The state Senate kicked off today’s floor period by approving 31 appointments, including JFC Co-chair Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and former GOP state Rep. Rob Kreibich, of New Richmond, to the Wisconsin 529 College Savings Program Board for terms through 2021.

All of the appointments but one were unanimous, though Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, jokingly said “no” at first when he was asked to vote on Darling’s appointment. Darling also sat out her confirmation vote.

Thomas Schreibel, of Hartland, was confirmed 30-3 as a Waukesha County representative on the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, which oversees the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park.

State Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, said his no vote was nothing personal against Schreibel, but it was his only opportunity to raise an issue over the 0.1 percent sales tax that is collected in Racine, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties to pay off the debt incurred for constructing the stadium. Initial projections had the tax ending in 2014, Carpenter said, but it is now expected to retire in 2019.

Carpenter said he wants to see legislation passed that would ensure the tax sunsets in 2019 and require the Brewers to extend their 30-year lease on the stadium by five years to match the additional time the tax was in place.

“We have to be very careful about how our tax dollars are spent,” Carpenter said.

 

 

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