City Leadership Lobbies For Revenue Reform

PLATTEVILLE, WI (May 23, 2023) – Several Members of the Platteville City Leadership Team traveled to Madison on Tuesday, May 23^rd 2023, to partake in Local Government Day at the State Capitol Building, as hosted by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.  City Council President Barb Daus, President Pro Tem Kathy Kopp, Council Member (Retired) Eileen Nickles, Director of Administration Nicola Maurer, and City Manager Clint Langreck met with Assembly Member Travis Tranel (Dist. 49), Assembly Member Tony Kurtz (Dist. 50), Assembly Member Todd Novak (Dist. 51), and Katy Prange and Connor Buss of Senator Howard Marklein’s Office (Dist. 17).  

Local Government Day is an event designed for or municipal leadership to discuss key issues impacting our community, and to lobby for legislative initiative that could benefit our community.  The topics of discussion ranged on a verity of bills coming before the legislative bodies; with Assembly Bill 245 / Senate Bill 301 “Local Government Shared Revenue Reform” taking center stage.  If passed, these bills could bring on several beneficial changes to Platteville, including a larger annual apportionment of state revenues (collected from state sales tax).  The Assembly Bill (as drafted) would call for an additional $463,221 in supplemental aid provided to the City of Platteville.  The bill has passed the Assembly, but will require approval from the Senate and the Governor before enacted, with each party expressing concerns but consenting to the need for change. 

In describing the atmosphere and energy in the Capitol surrounding this bill, Council President Barb Daus commented, “We were welcomed by our Legislators and their Support Staff.  They were very receptive to our concerns regarding these bills and they talked optimistically of the bills potentially gaining approval.”  President Daus continued, “We also want to thank our Legislators for their support on these bills, they understand the struggles we are facing in Rural Wisconsin, and they are taking action.”