AB 821

Under current law, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)

is required to establish and administer a state main street program to assist

municipalities in planning, managing, and implementing programs for the

revitalization of business areas. Under the state main street program, WEDC assists

municipalities in increasing economic activity in a business area within the

municipality while preserving and building on the business area's historically

significant characteristics. From those municipalities that file applications, WEDC

may annually select up to five municipalities to participate in the program for five

years each. This bill increases the number of municipalities that WEDC may

annually accept into the state main street program from five to ten.

Under current law, WEDC may also provide training, technical assistance, and

information on the revitalization of business areas to municipalities that do not

participate in the state main street program. Current law further provides that

WEDC may charge reasonable fees for services and information it provides to a

municipality that is not participating in the state main street program. This bill

authorizes WEDC to establish and administer a program to provide business area

revitalization services to municipalities that include a business area and that are not

participating in the state main street program. Under this bill, a municipality that

includes a business area and is not participating in the state main street program

is called a downtown affiliate. This bill provides that WEDC may charge downtown

affiliates for services provided under the program.

Under current law, WEDC is required to expend at least $250,000 each year on

the state main street program. Under this bill, the state main street program and

the program for downtown affiliates are combined to create the Wisconsin downtown

development program. This bill requires WEDC to expend at least $750,000 each

year on the Wisconsin downtown development program.

Finally, this bill specifies that the Department of Tourism must promote travel

to communities that are participating in the state main street program.