Minutes
WICPA Public Policy Committee Meeting
May 10, 2006

Present: 

Bart Adams (phone)             Fret Sitzberger
Tom Alberte                       Janet Toldander (phone)
Bill Ahlstrom                       LeRoy Schmidt
Mike Friedman (phone)         Tammy Hofstede
Karin Gale (phone)               Alice O’Connor
Ted Hart (phone)                Mike Vaughan
Tom Kosler             
Nick Lascari
Randy Olm (phone)             
Carl Schultz (phone)

            

Absent: 

Mark Krueger, Chair
Terry Jannsen              
Steve Pullara  
Jeanne Van Galder
Tom Weingarten

 

Approval of Minutes

• Lascari motioned to approve the minutes of the January 18, 2006 meeting.  Sitzberger seconded and the motion was passed.

 

Guest JB Van Hollen

• JB Van Hollen is running for State Attorney General.  He shared his background and recap of his record and successes.  He answered questions from the committee.

 

Mike Vaughan – Political Landscape

• Vaughan commented on the current political landscape.  Vaughan reported Section 23 (SB484) giving substantial equivalency to work in Wisconsin on a temporary basis was passed.  Senator Zien and Representative Mursau were the primary sponsors of the bill.  Act 214 was also implemented regarding minority ownership.

• Vaughan stated the regular session has ended and reported on the caucuses and their current activity.

• Schmidt urged the committee members to encourage their staff to become involved in the legislative process.  He also reported all payments from the larger firms to cover the out of pockets costs for SB484 were received.  Schmidt stated his excitement at the new participation from BDO Seidman. 

• Vaughan was asked to update the committee on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

2006 Fundraising Efforts

• Gale thanked the committee for the contact efforts with their assigned firms.

• A solicitation email will go out in mid September to the general membership who have not yet contributed in 2006.  Vaughan and O’Connor will draft a letter to the shareholders of national firms asking them to contribute and noting our successes.  Hofstede will mail those letters.

LeRoy Schmidt – Update

• Schmidt encouraged the committee members to make their 2006 contribution.

• Schmidt reported Tom Kilkenny of Deloitte & Touche is the new Accounting Examining Board Chairperson.  Jim Johnson of Virchow Krause has completed his term.  Kim Tredinnick, also from Virchow Krause, will be going on the Accounting Examining Board.  The CPA exam has been functioning well in Wisconsin. 

• Schmidt discussed the mandatory Peer Review.  He reported the WICPA has communicated with the Department of Regulation and Licensing to offer assistance and work with them in processing information for firms. 

• Schmidt reported he was approached by a past WICPA member who is a CPA and running for political office and would like to advertise in our publication.  Vaughan was asked to look into the attorneys practice on this issue.  Upon the findings, Hofstede will email the committee for a vote and then to make a recommendation to the WICPA Board of Directors.

• Other Matters
  Lascari updated on the federal regulatory and legislative environment.

Next Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for September 20, 2006, 10:00 a.m. at Murphy & Desmond.

The meeting adjourned at 10:55 a.m.

 

 

 

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