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Hi All:

___Here is how the Milwaukee Hybrid Group legislative meeting went this morning. I hope it helps others trying to do similar …

___Attendees included Bradlee and Justin Fons, Bobb and Jane Cherney, Debbie Anders, Ken Keuler, Mark Eggert, Curt F. Pawlisch, Bryan Dongre, the young 15 year old doing a research prokect/term paper on “Hybrids, Fuel Cells and Electric Vehicles: The Technologies That Are Driving the Automotive World", his mother Val, and myself.

Introduction:

Curt F. Pawlisch - Attorney at Law
Previous initiatives and passed legislation within the state of Wisconsin: Energy Regulation, policy work on Energy programs, Energy Efficiency, and Renewables law and policy.

Previous failed legislation:

Sales tax exemption of $1,000 for hybrid that gets at least 40 mpg’s.

Current Wisconsin Legislative body makeup:

99 Representatives - 60 Republican and 39 Democrats
33 Senators - 19 Republican and 14 Democrats

Legislation is an incremental process:

Cannot achieve all goals but may be able to achieve a limited number of proposals?

Public Testimony:

Once basic legislation is ready, public testimony can help improve chances of legislation to move forward.

Letter writing:

Keep letters respectful and professional as they have a much higher probability of being read by the legislator then just any old thing …

Meeting conclusion with general question/answer session afterwards.

Hybrid – Alternative Fuel Legislation Proposals

Goals: Encourage of investment and purchase of AFV’s including HEV’s, EV’s, and alternative fuel vehicles (Ethanol FFV’s/Biodiesel/NGV’s) with the immediate effect of lowering our dependence on oil and reducing both SMOG and GHG emissions.

Emissions Exemptions: Vehicles achieving a certain MPG would be exempt from emissions testing.
Sales Tax Credits: Vehicles achieving a certain MPG would be exempt from all state and local sales tax or a percentage thereof.
HOV Lane Exemptions: Vehicles achieving a certain MPG would be allowed in HOV lanes regardless of its occupancy.
Incremental Cost Credits: Allow a credit of a certain percentage of the incremental cost of an AFV over a conventional vehicle.
Reduced Registration Fees: Allow a discounted fee to vehicles achieving a in first or subsequent years.
Free or Reduced Parking Rates: Offer free or reduced parking fees to vehicles achieving a certain mpg.
Business Loans for Purchases: Authorize a business tax credit equal to a certain percentage of any AFV
Tax Credit: Would offer a tax credit towards the purchase of any AFV or a vehicle achieving a certinal mpg or emissions rating.
Febate:A Fee would be added to any vehicle bought or sold that falls below a certain mpg or emissions rating. A rebate would be offered to any vehicle bought or sold that achieves above a certain mpg or emissions rating. These would offset each other.
Governmental and Fleet incentives: Credits or loans towards the purchase of fleet vehicles bought by governmental, institutional, or commercial organizations.
Carbon Fuel Reduction: Offer credits for any vehicle that is taken out of service with the purchase of an improved mpg or emissions rating.
Conversion Credit: To any vehicle that is converted to run on an AF.
___Of course this was only a synopsis as there was a lot of other handouts and ideas discussed. I just could not write that fast ;) And of course the camaraderie that comes about when you get a group of like minded individuals together to discuss something as serious as carbon emission reduction and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks for the great recap Wayne.

Bryan Dongre is the young 15 year old, who along with his mother Val has been attending our MHG events. He is working on a project for the Young Scholar Fair That is sponsored by American Family Insurance. The focus of his project is ""Hybrids, Fuel Cells and Electric Vehicles: The Technologies That Are Driving the Automotive World". It's been a pleasure to help Bryan with his project and to see such inspiration in a young man.

As far as the meeting, it was quite an eye opener as far as how the legislative process works in Wisconsin, as well as probably in any state. We're very anxious to get to work with a coalition of members from all differant areas to see what we can come up with. In all this I would like to see the long term focus to address the issues of oil dependency and global warming. We'll see what others bring to the table.

I know that Wisconsin is coming to these matters later than some states, but better today than tomorrow. I'l like to ask if anyone one has been involved with this type of effort at the nitty gritty level to chime in or contact the MHG and give us your input. We want to do this right and we don't want to take the time to reinvent the wheel on too many things.

Thanks again Wayne for your support and encouragment.

Bradlee

Hi Bradlee:

___Thank you for the personnel info and I included your info in the original post. Justin helped me a bit earlier this morning given my ability to spell almost everybody’s name wrong in some form or fashion. It is not like everybody did not have their name tags on too ;)

___Either way, the meeting was a very important first step and I was actually quite fascinated to hear Curt's passion for pat similar efforts as well as the processes needed to get from here to there.

___Thank you for setting this up with Curt and the rest given he most certainly has the talent to move any incentive proposal forward whereas we would have never been able to have performed the same on our own ...

___I also CC’ed you on an E-Mail sent to Curt with some contact information as well as a few requests/questions for him. I hope you received that as well?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I'd like to ask if anyone one has been involved with this type of effort at the nitty gritty level to chime in or contact the MHG and give us your input.
Bradlee
Just a clarification.
The place to contact is Bradlee at the Milwaukee Hybrid Group.

Not me at the Madison Hybrid Group (http://www.madisonhybridgroup.com).

For those who have already contacted me, I apologize for the confusion!


Thanks!

Hi All:

___I received an update of sorts from Bradlee on the Wisconsin Clean Air - Global Warming reduction initiatives that were discussed previously. With just one person becoming a small group which becomes a larger group which becomes a small PAC, things can change for the better … The next thing we may see is a state being steered into a new direction for the betterment of all. Of course this is still just preliminary but we all have the opportunity to start a new path as well as take responsibility for its outcome.

Hello to all,

I just wanted to let you know that the initial meet of the Coalition team will be on Tuesday, 11-28 in Madison at CWPB. I think one perspective has changed since we last talked, that being the Democrats taking control of the Wisconsin senate. I think that'll help but we'll still need bipartisanship.

The initial meeting agenda is very similar to our first from our Pewaukee Library meeting. (see attachment) I think this meeting in Madison will be a meet and greet for the Coalition members, to become familiar with the other groups in the Coalition. I'll also get a better feeling on the scope and direction after this meeting too.

So, I'll keep all of you in the loop as usual and share all info that I can from this initial meeting. I'm sure some of the discussion will have to be on the hush hush though, for integrity reasons. After this meeting, we can have a better feeling what roles we can play in the initiative.

This is serious business and I hope the Coalition will provide some great incentives to reduce our oil dependency and global warming emissions. Between now and then, if any of you have a catchy or sophisticated name for the Coalition, please email me your suggestions.

Keep workn 'it and I'll stay in touch. Thanks for your support in this endeavor.

Bradlee Fons
The Milwaukee Hybrid Group
milwaukeehybridgroup.com___If you would like the attachment, please request it directly from Bradlee at the following: MHG - Contact page. (http://milwaukeehybridgroup.com/Contact_Us.html)

___Good Luck

___Wayne