QUARTERLY NEWS of WISCONSIN November 2014
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AGGREGATE PRODUCERS QUARTERLY NEWS of WISCONSIN November 2014 Producers of Crushed Stone, Sand and Gravel Message from the President Message from the President 1 Legislative & Regulatory Report Adam Tegelman 2014 State Election Results 3 As the 2014 construction season draws near to a close, we as an industry Wisconsin Voters Vote Yes for Transportation 3 can look back on a year filled with challenges & successes. With 2015 right Legislative Leaders Elected for around the corner, the industry can look forward with hopes of another the 2015-16 Session 5 productive season due to success of some of our state legislators along with Governor Walker and 2015 Legislature Start Off with a a major success in protecting the state transportation fund. Challenging State Budget 5 Dump Truck Owner/Operators First, a couple of acknowledgements regarding the 2014 elections: Forming New Association 6 Congratulations to Craig Thompson and his staff at the Wisconsin Buffalo County Entertains Zoning Ordinance Restricting Truck Travel Transportation Development Association (WTDA) for spearheading the effort on State Highway 35 6 to get the state constitution amended to protect the transportation fund; Legislative Fiscal Bureau Details History of Transfers in and out of the getting 80% support on any political question these days is no minor feat. Segregated Transportation Fund 6 I would also like to extend my appreciation to APW members and several Wisconsin Supreme Court Issues Split Decision Resulting in Loss for other organizations for their support in getting this done. Manufacturer 7 Congratulations to Governor Walker for being elected three times in four NSSGA years, and for getting right back to work the next morning. Small Producers Meet to Discuss Mutual Concerns 8 Congratulations to all of the candidates for state office, win or lose. Our U.S. Small Business Advocacy Office Tells EPA to Withdraw CWA Rule 8 state policymakers are only as good as the people who are willing to put House T&I Committee Releases their name on a ballot and compete for our votes—and anybody that is Public Private Partnerships Report 9 willing to do that deserves our gratitude and respect. Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance Releases Landmark Study 9 Congratulations to Majority Leader Senator Fitzgerald and Speaker Vos for House Demands EPA Stop Waters leading their respective teams to impressive victories in maintaining and Rules 9 building on their majority position in each house. We look forward to working Aggregates Production Increases in Second Quarter 11 with the governor and the entire Legislature in the coming session. NSSGA Submits Comments on Silica Rulemaking 11 I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to attend the Member News 14 upcoming APW Annual Convention and look forward to seeing you in Stevens Point on December 4. This event will give you the opportunity to learn about a wide range of topics crucial to the aggregate industry, while also networking with some of the most important equipment and production personnel in our industry. Adam Tegelman APW President Our products perform better on the job because they are inspired by the job We design & manufacture products to meet actual customer needs 866-968-3697 • [email protected] www.unifiedscreening.com LEGISLATIVE REGULATORY REPORT 2014 State Election Results It was a big night for Republicans in Wisconsin, and throughout the country. recall election; Lehman vacated the seat to run for Lieutenant Governor on After months of neck and neck polling, Governor Walker pulled it out in the the Burke ticket and chose not to run for Senate re-election in a seat most end with a 52% to 47% victory over challenger Mary Burke. observers conceded was the Republicans to win based on re-districting. Other statewide races mostly followed suit with the top of the ticket. As expected the State Assembly maintained its strong Republican Majority Republican Brad Schimel was elected Attorney General defeating Democrat but frankly exceeded expectations. Unofficial results put the Republicans Susan Happ by a margin of 52% to 45%. State Treasurer candidate Matt at 63-36 seats, a net gain of three seats over their current 60-39 majority Adamczyk (R) defeated David Sartori (D) (49%-45%) while incumbent (pending two likely recounts in the 51st and 85th Assembly Districts). Secretary of State, Doug La Follette (D) held on (50%-46%) over Julian Republicans held all of their incumbent seats, won all of the open seats Bradley (R) as the lone Democrat elected to statewide office. formerly held by Republicans (pending a recount in the 51st AD) and defeated three Democrat incumbents (pending a likely recount in the In the State Senate, Republicans expanded their current 18-15 majority to 85th AD). 