Sincerely,
JANICE MUELLER
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 22, 2005
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As requested by the Public Service Commission (PSC), we have completed a financial audit of the Universal Service Fund, which was established to ensure that all state residents receive essential telecommunications services and have access to advanced telecommunications capabilities. It is funded primarily through assessments on telecommunications providers, which totaled $25.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2003-04. Our audit report contains our unqualified opinion on the Universal Service Fund's financial statements for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2003 and 2004.
The largest program supported by the Universal Service Fund is the Educational Telecommunications Access Program, which is administered by the Department of Administration. This program subsidizes new and existing data lines and video links to eligible educational institutions. In FY 2003-04, expenditures for these activities totaled $12.7 million, or 54.2 percent of the Universal Service Fund's total expenditures and transfers. In January 2006, a new statewide data and video network is expected to be available to program participants, as well as to the State and other public-sector users.
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Eight of the 13 programs supported by the Universal Service Fund are operated by the PSC. As we reported in past audits, expenditures for PSC-operated programs were significantly less than budgeted for several years. The Legislature subsequently limited the amount of assessments to support the PSC-operated programs to $5.0 million in FY 2003-04 and $6.0 million in FY 2004-05 and thereafter. However, increasing expenditures are now presenting budgetary challenges for these programs. In response, the PSC reduced benefits and deferred certain payment requests to subsequent fiscal years. If the growth in program demand and expenditures continues, the Legislature may be asked to reconsider the statutory limits on the PSC's annual assessment levels.
Funds are transferred annually to the Department of Public Instruction for the Newsline program, which provides sight-impaired individuals access to newspapers read over the telephone. We found that a balance of almost $165,000 has accumulated for the program. The PSC does not plan to provide additional funds to the program until the balance has been substantially reduced.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff at the PSC, the departments of Administration and Public Instruction, and the Universal Service Fund's administrator, Wipfli LLP.
Sincerely,
JANICE MUELLER
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Joint Legislative Council
September 14, 2005
The Honorable, The Legislature:
I am pleased to transmit to you the following reports to the 2005 Legislature on legislation introduced by the Joint Legislative Council:
RL 2005-10 Special Committee on Navigable Waters Recodification [2005 Assembly Bill 500]
RL 2005-12 Special Committee on Recodification of Ch.
938, the Juvenile Justice Code [2005 Assembly Bill 443]
I would appreciate your including this letter in the Journal for the information of the membership. Additional copies of these reports are available at the Legislative Council Staff offices, One East Main, Suite 401, or from our web page at http://www. legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Sincerely,
TERRY C. ANDERSON
Director
State of Wisconsin
Public Service Commission
September 13, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is a copy of the annual report the Public Service Commission (Commission) shall submit to the Legislature as provided for in Wis. Stat. 1.11(2)(j). It reports on the number and type of proposed actions requiring the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement impact statement by the Commission between July 1, 2004, and June 30, 2005.
If you have any questions on this report, please contact our Environmental Analysis and Review Coordinator, Kathleen Zuelsdorff, at (608) 266-2730.
Sincerely,
DANIEL R. EBERT
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Investment Board
September 9, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to s.
1.11(2)(j) of the Statutes, the State of Wisconsin Investment Board is pleased to report that it not consider any proposals for legislation or major actions in Wisconsin during fiscal year 2005 that would have significantly affected the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the agency was not required to prepare any environmental assessments or impact statements under s.
1.11, Stats.
Please contact Sandy Drew at 261-0182 if you have any questions concerning this report.
Sincerely,
DAVID C. MILLS
Executive Director
Pursuant to Senate Rule
17 (5), Senator Grothman added as a coauthor of
Senate Bill 202.
Pursuant to Senate Rule
17 (5), Representative Kreibich removed as a cosponsor of
Senate Bill 187.
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
September 14, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Oemig
, Hunter,
of Cornell, as a member of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2007.
Sincerely,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Higher Education and Tourism.
__________________
Senator Erpenbach, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn until Tuesday, September 27, 2005, at 11:00 A.M.
Adjourned.
10:01 A.M.
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Senate substitute amendment 1 to Senate Bill 289 offered by Senator Roessler.
