Cigar Weekly

Assembly passes budget in late night session

Budget passed along party lines, with two Dems voting against; All Republican amendments voted down

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After 12 hours of debate that lasted until 5:30 a.m., the Democratic controlled Assembly passed their version of the 2009-11 state budget Saturday morning with all Republicans voting in opposition.

 

Debate was planned to begin Wednesday morning, but due to long hours of party caucuses revolving around more than 100 proposed amendments per party, debate began late Friday afternoon.

 

In the end, the Democratic majority passed more than 100 of their amendments to Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget and rejected all 131 amendments proposed by the Republicans members. “Not surprisingly, when Democrats alone craft the entire budget, you get a very typical Democrat product,” said Minority Leader Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, in a statement. “The result of closed-door deals and votes by moonlight are increased spending, higher taxes, more social programs, dozens of pork projects and special-interest policy items aimed at helping their supporters.”

 

The budget was passed with a 50-48 vote, with all Republicans voting “no” along with Reps. Margaret Krusick, D-Milwaukee, and Bob Ziegelbauer, D-Manitowoc. The remaining Democratic representatives voted “yes” along with former Republican and now independent Rep. Jeff Wood, I-Chippewa Falls. Rep. Nick Milroy, D-Superior, was absent from debate due to his wife’s recent hospitalization.

 

The Democratic plan cut $3.2 billion in state spending, leading to a $62.2 billion spending budget, which Democrats expect will resolve the projected $6.6 billion budget shortfall. “We passed a common-sense plan that reduces state spending by $3.2 billion, protects the overwhelming majority of Wisconsin workers and families from income, sales and payroll tax increases, and shields our most important priorities like education, health care and public safety from the deepest cuts,” said Speaker Rep. Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville in a statement.