Wisconsin Towns Association
2007-2008 Legislative Agenda

            1258 town governments in Wisconsin provide general government services to nearly 1.7 million residents (30.4% of total state population). 95% of the land area in Wisconsin is within towns. Towns maintain nearly 62,000 miles of town highways. Town government in Wisconsin is efficient and cost effective in the delivery of the full range of services from highways; to fire, police, and ambulance service; to tax assessment, billing, and collecting; to conducting elections; to providing solid waste and recycling services; to providing sewer and water; plus a wide range of other services. Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA) believes that to continue the efficient delivery of services towns must be able to retain local control and be allowed the flexibility to provide these services as determined by each town for their citizens and property owners.  Therefore, WTA supports the following legislative issues in the 2007-2008 Legislative Session:

Transportation Issues

            Heavy vehicles of any type have the greatest negative impact on  highways. To maintain town bridges and the 61,780 miles of town highways (which is 54.5% of all highways in Wisconsin) adequate funding must be provided for local transportation needs.

            Therefore, WTA:

(1) supports raising additional transportation funds at the state level, only  if local highways receive their fair share of such increases;
(2) supports maintaining reasonable weight limits on all highways in Wisconsin, regardless of the type of vehicle being  used; 
(3) supports using  segregated transportation funds solely to meet transportation needs; and 
(4) opposes any transfer of  segregated funds to the general purpose fund for any other programs.  

Annexation and Boundary Law Change

          Town government should have greater authority to plan for the future of their community and promote economic development within their town. Current annexation laws and extraterritorial powers of cities and villages deprive towns from being a greater economic force in Wisconsin.

            Therefore, WTA:
(1) supports the passage of the “Charter Towns bill;” 
(2) supports changes to the extraterritorial plat authority of cities and villages as granted by the Supreme Court decision of Wood v. City of Madison,  by requiring cities and villages to be able to exercise such extraterritorial platting authority only with the agreement and approval of the town, and
(3) supports a requirement that cities and villages be forced to extend sewer into towns without the requirement of annexation when public health and safety warrant such extension or regional economic development would be benefited.

Land Use Controls and impact Fees

            Town government should have the authority to both plan and regulate land uses within their boundaries. New development should cover the costs to the greatest extent possible of needed infrastructure and services for that development, rather than pushing such burdens on existing taxpayers.

            Therefore, WTA
(1) supports allowing towns the option to withdraw from county zoning; 
(2) supports changes to the impact fee law to require payment of impact fees upon approval of the subdivision plat;
(3) supports  allowing  fees for ‘park and recreation needs” of new development under the subdivision authority of Chapter 236;
(4) supports  increasing the funds for comprehensive planning grants to assure all towns and counties who seek funds in the next three years can receive funds; and
(5) supports the principles of the  “Working Lands  Initiative” to sustain farmland and forests in Wisconsin.

 Wisconsin Towns Association will take positions on other legislative bills that may arise in the next two year legislative session to protect local control and the provide the flexibility to town government to continue to  provide cost effective services.                                 {Adopted by  the  Board of Directors   November  13, 2006}

Link to the 2007-08 WTA Legislative Report