minutes of the legislative committeecalcluster2.co.calumet.wi.us/calendar/legislative/leg minutes...

14
MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Friday, January 11, 2013 9:00 A.M. Members Present: Supervisors Merlin Gentz, Matthew Budde and Tom Laughrin Member Excused: Supervisor Ed Kleckner Member Absent: Supervisor Lyle Ott Also Present: Jay Shambeau, County Administrator; Mike Ottery, Highway Commissioner; Joann Dewhurst, ADRC Supervisor; Mark Morrison, Deputy Director of Health and Human Services; Representative Al Ott; Representative Daniel Lemahieu; Senator Joe Leibham; Ray Mueller, citizen; and Beth Hauser, County Clerk. The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. by Chair Gentz. It was determined that the meeting was properly announced and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND MINUTES: Moved by Supervisor Budde and seconded by Supervisor Laughrin to approve the agenda and minutes of the November 14, 2012 meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATORS: Representatives Al Ott and Daniel Lemahieu, and Senator Joe Leibham were introduced. They were asked to briefly update the Committee on important legislative activity and items of interest. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Ray Mueller, City of Chilton, addressed the Committee. SPECIAL BUSINESS: The following issues were discussed with the legislators: Department of Health Services Contract for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. Two handouts were distributed: Attachment #1 – NEMT Contract Recommendations provided by the Department of Health and Human Services and Attachment #2 – January 2, 2013 letter to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chairs signed by forty-nine Senators and Representatives. There was a general discussion regarding concerns with the current vendors and with the RFP that was issued by the State on January 2. The timeline of the RFP was a concern to staff members. Ray Mueller, Joann Dewhurst and Mark Morrison left the meeting at 10:00 A.M. Preliminary Recommendations from the Wisconsin Commission on Transportation Finance and Policy. (Attachment #3) Staff requested feedback from our legislators regarding the preliminary recommendations on how to finance future transportation needs. If funding is not changed, the transportation infrastructures will continue to decline at a rapid speed. The legislators in attendance responded that they did not think these recommendations would move forward. These Minutes HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED by the Legislative Committee

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Page 1: MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEEcalcluster2.co.calumet.wi.us/calendar/Legislative/LEG Minutes 1-11-1… · MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Friday, January 11, 2013 9:00 A.M

MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

Friday, January 11, 2013 9:00 A.M.

Members Present: Supervisors Merlin Gentz, Matthew Budde and Tom Laughrin Member Excused: Supervisor Ed Kleckner Member Absent: Supervisor Lyle Ott Also Present: Jay Shambeau, County Administrator; Mike Ottery, Highway Commissioner; Joann Dewhurst, ADRC Supervisor; Mark Morrison, Deputy Director of Health and Human Services; Representative Al Ott; Representative Daniel Lemahieu; Senator Joe Leibham; Ray Mueller, citizen; and Beth Hauser, County Clerk. The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. by Chair Gentz. It was determined that the meeting was properly announced and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND MINUTES: Moved by Supervisor Budde and seconded by Supervisor Laughrin to approve the agenda and minutes of the November 14, 2012 meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATORS: Representatives Al Ott and Daniel Lemahieu, and Senator Joe Leibham were introduced. They were asked to briefly update the Committee on important legislative activity and items of interest. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Ray Mueller, City of Chilton, addressed the Committee. SPECIAL BUSINESS: The following issues were discussed with the legislators:

Department of Health Services Contract for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. Two handouts were distributed: Attachment #1 – NEMT Contract Recommendations provided by the Department of Health and Human Services and Attachment #2 – January 2, 2013 letter to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chairs signed by forty-nine Senators and Representatives. There was a general discussion regarding concerns with the current vendors and with the RFP that was issued by the State on January 2. The timeline of the RFP was a concern to staff members.

Ray Mueller, Joann Dewhurst and Mark Morrison left the meeting at 10:00 A.M.

