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Management of the Fixed (or balanced) Retirement Trust Fund follows a disciplined, long-term approach to the allocation of assets among various markets (such as stocks, bonds, loans and real estate). Experience suggests that this approach is more likely to continue to produce needed rates of return over time that a strategy which attempts to enter or leave the markets at the peaks or lows ("market timing").
The continued strength of the domestic market has caused the Fixed Fund to be slightly overweighed in stocks. We rebalance to achieve targeted levels in each asset class. We are making somewhat greater use of index funds in domestic and international equities to complement our predominantly active style of investment and to facilitate rebalancing.
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We continue to maintain a high degree of liquidity in SIF. With input received from local governments, we reviewed and renegotiated more favorable insurance coverage for the Local Goverment Investment Pool component of the State Investment Fund, effective January 1, 1997.
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The Board is also in the process of reviewing the program under which SWIB purchases certificates of deposit from qualified Wisconsin banks and thrifts. We are examining steps that might increase demand for the program without impairing SWIB's ability to earn a competitive rate of return. More discussions are planned with banking associations and financial institutions.
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As you know,
1995 Wisconsin Act 403 designated SWIB to manage the Tuition Trust Fund for the
EdVest Wisconsin program. We are in the process of developing the investment guidelines for the Fund. The Department of Administration is managing the program, which is scheduled to begin operation this spring.
The development of investment strategy is critically affected by the availability of resources. As we approach the 1997-99 biennial budget deliberations, our most urgent resource need is for a substantial upgrade of our information systems. this need must be addressed if we are to have the portfolio management, accounting and compliance monitoring tools that are essential to stay competitive and properly manage risk. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this initiative with you.
As provided under
1995 Wisconsin Act 274, we will submit a report to you by March 31 which discusses investment performance through the end of 1996.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this report or other matters.
Sincerely,
Patricia Lipton
Executive Director
State of Wisconsin
Department of Employment Relations
January 6, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The Department of Employment Relations, Division of Affirmative Action is very pleased to present the 18th edition of the Affirmative Action Report for Wisconsin State Government for your information.
The report represents the fiscal year July 1995 through June 1996. It includes a summary of the Division's EEO/AA programs and services, key findings and numerous statistical reports which illustrate the status of affirmative action group members (women, racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities) in the classified state service.
We look forward to continuing cooperative efforts in achieving equal employment opportunity in Wisconsin's civil service.
Sincerely,
Gregory C. Jones
Administrator
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
December 1996
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Attached is the Department of Administration's annual report to the Council on Small Business, Veteran-owned and Minority Business Opportunities as required by s.
16.75 (4) (a) 5, Wis. Stats.
The report evaluates the performance of Wisconsin's small businesses in submitting bids or proposals to the state and identifies the department's initiatives to encourage small, veteran-owned and minority businesses to participate in the state's purchasing program.
The report shows that the dollars the state spends with Wisconsin small businesses continues to increase.
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The number of purchase orders placed increased to 92,276 up 3,201 (3.6%) from 1994-95.
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The dollars awarded to Wisconsin small businesses increased to $319,861,066 up $21,913,680 (7.4%) from 1994-95.
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The percent of dollars awarded to Wisconsin small businesses, of all state awards, increased to 40.5% from 38.3% for 1994-95.
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The number of Wisconsin small businesses increased by 1,939 (1.6%) to 121,477.
The report excludes purchase orders to other state agencies as well as orders that are exempt from the purchasing process. It also excludes orders for postage, memberships, telephones, electric power, steam, water, and sewer, as no known Wisconsin small businesses exist to provide these commodities.
The Department of Administration remains strongly committed to working with Wisconsin's small, veteran-owned and minority businesses to increase their competitiveness and participation in the state purchasing program. This commitment is shown by the outreach and assistance activities identified in the report and in the increased share of state dollars ($21 million) awarded to small businesses.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Bugher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
December 31, 1996
The Honorable, The Legislature:
I am pleased to submit our annual Minority Business Report for fiscal year 1996. This year's report reflects a new record and increased commitment by state agencies.
State agencies spent $40,906,078 with firms designated as minority businesses.
the Department of Development has continued to expand the number of businesses certified as minority firms. A total of 640 firms have now been certified, a decrease of 13 from the 1994-95 fiscal year.
Forty-two state and quasi-state purchasing offices have awarded at least 5% or more of their purchasing dollars to certified minority businesses.
Not counting firms interested only in financial investments, 51% of the certified minority businesses received contracts for various commodities and services during fiscal year 1995-96.
I am please that the Division of Facilities Development (DFD) total MBE participation in architectural/engineering services and construction contracting equaled 5.12% in fiscal year 1996 marking the first time ever achieving the overall 5% goal.
The Department of Natural Resources Clean Water Fund Loan Program for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District expended 18.62% of its grant dollars to minority firms.
The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) expended 7% of its stock transactions to minority firms. SWIB also purchased $199,000,000 public bonds on a new issue basis. Of this amount $21,400,000 or 10.8% was allocated to minority firms. Selling concessions on the total purchased were $892,500 of which $86,900 or 9.7% was for minority firms.
A total of $5,753,788 was deposited in minority-owned banks by various state and quasi-state agencies.
The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority placed 5.88% of its discretionary purchases with minority firms.
The Department of Administration's Capital Finance Office reported that certified minority-owned firms underwrote 6.27% of all bonds and notes issued by the State of Wisconsin Building Commission. Allocations of bonds and notes sold to minority-owned firms amounted to 4.07% of all bonds and notes issued by the Building Commission.
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These are but a few of the highlights of the past year. While proud of this progress, we still have room for improvement and our goal remains 5%. We will continue to work toward this goal building on the progress we have made. the attached report discusses in greater detail the efforts that are being made.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Bugher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family SErvices
December 27, 1996
The Honorable, The Senate/Legislature:
1995 Wisconsin Act 27 created s.
46.27 (11g) of the statutes, which requires the Department of Health and Family Services to submit an annual report on its Community Options Program. The attached report describes the persons served, program expenditures and services delivered through the Community Options Program in calendar year 1995.
Community Options is designed to relocate or divert people who need long term care from nursing homes. This is accomplished by offering an alternative package of community services to elderly and disabled persons who are otherwise eligible for Medicaid-funded nursing home care.
The Departments allocates funds to county human service agencies to deliver these community services. In providing services, the county agency may not expend more, on average, than the state portion (about 40%) of the Medicaid cost for nursing home care. The county agency must also maximize funds by accessing any federal funds (Waiver and other Medicaid) available for an individual before using Regular Community Options funds.
The annual report examines program activity for both the Community Options Program and the Community Options Program-Waiver in calendar year 1995.
Sincerely,
Joe Leean
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
December 30, 1996
The Honorable, The Senate:
Section
46.03(26) of the statutes requires the Department of Health and Family Services to report annually on information system projects under development. The attached report is a summary of the departmental systems currently under development.
Sincerely,
Joe Leean
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
December 17, 1996
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The department is pleased to submit the 1996 Annual Report on the Status of Bilingual-Bicultural Education programs, 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-funded programs during the 1996 fiscal year (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996), 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 questions on any aspect of this report, please contact Dr. William J. Erpenbbach, director, equity and Title I, 267-1072. He is willing to discuss these with you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
John T. Benson
State Superintendent
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
December 18, 1996
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a best practices review of local government operations as required by s.
13.94 (8), Wis. Stats. Privatization of local government services was selected as the topic of our review with the assistance of the Local Government Advisory Council, which consists of representatives of counties, cities, villages, and towns.