(The Center Square) – The latest budget battle at the Wisconsin Capitol has little to do with what’s going to be in the state’s next spending plan.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers over the weekend criticized Republicans after they voted to remove a wave of non-budgetary policies from his budget proposal.
“Republicans on the state’s budget committee gutted over 600 provisions that did what’s best for our kids and the folks, families, and communities that raise them,” Evers said. “While Wisconsinites struggle to keep up with rising costs, Republicans are rejecting my plan.”
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos immediately fired back and blamed Evers for his take-it-or-leave-it approach to the state budget.
“Do you think instead of complaining, perhaps you could actually sit down with Republicans and negotiate on the state budget?” Vos asked on social media. “If you don’t want to work with us, stop making these videos and pretending like you’re leading.”
Vos was not the only Republican to criticize.
Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, were on UpFront on Milwaukee TV and said the governor isn’t talking with Republicans, specifically about the tax cut package Republicans want passed first.
“Right now, the governor doesn’t seem serious about talking about it, and he keeps trying to push it into the budget discussions more,” Born said.
Republicans, including Vos, have said they want to pass a tax cut first as a test of how willing the governor is to work with them.
Republicans at the Capitol have said they have “zero” trust in Evers.
Marklein and Born say it will be hard to regain that trust after the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the governor’s 400-year school funding veto.
Marklein and Born said they are waiting on new revenue numbers from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which are due this week, before they make any spending decisions.