Preliminary Recommendations from the Wisconsin Commission on Transportation Finance and Policy. (Attachment #3) Staff requested feedback from our legislators regarding the preliminary recommendations on how to finance future transportation needs. If funding is not changed, the transportation infrastructures will continue to decline at a rapid speed. The legislators in attendance responded that they did not think these recommendations would move forward.

These Minutes HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED by the Legislative Committee

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These Minutes HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED by the Legislative Committee

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Budget recently submitted to Governor

Walker’s Office that potentially delays the USH 10/441 project. A draft resolution (Attachment #4) was discussed. Our legislators were encouraged to support the reinstatement of the USH 10/441 project in the WI Dept of Transportation budget. Moved by Supervisor Budde and seconded by Supervisor Laughrin to forward the resolution to the full county board at its January meeting for consideration. Motion carried unanimously.

NEXT REGULAR MEETING DATE: The next regular meeting date will be March 8, 2013 at 9:00 A.M. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Supervisor Budde and seconded by Supervisor Laughrin to adjourn the meeting at 10:35 A.M. Motion carried unanimously. Beth A. Hauser, Recording Secretary

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Human Services (920) 849-1400

CALUMET COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Courthouse, 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014 Todd M. Romenesko, Director

Public Health Home Health and Hospice

(920) 849-1432

Aging & Disability Resource Center

(920) 849-1451 Child Support (920) 849-1454

From Appleton: (920) 989-2700 Crisis Line: (920) 849-9317; (920) 832-4646 Website: www.co.calumet.wi.us

Legislative Meeting January 11 , 2013

Non Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Contract Recommendations

1. We request the State Legislature direct the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct an audit of the NEMT

contract with Logisticare (LGTC). Having accurate and timely information regarding the effectiveness of

services being provided to citizens is essential to moving forward with correcting existing problems for

service quality, efficiency a, accessibil ity and cost effectiveness. This is especially important since LGTC is

asserting there were problems with the first RFP and policies that DHS required them to work under.

Data shou ld be collected by the state to determine cost shifting to other local and state funded

transportation programs, which means taxpayers are paying twice for the same ride.

2. OHS should require third party independent oversight of the contract and the Provider. Currently the

NEMT provider determines eligibility, arranges the service and manages the grievance/problem resolution

process. This imposes an inherent conflict of interest. We respectfully recommend the Legislature require

the Department of Health Services to hold Logisticare, or any future NEMT contractor accountable for

identified outcomes. We recommend that the state appoint a third party reviewer to evaluate service

quality and contract compliance, as well as receive all service complaints. Data and statistics need to

reflect w hat is actually happening to consumers and our loca l transportation providers.

3. We recommend the state be required to apply existing financial penalties to providers who fail to meet

established performance targets. The State needs to implement immediate consequences when the

broker violates the contract. The broker must take responsibility for the actions of entities with which it

contracts. A complaint against a vendor is a complaint against the NEMT Provider. The NEMT vendor

should be held responsible for service failures and failure to pay providers.

4. Maintain transparency. There has been lack of disclosure during the previous contract about contract

terms and standards and policy changes that affect service delivery. For example, the current contract and

the RFP provide a system based on a flat per person rate -which does not provide an incentive for the

vendor to do whatever possible to get someone the ir ride . The vendor sti ll gets paid even when a needed

ride is not provided.

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WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE P.O. BOX 8952 • MADISON, WI 53708

January 2, 2013

D ear Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chairs,

We are writing to you again asking you as Co-Chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to

schedule a meeting of the Committee to include the topic of the Medical Assistance (lvfA) Non­

Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) program. More than three months ago 51 legislators sent

a letter requesting an audit of this program; several developments since that time have led us to reiterate

our request, asking that the Legislative Audit Committee direct the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct

a full audit of the NEMT program, including both contracts for brokerage.

