Shared Revenue Bill Scheduled for Senate Hearing
Therefore, we will need to advocate for an increase in the minimum funding for communities. The original bill includes a 10% minimum increase in a supplemental shared revenue payment. The amendment contains a 15% minimum bump and an additional $5 million shared by mid sized communities.
In addition, the League will continue to work with legislators to amend the public health closure language, request modifications to the maintenance of effort provisions, and again advocate for the removal of the proposed statewide prohibition on local preferences in contracting.
In addition to those statewide modifications, the League has maintained throughout this process that the unique needs of the City of Milwaukee must be adequately addressed by this legislation. In magnitude and complexity, those needs have been the most challenging. We recognize that both houses of the Legislature and the Governor have gone above and beyond what would normally be required to find a consensus. We have been, and continue our pledge to work with both houses, the Governor, and our communities to reach that consensus. To that end, the League recommends and supports finding a way to provide the Milwaukee Common Council with sales tax enabling authority and some flexibility in the required vote on that issue.
We believe these are the last remaining items that need resolution. We thank the legislative leaders who have worked so very hard to get us to this historic point, and we look to them once again to bring this generational effort to a successful conclusion.
Local Gov Lobby Day AND Senate Public Hearing
We have to pivot and make some modifications to Local Government Day, but we are certain this will be a day to remember in the Capitol city. Thank you to all of our members who will be joining us. For those of you who haven't registered, you are still welcome to attend Local Government Day or the Senate Hearing to register and/or testify. At this point if you join us for Local Government Day you would just need to get lunch on your own.
Hearing Details: The Senate hearing will begin at 9:00 am in room 411 South of the State Capitol.
Local Government Day Details: We will be assembling at the Monona Terrace to kick off Local Government Day with breakfast beginning at 8:00 am. The hearing room holds about 50 people comfortably so those who want to testify can head over to the Capitol. For those wanting to remain at the Terrace until meeting times with your legislators, we will have the hearing livestreamed and be available to answer questions.
Meetings with Legislators: The public hearing is a big event and another positive step in the legislative process. We want members to be able to participate in that venue, however, we also want to encourage you to keep the meetings you have scheduled with legislators. There are five members of the Senate committee, but 132 legislators that have been or will be involved in voting for the local government funding package. We need to thank them and meet with them to discuss modifications. Please attend the meetings you have scheduled even if that means stepping out of the hearing or Local Government Day events.
