Section 1581t requires the Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signs entitled "Historic Milwaukee Public Library" on both Interstate 43 and Interstate 794 in Milwaukee County. This signage is intended to alert motorists of the location of the Milwaukee Central Library. The section also prohibits the department from charging any
fee related to erecting or maintaining these signs.
I am vetoing this section because it circumvents the established application and administrative process for determining the placement and approval of highway signage, including criteria regarding the entity responsible for the cost of erecting and maintaining these signs.
29. Speech Language Pathologist and Audiologist Fees
Sections 2179g, 2179r, 2183d, 2187am, 2187b and 2230m
These sections set speech language pathologist and audiologist credential renewal fees at $75 biennially.
I am vetoing these sections because I object to the practice of singling out certain credential fees in statute. These sections prevent the Department of Safety and Professional Services from setting renewal fees according to the department's administrative and enforcement costs attributable to the regulation of these occupations, as is current practice. Moreover, credentialing fees will be examined as part of the study of the department and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
identified in section 9101 (3s) of the bill and any adjustments to fees should be evaluated as part of that study.
30. Transfer Special Counsel Appropriation
Section 379m
This section transfers the GPR special counsel appropriation from the Department of Justice to the Department of Administration. This section also converts the GPR special counsel appropriation from a sum sufficient appropriation to a biennial appropriation.
I am partially vetoing this section because I object to the conversion of the sum sufficient appropriation to a biennial appropriation. I am concerned that the conversion of the appropriation from a sum sufficient to a biennial appropriation will provide insufficient flexibility to fund program costs.
31. Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Section 585m
This section prohibits the Board of Regents from allowing the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism to occupy facilities owned or leased by the board. It also prohibits University of Wisconsin System and University of Wisconsin-Madison employees from performing work related to the center as part of their duties.
I am vetoing this section because it targets a single organization. The use of taxpayer-supported facilities by private or quasi-public organizations, as well as use of staff time in support of these organizations, is an issue of concern. Therefore, I am directing the Board of Regents to develop a systemwide policy related to the use of University of Wisconsin facilities and staff time by outside organizations.
32. Sale of Department of Natural Resources Land
Section 509z
This provision requires the Department of Natural Resources, no later than June 30, 2017, to offer for sale at least 10,000 acres of department property located outside the Stewardship property boundaries established as of May 1, 2013, and to sell at least 250 acres of productive agricultural land annually through fiscal year 2019-20 and specify that the land must remain in use as productive farmland in perpetuity.
Proceeds from the sale of the land must be used to repay any outstanding public debt (including debt issued under the Stewardship Program) and pay the federal government any of the proceeds as required by federal law. Any sale of land received through gifts and grants must adhere to any restrictions governing the use of the proceeds.
I am partially vetoing this provision to eliminate the specific reference to the sale of productive agricultural land. I object to the requirement to sell a specified amount of productive agricultural land annually as it may put a burden on the department to sell land at a below-market price. Instead, I am directing the department to offer for sale productive agricultural land as part of the provision to offer for sale the acres outside of the Stewardship property boundaries.
33. Report on Deletion of Positions in the Department of Natural Resources
Section 9101 (3u)
This provision requires the Department of Administration to provide a report by January 1, 2014, to the Joint Committee on Finance for the Committee's review and approval under a 14-day passive review identifying 32.1 FTE positions in the
Department of Natural Resources to be deleted, which includes 7.8 FTE GPR positions, 9.1 FTE FED positions, 4.0 FTE PR positions and 11.2 FTE SEG positions.
I am partially vetoing the provision to remove the deadline and the Committee's 14-day passive review process because it is inconsistent with a similar provision in the bill and creates unnecessary workload. Under the bill, the Department of Administration is also required to report to the Joint Committee on Finance on the identification of 450 FTE positions to be eliminated from state agencies no later than January 1, 2015. I am directing the Department of Administration to include the separately-identified Department of Natural Resources positions in the report on the 450 FTE positions.
34. Unclassified Position Authority
Sections 2002, 2006m, 2182m and 9138 (8c)
These sections reduce the number of unclassified division administrators authorized for the Department of Safety and Professional Services and repeal the department's authority for unclassified bureau directors.
I am vetoing these sections because I object to reducing the current number of unclassified positions in the department at this time. Staffing levels will be examined as part of the study of the department and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection identified in section 9101 (3s) of the bill, and changes to unclassified position authority should be delayed until that study is completed. While the veto will permit the department to have up to eight unclassified division administrators and up to five unclassified bureau directors, I am directing the department to maintain current staffing levels and to remain within its current position authorization level.
E. investing in Infrastructure
35. Building Program Issued Bonds
Section 9104 (11i)
This section specifies that $250,000,000 in general obligation bonding shall not be issued for enumerations in the 2007-09 and 2013-15 state building programs.
I am partially vetoing this section because I object to the language in the bill. However, I support the goal of reducing general obligation bond issuance in the 2013-15 biennium for the state building program. Therefore, I direct the Department of Administration secretary to reduce $250,000,000 in general obligation bonds issued in the 2013-15 biennium for the newly enumerated projects in this act. With this partial veto, I remain committed to reducing the issuance of $250,000,000 in general obligation bonds while providing flexibility for implementation.
