GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Wisconsin GOP leaders are putting the pressure on Governor Tony Evers to approve the state budget.
State Representative John Nygren was joined by over a dozen other party leaders Thursday to send a message to the governor that this budget is as good as it’ll get.
“I urge, once again urge, the governor to sign this bill,” says Representative Nygren.
Others agreed that the GOP crafted budget is fair and attempts to meet his requests.
“We did our best to meet him on his ground when we could,” explains Representative Steineke.
At a news conference in Madison Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald urged Evers to sign the budget.
According to him, it would be difficult to build another budget Evers would accept if the governor does opt to veto the entire budget.
The Republican budget spends nearly 2 billion dollars less than the governor’s proposal and it also cuts out some important plans.
Some notable exclusions include Medicaid Expansion, an 8 cent gas tax hike to fund roads, a higher minimum wage, and more than a billion dollars for schools.
Yet, the Republican plan does increase spending by 6-percent over last year and, according to Representative Nygren, its the biggest increase in funding for roads in a generation.
“That may be a little bit higher than we would’ve in the past gone, but because we now have shared government we understand that the governor is going to have some wins too,” he explains.
Democratic Representative Amanda Stuck says their proposed budget contains plenty of empty figures.
“I hope that people will remember this when they’re voting in the future, that it’s really important that we have people in office that will do the most for schools instead of the least they can for schools,” says Representative Stuck.
She adds that urgency is needed at this point.
“I do think at the end of the day it’s important that we do pass something instead of leaving people hanging on what will be next. Hopefully, this can go through at least at this point so that there is some increase,” explains Representative Stuck.
Next up, Governor Evers can sign it into law, veto it, or use his partial veto powers.
“I think he has a very powerful veto pen,” says Representative Nygren. “That can line item things, but overall I think the document is very sound. I think the public will be supportive of it. I think he should sign it.”
