As work on the state budget wraps up, talk of vetoes looms large. “I think you’re obviously going to see partial vetoes for sure,” Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said on Monday. “The extent of those remains be seen. But I think we’re a long way off from what was proposed from the governor.
Republicans on the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee have spent weeks taking a scalpel — some would say a cleaver — to the budget proposed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who has the ability to make partial vetoes. The governor also could veto the entire JFC spending plan, if he so chooses.
“He’s not going to get everything he wants, we’re not going to get everything we want,” said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke. “He’s going to make some partial vetoes. If he chose to veto the entire budget, I’m telling you he’d be making a huge mistake.” Steinke said vetoing the entire budget would leave municipalities and school districts unable to plan for their own budgets. He and Hintz were guests on WHBY’s “Fresh Take” program on Monday morning.
Speaking with reporters following an event in Madison on Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said if Evers vetoes entire state budget, the Legislature will not come back to take up a veto override until October. By state statute, if a biennial budget is not signed by the start of fiscal year on July 1, spending levels set in the previous two year budget remain in place.
The Joint Committee on Finance is scheduled to complete its work on the budget on Thursday.