The state Assembly passes a budget repair bill with significant changes from what the Governor requested. The bill was approve late Wednesday night on a 51-46 vote, just a few hours after it was introduced.
The legislation calls for $250 million in cuts to state spending and delays aid payments to schools. Assembly Minority Leader Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha) says it's a "do nothing" bill. He says it pushes off payments to the future and does not indicate where the state would have to cut funding.
Republicans rejected the Governor's proposal, which called for a hospital tax and a transportation fund raid. Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) says their plan avoids tax increases, which are not needed to get through the $652 million budget shortfall the state is facing.
Kreuser says Republicans are setting up a stalemate similar to last fall, which delayed the budget over three months. The Senate is expected to send the bill to the Joint Finance Committee, but it could eventually end up in a conference committee.
