NEWS
Budget struggle continues
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by Amanda Villa
Monday, September 17, 2007
With the Wisconsin state budget yet to be decided, Republicans are taking a different approach by writing a proposal which, if passed, would determine the final funding numbers for certain aspects of the budget.
The Republican-controlled Assembly released a proposal Thursday allocating funding for K-12 schools, the school levy tax credit and shared revenue, which funds community projects in cities throughout the state.
The budget was supposed to be passed by July 1 but is in limbo as state legislators continue to disagree on many issues at hand.
This proposal covers many vital state budget items, but was rejected soon after its release by Senate Democrats.
State Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, said neither side seems to be budging on the proposal, adding it is an attempt on the Republican side to compromise with Senate Democrats.
"We have made a proposal that we feel is fair and will be beneficial. We have gone halfway and beyond to meet the Democrats' wants," Vos said. "It's time for the Democrats to go and meet us halfway."
A central aspect to the new proposal is education. The money from the previous budget is guaranteed for the 2007-09 version of the budget, but legislators have been arguing over how much that amount should be modified.
Carla Vigue, a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, said the proposal is a gimmick the Republicans are using to avoid passing a budget and is thereby hurting Wisconsin residents.
"State law reads, [schools in Wisconsin] will continue to receive the same as last year, but it will be a cut in reality,” Vigue said. “For instance, there could be a cut of 1,000 teaching positions in grades K-12."
If schools do not get more money, Vigue added, inflation rates will take dollars away from the system, possibly resulting in job cuts.
"In general, the budget is having a real impact on people's lives,” Vigue said. “Kids have to go to school without knowing how much money they are getting, and all tax payers are affected — everyone's waiting."
Shared revenue funding, like education, will take a pay cut, according to Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
In a statement, Barrett said Milwaukee would take a hit if the Republican-controlled Assembly's budget proposal passes.
The city, Barrett added, would not receive a $15 million increase in the state shared revenue and additionally would bear the $13 million burden of paying for a School Choice Program.
"Ironically, the Assembly has entitled their proposal the Property Taxpayer Protection Plan,’” Barrett said in the statement. “In reality, it's nothing more than a property taxpayer sham.”
But Assembly Speaker Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said in a statement if legislators fail to compromise and act on this proposal soon, a $589 million property tax hike could occur.
Huebsch added if Democrats and Republicans could work together to finalize state government spending for the next two years and fund two of their top priorities, legislators would have a chance to save property taxpayers millions of dollars.
Both the proposal and the state budget have yet to be voted on.
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