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With decreased state funding, the ability to monitor Chronic Wasting Disease has gotten more difficult, with many fearing the spread of the disease. Read an Appleton Post-Crescent article here. |
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 Macy's employees staged the first Thanksgiving parade in 1924. It was so successful that they decided to make it an annual event. The only interruption in the parade's history was from 1942-44, when Macy's gave their parade balloons to the war effort since rubber was so scarce. Source: Associated Content |
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 A recent study by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance found that in 2005, Wisconsin's 72 counties spent $4.42 billion on operations, or 23.4 percent more than they spent in 2000. This report, titled "A Snapshot of County Finances: 2005" notes that health and human services spending dominated county expenditures, accounting for 46.1 percent of operations.
As a result of state aid only increasing at a modest level, counties relied on taxes and fees to fund spending. While state assistance rose 10.6 percent, county tax collections climbed 32.1 percent, while revenues from fees, fines, and permits rose 58 percent.
Click here for a direct link to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance release.
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The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released their 2007 Wisconsin County Health Rankings. Ozaukee County is listed as the healthiest county in the state. To learn more and find out where your county ranks, click here. |
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On December 3, WCA will host an educational seminar in Oshkosh entitled, "Renewable Energy: Why is it important to the state?" The seminar will provide an overview of renewable energy projects and initiatives in Wisconsin and the role of county government. In addition, there will be discussion on what authority does county government have to regulate wind energy facilities and other facilities.
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 Mark O'Connell will guest host "Business Solutions with Diane Chamness" November 24th from 1-2 p.m. on WISN AM 1130. It can also be heard online by clicking here. Below is an excerpt from the show's website:
November 24 - The Wisconsin Way and New Legislation Affecting Wisconsin Counties
Tune in for our always-informative resident political expert, Mark O'Connell of Wisconsin Counties Association. Mark will bring us the Wisconsin Way, a public conversation about lowering property taxes and ensuring excellence in public service, and a statewide perspective on business and legislative happenings affecting all of Wisconsin's counties. |
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Local planners, developers, elected officials and private citizens searching for on-line information about contaminated properties in Wisconsin can look to a new and improved interactive mapping application available on the Department of Natural Resources web site.
The DNR Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program has updated the RR Sites Map, with an an interactive, on-line visual display of contaminated and cleaned up properties in Wisconsin. The RR Sites Map uses a geographic information system (GIS) that allows users to zoom in to any selected area of the state for more information on properties that have or previously had soil or groundwater contamination.
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 U.S. Communities authorized supplier Zep Superior Solutions has been awarded a competitively solicited contract available for use by participating public agencies. The cleaning supply company has been promoting a line of products that fights MRSA bacteria, also known as the drug-resistant superbug.
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