Public Policy Forum
The Election is Over, so What Happens Now?
by Michael Theo
As the dust settles on the 2002 elections, what can we expect in the new legislative session beginning in January? The only thing we know for sure is that we have far more questions than answers at this point.
The first thing that we know for sure is that the political line up in the state has flipped. Voters, and several District Attorneys, have produced a whole new power structure in Madison. The governor went from Republican to Democrat at the same time the legislature went to Republican control in both the Senate and Assembly. Moreover, the entire legislative leadership, (except for one) are all new-including the key posts of Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker! The dissimilarities to last session in this regard could not be more pronounced.
The second thing we know for sure is that the budget deficit is getting worse. The most recent projections now say the deficit could be as high as $3 billion over the next biennium. Budget issues will dominate the entire two-year legislative session. The pressure for slashing spending, increasing taxes and fees (despite all the campaign rhetoric to the contrary), and reorganizing priorities, is substantial and growing.
The third thing we know for sure is that positioning and planning for the 2004 elections has already begun. As foreign as it seems right now amidst all the talk of bipartisan cooperation and restoring civility to the process, this fact will dominate political and policy decisions starting immediately.
What we don't know however is how Governor-elect Jim Doyle will govern-and how he chooses to govern will directly impact those things we know for sure.
Who will Governor Doyle choose to run the key agencies of the state government? His budget and economic team must be named soon so a state budget can be introduced sometime in February. Will he select insiders who know state budgets and how to pass laws, outsiders who bring fresh ideas, or both? Will he use the opportunity of a budget deficit to propose substantial government reorganization and reform? Will he raise fees and/or taxes despite his campaign pledges, claiming the budget is in worse shape than he knew? Will he reach out-to both those who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who supported Scott McCallum-and invite them to share the pain and the potential gain of solving the state's fiscal woes? How Doyle chooses to govern will have a huge impact on how the next two biennial budgets fair in the legislature.
Similarly, the uncertainty of how Doyle chooses to govern and who he chooses as staff, agency secretaries and division heads, also raises questions on other key issues impacting real estate, such as numerous transactional issues, campaign finance issues, and local government financing issues, including shared revenues and school aids. Each of these issues will have a substantial and potentially immediate impact on property taxes, real estate transactional costs, and real estate license law issues.
In many respects, the fact that a new Democratic governor must negotiate with a new Republican-controlled Senate and Assembly could usher in a new spirit of cooperation and civility, or it could result in political gridlock the likes of which we've never seen before. Everyone, and I mean everyone, hopes for the former and not the latter, outcome. Stay tuned.
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Election 2002 Wrap-up
by Joe Murray
Doyle over McCallum
After all the votes were counted on Nov. 5, Democrat James Doyle defeated Republican Scott McCallum 45 percent (800,971) to 41 percent (732,796), with Libertarian Ed Thompson in third with a respectable 10 percent (185,085) of the total vote.
Voter turnout in Wisconsin was 44 percent, about five percent better than the national average of 39 percent and four percent higher than State Elections Board Director Kevin Kennedy predicted. Voter turnout in Wisconsin is usually in the top five states in both presidential and non-presidential election cycles. In this election, however, Wisconsin ranked 14th.
One month before the November election insiders were predicting a possible Doyle landslide. But one week before the election the race tightened. In the end, McCallum found it all but impossible to overcome significant political gaffes that hurt his image with voters.
Lautenschlager Defeats Biskupic
In the race for Attorney General, Fond du Lac Democrat Peg Lautenschlager defeated Appleton Republican Vince Biskupic 52 percent (883,226) to 48 percent (825,144).
Lautenschlager's election as attorney general marks the first time voters in Wisconsin have elected a female as the State's "top-cop".
Campaign pros on both sides credit Lautenschlager's win to her superb resume and the clumsy way in which Biskupic handled the open records controversy over his "Crime Prevention Account".
Only days before the November election, Biskupic was forced to disclose records detailing how the Outagamie County District Attorney's office raised and spent money through the Crime Prevention Fund. His opponent raised the issue of special treatment for donations.
