Contact: Olivia Hwang, 608.266.5504
Madison – Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) released the following statement today in response to the Assembly’s passage of a $76 billion budget that is rigged against regular Wisconsinites:
“Here we are, nearly seven years into Scott Walker’s career as governor with little to show for his promises. The non-partisan Fiscal Bureau stated in a new report today that Walker and Republicans are spending more money than they will have in the next biennium. By 2021, we’ll be nearly $1 billion in the hole.
Wisconsinites care about ensuring every individual in their community has an equal opportunity to succeed in an economy that is fair. Those are our priorities, and our state budget should reflect them.
I’m proud of my colleagues who fought for every Wisconsinite, not for the special interests that Republicans are beholden to. The truth is, this budget is rigged against Wisconsin families. Legislative Republicans had many opportunities to improve the budget for working families. Instead, they bickered all summer and failed to pass a budget that provides increased wages for workers, that makes health care more affordable, and that fixes crumbling roads and bridges. By delaying a sustainable transportation solution, Republicans are ensuring our roads will continue to deteriorate and will be even worse two years from now.
Simply put, Gov. Walker’s budget increased taxes on working families and parents, and they refused to provide help to Wisconsinites drowning in student-loan debt.
We can do better. The people of Wisconsin deserve better.”