Wednesday, June 3, 1998
April 1998 Extraordinary Session
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date:
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Executive Communications
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
Madison
June 2, 1998
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
The following bill, originating in the Assembly, has been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number Act Number Date Approved
AB 768 (vetoed in part)237June 2, 1998
Respectfully submitted,
Tommy G. Thompson
Governor
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
Madison
June 3, 1998
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
The following bills, originating in the Assembly, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number Act Number Date Approved
AB 631238June 3, 1998
AB 686239June 3, 1998
AB 402241June 3, 1998
Respectfully submitted,
Tommy G. Thompson
Governor
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Governor's Veto Message
June 2, 1998
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
I have approved
Assembly Bill 768 with 22 partial vetoes as
1997 Wisconsin Act 237 and deposited it in the Office of the Secretary of State. Assembly Bill 768 contains most of the provisions I requested in my budget adjustment bill in February. A budget adjustment bill was necessary to incorporate federal legislation enacted since the state's biennial budget took effect, to correct technical problems in Act 27 and to make limited policy changes. It was also appropriate to recommend that the greater than anticipated state surplus resulting from the continued strength of Wisconsin's economy be targeted to state taxpayers where it was prudent to do so. The budget adjustment bill I am signing today does just that.
The following highlights are included in the bill that will become law:
Tax Relief
* Provides an $83 million, 1.5% across-the-board income tax cut to provide income tax relief to all income taxpayers.
* Targets a $20 million, $3,000 per student income tax deduction to persons incurring higher educational expenses.
* Provides a $64 million exemption from property taxes for computer equipment, to maintain Wisconsin's ability to attract and retain high-tech jobs.
* Provides $13 million to modify Wisconsin's tax laws so taxpayers can fully utilize recent federal tax law changes for benefits such as the Roth IRA and the Education IRA.
* Provides up to $125 million of any increased budget surplus above current estimates to increase the school property tax rent credit for 1998 by approximately 50%.
Environmental and Commercial Resources
* Provides $2.5 million GPR to rapidly respond to needs of areas of the state facing economic distress by capitalizing local revolving loan funds and providing direct construction loans for projects that enhance economic development.
A928
* Provides $500,000 for rural economic development, particularly dairy farm and agribusiness start-ups, expansions and modernization projects.
* Provides 18 new conservation warden positions to enhance protection of our natural resources and improve public safety.
* Provides $1.5 million GPR to enhance state and local tourism promotion efforts.
Human Resources
* Provides $16 million to provide in home care for over 2,000 additional disabled and elderly citizens over the biennium.
* Funds a pilot Family Care program to restructure the state's long term care system.
Justice
* Provides start-up funding and staff for the new supermaximum correctional institution that is scheduled to open in October 1999.
* Limits prisoners' ability to file lawsuits against the state.
* Provides supplemental funding for county victim and witness programs.
* Modifies current law to allow victims to attend and make statements at parole hearings.
Education and Training
* Revises the definition of a qualified economic offer in collective bargaining for school districts to require that the total compensation increase offered by a school board to teachers equal at least 3.8 percent in order for an offer to be deemed a qualified economic offer.
* Requires districts to set standards that must be met before fourth and eighth graders can advance to the next grade.
* Creates an award program for Wisconsin teachers who receive certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
* Provides $1.5 million for equipment and positions to expand interdisciplinary biological sciences programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to capitalize on the growing importance of bio-technology.
The major result of enacting this bill is lower taxes for Wisconsin, resulting in a more competitive state tax structure for individuals and businesses. In addition, we have taken steps to extend the independence of our elderly citizens, continue improving the quality of our K-12 educational system, and enable our correctional system to accommodate higher populations.
