Patrick E. Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
__________________
Executive Communications
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
Madison
April 13, 2004
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
The following bills, originating in the Assembly, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number Act Number Date Approved
Assembly Bill 738222April 12, 2004
Assembly Bill 265223April 12, 2004
Assembly Bill 652224April 12, 2004
Assembly Bill 341225April 12, 2004
Assembly Bill 390226April 12, 2004
Assembly Bill 533227April 12, 2004
AB 323 (in part)228April 13, 2004
Respectfully submitted,
James Doyle
Governor
__________________
Governor's Veto Message
April 12, 2004
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 598 in its entirety. This bill changes the Municipal Employment Relations Act so that the contracting out of services is made a permissive, rather than mandatory, subject of bargaining. Under the bill, a local government would not be required to bargain with labor unions regarding a decision to contract with a private party or with another local government for the provision of services. In addition, a local government would not be required to bargain over the impact of any outsourcing decision on the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of local government workers. Under current law, both the decision to contract out and its impact are mandatory subjects of bargaining.
I am vetoing the bill because it undermines the stability of labor relations and threatens the quality of life of Wisconsin residents. Decisions about outsourcing and contracting out jobs should remain a topic of the collective bargaining process. Public employees should have the right to make the case, through the existing collective bargaining process, that they can serve the interests of taxpayers better than a private firm. Instead of building a stronger partnership with our hardworking, dedicated public employees, this bill puts them in the crosshairs. Undermining our relationship with public employees will ultimately reduce the quality and quantity of services that taxpayers depend on.
Rather than creating an environment of instability, we should continue existing, successful processes that ensure that our public service needs are adequately addressed both near and long term.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Doyle
Governor
April 12, 2004
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 833 in its entirety. This bill permits the Department of Transportation to contract with third parties to conduct skills tests for Class D vehicle operators. Class D includes most noncommercial vehicles except motorcycles.
I agree that the department needs to take action to address long waiting periods for skills tests administered by its Division of Motor Vehicles, especially in southeastern Wisconsin. I do not believe, however, that the program created under this bill is in the best interests of the state's citizens. The Division of Motor Vehicles is uniquely positioned to provide this service to the state's residents. The department would be unable to guarantee the quality and consistency of skills testing offered by third parties, which could put unsafe drivers on our roads and jeopardize our citizens and visitors to our state.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Doyle
Governor
__________________
April 13, 2004
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
I have approved
Assembly Bill 323 as
2003 Wisconsin Act 228 and have deposited it in the Office of the Secretary of State. I have vetoed Section 64 and exercised partial vetoes in Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 63 and 67 [as it relates to s.
77.89(2)(b)].
Assembly Bill 323 makes several modifications to the Managed Forest Land Program. The bill changes the rates and distribution of taxes and fees collected from owners of land enrolled in the program, makes changes relating to the designation of enrolled land, creates enforcement mechanisms, and changes certain administrative procedures and fees. The bill helps offset the loss of local property tax revenue from land enrolled in the program by adjusting the payments from landowners to more accurately reflect the growth in statewide property taxes charged for forested land. The bill also directs a portion of payment revenue currently retained by the Department of Natural Resources to municipalities and counties.
Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 63, 64 and 67 [as it relates to s.
77.89(2)(b)] divide the closed acreage fee revenue between municipalities (80 percent) and counties (20 percent) in which closed land is located. The timing of the change is ambiguous due to conflicting language and could create a deficit in the forestry account of the conservation fund. I am vetoing Section 64 and partially vetoing Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 63 and 67 [as it relates to s.
77.89(2)(b)] to eliminate the changes in the distribution of closed acreage fee revenue. The effect of this partial veto is to forward all closed acreage fee revenue to the department for deposit to the forestry account as under current law.
I support improving the administration of the program and assisting municipalities and counties to offset the local revenue impact of the program. However, a partial veto is necessary to ensure that the statutorily defined goals of the program are protected. It is important to ensure that Wisconsin's citizens have sufficient access to land for recreation, in particular, hunting. As originally proposed, this bill had a mechanism to address this concern, but it was removed by the Legislature. I am requesting that the department consider, in developing its 2005-07 biennial budget request, restoring the provision to distribute revenues from closed acreage fees to offset the impact of the increase in closed acres. In order to maintain the goals of the original legislation, the program will be administered by a managed forest land board consisting of representatives of local town and county governments, the Wisconsin Chief Forester as well as other interested groups or individuals. The board will be charged with providing grants to local governments, the department and non-profit conservation organizations. The grants are to be used to acquire land for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight seeing and cross country skiing. As part of this program the board shall ensure the use of sound forestry practices on all lands acquired. Finally, priority for these grants should be given to counties as well as to towns and counties with higher numbers of closed acres. At no time should grants be awarded without approval from the board of the county where the land is being acquired.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Doyle
Governor
__________________
April 13, 2004
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 908 in its entirety. This bill corrects the effective date of the change in Managed Forest Land Program closed acreage fee revenue as drafted in Assembly Bill 323. This bill clarifies that the distribution of fee revenue to municipalities and counties is effective July 1, 2005. This bill is also void if AB 323 is partially vetoed.
I support assisting local governments to offset the revenue impact of the Managed Forest Land Program. I am concerned, however, that the provisions in AB 323 will increase the amount of managed forest land that is closed to public access and do not provide any means of minimizing the impact on public recreation. By exercising partial vetoes in AB 323, this bill is now unnecessary.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Doyle
Governor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
Madison
To Whom It May Concern:
Acts, Joint Resolutions and Resolutions deposited in this office have been numbered and published as follows:
Bill Number Act Number Publication Date
Assembly Bill 273199April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 419201April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 467202April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 488203April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 263204April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 471205April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 591206April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 169207April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 791208April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 15209April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 274210April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 436211April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 495212April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 501213April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 678214April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 777215April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 821216April 22, 2004
Assembly Bill 893217April 22, 2004
Sincerely,
Douglas La Follette
Secretary of State
