RISSER, POCAN: EASE POT PENALTIES TO AID PRISONS

Two Madison lawmakers suggested today that decriminalizing the
possession of small amounts of marijuana could ease the state's prison
overcrowding crisis.

Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, said during a press conference at the
Capitol this morning that he would support such an effort.

"I think that treatment is probably the approach to use," Risser said.
"Most people that go to prison are going to go back into society
sooner or later anyway. Rather than give them a two-year prison
experience that would send them back into society hardened, it would
be far better if society looked toward the treatment of these
individuals."

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said he would be willing to explore the
option as part of a broader effort to bring Wisconsin inmates back
from out-of-state prisons.

Increased penalties for drug crimes - including the possession of
marijuana - are partially responsible for raising the state's prison
population in recent years.

Risser and Pocan made their comments as they announced plans to
introduce two bills aimed at the state's ongoing prison crisis.

The two Madison lawmakers, joined by Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior,
want to prohibit the state from sending its inmates to out-of-state
prisons.

The proposal would take effect as the state's contracts with out-
of-state prisons begin to expire next year, and would bar the state
from entering into any new contracts.

Currently about 3,000 Wisconsin inmates are housed in out-of-state
prisons and jails. The Thompson administration wants to raise that
number to as many as 9,000 inmates within the next two years.

Risser noted that that number would be higher than the state's total
inmate population a decade ago.

The number of inmates behind bars is expected to rise from about
18,000 to more than 25,000 by early next century.

Although the state continues to build more prisons, the increases in
inmate numbers are forcing the state to send more prisoners out of
Wisconsin.

Pocan noted that Wisconsin is now the top state in the nation for
sending inmates out of state. Other states are beginning to return
their prisoners, while Wisconsin plans to send more.

Some Republicans lawmakers in the Assembly contend that the solution
to the out-of-state transfer problem is to allow private prisons in
Wisconsin to accept state prisoners.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Scott Walker, R-Wauwatosa, was the subject of
a hearing today before the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the
Courts. It would allow private prisons here to begin accepting
Wisconsin inmates.

Although both Gov. Tommy Thompson and the Department of Corrections
oppose the bill, Boyle said he would favor allowing private firms to
build prisons in Wisconsin as long as they were built by unionized
workers, leased to the state and operated by unionized state employees.

They also said they want to repeal the new "truth in sentencing" law
that eliminates parole and sets definite sentences for convicted
criminals because they contend it would further worsen
overcrowding.

A judicial panel is working on a major overhaul of the state's
sentencing system in preparation for the "truth in sentencing" law.
The panel is expected to present its recommendations to lawmakers late
this year.

Local taxes: Republican leaders in the state Senate are poised to
unveil a proposal that would give local governments wide powers to
levy new taxes in exchange for property tax cuts.

Senate Minority Leader Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, said he would provide
more details of the proposal later this week. He is expected to

present the plan to the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities and the Wisconsin
Counties Association, two of the largest local government groups, at
that time.

In informal discussions Tuesday, Ellis said his proposal, dubbed the
"Local Government Freedom and Accountability Act," would allow local
governments to levy any form of tax they choose, such as an income,
sales, employment or excise tax.

But the bill would require local governments adopting such a tax to
apply 70 percent of the revenues to offset property taxes. The
remaining 30 percent could be used for other discretionary purposes.

"We have to divorce ourselves from this concept of bifurcated
government," split between the state and local governments, he told
reporters. "We need to give local governments the ultimate freedom to
decide what services they want to provide and what taxes they want to
levy."

The property tax, the largest single tax in Wisconsin, is the primary
tax used by local governments such as cities and counties to fund
their operations.

Wetlands fight: A Madison lawmaker wants Thompson to withdraw a
portion of his proposed state budget that would allow a Trempealeau
County business to fill in 15 acres of wetlands.

Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, called the governor's proposal "one of
the most blatant examples I've seen of decisions about our environment
being based on politics rather than science."

The provision, tucked deep within the governor's 1,479-page budget
bill, would exempt Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. from some
environmental regulations so the company could expand operations.

According to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which
monitors campaign spending, Ashley Furniture executives and members of
their families have donated $20,500 to Thompson's campaign since 1993.

Company owners Todd and Ron Wanek and their wives also gave campaign
contributions to legislative leaders, including Assembly Speaker Scott
Jensen, $2,000; Majority Leader Steve Foti, $1,000; Rep. DuWayne
Johnsrud, chairman of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee,
$1,000; and former Assembly Speaker David Prosser, $2,000.

"Our natural resources should not be put up for sale to the highest
bidder," Black said.

The governor included the proposed exemption in his budget after the
Department of Natural Resources opposed the project.

The budget language says the exemption would apply to a business in
Trempealeau County, and that the exemption would be granted if the
local City Council adopts a resolution stating that the exemption is
"necessary to protect jobs . . . or promote job creation."

Thompson was not available for comment Tuesday. Kevin Keane, an aide
to the governor, said Thompson would not withdraw the proposal.

Keane said the plan was "absolutely not" related to any campaign
contributions.

"This is all about creating up to 400 jobs in an area of the state
that needs jobs," he said.

Insurance shake-up: Linda Van De Water, the unsuccessful Republican
candidate for attorney general last fall, has been named to a top post
in the Department of Financial Institutions.

Van De Water, a former Waukesha county prosecutor, will replace
Securities Commissioner Patricia Struck, who will move into another
job in the agency, said department head Richard Dean.

Dean said last week that Van De Water was selected because of her
prosecutorial experience, since many securities cases investigated by
the office end up being referred to local district attorneys.

Dean also announced the appointment of David Mancl, former chief of
staff to Assembly Speaker Ben Brancel, as administrator of the
Corporate and Consumer Services Division. Mancl, who served as one of
Dean's policy advisers, replaces Todd Hunter, a one-time candidate for
mayor of Madison.