Details on Joint Finance Actions on May 3

On Tuesday, May 3, the Joint Finance Committee held an executive session on, among other issues, library-related budget matters. Here's more detail on the motions and votes affecting libraries; options voted on refer to Paper #562 from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. They are presented in the order in which they were acted upon by the committee.

Motions on Maintenance of Effort:
-        Option A. 3 to delete the provision in the budget bill that would eliminate MOE; failed on a split vote of 8-8.
-        In favor: Sen. Olsen, Sen. Harsdorf, Sen. Taylor, Sen. Jauch, Rep. Meyer, Rep. Nygren, Rep. Grigsby and Rep. Shilling
-        Opposed: Sen. Darling, Sen. Leibham, Sen. Grothman, Sen. Hopper, Rep. Vos, Rep. LeMahieu, Rep. Strachota and Rep. Kleefisch

-        Motion #91 (MOE compromise) failed on a split vote of 8-8.
-        In favor: Sen. Olsen, Sen. Harsdorf, Sen. Taylor, Sen. Jauch, Rep. Meyer, Rep. Nygren, Rep. Grigsby and Rep. Shilling
-        Opposed: Sen. Darling, Sen. Leibham, Sen. Grothman, Sen. Hopper, Rep. Vos, Rep. LeMahieu, Rep. Strachota and Rep. Kleefisch

Motions to Restore Funding:
-        Motion #80 (to restore 2a, 2b and 2c and "require that the governor request federal funding for broadband technology, if available") failed on a vote of 5-11.
-        In favor: Sen. Olsen, Sen. Taylor, Sen. Jauch, Rep. Grigsby and Rep. Shilling
-        Opposed: Sen. Darling, Sen. Harsdorf, Sen. Leibham, Sen. Grothman, Sen. Hopper, Rep. Vos, Rep. Meyer, Rep. Nygren, Rep. LeMahieu, Rep. Strachota and Rep. Kleefisch-    

Option B 2a, 2b and 2c failed on a vote of 6-10.
-        In favor: Sen. Olsen, Sen. Harsdorf, Sen. Taylor, Sen. Jauch, Rep. Grigsby and Rep. Shilling
-        Opposed: Sen. Darling, Sen. Leibham, Sen. Grothman, Sen. Hopper, Rep. Vos, Rep. Meyer, Rep. Nygren, Rep. LeMahieu, Rep. Strachota and Rep. Kleefisch

-        Motion Harsdorf/Olsen to restore 2c (funding for BadgerLink) passed unanimously.

What's the end result?

• BadgerLink funding of $512,000 is restored.
• Systems aids are cut 10% unless the legislature acts to restore these funds.
• MOE is eliminated unless the legislature acts to restore this provision of the statutes.
• Resource contracts are cut 10% unless the legislature acts to restore these funds.

WLA will be working on these issues. Stay tuned.