Legislative Success Ratio
As this month's Wisconsin REALTORŪ goes to print, the recount in the Sheboygan based 9th Senate District remains unresolved. Assuming Joe Leibham holds on to his narrow lead, the outcome in state legislative races illustrates a good showing for WRA/RPAC supported candidates. Here is our success ratio for the Nov. 5 elections:
- U.S. Congress - 100 percent success rate (we won eight of eight races)
- State Senate - 87 percent success rate (we won 13 of the 15 races we entered-losing Plache and Moen)
- State Assembly - 97 percent success rate (we won 88 of the 91 races we entered-losing Meyerhofer, Skindrud and
Zempel).
A special thanks to all members who contributed to RPAC and the Direct Giver/Conduit program, and those members who placed yard signs, volunteered phone banks and more. Your financial contributions and personal involvement were critical to our success in legislative races across Wisconsin.
Women Gain Ground
On Nov. 5, a total of 35 women were elected to the state Legislature, falling only one short of the all time high of 36 elected in the 1992 election cycle, according to the State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau.
In addition to those 35, Wisconsin voters elected their first female Attorney General, Peg Lautenschlager; their first Lieutenant Governor, Barbara Lawton; and their first Majority Leader of the State Senate, Mary Panzer.
The Legislative Reference Bureau's report also noted that Wisconsin, despite its reputation as a progressive state dating back to the Bob LaFollette era, didn't elect a woman to Congress until Tammy Baldwin was elected to represent the Madison-based Second Congressional District in 1998.
A separate report by the Center for American Women in Politics ranked Wisconsin 22nd in the country for the ratio of women in the state Legislature.
State Legislative Races
After all the votes were counted on Nov. 5, Republicans in the state Assembly and state Senate increased their power on the same night voters elected Jim Doyle as Wisconsin's new governor.
In the state Senate, control flipped from an 18-15 Democratic majority to an 18-15 Republican majority, pending the outcome in the hotly contested 9th Senate District in Sheboygan.
In the state Assembly, Republicans expanded their majority by two seats and now hold a 58-41 edge, their largest majority since 1957.
The Wisconsin legislative election results reflect a good night for the GOP across the country as the Republicans picked up about 200 seats, reversing a 64-year trend where the president's party loses an average of 350 statehouse seats in mid-term elections.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reports that Republicans lead Democrats in legislative seats 49.7 percent to 49.5 percent. The GOP now controls both chambers of state government in 21 states, up from 17. Democrats now control 15 states, down from 18. In 12 states there is no ruling majority and Nebraska has a Republican-controlled unicameral legislature (consisting of one chamber).
Experts say it matters which party controls at the state house level because state legislatures often, but not always, signal how successful a governor's policies will be.
Political Grassroots 2002
Now that the elections are behind us, I want to thank all WRA members, executive officers and governmental affairs staff for their hard work and making our grassroots efforts the best ever.
From what appears to be a record breaking fundraising year to a terrific get-out-the-vote effort,
REALTORSŪ and staff made it possible to achieve election results beneficial to our industry.
As we move into the next legislative cycle in January and prepare for the 2004 elections, we will be refining many of the grassroots activities we employed in 2002. We hope everyone will do their part to enhance our political and legislative effectiveness.
Please be prepared to respond when we ask for your help on important issues at the national, state and local level.
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DNR Attempts to Build Case For More Severe Shoreland Zoning Regulations
by Tom Larson
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently issued a press release in an apparent effort to build its case for what is certain to be proposed increases to the state's shoreland zoning regulations. The press release indicates that "the 34-year-old shoreland protection standards [are being] overwhelmed by a rapid pace and pattern of development." The press release went on to further state that the "standards found [in the current regulations are] inadequate to protect water quality, habitat and natural beauty. As well, the standards contain clauses that are difficult for counties to interpret and enforce, which has created loopholes that thwarted their intent of the standards." The DNR maintains that the rapid increase of waterfront development (as much as 800 percent on some lakes) has "pushed development into sensitive small, shallow lakes, steep slopes and wetlands."
The first meeting of the DNR's Shoreland Advisory Group took place on Thursday, Nov. 21, with the next meeting scheduled for Dec. 12. The WRA, the Wisconsin Builders Association, and others will be representing the interests of property owners on the Advisory Group and will seek to insure the proposed changes to the rules are reasonable and balance the interests of private property rights and the public's interest in preserving the waterways of our state.
For more information, please contact Tom Larson at (608) 240-8254.
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