The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002(11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172(3), Wisconsin Statutes) 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 cash balances during the month of July 2008.
On July 1, 2008, the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $163.3 million. This negative balance continued through July 31, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $156.0 million. The Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance reached its intra month low of a negative $170.7 million on July 10, 2008. The negative balance was due to the transfer of $200 million to the Medical Assistance Trust Fund per
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, and the pending liquidation of fund securities necessary to offset this shortfall.
On July 9, 2008, the University Trust Fund - Principal cash balance closed at a negative $1.2 million. This negative balance continued through July 31, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $4.2 million (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to an accounting error that was corrected in August.
The Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, and University Trust Fund Principal shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations 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, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
michael l. morgan
Secretary
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Children and Families
September 3, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Section
46.014(4) of the Wis. Stats., the Department of Children and Families is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature concerning the activities of the Community Action agencies under 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 Gregory Markle, CSBG Coordinator at (608) 267-5149 or
gregorymarkle@wi.gov.
Sincerely,
Reggie Bicha
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 11, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a best practices review of local government operations, as directed by s.
13.94(8), Wis. Stats. This review focuses on efforts by Wisconsin's public school districts to reduce truancy, which is the unexcused absence from school of children under the age of 18. In the 2006-07 school year, 9.3 percent of pupils in kindergarten through grade 12 were classified as habitual truants because they had five or more unexcused absences in a semester, although rates in individual school districts ranged from 0 in 47 districts to 58.2 percent in the Menominee Indian School District.
Efforts to reduce truancy are guided by a statutory framework that requires school districts to establish plans and policies, collaborate with local officials within their counties, and notify parents and guardians of their children's truancies. Districts have also established a variety of programs consistent with nationally developed best practices, which include involving parents in improving school attendance and working with human services and law enforcement agencies to provide services to pupils and to enforce local ordinances.
We have identified several best practices to assist school districts and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in monitoring, assessing, and reducing truancy.
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We appreciate the courtesy extended to us by DPI, school district officials, other state and local government officials, and officials representing private-sector agencies that provided information for our review.
Respectfully Submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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The committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail reports and recommends:
Relating to amusement rides and affecting small business.
No action taken.
Jeffrey Plale
Chairperson
The committee on Education reports and recommends:
Relating to four-year old kindergarten grants.
No action taken.
John Lehman
Chairperson
__________________
Motions Under Senate Rule 98 and Joint Rule 7
for the Month of August 2008
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Darling, for the Village of Bayside, on the occasion of being the recipients of the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Sullivan, for Matthew C. Berggruen, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Grothman, for Matthew Edward Bromley, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Grothman, for Timothy John Chapman, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Erpenbach, for Matthew J. Frey, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Darling, for Robert M. Gehrke, on the occasion of his retirement from the Fire Department and the Department of Public Works in the Village of Thiensville after 42 years of dedicated service.
A certificate of condolence by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Taylor, for the family and friends of Mary Jean Johnson, on the occasion of extending our deepest sympathies to her family and friends.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Cowles, for Alex Kasel, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Kreitlow, for J. William “Bill" Leinenkugel, on the occasion of the celebration of his 87th Birthday shared with family and friends.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Taylor, for Bernard Jeffrey McCullough “Bernie Mac," on the occasion of honoring his memory, life, work and legacy.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Sullivan, for Chellsie Memmel, on the occasion of her performance in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as part of the United States Gymnastics team.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Kanavas, for Justin Meyer, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Grothman, for Marlene Morgan, on the occasion of her 30 years of dedicated and devoted service to Portal Industries, Inc.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Sullivan, for Stuart Mott, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for the Muskego Water Bugs Water Ski Team, on the occasion of being invited to represent the United States at the 2008 Sina-American Water Ski Competition in China.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for New Berlin Redi-Mix, on the occasion of celebrating their 50th anniversary.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Schultz, for the Potosi Fire Department, on the occasion of their 160th Anniversary as the oldest volunteer Fire Department in the State of Wisconsin.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Hansen, for Joseph Skalecki, on the occasion of his many years of service to the Village of Howard.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Grothman, for Carole Stuebe, on the occasion of her 20 years of dedicated and devoted service to Portal Industries, Inc.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Grothman, for John Robert Williams, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Risser, for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, on the occasion of recognizing the month of September as “Juror Appreciation Month."
