Communications
July 1, 2004
Speaker John Gard
Wisconsin State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 211 West
Madison, Wisconsin
Dear Speaker Gard:
Please accept this letter as official notification of my resignation from the Wisconsin State Assembly, effective at the end of business on Friday, July 2, 2004.
As you well know, the Wisconsin Legislature and the Wisconsin State Assembly is a wonderful institution where the Representatives, Senators and staff give their time and energy to make Wisconsin a better state. I am proud to say I had the opportunity to be part of this august body.
Thank you for your efforts. I look forward to working with you and all the members of the Assembly in my future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Dan Schooff
State Representative
45th Assembly District
__________________
July 7, 2004
Speaker John Gard
State Capitol 211 West
Madison, WI 53708
Dear Speaker Gard:
I respectfully request the following board appointment for Representative Amy Sue Vruwink:
Rural Economic Development Board
Representative Vruwink will replace Representative Plouff on this board. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions.
Sincerely,
Jim Kreuser
Assembly Democratic Leader
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Revisor of Statutes Bureau
Madison
DATE: July 1, 2004
TO: Patrick E. Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
Robert Marchant
Senate Chief Clerk
A969
FROM: Gary L. Poulson
Assistant Revisor of Statutes
SUBJECT: Rules published in the June 30, 2004,
Wisconsin Administrative
Register, No. 582.
The following rules have been published:
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
July 8, 2004
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
At the request of the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), we have completed a limited-scope review of Veterans Assistance Program services provided by the Center for Veterans Issues, Ltd., a not-for-profit organization. The Center assists veterans in obtaining stable employment and affordable housing and by coordinating other services available to them in Milwaukee, Racine, and Union Grove. It is funded primarily through federal grants; however, in 2003, 4.4 of its 41.4 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff were supported with state funds.
The number of veterans served by the Center decreased from 462 in 1999 to 365 in 2003, in part because those enrolled in the program participated longer. The percentage of veterans who were successfully discharged remained fairly constant at approximately 60.0 percent in each year. However, the Center did not meet DVA-established goals that 50 percent of veterans discharged from the program obtain employment that pays a living wage or that 75 percent have housing.
We analyzed the Center's financial condition and found that it has cash flow problems. In addition, we found that the Center greatly increased its outstanding debt by purchasing apartments in Racine to serve veterans and other low-income individuals. Because DVA may choose to reduce or eliminate future funding through the Veterans Trust Fund, the Center may have difficulty locating additional sources of revenue needed to meet matching requirements. We identified additional federal funds that do not require a match and are likely available to the Center, and we make recommendations for improving its financial management.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department and the Center for Veterans Issues.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
July 13, 2004
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed a review of the methodology for determining credentialing fees proposed by the Department of Regulation and Licensing during 2003-05 budget deliberations, as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. The Department and the boards it supports issue nearly 318,000 credentials in 84 professions and 26 businesses. In fiscal year 2003-04, the Department had a total budget of $11.1 million, which was supported entirely with credentialing and other fees, and an authorized staff of 125.5 full-time equivalent employees.
With the fee-setting methodology proposed in 2003, the Department believed it would more accurately allocate regulatory costs to credential holders based on services provided to each type of profession or business, as required by statutes. However, legislators and others were concerned that the methodology was based on time estimates, rather than on documented time spent, and that several professions would experience large fee increases. As a result, neither new fees nor the proposed methodology were approved, and credentialing fees have not changed since 2001.
We found that the proposed methodology could increase the Department's ability to allocate credentialing costs based on services provided. However, additional refinements could be considered by the Department and the Legislature if the methodology will again be proposed during 2005-07 biennial budget deliberations. We also provide options for the Legislature to consider as it deliberates on the Department's funding and spending authority.
Finally, we compared Wisconsin's regulatory structure and methodology for determining fees with those in six other midwestern states. Regulatory structures are less centralized in other states, with regulatory authorities overseeing small groups of related professions. In addition, credentialing fees in Wisconsin are typically lower than in surrounding states.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department. Its response follows Appendix 2.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