\Y./e initially requested that the Committee d.i.tect the Audit Bureau to conduct an audit of this program

due to the many concerns and complaints that were shared with us by our constituents, agi..'lg and

disability advocates, transit advocates, and by users and providers of NEMT services. Since our initial

reguest this issue and this program has changed significantly. Firstly, we have seen an increase in

problems arising from the expansion of the program into Southeast Wisconsin. Complaints continue to

remain high after the inclusion of the HMO counties into the Statewide Program under J .ogistiCare.

Secondly, the questions and concerns that were raised in our previous letter have not been sufficiently

addressed by the D epartment o f Health Services' (DHS) response on November 16'h to your letter of

inquiry to the Department dated October 17, 2012. Additionally, On November 21, 2012 DHS released

a letter and press release stating that LogistiCare would be terminating their contract with the sl:.<'tte to

provide NEMT set-vices, effective Februaq 17, 2013. Lastly, since the announcement of LogistiCare's

intent to terminate the contract, emails from DHS to transportation providers, obtained by the

i\:filwaukee Journal Sentinel state: "The D epartment of Health Services ... will be releasing a new

(request for proposal;:;) and LogisciCare, along with others, will be competing for the work." LogistiCare

has severed its contract with the intent to bid on the new contract at a much greater rate, foJ: the sole

purpose of increasing the amount that they will be paid by the State.

In the letter sent by the CEO of LogistiCarc, Howard Schwarz, announcing the termination of the

contract, he blames t.he State and the Department for failing to provide utilization data on the program.

In the 2007-2009 Biennial Budget, the Department was directed to collect the utilization data for

common cattier transportation set-vices. At the time, common carrier transportation services were

considered Medical Assistance (iYfA) administration costs, which are matched by federal funds ar 50%,

but if data was collected from the Counties and the Tribes who were operating the services the State

could have received an increase in federal matching funds. Unfortunately, the Department did not

collect the data that was required and in the 2009-2011 Biennial Budget the requirement for a statewide

MA. Transport:ttion Manager was put into law.

CC: 1'1embers of Joint Legislative Audit Committee

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Despite the fact that the company operating the contract, LogistiCare is backing out o f the contract, the

Legislature needs to know what was going on with the company and perhaps more importantly with

the Department of Health Services. The law has not changed and the next Re(]UCst for a Proposal

(.RPP) will be put forth by the Dcparunent in the coming weeks. We need to make sure that the

Department is acting in good faith, p roviding valid information so that we do not have ;mother

situation where a contracted company feels forced to terminate their contract with the State.

We arc VClJ concerned not only by LogistiCare's operation and administration of the NEMT contract

in Wisconsin, but also by the way the Department of Health Sct:vices has overseen the process. It is deeply concerning that not only did the Department fail to provide accurate infonuation in the RFP

and contract negotiations, but that it failed to ensure that the company was providing the Citizens of

Wisconsin and those who utilize these transportation services with the best service possible. We hope

that you take this renewed request fo.r an audit and the recent developments into consideration as we

move f01ward on this issue and a:; the Department submits a new RFP. We need to make sure that the

same mistakes on b o th sides do not occur in the future.

Sincerely,

A~~ Penny 13ernard Schaber

State Representative

57'11 Assembly District

101{ ~\})~v Bob Witch

State Senator 22"u Senate District

J' 'j /(

_., UQ. \ Steve Doyle

State Represen ativc

94'" Assembly District

/l / fl .. ~ ).._ {/

1 ,. ·/ ,-1 { •. ~ /~ ~/ ;/

Ch.tis Sinicki

State Representative

20'h Assembly District

Chris Larson

State Senator 7'h Senate District

Tamara Grigsby

State Representative

18'11 Assembly District

Terese Bcrceau

State Representative

76u' Assembly District

State Representative 1·1 th Assembly District

Brett Hulsey State Representative

77'h Assembly District

J ,//_ / 11 ~ ""~1v~0~M-e-~A~·~ Sondy Pope-Robetts ic lvlilt:oy

State Representative

79'h Assembly District

State Representative

73'd Assembly District

CC: Members of Joint Legislative Audit Comm..ittee

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'~~~- L~~ J )

