BUILDING PROGRAM
Budget Change Item
1. 1999-01 ENUMERATED PROJECTS
BR $3,000,000
Governor: Provide $3,000,000 in self amortizing general obligation bonding for the construction of an aquaculture demonstration facility at Ashland which would be operated by the University of Wisconsin System. Enumerate the facility in the 1999-01 state building program as a UW System facility. The program revenue that would pay debt service on the bonds would be derived from tribal gaming revenue transferred to a UW System annual, sum certain debt service appropriation that would be created for this purpose, from a new appropriation under the Department of Administration.
[Bill Sections: 293, 549, 628, 629, 643 and 9107(1)]
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION BOARD
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
PR - $11,000
Governor: Reduce the Board's base budget by $5,500 annually to reflect: (a) the removal of noncontinuing items (-$11,600 annually); (b) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($5,400 annually); (c) full funding of charges for financial services ($300 annually); and (d) full funding of rental costs ($400 annually).
2. MISCELLANEOUS ADJUSTMENTS
PR $26,300
Governor: Provide $6,600 in 1999-00 and $19,700 in 2000-01 to fund: (a) pay plan increases ($5,400 in 1999-00 and $10,800 in 2000-01); (b) health insurance premiums ($1,200 in 1999-00 and $1,800 in 2000-01); and (c) the 27th pay period in 2000-01 ($7,100 in 2000-01).
3. CHILDREN FIRST LICENSE PLATE REVENUE
SEG $ 110,000
Governor: Provide $30,000 in 1999-00 and $80,000 in 2000-01 to reflect reestimates of the amount of funding available from the Children's Trust Fund to support the Board's activities due to revenue from fees collected from the sale of a special license plate. Further, authorize the Board to expend all moneys credited to the Children's Trust Fund from fees collected from the sale of the license plate in order to support: (a) grants to prevent child abuse and neglect; (b) the actual and necessary operating costs of the Board; and (c) statewide projects to prevent child abuse and neglect. Require the Board to use revenue from the sale of the special plate, like other moneys deposited to the Trust Fund, in accordance with the wishes of the donor. Further, specify that the license plate will have the words "Celebrate Children" on it, rather than "Children First" as required under current law.
Under current law, the Board is required to solicit and accept contributions, grants, gifts and bequests for the Children's Trust Fund. Further, with the exception of fees collected from the sale of the special license plate, the Board is authorized to expend funds in the Trust Fund in accordance with the wishes of the donor to award grants, fund the actual and necessary operating costs of the Board and for statewide projects to prevent child abuse and neglect. All fees collected from the sale of the plate are required to accumulate indefinitely in the Trust Fund.
[Bill Sections: 369, 1199, 1200 and 2729]
CIRCUIT COURTS
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
Funding Positions
GPR $6,219,800 13.00
Governor: Provide $3,109,900 and 13.0 positions annually for the following: (a) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($3,091,300 and 13.0 positions annually); (b) full funding of financial services charges ($3,100 annually); and (c) fifth week vacation as cash ($15,500 annually). Full funding of salaries and fringe benefits includes: (a) circuit court judges' 1997-99 pay increases not reflected in the adjusted base; (b) funding and 13.0 positions for the six new circuit court branches created in 1997 Act 203, effective August 1, 1999; and (c) other full funding adjustments.
2. REPEAL OF COURT INTERPRETER FEES APPROPRIATION
PR - $90,000
Governor: Delete $45,000 annually and repeal the program revenue appropriation for court interpreter fee reimbursement to counties. This appropriation was created in 1997 Act 27 to supplement GPR funds with program revenues from certain court fees deposited to the Circuit Court Automation Program (CCAP). According to the Director of State Courts, program revenues have been insufficient to support this appropriation and expenditure authority, therefore, is not being used. Under the bill, county reimbursement for court interpreter fees would continue to be funded through a GPR appropriation of $188,800 annually. A technical correction to the CCAP appropriation is required to properly reflect this repeal.
