State of Wisconsin
Joint Legislative Council
February 21, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is a copy of the
2007 Annual Report Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse, submitted to the Legislature pursuant to s.
227.15 (5), Stats.
Sincerely,
Terry C. Anderson
Director
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
February 27, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
At your request, we have completed a limited-scope review of the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) bridge inspection program. In fiscal year 2006-07, DOT spent approximately $2.3 million to inspect Wisconsin's 5,188 state-owned bridges, including an estimated $1.0 million to hire private consultants with specialized inspection expertise.
Federal and state law require DOT to inspect all bridges owned or maintained by the State at least once every 24 months. We found that 98.1 percent of routine inspections were completed on time between January 2003 and November 2007. During this period, 98.9 percent of routine inspections conducted on structurally deficient bridges, which are bridges that have deteriorated or developed structural problems, were completed within the required 24-month intervals. Both of these inspection rates have improved since our 2001 evaluation of DOT's bridge inspection program (report 01-17).
DOT has not implemented procedures for monitoring routine bridge maintenance work performed by county highway departments or verifying the cost of completed maintenance work. Therefore, we include a recommendation for DOT to develop policies and procedures to track the type and cost of routine bridge maintenance work performed by counties, which totaled $5.7 million in 2006.
In general, the condition of state-owned bridges has improved in recent years. The percentage of state-owned bridges that are structurally deficient declined from 7.4 percent in 2002 to 4.2 percent in 2007, when there were 219 such bridges statewide. However, 34 state-owned bridges are more than 80 years old, exceeding the typical 75-year life span of bridges.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DOT in conducting this review.
Sincerely,
janice Mueller
State Auditor
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
February 29, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002(11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172(3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of January 2008.
On January 1, 2008, the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. This negative balance continued through January 31, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On January 1, 2008, the Worker's Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $4.7 million. This negative balance continued through January 23, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $175 thousand. The Worker's Compensation Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $4.8 million on January 4, 2008. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
S725
On January 1, 2008, the
Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $52.5 million. This negative balance continued through January 31, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $45.0 million. The
Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $55.0 million on January 4, 2008. The negative balance was due to the transfer of $71.5 million to the General Fund per
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, and the pending liquidation of fund securities necessary to offset this shortfall.
On January 1, 2008, the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance closed at a negative $16 thousand. This negative balance continued through January 23, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $381 thousand. The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $17 thousand on January 3, 2008. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On January 31, 2008, the Conservation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $1.5 million (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
The Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund, Worker's Compensation Fund, Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund, and Conservation Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Morgan
Secretary
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Government Accountability Board
February 29, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2007-2008 session of the legislature, visit the Government Accountability Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Foti, Steven Wisconsin Retail Council
Franken, Andrew Association of American Publishers
Franken, Andrew Midwest College of Oriental Medicine/The Acupuncture Center, Inc.
Goyke, Gary Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Inc
McCoshen, William J Mc Lane Company, Inc
McCoshen, William J Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
Mettner, Michelle Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
Nesheim, Kate Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Inc
Ordaz, Bethany Service Employees International Union Local 150
Osborne, Patrick Association of American Publishers
Petak, George Standard Process Inc.
Pfaff, Shawn K12 Inc
Pfaff, Shawn Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
Plautz, Jolene Wisconsin Health Freedom Coalition
Raschka, Adam Wisconsin Cable Communications Association
Reck, Donald Northern States Power d/b/a Xcel Energy
Rogowski, Michael Standard Process Inc.
Seif, Sheba Agudath Israel of America
Seligman, Noah Citizens Utility Board
Strohl, Joseph Novo Nordisk Inc.
Theo, Michael Steve Brown Apartments
Welch, Robert Coalition For Wisconsin Environmental Stewardship
Welch, Robert Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp
Also available from the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Kevin Kennedy
Legal Counsel
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Relating to licensing of elevator contractors and installers and affecting small businesses.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, March 13, 2008.
Referred to committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail, March 14, 2008
.
Relating to private onsite wastewater treatment systems, and affecting small businesses.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, March 13, 2008.
Referred to committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail, March 14, 2008
.
Relating to grants for construction career academies and affecting small business.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, March 13, 2008.
Referred to committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail, March 14, 2008
.