J;\net Bewley -

State Representative 74'h Assembly District

State Senator 4th Senate District

~}tJU,~~ . Louis Molepske

Tirn Cullen

State Senator L s•h Senate District

~~~ State Senator

21" Senate District

State Representative State epresentative

7 l'~ti~" Assembly District

fred Risser Jim Holpet1.tl

State Senator

2G'h Senate Di:; tr.ict

Z'JAAA ·a a__ Fred Clark

State Representatke

42"d Assembly D istrict

j2;/.£-Joe K n.ilaus

State Represen tativt::

44'" Assembly District

• ~A~!' .• (~Vu~-~k~~~~ ',.r;:-7\VVJ <::s t Jmy Sue Vruwink

State Representative

70'-" i\ssemblv District

State Senator lv;ta:;; Jifri Richards

State Representative

19'h Assembly District

a son

epresentative

62m1 Assembly District

~ 0 . I . ,r/

. 'vrk: ~~~1-V..t..-f~<'--Vo...-J'> / "" :

(/. Casta Zama:rnpa -.~ Stare Representative

R'" Asst::mbly D ist.rict

CC: ~~Iembers of] oint Legislative Audit Committee

Jon Erpenbach

State Senator

27'11 Senate District

04,~ ns o!!JI.tl,-,~~~ State Assembly

37'h Assembly D is trict

~ ~~ L'- t 'f.:- ~ -l ~ (ulie ],a?a State Senator 24'h Senate District

C~l' I• 1\(A-~/'.... LI.OS ay or {J'"') _.

State Representative

48'h Assembly District

f\ ~ ... ~ \=? K~s:sb.A Predcrick Kessler

State Representative

12'h Assembly Districr

State Representative

SO'h Assembly District

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Gordon Hintz

State Representative

(};~b;;_/; ,J t{(; t-~f?{r Dale Schultz ~ ".:::-:> State Senator

17tl' Senate District

State Representative

4'h Assembly District

Tim Carpenter

State Senator

3'd Senate District

State Represcnlat-ivc

91" Assembly Disttict

Robert Tutner

State Represen tative

61•' Assembly Dis trict

r/ J/.·" 1 , -u; .. ...___ __ , :l.,, . ,. ! ~..._

Jill(~ illings State Representative

95'" Assembly District

: ;rl ) / '! ' . . ~ _/

/0

' I • I

~ ~~tvvdl!:tL State Senator

30'h Senate District

State ~ rcsentative

22"'1 Assembly District

Rep res en ta tive-Elect Representative-Elect

48'h Assembly District 78'" Assembly District

---!) h--1-.':., •• ~~~02. ~ ~-. - I \ ~\Muv l~~

Katrina Shankland

Represenm tive-Elect

71 ' 'Assembly District

'fod Olmstad Representative-Elect

65d' Assembly District

CC: Members of Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Mark Miller

State Senato r

16'" Senate District

Robb Kahl Representative-Elect

4Th Assembly District

-t~lav\ \~ < '"\A.i Ma~cl.y ~right ~ Represenra tive-Elect

HS'" Assembly District

Page 8: MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEEcalcluster2.co.calumet.wi.us/calendar/Legislative/LEG Minutes 1-11-1… · MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Friday, January 11, 2013 9:00 A.M

NEWS Wisconsin Department of Transportation Office of Public Affairs, P.O. Box 7910, Madison, WI 53707-7910 608/266-3581 FAX: 608/266-7186 www.dot.wisconsin.gov

December 21, 201 2

For more information contact: Peg Schmitt (608) 266-7744, [email protected]

Transportation Commission releases preliminary recommendations

MADISON - At its December 5 meeting, the Wisconsin Transportation Finance and Policy

Commission gave preliminary approval to a set of recommendations on how to pay for new

transportation investments (details attached).

The 1 0-member citizen commission was created in the 2011-13 state biennial budget to advise

the Governor and Legislature on how to finance state transportation needs over the next 1 0

years.

The Commission expects to release its complete report and provide final approval of the

recommendations at its next meeting on January 23, 2013. A summary document detailing the

Commission's analysis and preliminary recommendations is available on the web at

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/tfp/index.htm

###

NOTE: View this document on the Web at: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/news/index.htm.

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WISCONSIN TRANSPORTATION FINANCE AND POLICY COMMISSION PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS

At its meeting on December 5, 2012, the Wisconsin Transportation Finance and Policy

Commission gave preliminary approval to a set of recommendations and findings. The 1 a­member citizen commission was created by the 2011-13 state biennial budget to advise the

