Transportation
Subject
Objective of the rule. This rule making will amend ch.
Trans 1, relating to the elderly and disabled transportation assistance to counties, by capping the amount counties can keep in trust funds, updating language regarding the role of district offices in the program, updating reporting requirements, and allowing counties more flexibility in meeting trip purpose priorities.
Policy analysis
Currently, the rule allows a county to establish a trust fund and deposit all or part of its allocation in this fund. Trust funds can only be used for the purchase or maintenance of transportation equipment, or to make grants to other local governments and private nonprofit organizations which provide specialized transportation services for purchase or maintenance of transportation equipment. When the rules regarding establishment of the trust fund were developed, counties were not eligible applicants for the Federal Elderly and Disabled Transportation Program authorized under
49 U.S.C. 5310/Capital Assistance Program for Specialized Transportation authorized under Wisconsin Statute section 85.22. (This program provides grants to cover 80% of the cost of vehicles with the grantee paying the remaining 20%.) In the past, trust funds provided a means for counties to save significant amounts of money for the purchase of vehicles. Counties are now eligible applicants for the Section 5310/85.22 program and can also contract with successful 5310 grantees in their county. The need to save large amounts of program dollars for vehicles no longer exists. Currently, a few counties have amassed considerable amounts of money in their trust funds.
Over the years, due to increasing workloads, district involvement in this program has decreased to its current front door role. The districts provide basic information about the program and then refer individuals to the program manager at the central office. The proposed changes update ch.
Trans 1 to reflect current business practice.
The current rule prescribes ways a county can meet trip purpose requirements. Increasing flexibility in how counties administer trip purpose requirement allows them to meet their individual needs. In addition, this greater flexibility may result in innovative ways of providing and funding services at the local level.
The current rule requires that all passenger revenue received in a given year be applied to transportation expenses incurred in that same year. This is difficult to apply in reality as expenditures may not come in for several months after the end of the calendar year. The proposed changes keeps the intent of the original law - applying revenues back to the transportation program, but doesn't define a timeframe.
The policy alternatives are to give counties more flexibility in the use of trust funds and in developing innovative means of providing service or to maintain the existing system. Providing more flexibility to counties and limiting the amount that can be held in trust should result in higher levels of service to Wisconsin's elderly and disabled population without increasing the amount of money allocated under this program.
Statutory authority
Staff time required
Approximately 80 hours.
Workforce Development
Subject
Description of Policy Issues
Pursuant to ss.
103.005 (5) (a) and
104.04, Stats., DWD is creating a Minimum Wage Advisory Council to collect, review, and analyze data relating to the issue of the State of Wisconsin's minimum wage rates; determine the adequacy of the current minimum wage rates set by the department; and make a recommendation to the department on potential adjustments to the minimum wage rates for the next three years.
The charge to the council, in accordance with Wisconsin statutes and administrative rules, is to do the following by April 2, 2004:
•Determine whether Wisconsin's current minimum wage is sufficient to enable minimum wage earners to maintain an adequate standard of living, pursuant to s.
104.04, Stats.
• If the council believes the minimum wage is not sufficient for a worker to maintain an adequate standard of living, the council shall develop a recommendation for adjusting the minimum wage to enable a worker to maintain an adequate standard of living, pursuant to
•The council shall review s.
104.04, Stats., and Chapter
DWD 272 to determine if any changes need to be made to these rules and recommend those changes to the department.
•The council shall study the various minimum wage sub-categories currently in ch.
DWD 272, make a recommendation as to whether to maintain those sub-categories, and, if so, recommend how any minimum wage adjustments should affect the rates currently in place in those sub-categories.
The council recommendations should consider, but not necessarily be limited to, the following issues, in accordance with s.
DWD 272.001 (2):
•What level of wages would be necessary for an individual working 40 hours a week “to maintain himself or herself living independently in minimum comfort, decency, physical and moral well being."
•The effect of minimum wage adjustments “
on job creation, retention and expansion as well as the availability of entry level jobs" within the Wisconsin economy.
•The effect of a minimum wage adjustment “
on regional economic conditions within the state."
Statutory Authority
Staff Time Required
300 hours.
