AB533: Bill Text

February 7, 2012 - Introduced by Representatives Clark, Spanbauer, Bewley, Hebl, Zepnick, Berceau, Roys, Grigsby, Sinicki, Mason, Fields and C. Taylor, cosponsored by Senators Holperin, Schultz, Taylor, Hansen and Risser. Referred to Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business.

AB533,1,5 An Act to renumber and amend 238.127 (2) (h) and 238.127 (2) (j); to amend 41.11 (1) (b), 238.127 (title), 238.127 (2) (intro.), 238.127 (2) (e) and 238.127 (2) (f) 1.; and to create 238.127 (1) (title), 238.127 (1) (af), 238.127 (3) (title) and 238.127 (3) (b) of the statutes; relating to: the state main street program and business area revitalization services.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is required to establish and administer a state main street program to assist municipalities in planning, managing, and implementing programs for the revitalization of business areas. Under the state main street program, WEDC assists municipalities in increasing economic activity in a business area within the municipality while preserving and building on the business area's historically significant characteristics. From those municipalities that file applications, WEDC may annually select up to five municipalities to participate in the program for five years each. This bill increases the number of municipalities that WEDC may annually accept into the state main street program from five to ten.

Under current law, WEDC may also provide training, technical assistance, and information on the revitalization of business areas to municipalities that do not participate in the state main street program. Current law further provides that WEDC may charge reasonable fees for services and information it provides to a municipality that is not participating in the state main street program. This bill authorizes WEDC to establish and administer a program to provide business area revitalization services to municipalities that include a business area and that are not participating in the state main street program. Under this bill, a municipality that includes a business area and is not participating in the state main street program is called a downtown affiliate. This bill provides that WEDC may charge downtown affiliates for services provided under the program.

Under current law, WEDC is required to expend at least $250,000 each year on the state main street program. Under this bill, the state main street program and the program for downtown affiliates are combined to create the Wisconsin downtown development program. This bill requires WEDC to expend at least $750,000 each year on the Wisconsin downtown development program.

Finally, this bill specifies that the Department of Tourism must promote travel to communities that are participating in the state main street program.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB533, s. 1 Section 1. 41.11 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB533,2,5 41.11 (1) (b) Promote travel by citizens of this state to this state's scenic, historic, natural, agricultural, educational and recreational attractions, including communities that are participating in the state main street program under s. 238.127 (2).

AB533, s. 2 Section 2. 238.127 (title) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB533,2,9 238.127 (title) State main street Wisconsin downtown development program.

AB533, s. 3 Section 3. 238.127 (1) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

AB533,2,11 238.127 (1) (title) Definitions.

AB533, s. 4 Section 4. 238.127 (1) (af) of the statutes is created to read:

AB533,2,14 238.127 (1) (af) "Downtown affiliate" means a municipality that includes a business area and is not participating in the state main street program.

AB533, s. 5 Section 5. 238.127 (2) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB533,3,9 238.127 (2) State main street program. (intro.) The As part of the Wisconsin downtown development program, the corporation shall establish and administer a state main street program to coordinate state and local participation in programs offered by the national main street center, created by the national trust for historic preservation, to assist municipalities in planning, managing and implementing programs for the revitalization of business areas. The corporation shall do all of the following:

AB533, s. 6 Section 6. 238.127 (2) (e) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB533,3,20 238.127 (2) (e) Annually select, upon application, up to 5 10 municipalities to participate in the state main street program. The program for each municipality shall conclude after 3 years, except that the program for each municipality selected after July 29, 1995, shall conclude after 5 years. The corporation shall select program participants representing various geographical regions and populations. A municipality may apply to participate, and the corporation may select a municipality for participation, more than one time. In selecting a municipality, however, the corporation may give priority to those municipalities that have not previously participated.

AB533, s. 7 Section 7. 238.127 (2) (f) 1. of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB533,3,25 238.127 (2) (f) 1. Private and public sector interest in and commitment to revitalization of a business area selected by the municipality, including potential in-kind or monetary contributions from the private and public sector.

AB533, s. 8 Section 8. 238.127 (2) (h) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is renumbered 238.127 (3) (a) and amended to read:

AB533,4,9 238.127 (3) (a) Provide As part of the Wisconsin downtown development program, the corporation may establish and maintain a program to provide business area revitalization services to downtown affiliates, including training, technical assistance, and information on the revitalization of business areas to municipalities which do not participate in the state main street program. The corporation may charge reasonable fees for the services and information provided under a program established under this paragraph.

AB533, s. 9 Section 9. 238.127 (2) (j) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is renumbered 238.127 (4) and amended to read:

AB533,4,13 238.127 (4) Funding. The corporation shall expend at least $250,000 $750,000 annually on the state main street Wisconsin downtown development program.

AB533, s. 10 Section 10. 238.127 (3) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

AB533,4,15 238.127 (3) (title) Downtown affiliates.

AB533, s. 11 Section 11. 238.127 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB533,4,19 238.127 (3) (b) The corporation may develop policies and procedures to administer the program under par. (a), including policies and procedures related to all of the following:

AB533,4,21 1. Offering specialized services to a downtown affiliate on a contractual basis for a fee.

AB533,4,22 2. Delivering individual services to a downtown affiliate on an as-needed basis.

AB533,4,23 3. The duration of time that services may be provided to a downtown affiliate.

AB533,4,24 (End)