19-14 next session by winning every contested open seat and picking up a net gain of one in the Racine area. Key races featured Republican wins in In the swing races: Republican challenger Romaine Quinn defeated Senate Districts 17, 19, and 21. incumbent Stephen Smith in the 75th AD (55%-45%); Republican challenger Nancy Vander Meer defeated incumbent Amy Sue Vruwink (53%-47%), In the 17th District, Howard Marklein (R) defeated Pat Bomhack (D) and; Republican challenger Dave Heaton has an 86-vote lead with 100% of (55%-45%) in an open seat formerly held by Dale Schultz; a seat in precincts reporting in his bid to unseat incumbent Mandy Wright in the southwestern Wisconsin that many political observers considered the most 85th AD. The only other undecided race has Todd Novak (R) leading Dick vulnerable open seat for Republicans to hold onto this cycle. Cates, Jr (D) in the 51st AD by 59 votes with 100% of precincts reporting. In the 19th Senate District, Roger Roth (R) finished strong with a 57% to 43% win over Penny Bernard Schaber (D) after trailing in earlier polling for the Fox Valley open seat vacated by Senator Mike Ellis (R). In the 21st Senate District, Van Wanggaard (R) defeated Randy Bryce (D) to regain the Racine area seat he lost to John Lehman in a 2012 Senate Wisconsin Voters Vote Yes for Transportation A resounding 80% of the roughly 2.4 million people who voted in the How much real impact the 80% vote has on paving the way for a funding November 4 election supported adoption of a constitutional amendment increase in transportation revenue sources—such as gas tax, registration, to protect the segregated transportation fund from being used for other and licensing fees—remains to be seen. While voters overwhelmingly than transportation purposes. The successful result is a culmination of supported the revenue protection amendment, recent statewide polling over four years of effort spearheaded by Craig Thompson of the Wisconsin indicates that increasing any of the traditional funding sources does not Transportation Development Association (WTDA). Thompson built a strong generate majority support among the same electorate. coalition of supporters, which included APW and multiple other statewide labor, tourism, and business groups that recognize the importance of a Statewide support for the segregated transportation fund is loud and clear strong transportation infrastructure to the state’s economy. —generic support from Governor Walker and legislative leaders for a more sustainable transportation program is also clear going into next session. While raids on the transportation fund to support the general fund have not How to specifically fund any increase in the transportation budget, let alone occurred in the last four years under Governor Walker, the four-year march the $680 million DOT estimates is needed next session to keep the system to get the amendment on the statewide ballot was initiated in response on track, remains cloudy. As with most major budget issues, the governor’s to the roughly $1.4 billion in transportation revenue that was shifted leadership and what he proposes in his original budget bill will set the stage to the general fund between 2003 and 2011. (See related article in this and be a key factor in how transportation funding issues are addressed edition under Legislative Fiscal Bureau Details Transfers In and Out of the next session. Segregated Transportation Fund.) Passage of the amendment results in constitutional protection for the fund and guarantees that revenue raised for transportation will be used for transportation projects and programs into the future. It may also soften traditional opposition to raising certain transportation based revenue this coming budget, at least among some highway user organizations that have previously balked at paying higher fees that could potentially be siphoned off for non-transportation purposes. Legislative & Regulatory Report 3 4 APW Quarterly Newsletter LEGISLATIVE REGULATORY REPORT Legislative Leaders Elected for the 2015-16 Session In November, Republican and Democrat Caucuses met to elect their Assembly Democrats: Minority Leader, Rep. Peter Barca (Kenosha); leadership for the coming session. Elected to the top positions are: Asst. Minority Leader, Rep. Katrina Shankland (Stevens Point); Caucus Chair, Rep. Andy Jorgensen (Milton); Caucus Vice Chair, JoCasta Zamarripa Senate Republicans: Majority Leader, Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (Beaver Dam); (Milwaukee). Senate President, Sen. Mary Lazich (New Berlin); President Pro Tempore, Sen. Rick Gudex (Fond du Lac); Assistant Majority Leader, Sen. Paul Sen. Alberta Darling and Rep. Nygren will likely be re-appointed the Farrow (Pewaukee). Co-Chairs of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC). All other standing committee assignments, including other appointments to JFC, are still Senate Democrats: Sen. Jennifer Shilling (La Crosse), Minority Leader; pending in both houses and both parties. Based on tradition and majority Sen. Dave Hansen (Green Bay), Asst. Minority Leader; Sen. Kathleen party status, Republicans will hold a 12-4 majority on the Joint Finance Vinehout (Alma), Caucus Chair. Committee with six majority and two minority members serving from Assembly Republicans: Speaker, Rep.