Gov. Scott Walker signed his controversial 2011-13 budget bill into law Sunday afternoon, ending a heated six-month battle over the $66 billion spending plan.
Original plans to sign the bill in Green Bay at Badger Sheet Metal Works were scrapped when it was discovered that the company's CEO had served time for income tax evasion. Instead, the bill-signing ceremony took place at nearby Fox Valley Metal-Tech.
The bill features extensions to tax breaks for manufacturers and multistate corporations, which Republicans have said will spur job creation. It will also cut $800 million from public education, $500 million from Medicaid, and $250 million from the University of Wisconsin System, however, will not include and fee or tax increases.
In addition, increases to employee contributions to pensions and health care and the highly-publicized cuts to collective bargaining are part of the bill.
"We can choose to take the easy path and pass this onto our children," Walker said of the current budget deficit to those gathered at the signing, "or step up to the plate and make these tough decisions now."
in the budget bill that he received from the state Legislature, including:
- A provision that would have allowed bail bondsmen in Wisconsin;
- An item that reduces the tax on most brands of chewing tobacco;
- A provision that allows fired Milwaukee police officers to continue getting pay while they appeal their dismissals; and
- A measure requiring fingerprinting for child care providers.
Walker did not veto a provision in the budget that bans beer-makers from also distributing their beverages, even though he had been urged to do so by .
“We may disagree on the issue of the day, but we always find a way to unite and reach out when it means helping our neighbors in need; or leaving our children a better state than we inherited," the Republican governor said in a statement. "The recent debates in Madison found us spending too much time focused on our differences, rather than our similarities. But today we turn the page.”
However, Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca of Kenosha blasted the budget and described it as being "out of touch" with the concerns and issues facing Wisconsin families.
"The theme of Governor's Walker’s budget is that the middle class pays more and gets less," Barca said. "This budget will further Governor's Walker’s reputation as the most polarizing governor in the nation.
“With $2.3 billion in tax breaks to wealthy special interests and expanded loopholes that allow out-of-state corporations to dodge taxes, Governor Walker’s budget is lavish in giveaways to large special interests, but out of touch when it comes to the concerns of Wisconsin’s middle class," Barca added.
I know a corporate labor attorney who'd like to move back to Milwaukee, but he'd have to take a $40,000 cut. And Badger, try people who'd want to go into teaching after what the Republicans have done to compensation. And yeah the money is part of it, but I know a number of teachers who are taking retirement because they are tired of the disrespect. Apparently the factor of a few tax dollars has got these wingers whacked out. But disrespect is pretty much what is on display on the Patch blogs by the right wing.
Because it makes some childishly feel good because they see it "getting back at liberal professors", this can only harm the direction of this state. The university has spawned a lot of successful businesses, as a visit to the west side of Madison would prove. Don't apologize for your pseudomum Thurston. It's clear tweak of the wealth worshipers on this blog and these wingers can be vicious, as will be proved I am sure shortly. About your comment on unions. They are the great equalizer and they protect the rights of working people. It is no accident that as union membership has been going down, so has the growth of the middle class while the American aristocracy has gotten obscenely wealthy. That I have no problem defining.
Your down and out responses are interesting. So you feel that the workers and teachers and public employees should all be paid more money by the businesses and corporations who you said our "cheap" in this state. Lets for the fun of it agree with your argument. What happens to the costs of everything in our state. Why would a cheap business open here as opposed to Ohio or ILL or Indiana or MI. MN. Tution goes up because the students are funding higher salaries. Does enrollment go down because a parent can not afford to send their kid to one of our state schools. Do you connect the dots here??? Markets should decide prices and wages not unions and governments. Union Dues are a hidden Tax on workers and consumers alike. Where did you learn this ideology above
Concerning your $50 trillion in unfunded post retirement benefits, you didn't source that number but I know that Wisconsin's state pension fund is not part of whatever that amount actually is-it has 0% liability. So please consider tempering your Koch brothers-funded Pavlovian post Feb. 11, 2011 anger at Wisconsin's public unions!
And I do worry about the old, the sick, and children. How could anyone not be concerned that there are people in our community, state, and country who aren't getting enough to eat??? This is America, the bread basket of world! We should be able to feed our people!
All collective bargaining does is jack up the cost of government - and that is why school districts, municipalities, states and the federal government are shouldering an unimaginable current liability for future obligations. It's not due to a lack of revenue. It's due to the exponentially escalating cost of post retirement benefits, health care and wages the last three decades. Regarding Wisconsin, the STATE pension liability is fully funded at present....but not all municipalities and school districts are so fortunate (ie MPS, Milw County). And don't forget...whilst private sector folks like me, who fund their own retirement, have taken huge hits to our IRA's and 401k's the last 3 years, public sector retirees have their pension guarantees intact, regardless of how much their pension fund has fluctuated during this economic malaise. Cheers!!
If some folks REALLY wanted to live in the type of country that they claim ours should be, in the meantime they could move to northern Afghanistan or Iraq. The terrain is mountainous, communication is difficult, and it's very hard for government to exert control over the population. Government's real small out there! And you are missing the entire point about unions-they were created to improve workplace conditions, including wages, which increases tax revenue. And yes, my fund took a hit too. But I don't blame unions, I blame Wall Street.
",,,this is democracy at work..." What happened to the complaint of those on the Left who " criticise Gov Walker for not showing his hand in his campaign." I believe you suggested that they "get a life." You've conceded, and try to justify, that Walker duped the voters in a campaign, (when showing that hand might well have cost him a win), then you practically boast that he and the GOP recall targets in the state senate used the budget proecess in a way they said it shouldn't be abused. This is democracy at work?
You realize that is exactly the behaviors of managemnent that lead to the labor movement and continues to be the reason unions exist in the first place? Every time you see a unionized employer in either sector, realize that the union is there because management was behaving in a way that was inherently exploitive and self-serving. "Ok, so what?" Did you really say that? I do believe giving credit where credit is due. You are modeling perfect Republican behavior and attitude as Democrats love to portray it. I guess you can be proud. By the way, you didn't have to live with Doyle. The Recall election option was always there, just like it is now. To use your words - that's the system.
It also should be noted that the exploitive employers that we had back in the 'pre-union olden days' had a large percentage of unskilled, uneducated, immigrant workers. By their nature, their employment options were very limited. We also didn't have OSHA to set standards for workplace safety. The conditions that brought unions into existence aren't nearly as common anymore and probably don't apply at all within the public sector.
Just assure me you're not a Tea Party, Bachmann supporting, Palin book buying type... Please? I never thought I'd ache for a good debate with a traditional Republican before. My biggest fault is raising my own rhetoric to match the incendiary soundbite logic of the extreme right. It's strange to think we want to think this country is founded on ideals, when in actuality, our strength has always been in practical, rational compromises.
Concerning "democracy at work," the right to protest peacefully is democracy at work, just as it was for the "mushroom" Americans to sat at home and complained about Doyle as he struggled to set right years of fiscal irresponsibility under Thompson (thanks again for lifting Wisconsin's 18% credit card interest cap, Tommy!). But laziness has its part to play in American politics and the special interest groups and billionaires know how to take full advantage. The reason so many people are upset with Walker might be because he ran a legitimate campaign then turned around and immediately started working on the Koch brothers mandate for new Republican governors instead. Not putting Wisconsin first. John, I really don't expect you to understand or appreciate my statements, but share for others who care to read them. I speak out against the actions of certain politicians and other self-serving individuals but I would never insult our form of government as you have done.