I hereby submit my resignation as State Senator from the 28th Senate District, effective at the close of the business day on December 29, 1997.
It has been an honor and a pleasure to represent the people of the 28th Senate District. Serving in the Legislature, representing the 28th Senate District, has been a most rewarding experience and I leave this body after twenty-one years of service with a great sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
It has been a privilege to serve wit you in the State Senate over the past years. I wish all members of the Legislature well as they work to find solutions to the problems of today.
Sincerely,
Lynn Adelman
State Senator
28th Senate District
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
December 23, 1997
To the Honorable the Senate:
At the direction of s.
13.685(7),
Wisconsin Statutes, I am furnishing you with the names of organizations recently registered with the Ethics Board that employ one or more individuals to affect state legislation or administrative rules, and notifying you of changes in the Ethics Board's records of licensed lobbyists and their employers. For each recently registered organization I have included the organization's description of the general area of legislative or administrative action that it attempts to influence and the name of each licensed lobbyist that the organization has authorized to act on its behalf.
Organizations recently registered:
Below are the names of organizations recently registered with the Ethics Board as employing one or more individuals to affect state legislation or administrative rules.
ABC for Health Inc
Subject(s): ABC for Health, Inc. is a public interest law firm interested in health care financing and access to families. Legislative and administrative issues and rules we may attempt to influence include: Medicaid/MA, health insurance, human services, health reform and regulation.
Peterson Jr, Robert
Advantage Capital Management Corporation
Subject(s): Legislation and rules affecting venture capital, small businesses, capital formation for small businesses and specifically subject areas addressed in pending AB579.
Gerrard, M William
Organization's authorization of additional lobbyists:
The following organizations previously registered with the Ethics Board have authorized to act on their behalf these additional licensed lobbyists:
Northern States Power Co
Rongstad, Todd
United Health Group
Leitch, Laura J
Kraft General Foods, Inc. by its service company Philip Morris Management Corp.
Lucas, Paul
Termination of lobbying authorizations:
The following individuals are no longer authorized to lobby on behalf of the organizations listed below, as of the dates indicated.
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Northern States Power Co
Hanson, Richard 12/22/97
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by the organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
R. Roth Judd
Executive Director
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
December 12, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by sec. 20.002(11)(f) of the Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under sec. 13.172(3) Stats.), and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative balances during the month of November, 1997.
On November 19, 1997 the Wisconsin Petroleum Inspection Fund balance was -$1.30 million. This shortfall continued until November 20, 1997 when the balance reached $8.08 million. This shortfall was due to the timing of revenues.
On November 3, 1997 the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund balance was -$2 thousand. This shortfall continued until November 21, 1997 when the balance reached $13 thousand. This shortfall was due to the timing of revenues.
The Wisconsin Petroleum Inspection and Health Education Loan Repayment Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the $400 million ceiling and did not exceed the balances of the Funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Bugher
Secretary
Referred to the joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Tourism
December 29, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The plan is divided between public relations, advertising and trade show elements and is a component of the Department's strategic marketing plan published in October 1997.
Attached is the Department of Tourism's Canadian Marketing Plan.
Sincerely,
Moose Speros
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Employment Relations
December 23, 1997
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to s.
230.04(13)(e), Stats., the annual Affirmative Action report of the Department of Employment Relations, is hereby submitted. Please distribute the enclosed announcement of the report's availability to members of the Senate.
Additional copies may be obtained from the Department of Employment Relations, Division of Affirmative Action, 137 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI 53702. The telephone number is (608) 266-8149.
Sincerely,
Jon E. Litscher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
December 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The department is pleased to submit the 1997 Annual Report on the Status of Bilingual-Bicultural Education program, as required under s.115.96, Wisconsin Statutes.
The report provides a review of the state's administration and funding of bilingual education in Wisconsin and factors contributing to program expansion and the resulting continuously lower annual reimbursement rates for school districts. The number of pupils served from minority languages, the locations of the state-aided programs during the 1997 fiscal year (July 1, 1996, through June 30, 1997), and staff-related data are included in the report to inform those with responsibilities for ensuring the continued success of bilingual education programs in Wisconsin. I am confident that you will find the report informational, useful, and of concern given the rising numbers of pupils to be served absent a corresponding increase in fiscal support by the state.
If you have any question on any aspect of this report, please contact Barbara A. Bitters, director, equity, 266-9609. She will be happy to discuss these at your convenience.
Sincerely,
John T. Benson
State Superintendent
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
December 22, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As required by
1995 Wisconsin Act 5, we have completed an evaluation of state-funded loan guarantee programs administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). The programs, which guarantee commercial loans to eligible small businesses and farmers, are managed in the Wisconsin Development Reserve Fund. A 40 percent decrease in the Reserve Fund balance, from $21.1 million at the end of fiscal year 1991-92 to $12.9 million as of June 30, 1997, heightens the need for effective fiscal management of the Fund and guarantee programs. The Reserve Fund balance could decrease even more quickly if any one of several events occurs, including changes in the economy or default on a large guaranteed loan.
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In light of the decreasing balance, WHEDA has taken a number of steps to help improve the efficiency and reduce the costs of the guarantee programs. However, we identified several areas in which WHEDA needs to continue to improve its fiscal management of the Reserve Fund. For example, because it does not record or monitor actual time or costs spent on the guarantee programs, WHEDA is unable to adequately support the appropriateness and necessity of costs allocated to the Reserve Fund. In addition, staffing levels and expenses appear relatively high compared to those of commercial lenders and other state agencies. WHEDA also lacks adequate investment policies and strategies to guide investment decisions for the Reserve Fund.
In the future, additional state funds are likely to be required to maintain WHEDA's loan guarantee programs. However, whether to provide additional state funding in the future will depend on program need, demand, and results. WHEDA's loan guarantee programs for small businesses, which are the most costly to administer, are similar to those provided by the federal Small Business Administration. To help the Legislature assess the continued need for the small business loan guarantee programs, WHEDA needs to measure and report program results, such as the number of actual jobs created and retained.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by WHEDA. A response from WHEDA is the appendix.
Sincerely,
Dale Cattanach
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