Governor and the Legislature on how to finance state transportation needs over the next 10

years. Since its inception in October 2011, the Commission has held 12 public meetings, four

public listening sessions, local official and stakeholder meetings, and focus group discussions.

The Commission's overall goal was to develop policy changes and financing options to balance

projected transportation needs with revenues over the next 10 years.

What the Commiss ion found

Wisconsin faces many challenges when it comes to meeting the growing needs of its

multimodal transportation network. The state's roads, bridges, railways, harbors, airports and

transit facilities are getting older and more congested. A growing segment of the population is

aging and increasingly dependent on public transit services. Wisconsin's economic future and

the safety of all of its residents and visitors depend on a quality transportation network that can

efficiently move people to jobs, raw materials to factories, finished products to markets, and

tourists to their destinations.

At the same time, the state's decades-old transportation funding model is not keeping pace

with current or future needs. The state has chosen to address its transportation funding shortfall

with increased debt through bond issuance -a path that is unsustainable over the long term.

Current revenue and travel trends

Over the past year, the Commission developed an understanding of the state's transportation

programs and services and how Wisconsin funds its entire multimodal transportation network.

A narrow state and federal funding base - primarily, motor fuel taxes and vehicle registration

fees - funds the transportation network and its maintenance needs, operations of the Division

of Motor Vehicles , and the Wisconsin State Patrol.

2

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Improvements in motor vehicle fuel economy and the increasing popularity of hybrid and

electric vehicles are decreasing state and federal motor fuel tax collections. Additionally, since

2002, the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) has been essentia lly flat on a statewide basis.

Statewide VMT has declined over three percent from its peak in 2004, yet many urban areas of

the state are experiencing congestion. The result is increasing transportation needs and

decreasing revenues to address them.

The federal motor fuel tax (unchanged since 1993) is 18.4 cents per gallon, and the state motor

fuel tax is 30.9 cents per gallon.1 The last time the Legislature voted to increase the state motor

fuel tax was in 1997. Since 2006 when motor fuel tax indexing was repealed, inflation has

reduced the buying power of the state motor fuel tax by nearly 13 percent.

The state's decision to issue bonds to address the loss of revenues led to debt payments of

$762 million in the 2011-13 biennium. Assuming a simi lar level of bonding over the next 10

years, debt service will consume one-quarter of all state transportation revenues by FY 2023.

Review of transportation needs - four scenarios

The Commission scrutinized current state transportation investments to gain a better

understanding of how transportation assets and projects are currently managed and how

overall performance is measured. To better understand the potential needs of the transportation

network in the future , the Commission considered four scenarios that define the condition of the

network by 2023, at different investment levels. ·

The four needs analyses -from system disinvestment to multi modal enhancements - allowed

commissioners to consider the funding levels needed to address specific goals for the condition

of the transportation network over the next 10 years. The four scenarios gave the Commission

a common perspective from which to develop its recommendations. All scenarios assume a

total of almost $25 bil lion in state and federal transportation revenues over the decade.

• Scenario One - Disinvestment: Scenario One holds transportation expenditures at

current levels over the next 10 years resulting in a 15.7 percent reduction in purchasing

power. This scenario envisions significant deterioration of the state transportation

