Democrats on the legislature’s budget committee are calling Republican cuts to Governor Tony Evers’ proposed budget “foolish and embarrassing.”
Those comments came after the Joint Finance Committee removed a total of 380 items from the Governor’s budget on Thursday.
Representative Evan Goyke said the cuts would leave a “fiscal hole we will not be able to climb out of.” The Milwaukee Democrat expanded on that, in a YouTube video.
Governor Evers is calling on Wisconsinites to contact their lawmakers to push for items to be reintroduced into the budget, including expansion of Badgercare. “This is an embarrassing decision that will cost Wisconsin for decades to come,” said JFC Democrat, Senator Jon Erpenbach said of the Republican decision to reject federal funding for that.
Other provisions axed by the Republican majority included legalization of marijuana, and increased spending for education.
“The budget that we’re going to be adopting, I believe is going to be reasonable, responsible and realistic,” Joint Finance Committee co-chair, Senator Howard Marklein said prior to Thursday’s first JFC work session.
“It’s pretty clear the governor’s budget is unworkable, unrealistic and unsustainable,” said co-chair, Representative Mark Born. “No Wisconsin business or family would budget the way the governor has, and legislative Republicans will not either.”
We will focus on reasonable, responsible and realistic priorities to support all Wisconsinites! Our approach takes us back to basics as we build the next state budget. pic.twitter.com/YkUpxnvMJE
— Sen. Howard Marklein (@SenMarklein) May 6, 2021
Republicans will be working up a new budget off of base — that is, from current budget signed by Evers two years ago. A completed budget is expected to be ready by June or July, at which time Evers can use his extensive veto authority to modify it.
WRN’s Raymond Neupert contributed to this report