Summary Information
Robert Thompson Papers
1969-1973
Mss 993
4.8 c.f. (12 archives boxes)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Legislative papers of Robert Thompson, a Democratic state representative who served in the Wisconsin Assembly from 1970 to 1972. Known for his advocacy of environmental conservation and support of environmental education, the papers include bill files, subject files concerning various environmental issues, project reports, correspondence, questionnaires, memoranda, notes, and other materials regarding his legislative activities. The papers also include extensive files on public education funding including Assembly Joint Resolution 76, sponsored by Thompson, which proposed transferring the cost of elementary and secondary education from a property tax to a more progressive form of state funding. These files consist of a draft of AJR 76, correspondence, reports for Wisconsin education financing, news clippings, and background material on educational financing and property tax reform in other states.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00993 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Former Democratic assemblyman Robert Thompson was born in Madison, Wisconsin on November 25, 1927. He grew up in Poynette, Wisconsin and graduated from Poynette High School in 1945. After graduation he worked as an electrician, a gunsmith, and a clerk for the Dekorra-Pacific School from 1952 to 1960.
In 1962 he became involved with the Executive Council of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and was its Vice Chairman from 1963 to 1968. He quickly won a reputation for his environmental advocacy. In 1965 he became Chairman of the Columbia County Board of Adjustments and in 1968 he became the Chairman of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.
In 1970 he was elected to the State Assembly, representing the 80th District. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Quality and a member of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. In that role he dealt with such environmental concerns as solid waste disposal, air and water pollution control, and wildlife management and environmental education for Wisconsin youth. In 1971, he advocated for an Environmental Youth Education Center at Poynette and joined Governor Lucey's Council on Environmental Education, which closely cooperated with the state's educational curriculum to improve environmental education in schools.
During the same year, Thompson was also appointed a member of the Governor's Task Force on Education Financing and Property Tax. His focus moved from environmental education issues to public education funding problems. In 1971 Thompson and State Representative James W. Wahner (D-Milwaukee) introduced the Assembly Joint Resolution 76, also known as the Thompson-Wahner Resolution. This resolution was intended to transfer the cost of Elementary and Secondary Education from property tax to a more progressive form of state funding but it was unsuccessful.
Scope and Content Note
The papers relate primarily to Thompson's career in the State Assembly (1970-1972). Included is correspondence with constituents, state agencies, and other legislators, memoranda, reports, minutes, notes, and informational material on Wisconsin's environmental agenda and public school funding. The collection is arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Subject Files, Public Education Funding Files, and Bills. Documentation is most extensive for the 1971 session.
The CORRESPONDENCE (1971-1972) include letters concerning specific legislation from constituents, colleagues, and state agencies. The correspondence is arranged chronologically.
The SUBJECT FILES (1967-1973) comprise the bulk of the collection and include memoranda, news clippings, newsletters, schedules, background information on environmental concerns, and questionnaires. Local files include materials on the Columbia County and the Mackenzie Youth Conservation Camps.
The PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING FILES (1971-1972) includes draft of Assembly Joint Resolution 76, reports, correspondence, news clippings, and reference materials for educational financing and property tax reform in other states including Serrano adjudication in California, education financing in Michigan, court actions in Minnesota and Texas, and minutes and working papers of the Government Task Force on Educational Financing and Property Tax Reform.
The BILLS (1970-1973) files are arranged by Assembly Bill drafts, Senate Bill drafts, and miscellaneous drafts.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Robert Thompson, 1979. Accession Number: M79-225
Processed by Eunha Youn (Practicum student), 2003.