1 An additional 2.0 cents goes to the Petroleum Inspection Fund.

3

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network. The condition of state and local highway pavements and bridges deteriorate.

Planned major highway projects are delayed several years . Funding for transit, rail,

harbors and airports is not adequate to maintain current conditions and service levels.

Projected 1 0-year cost: $27 billion. Funding gap: $2 bill ion.

• Scenario Two- Preservation: Scenario Two preserves existing transportation services

and the physical condition of the system at current levels over the next decade. This

scenario does not address traffic congestion issues, resulting in a 50 percent increase in

congested roadway miles. Projected 1 0-year cost: $30.8 billion. Funding gap: $5.8

billion.

• Scenario Three- Capacity Management: Scenario Three keeps current transportation

services, conditions, and traffic congestion at current levels and allows highway

maintenance and traffic operations services to keep pace with needs. Funding for other

transportation modes keeps pace with inflation. Projected 1 0-year cost: $40.3 billion.

Funding gap: $15.3 billion.

• Scenario Four- Multimodal Enhancements: Along with meeting goals noted in

Scenario Three, this alternative scenario addresses basic needs of public transit, airport,

freight rail and commercial port systems. Projected 1 0-year cost: $42.1 billion. Funding

gap: $17.1 billion.

Scenarios two through four focus on preserving the condition and service levels of the

multimodal transportation network. The Commission found that, over 10 years, more than $6

billion of new investment will be needed to preserve the current condition and service levels of

Wisconsin's transportation network -even more if the network is enhanced.

4

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The consequences of no action

• Without additional investment, the percentage of state and local highway pavements

and bridges in poor or worse condition will increase from 20 percent in 2014 to

42 percent in 2023.

• Planned major highway projects will be delayed six years, resulting in a 22 percent

increase in congested highway miles.

• Maintenance and traffic operations will continue to be underfunded, resulting in less

investment in traveler warning and road weather management systems, deferred routine

maintenance, longer time frames for snow removal after winter storms, and higher costs

for road repair in the future.

• State transit funding will decline, resulting in reduced transit service in our communities,

unless local governments significantly increase their share of funding. Further, without a

local revenue mechanism, local governments will continue to rely on property taxes to

fund their local transit share.

• The state will be unable to maintain current conditions in freight rail , airports, harbors,

bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

The Commission's investment plan

After careful consideration of the impact of a "do nothing" approach, the Commission developed

its program and funding recommendations to assure an acceptable condition level for the

transportation network. These recommendations are not a wish list - they essentially fund

programs to maintain condition and congestion levels that exist today through 2023. The

Commission recommends the following increased investments on an annual basis:

• State highway rehabilitation, maintenance and modernization $387.1 million

• Local highways and bridges $ 40.0 million

• Public transit $ 36.3 million

• Airports , rails, harbors, bicycle and pedestrian facilities $ 16.1 million

5

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To pay for these new investments without excessive borrowing, the Commission recommends:

• Increasing the state motor fuel tax by 5 cents per gallon;

• Adopting a new mileage-based registration fee of 1.02 cents per mile for passenger cars

and light trucks. Under this system, the first 3,000 miles would be free, and the

maximum number of miles charged for would be 20,000. This fee would be computed

based on odometer readings reported by the vehicle owner at the time of annual

reg istration ;

