59.58(6)(a)1.
1. "Authority" means the regional transit authority created under this subsection.
59.58(6)(a)2.
2. "Region" means the geographic area composed of the counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine.
59.58(6)(b)
(b) The counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine shall create a regional transit authority. The governing body of the authority shall consist of the following members:
59.58(6)(b)1.
1. Three members, one from each county in the region, appointed by the county executive of each county and approved by the county board.
59.58(6)(b)2.
2. Three members, one from the most populous city in each county in the region, appointed by the mayor of each such city and approved by the common council.
59.58(6)(b)3.
3. One member from the most populous city in the region, by the governor appointed.
59.58(6)(bm)
(bm) No action may be taken by the authority unless at least 6 members of the authority's governing body vote to approve the action.
59.58(6)(c)
(c) Notwithstanding
s. 59.84 (2), the authority shall be responsible for the coordination of transit and commuter rail programs in the region.
59.58(6)(cg)
(cg) No later than October 1, 2009, the authority shall transfer to the southeastern regional transit authority under
sub. (7) all revenues received under s.
59.58 (6) (cg) 1., 2007 stats., retained by the authority.
59.58(6)(cr)
(cr) The authority may hire staff, conduct studies, and expend funds essential to the preparation of the report specified in
par. (e).
59.58(6)(d)
(d) The department of transportation or its designee, the southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, or any designee of the governing body of the authority may provide administrative support services to assist the authority in fulfilling its duties.
59.58(6)(dm)
(dm) Any recipient of state funding for the planning or engineering of a commuter rail project in the region shall periodically report to the authority's governing body or staff.
59.58(6)(e)
(e) By November 15, 2008, the authority shall submit to the governor and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2), a report on the activities of the authority. The report shall include all of the following:
59.58(6)(e)3.
3. A plan to improve the coordination of expanded mass transit, commuter rail, and passenger rail in the region.
59.58(6)(e)3r.
3r. A recommendation on the use of bonding for commuter rail and public transit in the region, and the role of the authority in such bonding.
59.58(6)(e)4g.
4g. A plan for the distribution among the mass transit operators in the region of any permanent regional funding specified in
subd. 5.
59.58(6)(e)4r.
4r. A recommendation as to whether the responsibilities of the authority should be limited to collection and distribution of regional transit funding or should also include operation of transit service.
59.58(6)(e)5.
5. A proposal that specifically identifies a permanent regional funding source to provide local funds for the local portion of operating and capital costs of commuter rail and public transit that are not covered by passenger fares and that considers all potential funding sources.
59.58(6)(e)6.
6. A recommendation on whether the authority should continue in existence after September 30, 2009.
59.58(6)(f)
(f) The authority shall terminate on October 1, 2009.
59.58(7)
(7) Southeastern regional transit authority. 59.58(7)(a)1.
1. "Authority" means the southeastern regional transit authority created under this subsection.
59.58(7)(a)2.
2. "Bonds" means any bonds, interim certificates, notes, debentures, or other obligations of the authority issued under this subsection.
59.58(7)(a)3.
3. "KRM commuter rail line" means a commuter rail transit system connecting the cities of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
59.58(7)(b)
(b) There is created the southeastern regional transit authority, a public body corporate and politic and a separate governmental entity, consisting of the counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee. This authority may transact business and exercise any powers granted to it under this subsection. The jurisdictional area of this authority is the geographic area formed by the combined territorial boundaries of the counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
59.58(7)(c)1.1. The powers of the authority shall be vested in its board of directors, consisting of the following members:
59.58(7)(c)1.a.
a. Two members from Milwaukee County, appointed by the Milwaukee County board chairperson.
59.58(7)(c)1.b.
b. Two members from the city of Milwaukee, appointed by the mayor of the city of Milwaukee.
59.58(7)(c)1.c.
c. One member from Racine County, appointed by the Racine County board chairperson.
59.58(7)(c)1.d.
d. One member from the city of Racine, appointed by the mayor of the city of Racine.
59.58(7)(c)1.e.
e. One member from Kenosha County, appointed by the Kenosha County board chairperson.
59.58(7)(c)1.f.
f. One member from the city of Kenosha, appointed by the mayor of the city of Kenosha.
59.58(7)(c)1.g.
g. One member from the authority's jurisdictional area, appointed by the governor.
59.58(7)(c)2.
2. A majority of the board of directors' full authorized membership constitutes a quorum for the purpose of conducting the authority's business and exercising its powers. Action may be taken by the board of directors upon a vote of a majority of the directors present and voting, unless the bylaws of the authority require a larger number.
59.58(7)(d)
(d) The authority shall have all powers necessary and convenient to create, construct, and manage a KRM commuter rail line.
59.58(7)(e)
(e) The authority may impose the fees under
subch. XIII of ch. 77. From the fees, the authority may do all of the following:
59.58(7)(e)1.
1. Retain not more than $2 for each transaction for administration of the authority.
59.58(7)(e)2.
