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
d. The recipient will use the grant proceeds to create or retain jobs, of which at least 80% will be filled by individuals who are parents of minor children and whose family income does not exceed 200% of the poverty line. [Items (a) through (c) are current law requirements.]
In awarding the grants, the Department would be required to consider the following criteria: (a) the potential of the project to promote economic development in the area; (b) the number of jobs likely to be created or retained; (c) whether the project will have a positive effect on the environment; (d) the amount and quality of the recipient's contribution to the project; and (e) the innovativeness of the recipient's proposal for remediation and redevelopment. If possible, the Department would weight the criteria by applying a 50% weight to the first two criteria, a 25% weight to the third criterion, a 15% weight to the fourth criterion and a 10% weight to the fifth criterion.
A total of $5,000,000 PR in federal TANF funds would be provided annually through a new, program revenue continuing appropriation. Current funding limits for the brownfields grant program would be modified to reflect the additional funds. Consequently, total brownfields grant program funds would be required to be annually allocated as follows: (a) $3,000,000 in grants that do not exceed $300,000; (b) $3,000,000 in grants that are greater than $300,000 but do not exceed $700,000; and (c) $4,000,000 in grants that are greater than $700,000 but do not exceed $1,250,000. (Currently, the maximum total amount of grants that can be made for each level of awards is $750,000, $1,750,000 and $2,500,000, respectively.) The maximum grant would remain $1,250,000. In addition, the current provision that annually seven grants be made to municipalities with populations of less than 30,000 would be expanded to require 14 grants to municipalities with populations of less than 50,000.
Commerce would be required to promulgate rules to establish the hours and benefits of employment for eligible low-income individuals who fill project jobs. Applicants for grants would be required to include in the grant application a plan for creating jobs, including those jobs that would be created for eligible low-income individuals.
The Brownfields Grant program was created in the 1997-99 biennial budget to provide financial assistance to persons (individuals, partnerships, corporations, or limited liability companies), municipalities and local development corporations that conduct brownfields redevelopment and related environmental remediation projects. Brownfields are abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial facilities or sites, the expansion or redevelopment of which is adversely affected by actual or perceived environmental contamination. Brownfields redevelopment includes any work or undertaking to: (a) acquire a brownfields facility; and (b) raze, demolish, remove, reconstruct, renovate or rehabilitate the facility or existing buildings, structures or other improvements at the site. The redevelopment project must be for promoting the facility or site for commercial, industrial or similar economic development purposes.
Grant recipients are required to provide cash or in-kind matches equal to a certain percent of project costs as follows: (a) 20% for grants of $300,000 or less; (b) 35% for grants between $300,000 and $700,000; and (c) 50% for grants between $700,000 and $1,250,000.
Base level funding of $5,000,000 SEG annually from the environmental fund is appropriated for brownfields grants.
[Bill Sections: 195, 206, 212, 1328 and 2938 thru 2951]
3. GAMING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAMS
Funding Positions
PR $8,000,000 1.00
Governor: Create a gaming economic development grant and loan program and a gaming economic diversification grant and loan program to provide financial assistance to businesses that are a located in counties that are affected by Native American gaming operations. Of Wisconsin's 72 counties, 52 either have casinos or are adjacent to counties that do. A total of $2,500,000 in 1999-00, $5,500,000 in 2000-01 and 1.0 position in each year would be provided for grants and loans and to administer the programs. Of the amounts appropriated, not more than $100,000 annually could be expended for marketing the programs. Funding, under the bill, would be provided from tribal gaming revenue provided to the state under the recently completed state-tribal gaming compact amendments. [For more information on the proposed use of tribal gaming revenues, see the summary item relating to Tribal Gaming Revenue Allocations under "Administration -- Division of Gaming."]
Gaming Economic Development Grants and Loans. The gaming economic development grant and loan program would provide financial assistance to businesses located in Wisconsin counties in which a casino operated by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band was located or to businesses located in adjacent counties. Commerce would be authorized to make a grant or loan to a qualified business if it determined that: (a) the business has been negatively impacted by the existence of the casino; and (b) the business has a legitimate need for the grant or loan to improve the profitability of the business.