Contents List
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Mss 993
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Series: Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
1-12
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1971 January-December
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Box
2
Folder
1-6
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1972 January-November
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Series: Subject Files
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Abortion, 1970
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Box
2
Folder
8
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Abandoned Cars, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Advertising on Highway, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Agriculture, 1970
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Box
2
Folder
11
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AFL-CLO, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Apprenticeship, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
13
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Auto License Fees, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
14
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Auto Liability, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
15
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Banking & Interest Rates, 1971
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Box
2
Folder
16
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Beer Bar, 1972
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Behnke, Leo H., 1971
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Box
3
Folder
2
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Bennet, Ross, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Bishop's Wood, 1971-1972
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Box
3
Folder
4
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Blue Cross, 1972
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Box
3
Folder
5
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BOGO (Board of Government Operations), 1971
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Box
3
Folder
6
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Boundary Review, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
7
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Budgets, 1971, 1973
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Box
3
Folder
8
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Bulletins & Newsletters, 1971-1972
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Box
3
Folder
9
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Cambria March Project, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
10
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Capital Visitors, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
11
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Citations, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
12
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Civil Rights, 1972
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Box
3
Folder
13
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Charitable Organization, 1972
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Box
3
Folder
14
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Code of Judicial Ethics, 1971
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Columbia County, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
15
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Board of Adjustments
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Box
3
Folder
16
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Board Members
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Box
3
Folder
17
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School Aids
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Box
3
Folder
18
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Highway
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Box
3
Folder
19
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Congressional Record, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
20
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Conservation Education, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
21
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Conservation Congress, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
22
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Conservation Work Program, 1967
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Box
3
Folder
23
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Constituent Problems with State Departments, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
24
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Consumer Protection, 1971
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Box
3
Folder
25
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Council on Criminal Justice, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
1
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County Resolution, 1972
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Box
4
Folder
2
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County College, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
3
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County Zoning, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
4
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ECO File, 1970-72
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Box
4
Folder
5
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CO-Bulletin, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Education, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
7
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Education Commission of the State, 1972
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Eighteen Year Old Vote, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Emergency Employment Act, 1971
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Environmental Education, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
10
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Annual Report
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Box
4
Folder
11
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State Planning
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Box
4
Folder
12
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Guideline and Handbook
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Box
4
Folder
13
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Environmental Education Council #1
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Box
4
Folder
14
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Environmental Education Council #2
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Environmental Quality, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
15
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Committee
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Box
4
Folder
16
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Hearing (Door County)
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Box
4
Folder
17
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Environmental Quality Task Force
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Box
4
Folder
18
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EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Funding, 1971
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Box
4
Folder
19
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Expense Statement, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
1
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Farm Tax, Correspondence, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
2
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Family Court Commissioners, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
3
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Family Farmer, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
4
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Family Planning, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
5
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Family Credit legislation, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
6
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Fort Winnebago, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
7
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Flooding, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
8
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Fox River Valley, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
9
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Full Crew Law, repeal of, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
10
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Dystra, Richard, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
11
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Gubernatorial Appointment, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
12
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Gun & Hunting, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
13
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Handicapped, problems of, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
14
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Highway Safety, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
15
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Highway 16 Stoppage, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
16
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Highway 60 Interchange, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
17
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Homestead Tax Relief, 1972
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Box
5
Folder
18
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Housing, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
19
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Indian Affairs, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
20
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Inheritance Tax, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
21
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Invitation letters, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
22
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Job Inquiries, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
23
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King, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
24
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Krause, Arno, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
25
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Labor V, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
26
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Lake Michigan, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
27
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Land Acquisition, 1971
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Box
5
Folder
28
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Land Use, 1970-1971
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Box
6
Folder
1
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LAWCON (Land and Water Conservation), 1971
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Box
6
Folder
2
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Legislative Council Bill, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
3
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Legislative Scholarship Recipient, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
4
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Local Affair, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
5
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Mackenzie Environmental Center, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
6
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Meat Inspection, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
7
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Medicaid, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
8
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Medical Facilities, 1970-1971
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Box
6
Folder
9
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Migrant Labor, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
10
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Ming Reclamation, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
11
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Miscellaneous
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Box
6
Folder
12
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Mobile Home Park, 1971
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Natural Resources, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
13
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Board
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Box
6
Folder
14
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Department
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Box
6
Folder
15
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Committee on
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Box
6
Folder
16
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Interim Committee
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Box
6
Folder
17
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Neess, Dr. John, 1971
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Box
6
Folder
18
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N.E.T. Issacson, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
1
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News Media Labels (Columbia County), 1971
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Box
7
Folder
2
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Newspaper Subscription, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
3
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Nursing Home, 1972
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Box
7
Folder
4
