Reynolds, Marty *
Ryba, John
Steinbrink, John
Boyle, Frank
__________________
Reference Bureau Corrections
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 to Assembly Bill 211
1. Page 1, line 8: delete "exist" and substitute "exists".
__________________
Communications
State of Wisconsin
Revisor of Statutes Bureau
Madison
DATE: December 1, 2001
TO: John A. Scocos
Assembly Chief Clerk
Donald J. Schneider
Senate Chief Clerk
FROM: Gary L. Poulson
Deputy Revisor of Statutes
SUBJECT: Rules published in the November, 2001,
Wisconsin Administrative
Register, No. 551.
The following rules have been published:
__________________
A555
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
November 20, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Chapter
34, Laws of 1979, requires that when the Department of Administration maintains an office in Washington, DC, for the purpose of promoting federal/state cooperation, it should submit a report detailing the activities of the office and reporting the status of federal legislation of concern to the Legislature and other state agencies (Wis. Stats. 16.548(2)).
The report for the period July 2001, through September 2001, is attached.
Sincerely,
George Lightbourn
Secretary
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
November 26, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Included with this correspondence, I am submitting the report of the Department of Administration, Division of Gaming (Gaming), for the first quarter of fiscal year 2002 (July 1, 2001 through September 30, 2001). As required by s.
562.02(1)(g), Wis. Stats., the attached materials contain pari-mutuel wagering and racing statistical information, as well as the revenues for the program areas of Racing, Charitable Gaming and Indian Gaming. Bingo revenues are now captured in a new appropriation (836) and therefore are shown on a separate chart from the rest of Charitable Gaming.
Please note that the final day of racing at St. Croix Meadows was August 9, 2001. The track is now closed. If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact Richard Pedersen at (608) 270-2546.
Sincerely,
F. Scott Scepaniak
Administrator
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
November 29, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
At the request of the departments of Commerce and Administration, and to meet our audit responsibilities under s.
13.94, Wis. Stats., we have completed a financial audit of the State of Wisconsin Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001. We were able to express our unqualified opinion on the Program's Statement of Changes in Program Assets and related notes.
The Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program provides financing for payment of claims under the Wisconsin Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program. As of December 31, 1999, there was a backlog of $196 million in approved but unpaid PECFA claims. To reduce this backlog, the Legislature, through
1999 Wisconsin Act 9, authorized the State to issue $270 million of revenue obligations to be repaid by a $0.03 per gallon fee charged suppliers for petroleum products sold in Wisconsin. These revenue obligations, which may include bonds, commercial paper, or other obligations, are not general obligations of the State.
Between March 2, 2000, when the Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program started, and June 30, 2001, the State issued $250.25 million of revenue obligations. Proceeds from the sale of this debt, along with petroleum inspection fees collected from suppliers in excess of debt service requirements, allowed the State to reduce the backlog and, as of June 30, 2001, there was a backlog of less than $15 million in approved but unpaid PECFA claims.
However, the Department of Commerce continues to receive PECFA reimbursement claims and, as of June 30, 2001, it had not yet reviewed and approved over $20 million in claims. In addition, the Department estimates that land owners have yet to submit claims for at least $200 million for costs that they have already incurred. In order to provide funds to pay additional claims, the Legislature, through
2001 Wisconsin Act 16, authorized the issuance of $72 million of additional revenue obligations. Based on this increased bonding authority, the State plans to issue $30 million of additional Petroleum Inspection Revenue Bonds in December 2001.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us during the audit by staff of the departments of Commerce, Administration, and Revenue.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
