After countless hours of negotiations over taxes, education funding and health care, the Wisconsin state Legislature finally came to an agreement late Tuesday night, approving a budget that increases spending by $763.3 million dollars, which will affect the city and University of Wisconsin in many areas.
The 2007-09 version of the budget bill includes a $0.77 tax increase on cigarettes, extends Medicaid to allow 98 percent of residents to receive health care, will add nearly 500 state jobs, as well as a $500,000 increase in shared revenue for the city of Madison.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is pleased with the outcome, according to spokesperson George Twigg.
“A couple of the very bad things in the Assembly version of the budget were deleted in the final budget,” Twigg said. “It will help with the city’s bottom line, so overall it was good news.”
The budget will also raise funding for UW by roughly $62 million. Special grants in excess of $250 million will be given to the university to fund building projects, such as renovating the Memorial Union Theater and replacing Union South.
“I think it’s a signal that people are realizing that higher education is not a partisan concern, it’s a universal concern,” UW system spokesperson David Giroux said. “This modest reinvestment in the university is just a smart thing to do.”
UW Chancellor John Wiley applauded Gov. Jim Doyle and the Legislature in a statement Wednesday for compromising and eventually trusting in the value of higher education.
“The budget contains major victories for the university in student financial aid, faculty retention and the capital budget,” Wiley said in the statement. “Most importantly, this budget reverses a six-year trend of significant reductions in state support…”
BadgerCare, the state’s health care program, will not only cover 98 percent of residents, but will also be expanded to ensure all children will be covered.
Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, was extremely satisfied with the budget because of the emphasis it puts on the city of Madison, UW and the state’s youth.
“It was a great budget, especially for young people,” Parisi said. “There was a huge increase in financial aid, and the university made out very well.”
Parisi also pointed to the health care benefits and public media funding as a success in the budget.
“I think it’s very important that we increased funding to public TV and radio,” Parisi continued. “When you couple that with the expansion of BadgerCare, this is a real victory for our youth.”
However, many Republicans are still unsatisfied with the budget, including Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau. His spokesperson, Ryan Murray, said the approved budget includes too many tax hikes.
“The speaker (Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem) did an amazing job in talking the Democrats back from the edge,” Murray said. “That being said, [Fitzgerald] was still unhappy with some of the details of the budget — that’s why he voted no.”
Democratic Gov. Doyle, who has been a part of the negotiations all along, is currently reviewing the bill.
“[Doyle] believes that the budget passed yesterday focuses on Wisconsin’s priorities — providing health care and supporting the university system,” said Carla Vigue, spokesperson for Doyle. “He does not expect to make any major vetoes.”
Vigue added Doyle expects to sign the bill on the UW campus Friday morning. The governor and his staff are currently going over the details of the 1,663-page bill.