NEWS
Assembly passes its version of budget repair bill
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by Beth Mueller
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Assembly got to work in a special session to repair the state budget shortfall late Wednesday night, introducing a plan and passing it in a 51-46 vote a few hours later.
The Republican-led leadership crafted the repair proposal, which hinged on addressing the nearly $425 million shortfall without raising taxes.
“It is fiscally responsible, I believe, to balance this budget without raising taxes,” said Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem. “The one thing families cannot do is raise taxes, and neither should state government.”
However, legislative opponents said the proposal had little chance to become law as it is.
“It was a do-nothing budget repair bill from a do-nothing Assembly,” said Seth Boffeli, spokesperson for Minority Leader Rep. Jim Kreuser, D-Kenosha. “It was short on specifics, it pushed all the tough cuts on the governor, and it put the UW system at the top of the chopping block.”
Under the Assembly plan, the University of Wisconsin System will be required to cut $25 million in both the 2007-09 and 2009-11 biennia, and the Wisconsin Technical College System will be required to cut $1 million each biennium.
“Recognizing the goal that we must freeze spending in order to get out of this budget shortfall — that was the key component of this legislation,” Huebsch said.
The plan would require a cut of $200 million from general spending, not specifically outlined, according to Huebsch, to provide Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle with flexibility.
Because the Assembly proposal differs significantly from Doyle’s proposal, which included a hospital tax and money from the state’s transportation fund, and from Senate Democrats’ plan, which is expected to include some form of tax changes, a long process reminiscent of the budget’s first time around is possible.
“We’re looking at a budget stalemate that will last several weeks if not several months,” Boffeli said.
A conference committee composed of four members from each house will likely form to work on the final deliberations.
“If we do have this process of a long, drawn-out conference committee, I would hope that Gov. Doyle will have learned from the last conference committee to stay engaged in this process,” Assembly Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said.
The Assembly plan would also use money from the budget stabilization fund, also called rainy day fund, “because it’s raining, no question,” Huebsch quipped.
A delay of about one week on a payment to school aid would fill the remainder of the hole.
“With every day that we go by under the previous budget, we’re spending more money than we have,” Huebsch said. “That’s why it’s so important to move quickly.”
Fitzgerald and Huebsch also said they would introduce the bill and debate it so soon thereafter to demonstrate to the Senate Democrats that the budget can be fixed without raising taxes.
“I don’t think we’ve rushed into anything,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve known for a long time that we were heading towards a budget repair bill.”
Calls to Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker’s office were not returned as of press time.
Jack Lohman (March 13, 2008 @ 7:57am):
Nice that the Republicans want to decrease taxes. Too bad they aren't as interested in passing Healthy Wisconsin which would control increasing costs while extending coverage for all.
But of course, they receive massive campaign contributions from the insurance industry that wants just the opposite, so what else should we expect.
Anonymous (March 13, 2008 @ 11:57am):
what is it about the republicans in this state that makes them hate the UW so much? Why are they so against education?
Anonymous (March 13, 2008 @ 2:18pm):
They are not against education, but they
do want UW to clean up its act.
Anonymous (March 13, 2008 @ 4:30pm):
clean up its act? i'm sorry i didn't know a top 50 university in the country was out of control.
Anonymous (March 18, 2008 @ 2:40pm):
Don't you recall the Barrows, Clark, Cohen,
Coronado, Kaplan, and Goodwin scandals? How
about the APBS disaster and the backup
appointments fiasco?
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