LRBa2450/1
RAC:nwn&kjf:ph
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1,
TO ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 4,
TO 2009 ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 14
April 20, 2010 - Offered by Representative Wood.
AR14-ASA4-AA1,1,4
21. Page 1, line 3: after "21" insert "and the censure of Stephen Nass, a
3representative from the 31st Assembly District, in accordance with article IV, section
48, of the Wisconsin Constitution".
AR14-ASA4-AA1,1,108
Whereas, Representative Nass claimed his home address as W8948 Willis Ray
9Road in Whitewater, Wisconsin, reporting mileage between 43 to 52 miles since 1990
10to the state capitol; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,3
1Whereas, members of the Wisconsin state assembly complete their own
2certificates of mileage pursuant to sections 20.765 (1) (a) and 13.123 (1) or (2) of the
3statutes; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,54
Whereas, it is a Class I felony under section 946.12 (4) of the statutes to make
5false entries on this form; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,76
Whereas, section 13.08 (2) of the statutes authorizes reimbursement for up to
7one round trip per week of transportation expenses actually incurred; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,98
Whereas, Wisconsin law regulating mileage claims for state officials requires
9that the most direct route be claimed; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,1110
Whereas, Representative Nass claimed a distance ranging from 43 to 52 miles
11since 1990 to the state capitol; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,1312
Whereas, the American Automobile Association and MapQuest calculate the
13true distance as 43 miles; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,1514
Whereas, the American Automobile Association was not able to complete a
15direct route between the two locations that totaled 52 miles; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,1716
Whereas, federal tax law requires legislators to live at least 50 miles away from
17the capitol to claim expenses for any day the legislature is in session; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,1918
Whereas, Representative Nass claimed 174 days for this purpose of federal law
19while serving in the legislature in 1999; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,2120Whereas, this provision of federal law, found in section
162 (h) of the Internal
21Revenue Code, allows legislators to write off $98 per day; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,2322
Whereas, the state of Wisconsin reimbursed Representative Nass $55 per day
23for this purpose; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,2,2524
Whereas, Representative Nass was left with an unreimbursed expense of $42
25for each day the legislature was in session; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,3
1Whereas, by claiming this expense, Representative Nass would have had a tax
2deduction worth $7,308, lowering his state and federal taxes by approximately
3$2,000; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,44
Whereas, Representative Nass has cheated taxpayers of a over $2000; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,75
Whereas, a violation of this Wisconsin law requires reimbursement of the
6amount, including 12 percent interest, resulting in over $20,000 stolen from the
7people of Wisconsin; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,108
Whereas, Representative Nass has himself brought disrepute to the Wisconsin
9state assembly by failing to accept paternal responsibility for his out-of-wedlock
10daughter for the first three years of her life; and
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,1311
Whereas, Representative Nass brought further disgrace to the Wisconsin state
12assembly by going to court to get his taxpayer-financed per diem excluded from
13calculating his child support payments; now, therefore, be it
AR14-ASA4-AA1,3,16
14Resolved by the assembly, That Representative Stephen Nass is hereby
15censured by the Wisconsin state assembly, in accordance with article IV, section 8,
16of the Wisconsin Constitution.".