U.S. Treasury Extends Reporting Deadlines 

As reported in Friday's Capitol Buzz, on Thursday, September 30th, the Office of Recovery Programs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced an extension for reporting deadlines that were originally required to be submitted on October 31st. This is not a trick but rather a treat! Treasury has sent email communications to State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund recipients including states, territories, counties, cities, and Tribal governments about updated timelines for reporting. The modified timelines include:
 
  • States, territories, counties, and metropolitan cities, and Tribal governments will complete the Project and Expenditure data next on January 31, 2022 (instead of Oct 31, 2021) . The report will now cover the period between award date and December 31, 2021

  • The first reporting deadline for NEUs (cities and villages under 50,000 in population) to complete the Project and Expenditure Report will be April 30, 2022 (instead of Oct 31, 2021). The report will now cover the period between award date and March 31, 2022. 

Treasury will provide recipients with user guides prior to the reporting deadlines. However, you should continue to take action on your allocated distribution and provide the necessary contact information to set up your account in Treasury’s Reporting Portal. If you have questions please see Treasury's guidance document on the portal or contact via SLFRP@treasury.gov.

The Treasury Compliance and Reporting Guidance has not been updated with the new dates, but can still be used if you want to review and get a jump start on reporting. We will post any new document received regarding reporting and compliance on the League's ARPA website.
 
In another recent Treasury guidance regarding the conclusion of the comment period on the Interim Final Rule which states "until Treasury adopts a final rule and the final rule becomes effective, the Interim Final Rule is, and will remain, binding and effective. This means that recipients can and should rely on the Interim Final Rule to determine whether uses of funds are eligible under this program. Treasury encourages recipients to use funds to meet needs in their communities. Funds used in a manner consistent with the Interim Final Rule while the Interim Final Rule is effective will not be subject to recoupment."

If recipients have interpretive questions regarding the Interim Final Rule, they may contact Treasury at slfrp@treasury.gov. Treasury does not pre-approve specific uses of these funds.

Thank you for all your hard work to make this historic partnership between federal, state and local units of government successful.

Two League Utility Bills off to the Governor's Desk

On Tuesday the Senate passed the following League initiated bills confirming Assembly action and sending the legislation on to the Governor for his signature:

  • Assembly Bill 300, Relating to: deadlines for certain Public Service Commission actions after a water public utility application for certificate of authority or approval of lead service line financial assistance is filed
  • Assembly Bill 302, Relating to: meter installation or replacement projects by water utilities. 

The Senate also voted on the following water utility bills the League supported:

  • Senate Bill 488, Relating to water supply service area plans for public water systems.
  • Senate Bill 489, Relating to procedural changes for applications under the Clean Water Fund Program and the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program

These two bills are now awaiting Assembly action.

Webinar on LRIP

On September 29th Wisconsin DOT held a Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP) Informational Outreach meeting for County Highway Commissioners, City and Village Officials and Town Officials. The meeting was a webinar and can be found on YouTube here.

The outreach webinar provided refresher training on the Enhanced LRIP Web Application while also providing an overview of the LRIP program for the 2022-23 program cycle.

Video Service Provider Aid Available

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has provided estimates of the 2022 Video Service Provider Aid. This aid is based on the amounts reported to DOR in 2020 on Form SL-310: Video Service Provider Report.

Information regarding the video service provider aid:
  • Distributed to each municipality imposing the video service (cable) provider fee under sec. 66.0420(7), Wis. Stats.
  • The aid equals 1.0 percent of the gross receipts used to calculate the actual 2019 fee revenues received by the municipality (sec. 79.097(1)(b), Wis. Stats.)
  • The state will distribute this aid to each municipality on or before July 26, 2021 (sec. 79.097(3)(b), Wis. Stats.)
  • Starting on January 1, 2021, the video service fee (percentage) imposed by a municipality must equal the percentage applied on December 31, 2018 less 1.0 percent (sec. 66.0420(7)(b)2m., Wis. Stats.)

2022 Expenditure Restraint Program Budget Limit Notices
 
Based on 2020 municipal tax rates, there are 449 municipalities that may be eligible for a 2023 ERP payment. DOR sent notices to the eligible municipalities via email on Wednesday, October 29, 2021.
 
If your municipal-only property tax rate does not exceed five mills, your municipality is not eligible for ERP and did not receive a 2022 Budget Limit Notice.
 
To qualify for a 2023 ERP payment, both must apply:
  • Your municipal‑only 2021 property tax rate must exceed five mills,
Note: This excludes TIF district value and tax increments

  • Your municipality’s non‑debt general fund budget expenditure percentage increase from 2021 to 2022 must be less than the sum of the 3.0 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for the 12 months ending August 31, 2021, plus your net new construction percentage during 2020 (up to a maximum 2 percent)
 
Review the 2022 Budget Limit Notices carefully to ensure your municipality qualifies for a 2023 ERP payment.

If you have questions on either Video Service Provider Aid or ERP 2023 payments, please contact DOR at lgs@wisconsin.gov