Gov. Scott Walker signs 2013-2015 state budget into law

PLEASANT PRAIRIE (WITI) -- Governor Scott Walker on Sunday, June 30th signed the 2013-15 state budget into law.According to Gov.

Home prices in major U.S. cities rise at 12.1% annual rate in April

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The rise in home prices continued to accelerate in April, but a jump in mortgage rates could soon put the brakes on prices.The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index was up 12.1% in April, compared to a year ago, in the 20 top real estate markets across the nation.

Group asks Gov. Walker to remove provision in state budget

MADISON (WITI) -- A provision in the state budget requires municipalities to cut taxes by the same amount they hike fees -- prompting a group to ask Gov.

Surging home sales raise new housing bubble fears

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Home sales and prices continued to climb in May, raising the prospect of a new housing bubble unless there is a significant increase in home building."The home price growth is too fast, and only additional supply from new homebuilding can moderate future price growth," said Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.

State Assembly passes spending plan for next two years

MADISON (WITI) -- The Wisconsin budget passed the Assembly on Wednesday, June 19th with almost no debate after a surprise move by Democrats.The $68 billion budget lays out a spending plan for the next two years and:

No great strides taken during state budget debate Tuesday

MADISON (WITI) --  Compared to past proceedings held at Wisconsin's State Capitol, the debate on Tuesday, June 18th over the state's budget was downright friendly.

Approved MPS budget to create 45 additional positions

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The 2013-2014 Milwaukee Public Schools budget approved Tuesday night, June 11th will bring 45 additional art, music and physical education teacher and librarian positions into MPS schools.Art will see the biggest boost between 2012-13 and the upcoming 2013-14 school year under the plan, growing by about 25 full-time teaching positions.

Proposal could raise requirements for unemployment work searches

MADISON (WITI) -- Those who collect unemployment benefits are required to apply for two jobs each week in order to continue receiving those benefits.

Lawmakers take tour of schools involved in School Choice Program

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Some state lawmakers on Monday, May 13th took a tour of schools involved in the School Choice Program.

Economy added 165,000 jobs in April, rate fell to 7.5%

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Job growth was stronger than initially reported at the start of 2013, and U.S. employers continued to hire in April.The economy added 165,000 jobs in April, according to a Labor Department report released Friday.That was more than expected and marked an improvement over March, but the big story came from large revisions to earlier job growth numbers.

U.S. unemployment benefits fall to 346,000

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Claims for unemployment benefits are on a roller coaster ride again, falling dramatically last week after rising sharply a week earlier.That volatility isn't unusual for March and April, when the Easter holiday and school spring breaks tend to distort the figures.About 346,000 people filed claims for their first week of jobless benefits last week, down from a revised 388,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday.The figure was better than expected.

Congress to sign off on bill to fund government through 2013

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Congress is expected to soon sign off on a bill to continue funding the federal government through the end of the fiscal year.That's good, because if they don't, funding would run out on March 27.

Sequestration may soon impact Wisconsin's unemployed

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The looming threats of sequestration will soon hit some of Wisconsin's unemployed.

Business Journal Report (3-14-13)

In business news for Thursday, March 14th, 2013 -- The Department of Labor released a better than expected weekly report on initial jobless claims.Additionally, Amazon is cutting the price of its Kindle Fire HD.

What's in proposed budget of GOP's Paul Ryan?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan proposed Tuesday to eliminate the annual deficit by 2023, in large part by cutting projected spending growth over the next decade by roughly $5 trillion.The plan, which contains many of the same provisions he offered last year, hits all the GOP high notes: less spending, lower tax rates and a rejection of most of President Obama's health reforms.Ryan's proposal represents the start of a months-long process on Capitol Hill aimed at enacting a budget for the 2014 fiscal year, which begins in October.On Wednesday, Democratic Senate Budget Chairman Patty Murray will put out her own 2014 proposal that is expected to contrast sharply with Ryan's.But the two sides are likely to view each other's budget proposal as dead on arrival.While Democrats and Republicans have called a truce in their fight over this year's budget, vowing to work to avoid a government shutdown later this month, but they remain sharply divided over broad fiscal policy for 2014 and beyond.Still, their plans set the boundaries as lawmakers try to negotiate some kind of middle ground.Here are the main provisions of Ryan's budget proposal.BALANCED BUDGETRyan's proposal doesn't detail all of the assumptions he makes about certain variables like economic growth or when some of his proposals would go into effect.

U.S. economy adds 236K jobs in February, rate falls to 7.7%

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- U.S. employers ramped up their hiring in February, helping to lower the unemployment rate slightly.The U.S. economy added 236,000 jobs in February, according to a Labor Department report released Friday.