2021-1897 FILE RESOLUTION NO. 2021-1897
A resolution in support of sufficient State Aid to cover Video Service Provider fee rate
reduction.
WHEREAS, s. 79.097 was enacted into law as part of the 2019 Wisconsin State Budget; and
WHEREAS, s. 79.097 reduced the percentage fee that municipalities could collect from Video
Service Providers (VSPs) in two steps over two years; and
WHEREAS, s. 79.097 reduced the fee percentage collected by all municipalities no matter
what percent of video gross revenues they were collecting initially by 0.5 points the first year;
and
WHEREAS, s. 79.097 reduced the percentage of all VSP fees collected by all municipalities
no matter what percentage they were collecting initially by an additional 0.5 points the second
year; and
WHEREAS, s. 79.097 also required municipalities to receive an equal amount of state aid to
make up for the loss in revenue caused by each of the fee reductions; and
WHEREAS, s. 20.835 (1)(fa), which governs the amount of funding set aside in the state
budget to cover the state aid created by s. 79.097 is currently locked at an amount($5 million)
that only covers the first reduction in the VSP fee rate; and
WHEREAS, without any change to s. 20.835 (1)(fa) municipalities will only receive half of the
state aid that is described by s. 79.097 in 2021; and
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue has already estimated the amount of
state aid due in 2021 based on applications filed by 533 municipalities by the deadline of
August 15, 2020; and
WHEREAS, our city, as well as other cities, have developed their current year's budget based
on this expected state aid as outlined in s. 79.097; and
WHEREAS, per s. 79.097 the amount of state aid municipalities receive in 2021 is to be the
exact amount municipalities will receive in succeeding years and, if it is not doubled,
municipalities may only receive half of the aid they are due going forward.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL of the City of Janesville
that the City endorses Section 501 of the Governor's Budget Proposal which would change the
language of s. 20.835 (1)(fa) to a "sum sufficient" amount that will cover the loss in municipal
revenue; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of would also endorse a sum certain amount if it
reflected the amount the Department of Revenue has determined will be needed to meet the state
aid called for in 2021 by s. 79.097, approximately $10 million; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Members of the
Joint Finance Committee and our state legislators.
Adopted this 24th day of May 2021.
ADOPTED: May 24, 2021 Motion by: Consent
Second by: Consent
APPROVED: Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
Benson X
Jackson X
Mark A. F eitag, City Manager Johnson X
Marklein X
ATTEST: Marshick X
MillerX
Williams
Wa X
DerrekThieise, Interim City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Wald Klimcz City Attorney
Proposed by: Janesville Access Television
Prepared by: City Manager's Office