Capitol Buzz
July 8, 2021
Governor Signs Two Year Budget after 50 Vetoes  

This morning, at a Whitefish Bay elementary school, Governor Evers signed the 2021-2023 state budget into law as Wisconsin Act 58. The Governor also delivered an address and released 50 vetoes regarding individual provisions in the bipartisan plan passed by the Legislature last week.

None of the Governor's vetoes directly impact municipalities. For a summary of the State Budget see the July 7th Legislative Bulletin.

Governor Evers Signs Municipal Bills into Law

The Governor was indeed busy today as he also signed into law two League initiated bills: AB 56 and SB 187,

Assembly Bill 56 clarifies that personal property aid payments the state makes to a TIF districts continue after a TIF district terminates, but transfer to the municipality and other taxing jurisdictions. The bill was amended to apply retroactively to TIF districts that had closed since 2018. The bill also, at DOR's request, clarifies that computer aid payments being made to a TIF district transfer to all other taxing jurisdictions when the district closes rather than transferring only to the municipality as current law provides. The computer aid part of the bill does not apply retroactively, but only to TIF districts that close after the bill takes affect.

The League would like to thank our legislative champions and lead authors Rep. David Steffen (R-Howard) and Sen. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) who introduced AB 56. The bipartisan bill passed both houses by voice vote.
 
Senate Bill 187 allows village board members to be employed by the village and receive an hourly wage, not to exceed $15,000 each year as a village employee. The bill mirrors a current law provision allowing town board members to be hired by the town and earn wages up to $15,000 annually.

Thank you to the legislative authors Rep. Jeff Mursau (R-Crivitz) and Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) for introducing SB 187. Both chambers passed the bipartisan bill by voice vote.