Minutes
WICPA Public Policy Committee Meeting
October 5, 2005

Mark Krueger                    Karin Gale

Fred Sitzberger                  Randy Olm

Nick Lascari                       Jean Van Galder

Dave Christianson               Tom Alberte

Tom Weingarten                 Bill Ahlstrom

Ted Hart                           Steve Pullara

Mike Vaughan                    Alice O’Connor

 

Representative Gary Sherman, Democrat 74^th District – Northern, Wisconsin, along Lake Superior/Michigan border, attorney, former President of the Wisconsin State Bar

 

• Discussed political landscape, believes next election cycle will benefit Democrats

• Issues impacting closely held business

  • Health care, however Gary has no simple fix

  • Changing property tax burden may have a negative impact on closely held businesses, need to review mix of taxes to ensure taxes are fair amongst all.

  • Lawsuit cap – working with medical profession and trial lawyers to develop a compromise.

  • Encouraged the WICPA to encourage our members to run for political office.

 

Mike Vaughan – political landscape

 

• Current legislative issues

  • Conceal carry, most likely will be passed by the legislature and vetoed by governor

  • Accounting Examining Board

    • Need to get a handle on CPAs coming to Wisconsin on a temporary basis.  AEB is planning to put a bill forward relating to this and most likely will ask WICPA for assistance.

    • Discussion took place on this topic.

  • Discussion on new withholding rule on pass through entities.

 

Approval of minutes

          Nick Lascari, moved for approval

          Fred Sitzberger, seconded

 

Current campaign

 

          Contributions - $92,880 YTD 2005 – needs to be greater.
 

Fundraising – we need to be aggressive with respect to completing our fundraising for this year.

• We need to constantly educate our members.

• Need to remind members that we continually need to re-educate legislators due to legislative turnover.

 

2006 Fundraising – The solicitation letters are being finalized which will be used in 2006.  These will be shared as we finalize this year’s calls.

 

Regulatory environment changes

• Per Nick Lascari – nothing critical at this time.

  • Retirement bill is trying to be pushed through congress.

• Ted Hart – Department of Labor report on benefit plans.  There has not been any action becoming a stale.

 

Accounting Examining Board Activities

• See out-of-state CPA issue under Mike Vaughan’s report.

 

Dave Christianson provided an update on board and state of activities.

 

Paul Bucher joined the group to discuss his attorney general race.

The next meeting will be January 18, 9:00 a.m. at Murphy & Desmond in Madison.

 

 

 

 

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