Budget Fix Squeaks Through Senate
Madison… A plan to fix a state budget shortfall of more than a half billion dollars was on the agenda today for Republican Dale Schultz and 32 other state senators.
Schultz said the slow economy led to the shortfall and he wants the state to do what a family has to do during tough times – spend less.
The State Senate passed the plan and the State Assembly is set to vote on it Wednesday, to send it to Governor Jim Doyle. Schultz said Senate and Assembly leaders wrote the plan in bipartisan spirit, but the big concern now is how much Governor Doyle writes new law by himself with vetoes to the bill.
Schultz said in the past Doyle has treated the state road fund like a cookie jar by raiding one-point-one billion dollars through creative vetoes.
Schultz said he couldn’t vote for the plan because it only cut spending by sixty-nine million dollars. Accounting tricks and borrowing filled the remaining gap and are estimated to cause a $1.7 billion dollar shortfall within three years..
Read about the details of the pla by clicking here.
Email Schultz with your thoughts at Sen.Schultz@legis.wi.gov.