September 18, 2007
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Pursuant to Section
46.014(4) of the Wis. Stats., the Department of Health and Family Services is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature concerning the activities of the Community Action agencies under s.
46.30, and their effectiveness in promoting social and economic opportunities for low‐income persons.
The attached report describes the uses of the Community Services Block Grant funding and its support of the services provided by the Community Action agencies and Limited Purpose agencies in order to reduce poverty, revitalize low‐income communities and empower low‐income individuals and families to become economically self‐sufficient.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Kitty Kocol, CSBG Coordinator at (608) 267‐5149 or
kocolkm@dhfs.state.wi.us.
With warm regards,
Kevin R. Hayden
Secretary
Referred to committee on Children and Family Law.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
September 19, 2007
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
In accordance with s.
1.11(2)(j) Wis. Stats., the Department of Health and Family Services reports that it did not conduct any Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements during the reporting period of July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007.
With warm regards,
Kevin R. Hayden
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
September 19, 2007
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
As required by s.
39.15, Wis. Stats., we have completed a limited‐scope review of the medical education contract between the State of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., for fiscal year (FY) 2004‐05 and FY 2005‐06. The State appropriated $4.1 million in general purpose revenue to the Medical College for tuition aid for this period. In addition, the State provided approximately $6.7 million in general purpose revenue for the development and operation of the Medical College's family practice residency program. The State also made $375,000 in debt service payments related to general obligation bonds that it issued to fund certain construction projects at the Medical College.
Overall, we found that the Medical College was in compliance with its contract with the State and with requirements set forth in ss.
39.15 and
39.155, Wis. Stats. During our review, we found the students claimed for state tuition aid were certified by the Higher Educational Aids Board as Wisconsin residents and were eligible to receive this aid. In addition, the Medical College gave preference in admissions to Wisconsin residents and promoted minority enrollment. We also found that the Medical College expended funds provided by the state in a manner consistent with legislative intent. Finally, the State's debt service payments agreed with the bond repayment schedules maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Administration for the applicable Medical College construction projects.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff of the Medical College of Wisconsin during this review.
Sincerely,
Bryan Naab
Deputy State Auditor for Financial Audit
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
September 21, 2007
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
We have completed a biennial performance evaluation of the Department of Administration's Division of Gaming, as required by s.
13.94(1)(eg), Wis. Stats. The Division oversees Indian gaming, pari‐mutuel racing, and charitable gaming activities in Wisconsin. In fiscal year (FY) 2005‐06, its expenditures to regulate all three types of gaming activities totaled $3.3 million in program revenue.
Indian gaming represents the most significant gaming activity in Wisconsin. In 2006, tribal gaming revenue was $1.3 billion, tribal gaming expenses were $770.3 million, and tribal gaming profits were $555.9 million. The 2003 compacts between the State and the tribes expanded the types of games that tribes may offer, lengthened the duration of the compacts, and changed the method tribes use to calculate payments they make to the State. In FY 2005‐06, the State received $118.7 million from ten tribes. Compact disputes with several tribes remain unresolved.
Compacts contain several provisions designed to ensure the integrity of Indian gaming in Wisconsin and compliance with regulations. One important control requires tribes to identify instances in which amounts recorded by electronic meters in electronic gaming devices differ from amounts collected from those devices and counted by casino staff. We reviewed 2006 data maintained by the Division in the State's Data Collection System and found differences in these amounts for every day of the year. The Division asserts most of these differences were caused by programming errors in the Data Collection System and the casinos' electronic accounting systems.
Although the Division reviews many important financial controls implemented by casinos, it has not routinely used the Data Collection System to identify differences between amounts recorded by electronic meters and amounts counted by casino staff. These data are important in identifying potential irregularities in gaming operations and financial reporting that cannot be identified from other controls the Division reviews. Moreover, we found that from March 2006 through April 2007, the Division did not review data maintained by casinos to determine whether the tribes identified, investigated, and documented these differences, as required by their compacts.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Division. The Division's response follows the appendices.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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Representative Suder moved that the Assembly stand adjourned until 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, September 25.
The question was: Shall the Assembly stand adjourned?
Motion carried.
The Assembly stood adjourned.
1:36 P.M.
