Introduction and adoption of Senate amendment 1.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Baumgart, Hansen, Wirch, Cowles and Schultz.
Noes, 0 - None.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Baumgart, Hansen, Wirch, Cowles and Schultz.
Noes, 0 - None.
Jim Baumgart
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
January 31, 2001
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 December 2001.
On December 3, 2001 the General Fund balance was -$26.8 million. This shortfall continued until December 14, 2001 when the balance reached a positive $43.1 million. During this period, the General Fund balance reached a low of -$60.4 million on December 13, 2001. The shortfall was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On December 10, 2001 the Agricultural Producer Security Fund balance was -$109 thousand. This shortfall continued through December 31, 2001 when the balance reached -$122 thousand. The shortfall was due to the initial start-up of the fund and a delay in the transfer of revenues into the fund. The negative fund cash balance has been resolved in January 2002.
The General Fund and Agricultural Producer Security Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitation and did not exceed the balances of the Funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings 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,
George Lightbourn
Secretary
Referred to the joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
February 12, 2002
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed an evaluation of the Forestry Account, which supports forestry and other activities in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and eight other state agencies. In fiscal year (FY) 2000-01, revenues deposited to this account totaled $69.0 million. Over 80 percent of these revenues were generated by a statewide forestry mill tax of $0.20 per $1,000 of property value, which is imposed on all owners of taxable property. The forestry mill tax is the only property tax levied by the state.
Revenues from the forestry Account support a variety of activities designed to protect and enhance the 16.0 million acres of private and public forestland in Wisconsin. Most Forestry Account expenditures are for forestry activities such as forest fire protection and control and assisting with management of county forests. However, a substantial amount of Forestry Account expenditures also fund DNR administrative costs. In FY 2000-01, $18.7 million was spent for administration, representing 27.8 percent of DNR's Forestry Account expenditures. This total included $6.5 million in administrative costs for forestry activities, which was charged directly to the Forestry Account and $12.2 million in department-wide administration and support services costs. DNR expenditures from the forestry Account supported a total of 644.1 full-time equivalent DNR employees, of which 449.7 worked directly in support of forestry activities. We note $4.5 million in Forestry Account expenditures by DNR and other state agencies supported programs that had no direct relationship to forestry.
S567
The Managed Forest Law program provides property tax relief to owners of forestland in exchange for commitments to implement sound forestry practices on their land. The program has grown rapidly: applications increased from 1,831 in 1997 to 3,251 in 2001, or by 77.6 percent. As a result of Managed Forest Law program growth, DNR staff have not been able to address their ongoing management responsibilities and, as of August 2, 2001, over 12,000 practices related to sound forest management on 187,165 acres had not been completed in the years specified by the forestry management plans. The increasing number of program participants has also increased DNR's workload. In 2001, the Legislature authorized 23.0 additional full-time equivalent positions to address ongoing workload concerns.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Natural Resources. The Department's response is Appendix 4.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin technical College System Board
February 12, 2002
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This letter is to certify that all Wisconsin Technical Colleges have provided sexual assault and harassment orientation, materials and information as required under state statute 38.12(11) for the 2001-2002 school year.
Individual college assurances of compliance along with sample information and materials provided to students are on file in our office at this time. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Keith Krinke, System Equal Opportunity Officer, of my staff at 266-1844.
Sincerely,
Richard Carpenter
President/State Director
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
February 12, 2002
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2001 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Boxer, Barbara K Urban Growth Property Trust
Driscoll, Darcy Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Franken, Andrew Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
McIntosh, Forbes HCR Manor Care
Stinson, Ceasar Milwaukee Public Schools
Tyre, Scott American Express Company
Tyre, Scott General Motors Corporation
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 organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Roth Judd
Director
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Relating to protecting public health by regulating the sources and use of ionizing radiation.
Submitted by Department of Health and Family Services.
Report received from Agency, February 11, 2002.
Referred to committee on Health, Utilities, Veterans and Military Affairs, February 13, 2002.
Relating to elevators and mechanical lifting devices.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, February 8, 2002.
Referred to committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations, February 13, 2002.
Relating to heating, ventilating and air conditioning and to the Wisconsin changes, additions, substitutions or omissions to the International Mechanical Code (IMC).
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, February 7, 2002.
Referred to committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations, February 13, 2002.
Relating to brownfields redevelopment grants.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, February 11, 2002.
Referred to committee on Environmental Resources, February 13, 2002.
Relating to the Wisconsin development zone program.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, February 11, 2002.
Referred to committee on Economic Development and Corrections, February 13, 2002.
Relating to blasting in communities.
