MADISON (WKOW) — Renewed budget talks between Gov. Tony Evers and legislative Republicans appear to have fallen apart again.
The Joint Finance Committee’s executive session to discuss the state budget was put on hold Thursday. Just a few minutes before it was scheduled to start at 1 p.m., Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostbug) sent out a statement saying JFC was “paused.”
“Conversations between legislative leaders and the Evers administration resumed earlier this week,” he said. “All sides again negotiated in good faith to do what’s best for he state of Wisconsin.
“However, these discussions are heading in a direction that taxpayers cannot afford.
“Senate Republicans are ready to work with the State Assembly to pass a balanced budget that cuts taxes and responsibly invests in core priorities,” LeMahieu said in a statement.
His counterpart in the Assembly, Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), said Senate Republicans walked away from negotiations.
“We hope Senate Republicans will come back to the table to finish fighting for these reforms and complete the budget on time,” Vos and JFC Co-Chair Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) said in a statement.
“Assembly and Senate Republicans have met in good faith with Gov. Evers over the past couple weeks and have had productive conversations towards a budget that cuts taxes, puts more money into K-12 schools to stave off higher property taxes, and funds childcare and the university system in exchange for meaningful reforms,” they said. “Assembly Republicans will not pass a budget that doesn’t have a guarantee from Gov. Evers of tax relief in it.”
Vos and Born said passing a new budget is “the most conservative and the most responsible option.” They said the budget lawmakers are drafting now has a more conservative growth rate than the current budget.
However, former Senate President Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) said he’s not happy with the budget JFC is drafting. Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) has shared similar sentiments.
Because Republicans have a three-vote majority in the Senate, they can only afford to lose support from one member of their caucus. If Kapenga and Nass both continue to oppose the budget, Republicans will need to rely on Democratic votes to pass the bill.
The budget deadline is June 30. If lawmakers do not pass a budget by then, state funding will continue at current levels.