2. Retain the difference between the amount of the fees imposed under
subch. XIII of ch. 77 and the amount of those fees retained under
subd. 1. for expenditures related to the KRM commuter rail line, including planning, construction, maintenance, operations, and engineering expenditures.
59.58(7)(f)1.1. The authority may issue bonds, the principal and interest on which are payable exclusively from all or a portion of any revenues received by the authority. The authority may secure its bonds by a pledge of any income or revenues from any operations, rent, aids, grants, subsidies, contributions, or other source of moneys whatsoever.
59.58(7)(f)2.
2. The authority may issue bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000, excluding bonds issued to refund outstanding bonds issued under this subdivision, for the purpose of providing funds for the anticipated local funding share required for initiating KRM commuter rail line service.
59.58(7)(f)3.
3. Neither the authority's board of directors nor any person executing the bonds is personally liable on the bonds by reason of the issuance of the bonds.
59.58(7)(f)4.
4. The bonds of the authority are not a debt of the counties that comprise the authority. Neither these counties nor the state are liable for the payment of the bonds. The bonds of the authority shall be payable only out of funds or properties of the authority. The bonds of the authority shall state the restrictions contained in this subdivision on the face of the bonds.
59.58(7)(f)5.
5. Bonds of the authority shall be authorized by resolution of the authority's board of directors. The bonds may be issued under such a resolution or under a trust indenture or other security instrument. The bonds may be issued in one or more series and may be in the form of coupon bonds or registered bonds under
s. 67.09. The bonds shall bear the dates, mature at the times, bear interest at the rates, be in the denominations, have the rank or priority, be executed in the manner, be payable in the medium of payment and at the places, and be subject to the terms of redemption, with or without premium, as the resolution, trust indenture, or other security instrument provides. Bonds of the authority are issued for an essential public and governmental purpose and are public instrumentalities and, together with interest and income, are exempt from taxes. The authority may sell the bonds at public or private sales at the price or prices determined by the authority. If a member of the authority's board of directors whose signature appears on any bonds or coupons ceases to be a member of the authority's board of directors before the delivery of such obligations, the member's signature shall, nevertheless, be valid for all purposes as if the member had remained a member until delivery of the bonds.
59.58(7)(f)6.
6. The authority may issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying any of its bonds at or prior to maturity or upon acceleration or redemption. The authority may issue refunding bonds at such time prior to the maturity or redemption of the refunded bonds as the authority deems to be in the public interest. The refunding bonds may be issued in sufficient amounts to pay or provide the principal of the bonds being refunded, together with any redemption premium on the bonds, any interest accrued or to accrue to the date of payment of the bonds, the expenses of issue of the refunding bonds, the expenses of redeeming the bonds being refunded, and such reserves for debt service or other capital or current expenses from the proceeds of such refunding bonds as may be required by the resolution, trust indenture, or other security instruments. To the extent applicable, refunding bonds are subject to
subd. 5.
59.58(7)(g)
(g) All moneys transferred under
s. 59.58 (6) (cg) shall be used by the authority to assist in the planning of the KRM commuter rail line project.
59.58(7)(h)
(h) The authority's powers shall be limited to those specified in this subsection.
59.58(7)(i)
(i) The authority is the only entity in the counties of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha that may submit an application to the federal transit administration in the U.S. department of transportation under the federal new starts grant program for funding for the KRM commuter rail line.
59.58(7)(j)
(j) The operator of any transit system in Kenosha County or Racine County receiving funding under
s. 85.20, shall provide copies of all of their annual and long-term transit plans to the southeastern regional transit authority as these plans become available.
59.58 Annotation
Section 59.968 (3) [now s. 59.58 (3) (c)] authorizes a county to subsidize a bus company operating a route principally located within the county, even though the route is only 5% of the company's total business. 65 Atty. Gen. 191.
FINANCE AND BUDGET
59.60
59.60
Budgetary procedure in certain counties. 59.60(1)(1)
Application. The provisions of this section shall apply to all counties with a population of 500,000 or more. Except as provided in
sub. (13), any county with a county executive or county administrator may elect to be subject to the provisions of this section.
59.60(2)
(2) Definitions. In this section:
59.60(2)(a)
(a) "Department" includes all county departments, boards, commissions, institutions, offices, and other agencies of the county government for which funds may be legally appropriated.
59.60(2)(b)
(b) "Director" means the director of the county department of administration.
59.60(3)
(3) Fiscal year. The fiscal year in every county is the calendar year.
59.60(3m)
(3m) Accounting and budgeting procedure. Every accounting and budgeting procedure that is applied under this section shall comply with generally accepted accounting principles for government as promulgated by the governmental accounting standards board or its successor bodies or other authoritative sources.
59.60(4)
(4) Submission of annual budget requests. On or before the date that the director specifies, but not later than July 15, each department shall annually submit to the director in the form that the director specifies:
59.60(4)(a)
(a) The department's estimated revenues and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year.
