsh asked. "There are no felons," he answered, before backtracking to say there are criminal background checks for new hires but the system has 31,000 employees and state statutes limit how employers can deal with employees with past criminal records.

Suder said the system "has made some progress" toward reform "but from my perspective certainly not enough." He cited the "scandals, spending sprees and other less than productive items" the system has faced in recent years. "It's difficult to go back to my constituents and say why on earth we should give more money to the administration."

Walsh said he would take Suder's criticism as constructive, but jabbed back that Suder hasn't responded to "six phone calls or letters" the administration has sent him to sit down and hash out the issues. "You've got to answer those phone calls first," Walsh said.

Suder said the university contacts have been answered, and said the lack of dialogue between the university and Legislature is a part of the problem. "Your communications with this Legislature have been somewhat critical at times," he said.

Reilly responded that the system's "Growth Agenda" is not about getting more money for UW administration, it's about getting more students into the system. He offered to come to Suder's district to meet with constituents and answer questions. "Let me have an opportunity to talk to your constituents and you," he said.

Labels: Reilly, Suder, Walsh

Rep. Scott Suder asks AG Van Hollen if he backs Gov. Doyle's proposal to reinstate the Public Intervenor position to the DOJ.

"Do you belive that taxpayers of this state need to pay for a position to sue the taxpayers of this state?" asked Suder.

Van Hollen responded that reinstatement of the position would redirect money that could be better spent on other crime-fighting efforts, and called the Public Intervenor "a waste of resources."

Suder also asks if the governor's proposal to establish a division in the DOJ to deal with civil rights cases is a good idea. Van Hollen said such a division would be "duplicative" because the federal government already has authority over civil rights cases.

Labels: DOJ, Public Intervenor, Suder, Van Hollen

Rep. Scott Suder took a moment to emphasize that the bill he helped champion in the Legislature last year was aimed to go after "the most dangerous and likely to re-offend" sex offenders.

"Some have a 70 percent change of striking again," said Suder. "That is why it is so important we maintain lifetime tracking."

Gov. Doyle signed the bill last year, but has changed some of the tracking requirements in his budget proposal.

Labels: GPS, Suder

Corrections Secretary Frank said that GPS is only one part of the continuum for tracking sex offenders. He said the department's plan ties the tracking with home visits and other measures by probation and parole agents. Problems arise after an offender has completed their probation term and the home visits cease, Frank said.

He said the department is committed to the tracking program, but welcomes the discretion allowed to the department to determine the level of tracking. "I'm confident putting that discretion in the hands of our agents," he said. "We make those judgments every day as to how to supervise an offender."

Frank said Wisconsin is on the cutting edge of GPS tracking, and while they can learn from other states' policies, "in some places they're still searching for the right way to do it."

Labels: Corrections, Frank, GPS, Suder

Rep. Scott Suder doesn't like the proposal to rename the Parole Commission the Earned Release Review Board and centralize the petition process for parole to one administrative body. Frank said the change will result in parole positions being acted on more promptly and consistently.

Suder said the change cuts district attorneys and judges out of the process. "This is a major policy shift that doesn't belong in the budget," he said.

Labels: Corrections, Earned Release Review Board, Suder

Rep. Scott Suder, one of the lead sponsors of a bill that was signed by Gov. Doyle last year to implement lifetime GPS tracking of sex offenders, ripped the changes to the bill written into the new budget.

Suder said the budget removes some lifetime tracking requirements, and moves from an active to a passive tracking strategy. "I vehemently disagree with that approach," he said.

Twelve other states have adopted GPS tracking similar to those passed last year in Wisconsin, and he said there have been no constitutional challenges to those requirements. He said tracking "is not about punishing sex offenders, it is about public safety."

"What the governor has done places children at risk," he said.

Suder said fiscal concerns can be allayed. "If money is truly a concern, we will find a way to fund this because I believe it is extremely important," he said.

Labels: Corrections, GPS, Suder

Rep. Scott Suder, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the "CCAP tax" asked Chief Justice Abrahamson if she would object to taking the current confusing language regarding fees for the online court access system.

"You as Chief Justice have no intention (to charge for public access)," Suder said. "But there may be others who don't share your vast knowledge, experience and intention" that may choose to implement a fee.

Abrahamson said she wouldn't support removing the language, but would prefer to narrow it so the fees could only be applied to a convenience fee for attorneys e-filing to CCAP.

Labels: Abrahamson, CCAP, Suder