To the Honorable, the Assembly:
The Wisconsin Council on Long Term Care was given the statutory responsibility in Wisconsin Act 9, (ss.
46.282 (1)(b)(6g)) to report annually to the Legislature and the Governor on the status of Family Care and the long term care system in Wisconsin. In accordance with the statute, the Council has reviewed the status of the Family Care pilots as well as the overall long term care system in Wisconsin. Enclosed you will find the Annual Report of the Wisconsin Council on Long Term Care. The report outlines the recommendations that the Council developed based on this review. The report is available on the website at:
www.wcltc.state.wi.us.
If you have any questions I can be reached in La Crosse at (608) 788-5700.
Sincerely,
Tom Rand
Chair
Referred to committee on Aging and Long Term-Care.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Madison
May 31, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As directed by s.
29.889(11), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources has prepared a report to the Legislature regarding the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program for the 2000 program year, ending December 31, 2000. Said statute directs distribution to "appropriate standing committees" of the legislature in the manner provided under s.
13.172(3), Stats. In compliance with these requirements, and because the both of you are more apt to determine "appropriate standing committees", I am submitting this report to you, the Chief Clerks of the Assembly and Senate, for distribution.
Thank you for your assistance
Sincerely,
Darrell Bazzell
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
May 29, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of the administration of the 0.5 percent county sales and use tax, as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. This tax is levied on the same goods and services affected by the State's 5.0 percent sales and use tax. The Department of Revenue administers the tax on behalf of the counties and retains 1.75 percent of the collections, as prescribed by s.
77.76(4) Wis. Stats. During calendar year 2000, the Department distributed $215.2 million to 53 counties that imposed the tax.
The $215.2 million that was distributed to counties in 2000 included a delayed distribution of $13.0 million, which the counties should have received in January and February 2000 but which they did not receive until June 2000. The delay occurred because the Department did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that all tax returns were fully processed and included in distributions to counties. We also found that the 90- to 180-day time limit for distributing county sales and use tax revenues prescribed by Wisconsin Statutes is longer than limits established by other states, and improvements in business practices and technological advances enable the Department to process returns and distribute funds to the counties in significantly less time than statutory time limits allow. Therefore, we have included a recommendation that the Legislature reduce the time period for distributing county sales and use taxes to county governments.
A267
In fiscal year (FY) 1999-2000, the Department retained $3.9 million in administrative fees from county sales and use taxes. In reviewing the Department's time reporting system, we found that administrative fees supported 10.38 more full-time equivalent positions than were reportedly used to administer the county sales and use tax. Wisconsin's administrative fee is the second-highest among surrounding midwestern states and generates more revenue than the Department expends to administer the tax. In FY 1999-2000, $931,600 in county sales and use tax administrative fees lapsed to the General Fund.
Funding from the administrative fee is used to support the Department's new Integrated Tax System (ITS). The administrative fee is expected to support $8.8 million of the system's total costs, which are projected to be $78.0 million. The amount of ITS costs to be funded by the county sales and use tax administrative fee appears to have been based on the unencumbered funds available in the appropriation for administration of the tax, rather than on an analysis of system costs and benefits.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Revenue. The Department's response is Appendix 2.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
