Contact:
State Senator David Craig, (608) 266-5400
Madison, WI — On Monday, State Senator David Craig (R-Town of Vernon) circulated a bill to reinstate the base budget review process. This requires state agencies to submit a report of every dollar and program they administer to be reviewed by the legislature. This law was originally enacted in 2002 and repealed in 2009. Senator Craig released the follow statement on the bill:
“In the state budget process, the previous budget becomes the new starting point, or ‘base’. That base budget is hardly ever examined – it’s ‘baked into the cake’. Wisconsin families have to put all their bills and receipts on the table when making their budgets. They examine every dollar, and so should government,” said Senator Craig.
The bill would require one third of state agencies to submit a detailed report of all programs and spending with their biennial budget requests. Over a six-year period, each government agencies will have submitted this report describing all programs, activities, and costs.
“Government will continue to grow unchecked unless we regularly seek out the waste, inefficiencies, and antiquated programs that continue to hide in the base budgets of all state agencies free from scrutiny,” said Senator Craig. “This bill will shine a light on every tax dollar.”
“As Ronald Reagan once said, ‘a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth!’ A thorough examination of government spending is a fundamental duty of the legislature. Without it, we fail the taxpayer,” said Senator Craig.
Senator Craig represents the 28th Senate District which includes parts of Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Walworth counties.
