Capitol Capsules

Gov. Tommy Thompson signs the state budget in a ceremony Oct. 27 that was attended by Chancellor David Ward, left, and UW System President Katharine Lyall, among others. Thompson praised the Madison Initiative and its new public-private partnership, saying that it captured the attention of university supporters far and wide. “When I was at the Rose Bowl in January, a university supporter from California told me that if the state comes in with its support, ‘then I will come in,'” Thompson says. Photo: Jeff Miller

Budget, vetoes detailed
Gov. Tommy Thompson signed a $41 billion state budget Oct. 27 that includes the public-private investment partnership, called the Madison Initiative, among many other items of campus interest.

“We are very pleased with the governor’s support for pre-college initiatives, international education, libraries, flexibility to serve adult students, the Madison Initiative and first-day pickup of health insurance for new hires,” says Katharine Lyall, UW System president.

The budget also includes $28 million to support a tuition freeze for University of Wisconsin System students in 2000-01.

Thompson vetoed 255 budget proposals. The governor exercised partial veto authority in the following areas of interest to UW–Madison:

Financial aid: Eliminated the provision that would tie future financial aid increases in the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant, Talent Incentive Program and Lawton Undergraduate Minority Grants to tuition increases.
Access funding: Reduced by $1 million (to $3.8 million) the funding included to provide access to an additional 1,000 students systemwide in 2000-2001. Also eliminated the language requiring UW–Madison to accept 300 of these students. The governor’s veto message did indicate that the UW System was to use some of the money to encourage more students to enroll through nontraditional means such as distance education.
Instructional technology reporting requirements: Eliminated the requirements related to IT positions and the need for UW System to develop a plan to retain certain student IT workers.
Position flexibility: Prohibited the Board of Regents from ever requesting taxpayer funding for compensation and fringe benefits for the additional positions granted under this flexibility.
Ginseng research: Eliminated $125,000 in one-time funds for UW–Madison to provide grants to research the properties of ginseng. The governor’s veto message directs the university to do this research without the funding.
Stray voltage research: Maintains the requirement that the Regents establish a stray voltage research program but eliminates the specific areas in which the Regents must have the university conduct such research.
Brownfield study: Eliminated the requirement that the La Follette Institute and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning conduct a study of brownfields.
Area Health Education Centers: Cut additional funding from $750,000 to $350,000 each year.
Biotechnology Development Finance Company: Eliminated $1 million to establish a biotechnology development finance company. The governor says the State Investment Board has committed $50 million to support the startup of biotechnology ventures. In addition, the Department of Commerce expects to commit up to $1 million in grants and loans to start-up biotechnology firms.
Educational Communications Board: Removed the requirement that the committee responsible for studying the restructuring of public broadcasting and the costs of digital television conversion submit their report by Jan. 15.

For more information
Contact Charles B. Hoslet, special assistant to the chancellor for state relations: hoslet@mail.bascom.wisc.edu, 97 Bascom Hall, 263-5510 or visit the State Relations Web site.