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Pesticide Control, Model Act
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Box
7
Folder
5
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Peterson, Edward, 1971
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Parochaid, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
6
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SB 138
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Box
7
Folder
7
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Telegram
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Box
7
Folder
8
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Correspondence
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Box
7
Folder
9
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Phosphate Hearing, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
10
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Polusi, Peter, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
11
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Pollution, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
12
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Population, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
13
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Power Plants, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
14
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Printing, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
15
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Printing Requisition, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
16
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Private Funding, 1970
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Box
7
Folder
17
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Probate Reform, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
18
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Property Tax Relief, 1972
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Box
7
Folder
19
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Public Assistance, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
20
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Public School Aids, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
1
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Questionnaires, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
2
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Rail Pax, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
3
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Reappointment, 1969-1970
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Box
8
Folder
4
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Recycling, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
5
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Regional Planning, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
6
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Revenue Sharing, 1971-1972
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Box
8
Folder
7
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Ritchie, Regional - Water Pollution, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
8
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Rockfest
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Box
8
Folder
9
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Roll Call Vote, 1971, 1972
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Box
8
Folder
10
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Sanguine, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
11
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SCS Engineers (Portage Sanitary Landfill), 1971
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Box
8
Folder
12
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Senate Bill 713 (Utility Tax), 1971
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Box
8
Folder
13
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Senior Citizen
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Box
8
Folder
14
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Sixty-Five Foot Trucks, 1971- 1972
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Box
8
Folder
15
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Snowmobile
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Box
8
Folder
16
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Solid Waste Disposal, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
17
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Swan Lake Project, 1970-1972
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Box
8
Folder
18
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Taxes, 1971
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Box
8
Folder
19
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Thompson's Newsletter, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
1
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Trading Stamps, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
2
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TWITL (This Week In The Legislature), 1971
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Box
9
Folder
3
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Truth in Advertising, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
4
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Utility Tax Distribution, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
5
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University Merger, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
6
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Van Mater, Russell, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
7
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Veteran's Affairs, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
8
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Vetoes, Executive, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
9
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Vocational Rehabilitation, 1970-1971
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Box
9
Folder
10
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Water Monitoring Group, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
11
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Water Quality Improvement Act, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
12
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Water Quality Standards, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
13
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Watersheds
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Box
9
Folder
14
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Wetland, Preservation of, 1970
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Box
9
Folder
15
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Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, 1971- 1972
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Box
9
Folder
16
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Wisconsin Dells Sewage Plant, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
17
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Wisconsin Education Association, 1972
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Box
9
Folder
18
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Wisconsin Public Documents, 1971
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Box
9
Folder
19
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Wisconsin Resource Conservation Council, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
1
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Wisconsin River, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
2
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Wisconsin State University, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
3
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Wisconsin Tax News, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
4
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Wisconsin Women's Clubs for Environment, 1972
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Box
10
Folder
5
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Women's Rights, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
6
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WSU Salaries, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
7
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WYOENA Reassessment
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Box
10
Folder
8
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Youth Conservation Work Program, 1972
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Box
10
Folder
9
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Youth Camp, 1972
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Box
10
Folder
10
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Youthful Offenders, 1972
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Box
10
Folder
11
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Correspondence
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Series: Public Education Funding Files
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Box
10
Folder
12
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Serrano Issue-ECS (Education Commission of States), 1971
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Box
10
Folder
13
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AJR 76, 1971
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Correspondence on AJR 76, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
14
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Thompson letters
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Box
10
Folder
15-16
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Superintendents, 1971
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Box
10
Folder
17
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James Warren
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Box
11
Folder
1
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Bulletins and Newsletters, 1971-1972
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Box
11
Folder
2
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News clippings, 1972
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Box
11
Folder
3
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Education Financing and Property Tax Reform
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Government Task Force on Educational Financing and Property Tax Reform
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Box
11
Folder
4
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Minutes, 1971 January-June
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Box
11
Folder
5-6
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Working Papers, #1-#9
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Box
11
Folder
7
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Special Report on Wisconsin Education Financing, 1972
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Box
11
Folder
8
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State Aid for Education
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Box
11
Folder
9
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National Education Financing Project
|
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Box
11
Folder
10
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Court Action in Minnesota and Texas regarding School Financing
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Box
11
Folder
11
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Education Financing Reform - Michigan, 1971
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Box
11
Folder
12
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Miscellaneous
|
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Series: Bills
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Assembly
|
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Box
11
Folder
13
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Code of Ethics (AB 297), 1969
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Box
11
Folder
14
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Advertising on Highway (AB1411), 1971
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Box
11
Folder
15
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Financing Wisconsin Public School (AJR76), 1971
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Box
11
Folder
16
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Trading Stamps (AB 338), 1971
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Box
12
Folder
1
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Water Monitoring Group (AB657), 1971
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Box
12
Folder
2
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Full Crew Law (AB1), 1972
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Box
12
Folder
3
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Sexual Equality (AJR2), 1972
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Box
12
Folder
4
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Usury Law Violation (AB2), 1972
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Box
12
Folder
5
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Redistricting (AJR), 1973
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Senate
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Box
12
Folder
6-8
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Redistricting (SB1356), 1971, #1-#3
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Box
12
Folder
9
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Wisconsin Job for Youth, 1972
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Miscellaneous
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Box
12
Folder
10
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Open Meeting, 1973
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Box
12
Folder
11
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Lobbying, 1973
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Box
12
Folder
12
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Refinancing Government Service, 1973
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