Chapter 59

59.58(3)(b) (b) Apply for federal aids to purchase such buses or other facilities considered essential for operation.

59.58(3)(c) (c) Make grants and provide subsidies to private transit companies that operate bus lines principally within the county to stabilize, preserve or enhance levels of transit service to the public.

59.58(3)(d) (d) Acquire a transportation system by purchase, condemnation under s. 32.05 or otherwise and provide funds for the operation and maintenance of such a system. “Transportation system” means all land, shops, structures, equipment, property, franchises and rights of whatever nature required for transportation of passengers or freight within the county, or between counties, and includes, but is not limited to, elevated railroads, subways, underground railroads, motor vehicles, motor buses and any combination thereof, and any other form of mass transportation. Such acquisition and operation between counties shall be subject to ch. 194 and whenever the proposed operations between such counties would be competitive with the urban or suburban operations of another existing common carrier of passengers or freight, the county shall coordinate proposed operations with such carrier to eliminate adverse financial impact for such carrier. This coordination may include, but is not limited to, route overlapping, transfers, transfer points, schedule coordination, joint use of facilities, lease of route service and acquisition of route and corollary equipment. If such coordination does not result in mutual agreement, the proposals shall be submitted to the department of transportation for arbitration. The following forms of transportation are excepted from the definition of “transportation system”:

59.58(3)(d)1. 1. Taxicabs.

59.58(3)(d)2. 2. School bus transportation businesses or systems that are engaged primarily in the transportation of children to or from school, and which are subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the department of transportation and the department of public instruction.

59.58(3)(d)3. 3. Charter or contract operations to, from or between points that are outside the county or contiguous or cornering counties.

59.58(3)(e) (e) Acquire all of the capital stock of a corporation that owns and operates a transportation system.

59.58(3)(f) (f) Use a public road, street or highway for the transportation of passengers for hire without obtaining a permit or license from a municipality for the operation of a transportation system within such municipality but such use shall be subject to approval by the department of transportation.

59.58(3)(g) (g) Upon the acquisition of a transportation system:

59.58(3)(g)1. 1. Operate and maintain it or lease it to an operator or contract for its use by an operator.

59.58(3)(g)2. 2. Contract for superintendence of the system with an organization which has personnel with the experience and skill necessary.

59.58(3)(g)3. 3. Delegate responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the system to an appropriate administrative officer, board or commission of the county notwithstanding s. 59.84 or any other statute.

59.58(3)(g)4. 4. Maintain and improve a railroad right-of-way and improvements on the right-of-way for future use.

59.58(3)(h) (h)

59.58(3)(h)1. 1. A county may contract under s. 66.0301 to establish a joint transit commission with other municipalities, as defined under s. 66.0301 (1) (b).

59.58(3)(h)2. 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, no joint transit commission under subd. 1. may provide service outside the corporate limits of the parties to the contract under s. 66.0301 which establish the joint transit commission unless the joint transit commission receives financial support for the service under a contract with a public or private organization for the service. This subdivision does not apply to service provided by a joint transit commission outside the corporate limits of the parties to the contract under s. 66.0301 which establish the joint transit commission if the joint transit commission is providing the service on April 28, 1994, without receiving financial support from a public or private organization for the service, and elects to continue the service.

59.58(3)(i) (i) Paragraphs (d) to (h) 1. shall only apply if a board by a two-thirds vote of its membership so authorizes.

59.58(3)(j) (j)

59.58(3)(j)1. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, no county which acquires a transportation system under this subsection may provide service outside the corporate limits of the county unless the county receives financial support for the service under a contract with a public or private organization for the service. This paragraph does not apply to service provided by a county outside the corporate limits of the county if the county is providing the service on April 28, 1994, without receiving financial support from a public or private organization for the service, and elects to continue the service.

59.58(3)(j)2. 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, no county which establishes a transportation system under this subsection may contract with an operator to provide service under par. (g) 1. outside the corporate limits of the county unless the county receives financial support for the service under a contract with a public or private organization for the service. This subdivision does not apply to service provided under par. (g) 1. outside the corporate limits of a county under a contract between the county and an operator if an operator is providing the service on April 28, 1994, without receiving financial support from a public or private organization for the service, and the county elects to continue the service.

59.58(4) (4) County obligations to employees of county mass transportation systems.

59.58(4)(a) (a) A board acquiring a transportation system under sub. (3) (d) shall assume all the employer’s obligations under any contract between the employees and management of the system.

59.58(4)(b) (b) A board acquiring, constructing, controlling or operating a transportation system under sub. (3) (d) shall negotiate an agreement protecting the interests of employees affected by the acquisition, construction, control or operation. Such agreements shall include, but are not limited to, provisions for:

59.58(4)(b)1. 1. The preservation of rights, privileges and benefits under an existing collective bargaining agreement or other agreement.

59.58(4)(b)2. 2. The preservation of rights and benefits under existing pension plans covering prior service, and continued participation in social security.

59.58(4)(b)3. 3. The continuation of collective bargaining rights.

59.58(4)(b)4. 4. The protection of individual employees against a worsening of their positions with respect to their employment to the extent provided by section 13 (c) of the urban mass transportation act, as amended (49 USC 1609 (c)).

59.58(4)(b)5. 5. Assurances of employment to employees of the transportation systems and priority of reemployment of employees who are terminated or laid off.

59.58(4)(b)6. 6. Assurances of first opportunity of employment in order of seniority to employees of any nonacquired system, affected by a new, competitive or supplemental public transportation system, in unfilled nonsupervisory positions for which they can qualify after a reasonable training period.

59.58(4)(b)7. 7. Paid training or retraining programs.

