Democrat lawmakers on the Joint Finance Committee vigorously opposed the Republican plan for tax cuts, as the budget panel concluded it’s work on Thursday. State Representative Chris Taylor said the budget should show Wisconsinites that the GOP cares more about big business than average citizens.
“You all have raised taxes on low and middle income working people by reducing the earned income tax credit and reducing the homestead tax credit. That’s what you’ve done.”
The total tax cut is less than half the size of the Democrats plan, but Governor Evers wanted to raise taxes on businesses to pay for lower income tax breaks.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he’s optimistic that Governor Tony Evers will not veto the two year state budget. Vos spoke at a media briefing on Thursday, during which he contrasted the final JFC package with Evers’ originally proposed “Peoples Budget.”
“What did Governor Evers say, fix the damn roads? We’re doing that. What did he say, make sure we have a budget than can help children? We’re doing a kid friendly plus budget. He said make sure that we have the ability to take care of the most vulnerable. We’re doing that without expanding welfare. And we have enough resources left over that we prioritized a very large tax cut, that’s going to help every single family that pays taxes in the state.”
The GOP plan — including that $457 million tax cut over two years — now goes to the full legislature for consideration. Evers may then veto portions of it — or all of it.