MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Any doubts that key parts of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget face significant hurdles among fellow Republicans who control the Legislature have been erased after three days of hearings that exposed rare bipartisan opposition to the spending plan.
Walker’s proposal to borrow half a billion dollars and delay road projects? Irresponsible, Republicans and Democrats charged.
Cut University of Wisconsin tuition by 5 percent? It does nothing to help poorer students.
Waive sales taxes for back-to-school purchases one weekend a year? Nothing but a gimmick.
Self-insurance for state workers? Cost-saving estimates are overly rosy.
Do away with a popular outdoors magazine in favor of social media outreach? Not everyone in rural Wisconsin has strong internet connections.
Republicans were clear before the ink was even dry on Walker’s budget that they had major issues - particularly on how to address a projected $1 billion shortfall for roads. But their dislike for Walker’s plan for that and on other parts of his budget came into sharper focus during last week’s marathon hearings that saw Republicans join with Democrats - an increasing rarity in the hyper-partisan Legislature - to assail many parts of the plan.
And now the public gets a chance to weigh in - first in Platteville on Monday - as the Joint Finance Committee hits the road for six hearings across the state over the next three weeks. Interests groups from AARP to teachers’ unions, government watchdog groups to health care advocates, conservative tax watchers to environmentalists, are expected to shower lawmakers with comments that will help shape changes to the budget over the coming months.
How much of Walker’s plan survives the Legislature will also be a test of his political strength midway through his second term, with a run for a third on the horizon.
Republicans have built their decades-high majorities on promises to cut taxes, which they’ve done over the past six years with Walker at the helm. But now some Republicans, most notably leaders in the Assembly, are pushing Walker to at least consider higher gas taxes and vehicle-related fees to keep road projects on target.
Walker was initially open to the idea - if there were corresponding tax cuts elsewhere. But in a page out of President Donald Trump’s playbook, Walker took to Twitter in the middle of a budget hearing last week as Republicans discussed raising taxes to blast the idea.
“Let’s be clear,” Walker tweeted at 10 p.m. Wednesday. “I don’t support spending less on K-12 education than what’s in my budget and I will veto a gas tax increase.”
Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, said that Republicans were ready to “bite the bullet” and raise taxes to help pay for roads, but they were looking for support - however unlikely - from Walker’s administration.
“The writing is on the wall when you see individuals who are not usually on the same team (agreeing),” Democratic Sen. Lena Taylor told leaders of Walker’s Transportation Department after lawmakers urged them to consider tax hikes.
But Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, faced with pushback from other conservative anti-tax increase lawmakers, said the Senate would never override a Walker veto of a gas tax hike. He said they were actively looking for another solution, but won’t say yet what. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, in contrast to Fitzgerald, said Republicans in the Assembly would override Walker on roads if necessary.
Republicans have never attempted an override of a Walker veto before.
“It’s just not part of the dynamic that exists for a Republican-controlled Legislature to override Governor Walker,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s just not going to happen. Work with him up front, try and get some concessions or changes that make sense for us, and that’s where we need to negotiate from.”
The Joint Finance Committee is expected to start taking votes on changes to the budget in early May.
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