Senate Republicans pass state budget, reject Democrats' proposed changes
MADISON Wis. (CBS 58) -- Senate Republicans approved the 2023-2025 state budget Wednesday after nearly eight hours of debate.
The bill passed largely along party lines (20-13), a move that will send the $98.6 billion spending plan to the Assembly before it heads to Gov. Tony Evers desk. Republican Senators Rob Hutton and Steve Nass joined Democrats in voting against the proposal.
Most of the debate was centered around numerous amendments Democrats introduced to change the budget to reflect the one Evers proposed in February. The amendments ranged from marijuana legalization, Medicaid expansion, funding a pandemic-era childcare program and an office of school safety, along with repealing the state's near-total abortion ban to “restore Roe."
It marked the first time a vote was held on the floor to repeal the 1849 law, which charges individuals with a felony if they perform an abortion, since Roe was overturned. All 22 Senate Republicans voted against it and the rest of the amendments proposed by Democrats. The move was expected after the GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee stripped those provisions and hundreds more from Evers' budget proposal in May.
Democrats said the budget that was largely crafted by Republicans was filled with missed opportunities to not use the state's projected $7 billion surplus to invest in a wide variety of areas.
"You had a $7 billion surplus and you cut childcare and higher education -- what are we even doing here?" Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) said.
Republicans instead focused the conversation on how the budget could cut taxes across the board by $3.5 billion which would give bigger tax breaks to individuals who make the higher incomes.
"Why are we punishing successful people in the state of Wisconsin and incentivizing them to leave the state," Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said. "We also have to remember this is a tax cut for every taxpayer in the state of Wisconsin."
Individuals who earn between $60,000 and $70,000 per year would pay on average around $250 less in taxes. Filers that make $100,000 or more would receive an average tax decrease of $1,698 while those making between $25,000 and $30,000 would see a $15 tax cut on average.
Democrats were critical of the plan because they say it disproportionately benefits the wealthiest Wisconsinites.
"Your inflicting generational harm by priorities like these tax breaks over investments in the ordinary people of the state," Senate Majority Leader Melissa Agard said.
In addition to tax cuts, the budget would also give public K-12 schools $1 billion, which amounts to a $325 per pupil increase.
Private choice schools would also see an increase of $1,100 per student at the K-8 level while private high schools would receive an increase of nearly $3,000 per voucher student.
This was part of a border deal struck between Evers and GOP leaders when crafting the sweeping local government aid package which also allows Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to raise their sales tax.
The budget also includes $700 million to cover the cost of pay raises for state employes, a higher hourly wage for public defenders and assistant district attorneys to address high turnover rates, $125 million to fight PFAS contaminants, $2 million for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay and boosting transit funding statewide by 2%.