59.58(4)(b)8. 8. Signed written labor agreements.

59.58(4)(c) (c) An agreement under par. (b) may include provisions for the submission of labor disputes to final and binding arbitration by an impartial umpire or board of arbitration acceptable to the parties.

59.58(4)(d) (d) In all negotiations under this subsection, the county executive, if such office exists in the county, shall be a member of the county negotiating body.

59.58(5) (5) Specialized transportation services. The board may coordinate specialized transportation services, as defined in s. 85.21 (2) (g), for county residents who are disabled or are aged 60 or older, including services funded under 42 USC 3001 to 3057n, 42 USC 5001 and 42 USC 5011 (b), under ss. 49.43 to 49.499 and 85.21 and under other public funds administered by the county.

59.58 History History: 1995 a. 201 ss. 197, 231, 386, 388, 465, 466 to 474; 1997 a. 27, 35; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32.

59.58 Annotation Section 59.968 (3) [now sub. (3) (c)] authorizes a county to subsidize a bus company operating a route principally located within the county, even though the route is only five percent of the company’s total business. 65 Atty. Gen. 191.

subch. VI of ch. 59 SUBCHAPTER VI

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 750,000 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)(ae) (ae) “Budget period” means 2 consecutive fiscal years covered by a biennial budget adopted by a county that has acted under sub. (3s), or one fiscal year covered by an annual budget for any other county that has not acted to adopt a biennial budget under sub. (3s).

59.60(2)(as) (as) “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(3s) (3s) Biennial budget procedures.

59.60(3s)(a) (a) A county with a population of 750,000 or more may adopt a biennial budget by implementing the procedures under this subsection and using the procedures under this section. If a county chooses to adopt a biennial budget, it shall adopt such a budget in an odd-numbered year for the next 2 fiscal years that follow immediately the year in which the budget is adopted.

59.60(3s)(b) (b) For a county to proceed under this subsection, the board shall adopt a resolution or enact an ordinance stating its intent to adopt a biennial budget. Once a resolution is adopted or an ordinance is enacted, such an action takes effect and may not be reconsidered or repealed, except as provided in par. (c).

59.60(3s)(c) (c) A board that has adopted a biennial budget procedure as provided in this subsection may return to the use of an annual budget procedure if the board, by a two-thirds majority vote, adopts a resolution or enacts an ordinance stating its intent to adopt an annual budget.

59.60(3s)(d) (d) A board or a committee authorized by the board may, at any time, decrease appropriation amounts in a biennial budget.

59.60(3s)(e) (e) In October or November of an even-numbered year, the board may change any appropriation or revenue amount in relation to the 2nd year of the biennial budget by a simple majority vote of the members-elect.

59.60(4) (4) Submission of budget requests. On or before the date that the director specifies, but not later than July 15, each department shall 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 fiscal year for the ensuing budget period.

59.60(4)(b) (b) The estimated cost of any capital improvements pending or proposed for the ensuing fiscal year and for the next 5 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 the year in which the budget is enacted, the director shall submit to the county executive or county administrator and to the board:

59.60(5)(a) (a) The 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) (6) Hearings on estimates; submission to board.

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 budget period 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 budget period 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 budget period 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 fewer 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 budget period 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, 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. Subject to sub. (7e), the board of a county with a population of at least 750,000 may not adopt a budget in which the total amount of budgeted expenditures related to the compensation of county board members, and to any other costs that are directly related to the operation and functioning of the county board, including staff, is greater than 0.4 percent of the county portion of the tax levy for that year to which the budget applies. 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(7e) (7e) Milwaukee county budget cap. The 0.4 percent budget limitation for a county with a population of at least 750,000 that is described in sub. (7) does not apply to any of the following elements of the county’s budget:

59.60(7e)(a) (a) Any costs related to pension and health care payments for retired county officers, employees, and their families.

59.60(7e)(b) (b) The costs for the salary, health benefits, and pension benefits of county board supervisors and the county board chairperson for any term that begins before April 2016.

59.60(7e)(c) (c) Any costs associated with duties performed by the county clerk under s. 59.23 (2).

59.60(7e)(d) (d) Any costs associated with a department created under s. 59.52 (32).

59.60(7e)(e) (e) Space rental that is attributable to the county board.

59.60(7m) (7m) Publication of budget summary. Notwithstanding sub. (1), this subsection applies to all counties with a population of 750,000 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.

59.60(8)(a) (a) At the request of the head of any department, and after receiving the recommendation of the county executive or county administrator, the finance committee may, at any time during the budget period, transfer any unencumbered appropriation balance or portion thereof between principal objects of expenditures within a department; but no transfers shall be made of appropriations originating from bond funds unless the purpose for which the bonds were issued has been fulfilled or abandoned. If the county executive or county administrator fails to make a recommendation within 10 days after the submission of a request for transfer, the finance committee may act upon the request without his or her recommendation. If more than one department is under the jurisdiction of the same board or commission or under the same general management, the group of departments may be considered as though they were a single unit with respect to transfers of appropriations within the group.

59.60(8)(b) (b) Except as provided under sub. (9), the board, upon the recommendation of the finance committee and by resolution adopted by a majority of the members present and voting at any meeting, may transfer any unencumbered appropriation balance or portion thereof from one department or account to another at any time during the following:

59.60(8)(b)1. 1. The first 9 months of the fiscal year, if another unit of government fails to appropriate moneys which the board anticipated and appropriated to that department or account when the board adopted the budget. The amount of money transferred under this subdivision may not exceed the amount of money which that other unit of government fails to appropriate.

59.60(8)(b)2. 2. The last 3 months of the fiscal year.