The legislature’s budget panel is rejecting Governor Scott Walker’s plan to self insure state employees. Joint Finance Committee co-chair, Representative John Nygren says Walker’s estimate of projected savings — $60 million dollars — are too high.
Also, Nygren and co-chair, Senator Alberta Darling, questioned a growing reserve at the Group Insurance Board, wondering why the money wasn’t used to reduce health care costs to consumers.
Nygren and Darling said they’ll request an audit of the Group Insurance Board, by the legislature’s Joint Audit Committee.
The Finance Committee is supporting Walker’s plan to eliminate the state portion of property taxes — although the panel held off on a vote Wednesday.
Most property taxes are levied by school districts and local governments, but a small portion is collected by the state, as a means of maintaining Wisconsin’s forests. Eliminating that would save about 25 bucks on the property tax bill for a median valued home.
Also on Wednesday, Nygren and Darling said they’re rejecting the governor’s plan to end publication of the Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine by the DNR. The bi-monthly magazine picked up subscribers on word the governor planned to axe it. Darling said that by way of a compromise, it will be published four times a year.