Action on Wisconsin budget to begin next week
MADISON—Four public hearings by the Legislature’s budget committee are in the works to give people a chance to comment on Gov. Scott Walker’s two-year state spending proposal.
Dates and places for the hearings before the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee have not yet been set.
The committee plans to begin receiving briefings from state agencies on how the budget affects them starting next week. Once those are done, the Republican-controlled committee will then begin its process of voting on changes to the $68 billion budget.
The full Legislature is expected to vote on the budget sometime in June.
Walker’s plan includes an income tax cut, an expansion of private school vouchers, a tightening of Medicaid eligibility and a freezing of public school spending.
Mar 12, 2013 at 4:06 p.m.
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Looks like the Gazette forgot to add this little tidbit regarding Walkers budget. According to the Milwaukee Journal, "Using the administration's own accounting according to private-sector standards, Walker's budget would grow the state's deficit in its main account by nearly $600 million over the two years to $2.64 billion." "That would mean that the state's structural balance, a comparison of its expected tax revenues and spending based on current levels plus changes in state law affecting future budgets, would deteriorate from a projected surplus of $146 million this year to a potential deficit of $188.2 million in fiscal year 2015." "Using more comprehensive GAAP accounting practices, the state deficit would grow to $2.64 billion from $2.06 billion, an increase of 29% over two years.
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Republicans have been hammering away at Democrats for deficit spending in the face of a crippling recession and here Walker is giving a very generous payout to the wealthy at the expense of taxpayers. Perhaps RAF, 916WI, usaret, MB Hammer, wislady (to name a few) can explain the benefits of intentionally increasing our deficit by 29%.
Mar 12, 2013 at 12:34 p.m.
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"Ramrod on Wisconsin budget to begin next week"
There - fixed the headline for you Gazette.
Mar 12, 2013 at 11:47 a.m.
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Get back in there at once and sell! Sell!
Mar 12, 2013 at 10:53 a.m.
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HMMMMMMMM.... INCREASE voucher program and FREEZE public school spending? Do I see an agenda here?
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