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Municipality TheMunicipality Your Voice. Your Wisconsin. January | 2019 2019–2020 LEAGUE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Split Party After the Retail Apocalypse, Preparing Wisconsin New Records Control is Good Small State Agency — Prepare for the Property Opportunity Zones Schedule Approved for Municipalities Big Statewide Impact Tax Meltdown for Investment for Municipalities 4 8 The Municipality12 | January 2019 20 24 1 Is there a company that insures only cities and villages? Oh yes, dear Why LWMMI, of course For 33 years, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Insurance Program has responded to the coverage needs of local cities and villages, saving them substantial amounts of money in the process Protecting The Communities We Live In. 608.833.9595 | www.LWMMI.org A Mutual Company Owned by Member Cities and Villages. TheMunicipality The Municipality Official Monthly Publication of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities January | 2019 Volume 114, No. 1, January 2019 Editorial Offices 131 W. Wilson St., Suite 505, Madison, WI 53703 Feature Dial (608) 267-2380 In-State (800) 991-5502 Fax: (608) 267-0645 Small State e-mail: [email protected] Split Party Agency — Here’s to Did You Website: www.lwm-info.org Control is Good for Big Statewide You Know? The Municipality serves as the medium of Municipalities Impact exchange of ideas and information on municipal affairs for the officials of Wisconsin cities and villages. Nothing included herein is to 3 4 8 11 be construed as having the endorsement of the League unless so specifically stated. The Municipality (ISSN 0027-3597) is published monthly at $25 per year ($5.00 per copy, back After the Retail Preparing issues $5.00 each) by the League of Wisconsin Apocalypse, Wisconsin Municipalities, 131 W. Wilson St. Suite 505, Madison, WI 53703. Periodical postage paid at Prepare for the Opportunity Zones Madison & additional offices, WI. POSTMASTER: Property Tax Meltdown for Investment Send address change to: The Municipality, 131 W. Wilson St. Suite 505, Madison, WI 53703 12 20 BOARD Tammy Bockhorst, Village Trustee, Shorewood Erik Brooks, Mayor, South Milwaukee Legal Joe Chilsen, Mayor, Onalaska Kathy Ehley, Mayor, Wauwatosa Mark Freitag, Manager, Janesville New Records For the Good Legal Schedule Approved FAQ Tim Hanna, Mayor, Appleton of the Order Captions Jim Healy, Administrator, Richfield for Municipalities Cavalier “Chevy” Johnson, Alderman, Milwaukee Deb Lewis, Mayor, Ashland Justin Nickels, Mayor, Manitowoc 24 26 28 29 Maureen Murphy, Administrator, Mount Pleasant George Peterson, President, Rothschild Todd Schmidt, Administrator, Waunakee News/Updates/Training Zach Vruwink, Mayor, Wisconsin Rapids Tomika Vukovic, Alder, Glendale Save the Date for Anissa Welch, Mayor, Milton Upcoming the League’s 2019 2019 Meetings Transitions Sharon Wussow, President, Bonduel Webinars Building Inspectors Institute! STAFF Executive Director: Jerry Deschane 30 30 31 32 Deputy Executive Director: Curt Witynski Legal Counsel: Claire Silverman Assistant Legal Counsel: Maria Davis Member Engagement/Communications Director: Gail Sumi On the Cover Event Manager: Carrie Jensen Administrative Services Manager: Robin Powers Executive Assistant: Lori Matthews The League is kicking off the 2019–2020 Legislative Session with this cover photo because We Love Wisconsin, and so does Rosy’s daughter. She represents the future of our great state. Photo credit and credit for the Love T-shirt goes to Rosy Hawbaker. You can purchase her work on Etsy at RosyMadeDesigns. 1 WE HAVE YOUR BACK Choose WEA Trust for Your Health Insurance Needs Just like The League of Wisconsin Municipalities was created to help Wisconsin cities and villages, WEA Trust was created to help the public sector with heath insurance. That means we know public employees better than anyone To learn more about WEA Trust: else in the industry. Put your Trust in us and choose WEA ▸ weatrust.com/info Trust for your health insurance needs. ADV 0015-0118 0015 ADV -CustomerSolutionsAd - LWM.indd 2 1/2/18 3:22 PM 2 The Municipality | January 2019 Feature Here’s to You Jerry Deschane, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities The League was recognized twice recently for outstanding What’s the common denominator with these two awards? You. work on important state legislative issues. I got to collect the Your voice. Your effort. Your actions speaking out for local plaques and give the speeches, but the ones who deserve the government and the citizens who depend upon a good road credit are you. Well done! system and a fair tax system. The League helped organize it, but it was your grassroots work that made “Just Fix it” and First the Transportation Development Association (TDA) “Dark Store” household words among Wisconsin politicians. of Wisconsin presented the League, along with the Wisconsin Towns and Counties Associations, with its annual Curt and I, on our own, are just two lobbyists in a big crowd Transportation Service Awards. These awards, which in the competing for the Legislature’s attention. But you are much past have gone to Governors and Transportation Secretaries, more than that. You’re the