PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR’S BLUE-RIBBON
COMMISSION ON STATE-LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
FOR THE 21^ST CENTURY

EDWARD J. HUCK

SEPTEMBER 7, 2000

My name is Ed Huck and I am executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, which represents 38 cities across the state. Our organization has not taken a formal position on the Kettl Commission's direction, so I speak today as a private citizen with many years of experience working closely with the leaders of the state's largest cities. Although it is understood that what I have to say is intended to benefit my cities, it is not the adopted agenda of my organization.

First, let me say the discussion I heard at the Kettl Commission's meeting today was the best discussion of local government policy issues I have heard during my 16 years in this business.

I am speaking tonight because I would like to bring together items of discussion that you may consider integrating into a formal position.

WISCONSIN'S REGIONAL ECONOMIES

Perhaps the most important thing the commission could do is to tie local governments to their regional economies. A focus on regional economies could produce more jobs for our citizens -- and improving the economic health of our communities is one of the most important tasks that local government has.

With guidance from the Kettl Commission, the state could create an integrated industrial-economic development strategy which could include:

• A plan for restoring state and local arterial and collector roads and improving railroads, which are the conduits of commerce throughout Wisconsin. In the Fox Valley, for example, local officials are already concerned that with closure of the Fox Locks, there is no transportation mode that can bring from Lake Michigan ports the massive equipment that will be needed to replace paper mill machinery when it wears out.
• Functional consolidation of local government services such as planning, solid waste or transportation, not to be confused with the unwise fence-me-in strategy proposed by the Wisconsin Towns Association
• Tax sharing. Both the relatively poor and relatively wealthy must share in regional economic growth. The Kettl Commission has discussed the importance of equalization, which makes sure that even the residents of communities with the smallest tax base can afford good schools, safe streets and quality public services. Equalization is now accomplished with state revenues, but there are other ways to accomplish this purpose as well.
• Smart growth, land use policies. Our concerns over growth and wise land use transcend the borders of the communities in which we live, just as pollution knows no political boundaries.

 SETTING GOALS FOR THE STATE-LOCAL PARTNERSHIP

Existing state policies have led to a concentration of race and poverty in some communities, and a lack of diversity and concentration of wealth in others. This increases the cost of government and reduces the possibilities for economic growth.

We need to expand opportunities for poor people as well as for middle- and upper-income people. Wisconsin will be the richer in all senses of that word if we do so.

SPECIFIC GOALS THE COMMISSION SHOULD CONSIDER

• Maintain equalization and avoid regressive tax policy. Regressive taxation includes not only imposing a greater share of the cost of government on those least able to pay, but policies that allow people to avoid paying taxes for services they receive by moving from one municipality to another.
• Establish a entity outside state and local government to examine the intended consequences of a proposal and the unintended consequences of a proposal and make recommendations to state and local stakeholders. Tennessee has a university department that does this, Vigrinia does it with a commission on state-local relations.
• Set time lines.

I have high hopes for the success of the Kettl Commission, and I know my hopes are shared by city leaders across the state.

Thank you.