Two types of awards could be made under the program: (a) a grant of up to $15,000 for professional services; and (b) a grant or loan of up to $100,000 for fixed asset financing. Professional services would include: (a) preparation of preliminary feasibility studies, feasibility studies or business and financial plans; (b) providing a financial package; (c) engineering studies, appraisals or marketing assistance; and (d) related legal, accounting or managerial services. Award recipients would be required to provide a cash match of at least 25% of the cost of the project. Grants or loans could not be made for purposes related to tourism unless the Department of Tourism concurred in the award. Commerce could waive the matching requirement if it determined that the business was subject to extreme financial hardship. The Department would also be authorized to forgive all or any part of a loan made under the program.
The program would be provided $2,500,000 in 1999-00 and $3,000,000 in 2000-01 and 1.0 position in each year to fund grants and loans and to administer both of the gaming grant and loan programs. Of the total amount provided, $114,000 in 1999-00 and $125,900 in 2000-01 would fund the position and related administrative costs. In addition, the Department would be required to make grants to Brown County of $500,000 in 1999-00 and $1,000,000 in 2000-01. (These funds would be provided in the 1999-01 biennium only and would be used to support construction of a new arena.) Consequently, the total amount of funding available for gaming economic development grants and loans would be $1,886,000 in 1999-00 and $1,874,100 in 2000-01.
In addition, gaming economic development loans that were repaid would be placed in a program revenue repayments appropriation and could be used to make additional grants and loans.
Gaming Economic Diversification Grants and Loans. The gaming economic diversification grant and loan program would provide grants and loans beginning in July, 2000, to businesses located in counties in which a casino operated by a federally recognized American Indian tribe was located in this state or to businesses located in adjacent counties. Commerce would be authorized to make a grant or loan to an eligible business for the purpose of diversifying the economy of a community in proximity to a casino. In determining whether to make an award, the Department would be required to consider all of the following: (a) a project's potential to retain or increase the number of jobs; (b) a project's potential to provide for significant capital investment; and (c) a project's contribution to the economy of the community in proximity to the casino and of the state. Grant or loan recipients would be required to provide a cash match equal to 25% of the project's cost. Awards could not be made for tourism related projects unless the Department of Tourism concurred in the award.
Funding of $2,500,000 would be provided in 2000-01 for gaming economic diversification grants and loans. In addition, a separate, program revenue appropriation would be created for loan repayments.
[Bill Sections: 203, 205, 207 thru 209, 558, 559, 2952, 2953, 9110(1) and 9410(4)&(5)]
4. NATIVE AMERICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING CONVERSION
Funding Positions
GPR - $201,400 - 1.00
PR 201,400 1.00
Total $0 0.00
Governor: Convert $100,700 and 1.0 position annually from GPR to PR for the Department's Native American liaison and Native American economic development liaison and technical assistance grants. The current appropriations used to fund the liaison, economic development liaison grant and technical assistance grant would be converted from GPR to PR. Funding, under the bill, would be provided from tribal gaming revenue provided to the state under the recently completed state-tribal gaming compact amendments. [For more information on the proposed use of tribal gaming revenues, see the summary item relating to Tribal Gaming Revenue Allocations under "Administration -- Division of Gaming."] Base level funding would be maintained for each appropriation as follows: (a) American Indian economic development; liaison--$50,700 PR and 1.0 PR position annually; (b) American Indian economic development; technical assistance--$25,000 PR annually; and (c) American Indian economic development; liaison-grants--$25,000 PR annually.
Currently, a program planning analyst position provides technical and economic development assistance to Native American entrepreneurs and tribal communities. The Department also administers two grant programs which provide funds to the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council--an economic development liaison grant and an economic development technical assistance grant.
The economic development liaison grant program provides monies to the Council to partially fund a Council liaison between American Indians, Indian businesses and Indian tribes interested in targeted economic assistance programs and the state agencies that administer them.
The technical assistance grant program provides funding to the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council for a position that provides technical assistance for economic development on or near Indian reservations. Entities that are eligible for technical assistance are tribal enterprises, Indian businesses located on Indian reservations and other Indian businesses that directly benefit the economies of Indian reservations.
[Bill Sections: 197 thru 199, 555 thru 557, 3022 and 3023]
5. PHYSICIAN AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FUNDING CONVERSION
GPR - $777,400
PR 777,400
Total $0
