Joint Finance Committee Supports Proposal to Allow Sale of State Property

The Joint Finance Committee voted yesterday to allow the sale of state-owned property, a plan Governor Scott Walker included in his 2013-15 biennial budget proposal. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau told the committee that the governor’s recommendation was so broad it would allow for the sale of the State Capitol building.

The committee did make changes — all sales must first be approved by the State Building Commission and the Joint Finance Committee as part of a 13.10 hearing. Responding to concern from the University of Wisconsin, the committee voted to forbid the sale of property that was built or purchased with at least 50 percent gifts or federal funds. The committee also voted to require that proceeds from sales be used first to pay down debt from those properties.