Legislative Audit Bureau
February 16, 2001
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a review of Employment Solutions, Inc. (ESI) and 15 other Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies as part of a comprehensive audit of the state wide implementation of the W-2 program. We have identified charges for out-of-state work and other unallowable and questioned expenditures by ESI that are similar to those we identified for Maximus, Inc., an agency that also administers the W-2 program in Milwaukee County.
We identified $270,268 in unallowable costs that were related to ESI's activities outside of Wisconsin but charged to the W-2 program. Most were related to unsuccessful efforts to acquire a contract for administration of Arizona's welfare-to-work program. Our findings suggest the extent of ESI's out-of-state activities was greater than the agency had indicated.
Among $3.6 million in additional transactions for ESI, we identified $35,899 in unallowable cots and questioned another $61,234 in expenditures charged to the w-2 program. Unallowable and questioned transactions include expenditures for entertaining ESI employees, advertising, legal services, local hotel charges,and a variety of restaurant and other food charges.
We also reviewed staff performance incentives that were charged to the W-2 program by three agencies in 1999. ESI provided substantially higher incentives that the other agencies, partly because ESI has chosen to make a portion of employees' compensation contingent upon performance. ESI's incentives averaged $9,635 each for the 84 employees receiving them. ESI's chief executive officer received a total of $61,645 in 1999; that amount reflects incentive payments for performance in 1998 and 1999.
Finally, we identified $12,604 in unallowable costs and $114,487 in questioned costs made by six other W-2 agencies.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the W-2 agencies and the Department of Workforce Development during the course of our review.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
February 12, 2001
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by sec. 20.002(11)(f) of the Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under sec. 13.172(3) Stats.), 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 balances during the month of January 2001.
On January 1, 2001, the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund balance was -$11 thousand. This shortfall increased to -$13 thousand on January 17, 2001, decreased to -$2 thousand on January 24, 2001, and continued into the month of February. As of the date of this letter, it is expected to be resolved soon. This shortfall is due to the timing of revenues.
On January 1, 2001 the Utility Public Benefits Fund balance was -$3.18 million. This shortfall decreased to -$1.76 million on January 4, 2001, increased to -$2.13 million on January 11, 2001, to -$3.08 million on January 23, 2001, to -$4.24 million on January 30, 2001, and continued into the month of February. As of the date of this letter, it is expected to be resolved soon. This shortfall is due to the timing of revenues.
On January 25, 2001 the University Trust-Income Fund balance was -$32 thousand. This shortfall decreased to -$24 thousand on January 26, 2001 and continued until January 29, 2001 when the balance reached $1.95 million. This shortfall was due to the timing of revenues.
The Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund, Utility Public Benefits Fund, and University Trust-Income Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitation 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.
Sincerely,
George Lightbourn
Secretary
Referred to the joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
February 14, 2001
The Honorable, The Legislature:
In the Division of Gaming Quarterly Report sent to you on February 5, 2001, the fiscal year report on the Bingo program was omitted. Somehow in the assembly phase two copies of the Charitable Gaming (Raffle and Crane Games) got attached.
Please remove the last page of the report and include the attached report on the Bingo program.
If you have any additional questions please contact me at 27--2546. I apologize for this error.
Sincerely,
Richard B. Pedersen
Division of Gaming
Department of Transportation
February 8, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
With great pleasure I present to you this report on the Pretrial Intoxicated Driver Intervention Grant Program. The program, created by section 85.53 Wis. Stats., was established by the legislature in 1997 with the requirement that the Department study its impact and report on its findings every even numbered year. This report covers the period from 1995, two years prior to the enactment of the program, through the year 1999.
The Pretrial Intoxicated Driver Intervention Program is designed for drivers who are arrested for their second or subsequent offense. It is an intervention program designed to get the offender into counseling, treatment and monitoring as soon as possible after the arrest in the belief that intervention is most effective if it happens very soon after the incident. Previously, intervention waited until the completion of court action, typically 90 to 120 days. This program brings offenders to intervention almost immediately, usually as part of the bail release process. It was hoped this early intervention would help reduce recidivism rates.
As you will see in the full report, early indications are good. It appears that offenders who successfully completed the program were less likely than non participants to be rearrested for subsequent operating while intoxicated violations and that those who were rearrested went significantly longer between arrests than non participants.
This report describes the program in each of the ten participating counties and provides a detailed explanation of its results. I commend those people who have dedicated themselves to making this innovative program a success.
Sincerely,
Terrence D. Mulcahy, P. E.
Secretary of Transportation
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
February 20, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2001 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Boyce, Catherine Smokefree Wisconsin
Broydrick, William Smokefree Wisconsin
Ciaravino, Anthony S Wine Institute
Elverman, Timothy J Smokefree Wisconsin
Gundermann, Robert Wisconsin Alzheimers Association Chapter Network
Handzel, Jr., Henry Printing Industries of Wisconsin
Handzel, Jr., Henry Wisconsin Paper Council
Hottenroth, Theresa M Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
Kent, Paul Town of Hobart
Koenecke, Mary GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. (formerly Glaxo Wellcome)
Leitch, Laura J Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
McCoshen, William J Snap-On Incorporated
Morgan, Lynn Smokefree Wisconsin
O'Connor, William P Gathering Waters Inc
Petersen, Eric J Snap-On Incorporated
Reihl, Mark Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters
Springer, Thomas J Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
Stafford, Julie C Wisconsin Academy Staff Development Initiative
Stenger, Scott Verizon Wireless
Strohl, Joseph Wisconsin Academy Staff Development Initiative
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Roth Judd
Director
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
To the Honorable, the Senate:
Sincerely,
Douglas La follette
Secretary of State
State of Wisconsin
Circuit Court
December 20, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As Chair of your Committee on Judicial Selection, it is with a great sense of accomplishment that I submit the Committee's report, along with findings and recommendations. The considerable study, investigation, assessment, debate and evaluation of this issue by a Committee of top-notch legal and judicial scholars along with community and academic leaders produced the first comprehensive report on this subject for our state. With the creation of this Committee the three branches of our government combined to send a strong message that racial and ethnic diversity on Wisconsin courts is a serious and important issue.
The findings and recommendations in our report illustrate the paramount importance of the challenge of increasing diversity in our judiciary. Meeting this challenge will require multifaceted solutions, including greater involvement by more groups and greater access to more information. The Committee believes that the legislative, judicial and executive branches can continue to show leadership by bringing in other societal institutions and segments to gain their input and cooperation, by further developing and implementing the recommendations in this report, and by continuing to work to achieve racial and ethnic diversity on Wisconsin courts.
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It is our belief that the implementation of these recommendations will lead us closer to our goal of providing Wisconsin citizens with a judiciary that is not only qualified and independent, but a judiciary which is also racially and ethnically diverse as the people of this Great State. Again, I join the members of the Committee in expressing our sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve the people of Wisconsin on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Judge Maxine Aldridge White