Posted on 04/15/2015 12:41:52 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
The leaders of the Legislature's budget committee on Wednesday abandoned Gov. Scott Walker's plan to strip the state Natural Resources Board and the state Agriculture Board of their policy-making powers.
They also removed 13 other pieces of policy from Walker's budget, including one that would exempt research at the University of Wisconsin System from the open records law.
Another one that was dropped would have had property assessment duties shifted from most municipalities to counties.
In other action, the Joint Finance Committee voted to cut staff for Secretary of State Doug La Follette and reshape how courts are funded.
Wednesday's activity marked the first round of votes on the budget by the 16-member panel, which will spend the next several weeks going through Walker's proposed state budget line by line. Its work is crucial in shaping the final version of the budget, though it is typically altered further once it gets to the floor of the Legislature.
~snip~
Perhaps the most significant action of the day was taken by the co-chairs of the committee — Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) — not the full panel. As leaders of the committee, they had the ability to remove some policy items from the budget, and they did so in a memo.
~snip~
Walker, who has sought to make the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection more business friendly, had sought to make the boards overseeing them advisory only. That would give Walker more power over those agencies.
~snip~
Walker's proposal on assessments followed a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation that found problems with uniformity and fairness around the state. In dozens of communities, 20% or more of residential taxes were being paid by the wrong people, the investigation found.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
When the cat’s away, the mice will play!
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
Oh, Yes. This is a topic of BIG DISCUSSION at our house. Mr. Wonderful is both an avid hunter and sits on his County’s (next one over from me) Land Use Advisory Board. He mixes it up with the DNR on a regular basis, mainly over hunting rights.
Frankly, this stuff bores me to tears, though I’m pretty sure I should care. ;)
Should I?
I care because that is MY Senator’s face up there changing Scott Walker’s plan. The excuse? “It might be controversial.” Pitiful!
I liked the part, however, where they are further trimming LaFollette’s duties and moving his office. Maybe they’ll make him so miserable that the little creep won’t run again.
The LaFollette move I can get behind!
No more Bushs! No more Clintons. No more LaFollettes!
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