Director & General Counsel
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
August 4, 2011
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As requested by the Public Service Commission (PSC), we have completed a financial audit of the Universal Service Fund (USF). Our audit report contains our unqualified opinion on the financial statements prepared by USF management for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2010 and 2009.
The USF funds a variety of telecommunications and other programs. It is funded by assessments on telecommunications providers that are typically recovered from consumers. In fiscal year (FY) 2009-10, provider assessments totaled $51.7 million and the USF provided $41.8 million in funding for 13 programs operated by 4 state agencies.
Two programs - the Educational Telecommunications Access Program and Aid to Public Library Systems - represented nearly 80.0 percent of the USF's FY 2009-10 program expenditures. The USF has been the sole funding source for Aid to Public Library Systems since FY 2008-09. The Educational Telecommunications Access Program is managed by the Department of Administration (DOA) and subsidizes more than 900 K-12 schools, technical colleges, public libraries, and other educational institutions' access to a broadband voice, video, and data network known as the BadgerNet Converged Network. Our report includes a recommendation for DOA to ensure that an administrative fee it charges the USF for services related to use of the BadgerNet Converged Network reflects only the actual costs of providing those services. We estimate that at least $4.3 million of $5.4 million that DOA lapsed to the General Fund to meet budgeting requirements under
2007 Wisconsin Act 226 and
2009 Wisconsin Acts 2 and
28 represents excess administrative service fees paid by the USF in the past five years.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff of the PSC and three other agencies that manage USF programs - DOA, the Department of Public Instruction, and the University of Wisconsin System - as well as by the USF's administrator, Wipfli LLP.
Respectfully submitted,
joe chrisman
Interim State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 1, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Church
, John,
of Janesville, as a member of the Chiropractic Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2013.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Cory
, Patrick,
of Madison, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2013.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Harrison, Lynn,
of Elk Mound, as a member of the Land and Water Conservation Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2015.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Lappin
, Michael,
of Mequon, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2014.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint OBrien
, Patrick,
of Larsen, as a member of the Hearing and Speech Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2015.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Peirick, Carol,
of Middleton, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2014.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 3, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Rambo
, Larry,
of Hartland, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2014.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 1, 2011
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Schall
, Sheldon,
of Waunakee, as a member of the Veterinary Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2014.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT WALKER
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