mayor of a Legislator’s home were given to us because of the huge success of the Just Fix It town. You’re the trustee or alderperson who knows first-hand campaign, the statewide Turnout for Transportation meetings, the needs of the community. You’re the clerk who knows and last spring’s Rough Roads Tour, all of which highlighted everyone in the village. You’re the public works director who the need to fix Wisconsin’s road system. has seen potholes up close, and the finance director who’s frustrated by your inability to find the money to fix those More recently, League lobbyist Curt Witynski and I were potholes. You are the voice of the citizens of Wisconsin who surprised (and gratified) to be recognized by the Wisconsin want quality communities and fair taxes. When you speak, Association of Assessing Officers (WAAO) for raising public lawmakers listen. awareness of the Dark-Store Loopholes issue. Cities and villages across Wisconsin passed dozens of resolutions, made Thanks for speaking. Congratulations. Now let’s finish the job hundreds of phone calls, and attended hours of legislative and make 2019 the year that your work comes to a successful hearings to convince the Wisconsin Legislature that the completion with passage of a sustainable transportation bill fairness of the property tax system is at risk. Your efforts have and legislation closing the two dark-store loopholes. resulted in a bipartisan consensus that this is a problem that needs to be addressed by the governor and Legislature. The League appreciates the support of the following Business Members: • AARP Wisconsin • River Valley Bank • American Transmission Co. • Stafford Rosenbaum LLP • Boardman & Clark LLP • WEA Trust • Ehlers Associates • Weld, Riley, S.C. • MSA Professional Services Inc. • Wisconsin Housing & Economic • Municipal Property Insurance Company Development Authority (WHEDA) • National Insurance Services of Wisconsin, Inc. For more information, contact Gail Sumi: [email protected] | (608) 267-4477 The Municipality | January 2019 3 Feature Split Party Control is Good for Municipalities – A Preview of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session Curt Witynski, Deputy Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities Last November, Wisconsin voters elected a Democratic governor while choosing to maintain GOP control of both houses of the Legislature. Shared party control of Wisconsin state government, which is usually good for municipalities, has returned after a 10-year absence. Typically, with a split Capitol less legislation gets passed, which means less opportunity for the Legislature to restrict or otherwise interfere with local powers. The ability to request a gubernatorial veto provides us with more leverage to block legislation preempting municipal powers than we have had the last eight years. On the other hand, shared revenue increases, creating new local revenue options, obtaining levy limit flexibility, and achieving other items on the League’s proactive agenda will remain difficult. Governor Evers and the Legislature may reach agreement on creating a long-term, sustainable funding solution to meet the needs of our state-local transportation system. Something the League strongly supports. This article describes the political lay of the land in the state Capitol and discusses municipal opportunities and challenges in the 2019-2020 session. Finally, the co-chairs of the Legislature’s powerful budget Republicans Remain Firmly in Control of Legislature writing committee, known as the Joint Committee on Finance, are Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Rep. John This session the Republicans continue to control a formidable Nygren (R-Marinette), the same as last session. Given GOP 63 seats in the Assembly to the Democrat’s 36. In the Senate, control of both houses, the make-up of the Joint Committee the Republicans hold a safe 19-14 majority. on Finance remains 12 Republicans to 4 Democrats. The leadership teams in both houses are similar to last The State Budget session. The Senate Majority Leader remains Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). Assistant Majority Leader is Sen. Dan Feyen The Legislature’s primary focus during the first six months of (R-Fond du Lac) and Roger Roth (R-Appleton) continues as the session and perhaps longer will be enacting the 2019-2021 President of the Senate. Robin Vos (R-Rochester) continues biennial budget. Governor Evers will introduce his proposed as Speaker of the Assembly. Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) budget sometime in mid-February. According to a report on was reelected as Assembly Majority Leader. The one change of state finances released by the Department of Administration note on the Assembly GOP leadership team is that Rep. Mary in November, the state is projected to have a positive fund Felzkowski (R-Irma) was selected to replace Rep. Rob Brooks balance of $662.6 million at the end of the 2017-2019 (R-Saukville) as Assistant Majority Leader. biennium, which is June 30, 2019. Looking ahead to the 2019-21 biennium, state revenues are expected to grow an The minority leaders in both houses remain the same as last additional $1.6 billion.
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