[Bill Sections: 599 and 605]
3. INCREASE IN RECOVERABLE CIVIL ACTION COSTS
Governor: Increase the amount of attorney fees and costs that a successful litigant in a civil action can recover from the opposing party, beginning with actions commenced on the effective date of the bill. Currently, a successful civil litigant may recover attorneys fees according to the following schedule: (a) up to $100 if the amount recovered or the value of the property is $1,000 or more; (b) $50 if the amount recovered or the property value is $500 to $999.99; (c) $25 if the amount recovered or the property value is $200 to $499.99; (d) $15 if the amount recovered or the property value is under $200; and (e) $15 to $100 in cases that do not involve money damages or property. Under the Governor's recommendation, the recoverable attorneys fees would increase as follows: (a) up to $500 when the amount recovered or the property value is equal to or greater than $5,000; (b) up to $300 when the amount recovered or the property value is $1,000 to $4,999.99; (c) up to $100 when the amount recovered or the property value is less than $1,000; and (d) up to $500 in cases that do not involve money damages or property. The bill also increases the recoverable amount for costs incurred for motions from $50 to $300 and for expert witness fees from $100 to $300 for each expert witness that testifies. Under current law, a successful litigant may recover up to $50 for each of the following costs: (a) certified copies of public records; (b) postage; (c) telegraphing; (d) telephoning; (e) express; (f) depositions including copies; and (f) plats and photographs. The bill: (a) deletes telegraphing as a recoverable cost; (b) expands the list of recoverable costs to include photocopying, electronic communications, facsimile transmissions and overnight delivery; and (c) increases the recoverable amount for each item to $100.
[Bill Sections: 3090 thru 3093 and 9309(2)]
COMMERCE
Budget Change Items
Departmentwide and Economic Development
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
Funding Positions
GPR $217,100 - 1.00
FED 398,700 - 2.00
PR 139,800 - 3.00
SEG - 608,600 0.00
Total $147,000 - 6.00
Governor: Provide annual adjustments of $69,900 PR, -$304,300 SEG, -1.0 GPR position, -2.0 FED positions and -3.0 PR positions. Further, provide $107,900 GPR and $222,800 FED in 1999-00 and $109,200 GPR and $175,900 FED in 2000-01 for standard budget adjustments. Adjustments are for (a) turnover reduction (-$74,500 GPR, -$235,700 PR and -$59,600 SEG annually); (b) removal of noncontinuing items (-$56,000 FED in 1999-00 and -$104,300 FED in 2000-01 and -$200,300 SEG, -2.0 FED, -1.0 GPR and -3.0 PR positions annually); (c) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($158,300 GPR, $271,500 FED, $180,300 PR and -$53,500 SEG annually); (d) full funding of financial services ($3,200 GPR, $4,800 PR and $700 SEG annually); (e) position reclassifications ($6,400 GPR and $4,100 FED in 1999-00 and $7,700 GPR and $5,500 FED in 2000-01 and $200 PR and $3,100 SEG annually); (f) overtime ($95,800 PR annually); and (g) fifth week vacation as cash ($14,500 GPR, $3,200 FED, $24,500 PR and $5,300 SEG annually). In total, changes due to standard budget adjustments would increase funding by $96,300 in 1999-00 and $50,700 in 2000-01. Total position authority would be reduced by 6.0 annually.
2. BROWNFIELDS -- GRANTS FOR JOBS FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS
PR $10,000,000
Governor: Expand the brownfields grant program to add a new component for financial assistance to persons, municipalities or local development corporations for brownfields redevelopment and associated environmental remediation projects which provide jobs primarily to individuals who are eligible to benefit from federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funding.
Under the new component, Commerce could award a grant to a person, municipality or local development corporation if:
a. The recipient uses the grant proceeds for brownfields redevelopment and related environmental remediation projects;
b. The party that caused the environmental contamination and any person who possessed or controlled the environmental contaminant before it was released is unknown, cannot be located or are financially unable to pay the cost of brownfields redevelopment or associated environmental remediation activities;
c. The recipient contributes the required match to the cost of the project; and
