Wisconsin budget: Full Legislature to vote Wednesday
Lawmakers to vote on Wisconsin budget
Wisconsin lawmakers are set to vote on the state's two-year budget on Wednesday. A deal would cut taxes, fund child care initiatives and more.
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin lawmakers are set to vote on the state's two-year budget on Wednesday. After months of negotiations, a deal would cut taxes, fund child care initiatives and address road improvements.
Budget deal reached
What they're saying:
It's a budget that people on both sides of the aisle called a compromise. On Tuesday, the Joint Finance Committee approved the budget deal that Gov. Tony Evers and Republican lawmakers negotiated.
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"What we have on the floor today is better than it would have been," said Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton).
"I am glad we are near the end of this process," said State Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee.
Wisconsin State Capitol
Budget vote
Local perspective:
On Wednesday, the budget moved to the full Legislature – first on the Senate floor, where Democrats proposed amendments.
"We’re going to have some things we’ve done in the past: supporting education, child care, higher education, strengthening our economy, lowering prices for our workers," said Hesselbein.
"We had priorities, and that was having a tax cut that was actually going to be signed into law," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester).
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The budget would offer income tax cuts averaging $180 a year per taxpayer.
"We’re not only going to have a budget that provides significant tax relief bills for previous investments, but also address some of the challenges we face here in the state," said State Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point).
The budget raises fees for car titles by $50. There would also be funding boosts for the Universities of Wisconsin System and roads. It would allocate $330 million for child care programs, and it offers half-a-billion dollars for K-12 special education.
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"We had historic investments in special education," Vos said.
"I wish we were voting for fully funding our K-12 schools, our higher education and child care," said Hesselbein.
What's next:
When the Legislature approves a state budget, it heads to the governor's desk. The governor has the authority to use his powerful partial veto.
The Source: FOX6 News was at the Wisconsin Capitol for Wednesday's proceedings and referenced prior coverage of the budget for this report.