59.60(4)(b)
(b) The estimated cost of any capital improvements pending or proposed for the ensuing fiscal year and for the next 4 fiscal years.
59.60(4)(c)
(c) Any other information that the director requests.
59.60(5)
(5) Compilation of budget requests. Not later than August 15 of each year, the director shall submit to the county executive or county administrator and to the board:
59.60(5)(a)
(a) The annual budget estimates of each department.
59.60(5)(b)
(b) A statement of principal and interest becoming due on outstanding bonds and on other financial obligations.
59.60(5)(c)
(c) An estimate of all other expenditures, including proposed expenditures on capital improvements that are not financed by bonds.
59.60(5)(d)
(d) An estimate of anticipated issues of new bond obligations during the ensuing fiscal year, plus a statement of the funds required for maturities and interest payments on these issues.
59.60(5)(e)
(e) An estimate of funds required as an appropriation for contingencies.
59.60(5)(f)
(f) An estimate of revenue from all other sources.
59.60(5)(g)
(g) A complete summary of all the budget estimates and a statement of the property tax levy required if funds were appropriated on the basis of these estimates. In determining the property tax levy required, the director shall deduct from the total estimated expenditures the estimated amount of revenue from sources other than the property tax levy and shall deduct the amount of any surplus at the close of the preceding fiscal year not yet appropriated. The board, by two-thirds vote, may adopt a resolution before the adoption of the tax levy authorizing the use of the surplus fund in whole or in part as a sinking fund for the redemption or repurchase of bonds or to provide funds for emergency needs under
sub. (9), but for no other purposes, except as provided in
sub. (13).
59.60(6)(a)(a) The county executive or county administrator shall review the estimates of expenditures and revenues and hold public hearings on such estimates at which the head or a representative of every county department shall appear and give information with regard to the appropriations requested, including work programs, other justification of expenditures, and other data that the county executive or county administrator requests. The county executive or county administrator shall make changes in the proposed budget that in the executive's or administrator's discretion are considered desirable or proper.
59.60(6)(b)
(b) On or before October 1, and after the hearings required under
par. (a), the county executive or county administrator shall submit the amended proposed budget to the board. The amended proposed budget shall be the executive's or administrator's budget and shall include all of the following:
59.60(6)(b)1.
1. A simple, clear, general summary of the detailed contents of the budget.
59.60(6)(b)2.
2. A comparative statement by organization unit and principal object of expenditure showing the actual expenditures of the preceding fiscal year, the appropriations and estimated expenditures for the fiscal year currently ending, and the recommended appropriations for the fiscal year next succeeding.
59.60(6)(b)3.
3. A comparative statement of the actual revenues from all sources including property taxes during the preceding fiscal year, the anticipated revenues and the estimated revenues for the fiscal year currently ending, and the anticipated revenues for the fiscal year next succeeding including any surplus from the preceding fiscal year not otherwise appropriated under
sub. (9).
59.60(6)(c)
(c) The anticipated revenues for the fiscal year next succeeding shall be equal in amount to the recommended appropriations.
59.60(6)(d)
(d) The executive's or administrator's budget shall be accompanied by a message prepared by the county executive or county administrator which shall outline the important features of the budget plan and indicate any major changes in policy or in recommended appropriations or revenues as compared with the fiscal year currently ending, and shall set forth the reasons for such changes.
59.60(7)
(7) Publication of budget and public hearing. The board shall refer the executive's or administrator's budget to the finance committee and such committee shall publish as a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, a summary of the executive's or administrator's budget and comparative figures together with a statement of the county's bonded indebtedness, in the 2 daily newspapers having the largest circulation in the county, and shall make available to the general public reprinted copies of the summary as published. The publication shall also state the date, hour, and place of the public hearing to be held by the board on such executive's or administrator's budget. The board shall, not less than 14 days after publication of the summary of the executive's or administrator's budget, but not later than the first Monday in November of each year and prior to the adoption of the property tax levy, hold a public hearing on such executive's or administrator's budget, at which time citizens may appear and express their opinions. After such public hearing, and on or before the annual meeting, the finance committee shall submit to the board its recommendations for amendments to the executive's or administrator's budget, if any, and the board shall adopt the budget with such changes as it considers proper and advisable. When so adopted, the sums provided shall, subject to the provisions of
sub. (8), constitute legal appropriations and anticipated revenues for the ensuing year.
59.60(7m)
(7m) Publication of budget summary. Notwithstanding
sub. (1), this subsection applies to all counties with a population of 500,000 or more. Any such county shall publish, in the same manner as the summary that may be published under
sub. (7), a summary that includes all of the following:
59.60(7m)(a)
(a) The total amount of budgeted expenditures for the current year.
59.60(7m)(b)
(b) The proposed amount of total expenditures and the percentage change compared to the amount in
par. (a).
59.60(7m)(c)
(c) The property tax levy for the current year.
59.60(7m)(d)
(d) The proposed property tax levy and the percentage change compared to the amount in
par. (c).
59.60(8)
(8) Transfers of appropriations.
