Tale of Two Budgets: Republicans Love It, Democrats Hate It

The 2013-2015 state budget passed the Assembly Wednesday on a party line vote with Republicans, save three, voting for it and the Democrats giving it a thumbs down. The final vote tally was 55-42. 

Only Republicans Steve Nass, Howard Marklein and Steve Kestell sided with their Democratic colleagues in voting against the budget, which now heads to the Senate for a vote, according to a story from The Associated Press. 

If the budget passes in the Senate unchanged, it goes directly to Gov. Scott Walker where he can choose to sign it, veto the whole thing or veto individual items. The Legislature would then have the opportunity to override those items with another vote.

Unlike the raucous process surrounding the 2011-2013 budget, this time around Democrats didn't participate in a debate. Instead, Minority Leader Rep. Peter Barca, Kenosha, outlined the areas where Democrats feel the Republicans got it wrong including: expanding the school voucher program statewide, tax cuts for the wealthy, and reducing the number of residents covered under BadgerCare. 

After the vote, Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos, R-Burlington, issued a statement praising the work he and his colleagues put into the budget and thanking constituents who "helped make this budget better."

"With this new budget, our state will continue to move in the right direction.  We’ve followed through on our promise to the taxpayer. This budget cuts taxes, invests in education and reforms government," he said.

More, Vos outlined how the budget helps state residents by creating $1 billion in tax cuts; directing $300 million to public schools while expanding vouchers statewide; and freezing tuition at all University of Wisconsin schools.

“We’re confident that Wisconsin’s economy will continue to grow and that this budget will help make the state’s future even brighter," he stated. 

But Cory Mason, R-Racine, said in his statement that state Republicans failed Wisconsin's middle class families. Mason is the ranking Democrat on the Joint Committee on Finance.

“Let me be absolutely clear: the budget just passed by Assembly Republicans fails Wisconsin’s middle class," he said. "This budget is an affront to Wisconsin’s values, and prioritizes a far-right ideological agenda and special interests over Wisconsin’s families."

Mason stressed that the budget doesn't strengthen education, especially for families with special needs students; doesn't help residents afford healthcare; and continues to underfund skill training when the state can least afford to do so.

While Republicans scoffed at the Democrats for not debating, Democrats said it wasn't worth it to introduce any of the 211 amendments they wrote. Instead, they plan to tell citizens how and why the budget is bad so Republicans who voted for it can be voted out of office during the next election, a story from The Associated Press reads.