OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – While Wisconsin’s joint finance committee adjusts Governor Tony Evers’ proposed biennial budget, state lawmakers are looking to their constituents to understand their priorities.
On Monday, Democratic Representatives Lee Snodgrass and Lori Palmeri, and Republicans Nate Gustafson and Michael Schraa hosted a bipartisan budget listening session. Both sides do expect there to be agreement on funding for some items.
“Shared revenue,” Gustafson said. “We’re definitely seeing the hurt and the squeeze of local municipalities as well as the counties that really need that additional funding.”
“Public education, child care, affordable housing, job- workforce development,” Snodgrass said.
But there is disagreement over the degree of funding. Gustafson said the disagreement mainly comes down to the amount Evers requested in his initial budget proposal.
“I think it’s kind of out of our realm,” Gustafson said. “We could see ourselves falling into a quick deficit cliff that I don’t think any of us want to face here in a couple years. Ultimately it’s about being fiscally responsible with the money we do have, even if it’s a surplus.”
In early May, joint finance stripped over 500 items from Evers’ proposal, creating a base budget equivalent to the one the state has had for the last two years. Snodgrass said some areas now need even more attention.
“I want to see it be a budget that I can vote yes for. But there are obviously certain things that are not negotiable- making sure that we have provided public schools the correct funding, making sure we have child care counts, that middle class tax cuts we’d like to see.”
Once the budget is modified it will be sent to the Republican controlled assembly and senate for approval before making its way back to Governor Evers.
The budget surplus has dipped slightly, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Back in January it was projected to be at $7.1 billion. It’s now estimated at $6.9 billion.
The total is still the highest in the state’s history.
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