36. Bonding Refunding Authority
Section 489 [as it relates to restrictions on refunding transactions]
This section includes a restriction specifying that refunding bond transactions may only occur where the annual principal payment on the refunding bonds does not exceed the annual principal payments on the current bonds.
I am partially vetoing this section to remove this restriction because it prevents refunding transactions from occurring in market environments where principal payments may be higher while still providing debt service savings. Current market conditions provide premium purchase pricings for bonds, which provide debt service savings from reduced principal payments. In future markets, refunding transactions may have annual debt service savings resulting from reduced interest payments; in this environment, the annual principal payment costs of the refunding bonds may be equal to or greater than the annual principal payment costs of the refunded bonds. With this veto, I am ensuring that refunding transactions and debt service savings can be realized in different market conditions.
37. State-Owned Real Property Sales
Sections 14 and 132
These sections modify the authority of the Department of Administration and the Building Commission regarding the sale or lease of state-owned real property, so as to allow the sale of additional state properties if it is in the best interest of the State to do so and to make statutory language regarding sale procedures and the treatment of net proceeds
consistent across both sections.
Because I believe that state assets should only be sold when it is in the best interest of the State to do so, I am maintaining both the Building Commission's and the Joint Committee on Finance's oversight of state-owned real property sales or leases. I am partially vetoing provisions relating to the use of remaining net sale or lease proceeds, after all other conditions have been met, because I object to limiting the flexibility of the Building Commission and Department of Administration in determining which public debt to retire. The effect of this veto is to allow the Building Commission or the Department of Administration secretary the authority to use the net remaining proceeds toward retirement of debt, wherever it is in the best interest of the State to do so.
38. Disaster Damage Aids Passive Review Requirement
Section 1587 [as it relates to the Joint Committee on Finance in s. 86.34 (6) (a) and (b)] Section 1587 [as it relates to the Joint Committee on Finance in s. 86.34 (6) (a) and (b)] requires the Department of Transportation to submit expenditures of greater than $1,000,000 from the department's disaster damage aids, state funds appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (fs), resulting from a single disaster, to the Joint Committee on Finance for 14-day passive review and approval. I am partially vetoing this section to remove the Joint Committee on Finance's 14-day passive review requirement for expenditures of more than $1,000,000 related to a single
disaster. I am vetoing this provision because disaster damage aids should not be subject to passive review, as disaster response is needed rapidly. Subjecting these expenditures to passive review may unnecessarily delay the release of funding to repair disaster-related damages.
39. Environmental Impact Statement – East Arterial Highway
Section 1534g
Section 1534g requires the Department of Transportation to conduct an environmental impact statement in the 2013-15 fiscal biennium for a proposed major east arterial highway that begins at the intersection of STH 54 and STH 73 in the village of Port Edwards and extends to the intersection of STH 54 and CTH W in the city of Wisconsin Rapids with funding from the department's major highway development program. This section requires the department to conduct the environmental impact statement notwithstanding the current law requirement that the Transportation Projects Commission recommend the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for a proposed major highway development project before the department undertakes such an action.
I am vetoing this section because the effort and funding that would be expended to complete the environmental impact statement are premature. The conditions which will be evaluated by the environmental impact statement required by this provision may change sufficiently, prior to the enumeration of the project, that a new environmental impact statement may be needed before the project proceeds. This may lead to redundant department expenditures.
40. Strategic Blight Elimination Grants
Sections 200 [as it relates to s. 20.490 (1) (k)], 204b, 413m, 2055b, 9214 and 9226 (1L) These provisions provide for the transfer of funds from the Department of Financial Institutions and Department of Justice for grants issued by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for the elimination of blighted, abandoned properties.
I am vetoing these provisions in their entirety because I object to the Legislature directing how the Attorney General uses discretionary settlement funds and how the Department of Financial Institutions should use funds from its gifts and grants appropriation. Both departments have already contributed towards WHEDA's statewide blight mitigation program that was begun in 2012 and based on the success of the program, have discussed continuation of the program beyond July 2013. I encourage the departments to continue to participate in the next round of grants to the greatest extent possible given competing priorities for these funds.
F. Improving Mental Health Programs
41. Family Care Enrollees Admitted to Mental Health Institutes
Sections 200 [as it relates to s. 20.865 (4) (a)], 347j, 347k, 831f, 831p, 9118 (5e) and 9418 (10e) This provision appropriates $500,000 GPR in one-time funding during the 2013-15 biennium in the Joint Committee on Finance supplemental appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a) to fund a portion of the costs that counties will incur for county residents who were enrolled in the Family Care program who receive inpatient services from a state mental health institute prior to July 1, 2015. The provision requires the Department of Health Services to report to the Joint Committee on Finance by September 1, 2013, on issues related to county cost liability for residents formerly enrolled in Family Care who are admitted to the state mental health institutes; request the release of the funds