• Increasing annual registration fees for commercial vehicles in proportion to the

increases for the average passenger vehicle ;

• Increasing the fee for an eight-year driver license by $20; and

• Eliminating the sales tax exemption on the trade-in value of vehicles.

If the Commission's recommendations are adopted, the fuel taxes and registration fees on a

typical Wisconsin passenger vehicle will increase by $120 per year, or about 33 cents per day.

In addition, the Commission found that local governments should have additional revenue

options, beyond the property tax levy, to support transit services. The Commission

recommends that the Legislature enact legislation to allow for the creation of regional

transportation authorities with the power to levy a 0.5 percent transportation sales tax, subject

to voter approval. At least 75 percent of this tax must be used to support transit, while the

remainder could be used for any transportation purpose.

Finally , while the Commission reviewed tolling , they found that current federal regulations on

tolling create an obstacle to its implementation in Wisconsin. The Commission encourages the

Wisconsin Congressional Delegation to support federal legislation that allows states more

flexibility to toll on the National Highway System.

The Commission expects to release its complete report on January 23, 2013. A summary

brochure is available at http://www.dot.wisconsin .gov/aboutltfp/index.htm

6

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. '

RESOLUTION 2012-

THE COUNTIES OF WINNEBAGO, CALUMET AND OUTAGAMIE JOINTLY URGE THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) TO NOT DELAY THE DESIGN

AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE US 10-441 PROJECT

To the Honorable Chair and Board of Supervisors of Calumet County, Wisconsin:

WHEREAS, The Wisconsin DOT has nominated the US 1 0/Wisconsin 441 project as a potential candidate for delay in the DOT budget, submitted recently to Governor Walker; and

..

WHEREAS, This project has a significant impact to the_.economic health of the Fox Valley and the counties of Winnebago, Calumet and Outagamie, along with providing a valuable transportation link to travelers and commerce working ,anc;l traveling in and around the area; and

WHEREAS, The US 1 0/Wisconsin 441 prc;:>]eC.t has been.di_sclJssed and studied for many years. The existing corridor carries considerabl/.more volume than canbe efficiently or safely accommodated. The geometries of the corridor. are less than desirabi~\vhen compared to current volumes and the existing interchange with USH 41 performs wei I under standards for safety; and '; · ....... ..<{~t': . ''(':,· ·

'~-~·: ''•;, :/: ~;

WHEREAS, The DOT Secret~ry ,Mark Gottli~~/~:~~l~~~~onded to poten~~-~1" funding shortfalls in the proposed DOT budget hinofDi.nating sever~l.,projects ·for delay in order to address funding shortfalls . The action· q()es· hotconsider or ~ijy~ _appropriate weight to the impacts to local or State-wi_qe travel needs·. or the economics ofthe . .region.

/'ff~:7~:~:~~=~--:~~~jh, · · ·:~--~,·~~ . -~~:_;~~:~· / _}-:·_> :. ':<~:hi:'. NOW, THERI.:f,ORE BE.J[.RESOLVI;D, That the' couq,~j~s of Winnebago, Calumet and

Outagamie jointly re'ct~e.st that fuliJ~_I)ding for the,'IJS. 1 0/Wiscohsin 441 project be restored and the nomination of this 'pf<;>je.~t for de.!~Y be withd~a0n from the proposed DOT budget.

.. . . .. , -.:f:;~~.\-~::. . -<::-;L~~_:_h~:~~!~(;~ ~- ·._ .· ·: . BE IT: FURT~~ RESQI,VED;'Tha(the proposed schedule for the project be fully

restored 'arid 'the tu'ndl~g .deditate'd so as 'to: continue' the progress of the project and bring about the recdns.truction as fla$ been pi~i:1ned by thebOT and generally accepted and understood by

the pubiit:.:" __ :,_· .. :.:_··~'. ··.,: •:·:. :: ·: ,, ·t . _~jf._~'.:·' ... ·.·· ~ --::~:~~;_·':\ . . . :;;;~ .. :

BE rr F:URTHER RESb~VED, 1-~~t the Calumet County Clerk is requested to forward this resolution to aii:YVinnebago;;:talumet, and Outagamie County State Legislators, Wisconsin Secretary of Transportation Mar~· Gottlieb, and Governor Scott Walker .

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Dated January 22, 20·~:;·\~;\ , _. : :~~:·.THE HIGHWAY COMMITTEE & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE