Rep. Peter Barca
By H. Nelson Goodson
June 19, 2013
Madison, WI - On Wednesday, the state GOP Assembly control legislators were stunt after Minority Leader Representative Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) spoked for more than a half hour to the Assembly members about the budget's failure to help the working middle class. Barca said, that Democrats would not introduced any of their 200 amendments to the Republican control budget. Barca had talked about the damage the budget would do to the middle working class, education, Badgercare and that the GOP budget was geared to benefit the wealthy.
Democrats said that they will take their fight and amendments to the public. The state Senate will begin the budget debate on Thursday morning.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) stated, that the new "budget cuts taxes, invests in education and reforms government...freezes tuition and fees for the UW System...after the System stockplied tuition dollars for future expenses. "
The Wisconsin State Assembly Bill (AB 40) 2013-2015 Biennial budget passed by a margin of 55-42, with 3 GOP members voting no with Democrats.
The $68 billion two year budget plan includes:
● $1 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy,
● funds nearly $300 million for public schools and expands statewide school choice,
● rejects federal medicaid expansion funding,
● cuts BadgerCare funding and covers 84,700 fewer people at an extra cost of $120 million,
● UW System tuition won't be increased,
● will allow Bail Bondsmen,
● eliminates Milwaukee city employees residency requirements,
● allows for State Crime Lab in Milwaukee to relocate,
● retroactively eliminates lead paint poisoning lawsuits effecting 171 cases of children,
● and stops funding for Milwaukee Police Department SpotShotter program, which pinpoints gunfire at neighborhoods.
