Legislative Republicans vow to craft a fiscally-responsible spending plan
MADISON, Wis. – Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) released the following statement in response to Gov. Tony Evers’ budget address where he laid out his two-year spending plan that is full of non-fiscal policy items and would raise taxes while expanding the size of government:
“Since I was first elected in 2016, the Joint Finance Committee has always removed policy items from the governor’s proposed budgets. In fact, the same thing was also done when former Republican Gov. Scott Walker was in office. I am a firm believer that non-fiscal items should be taken out of the budget and considered individually on their own merit – just like we do with any bill. If you leave policy proposals in the budget, they receive virtually no debate in the state Legislature and the public is essentially shut out of the legislative process. The budget is not an acceptable avenue to ram through the governor’s liberal wish list. As a former educator, you’d think he would know this by now, but here we are.
“Even more troubling, the governor’s suggested spending plan would put us on track to go from a projected $4.3 billion surplus to a considerable deficit. Simply put, we cannot be spending more than what we are taking in. I am trying to connect the dots here, but something isn’t adding up.
“Once again, Legislative Republicans will have to be the adults in the room and craft a fiscally-responsible budget that both addresses our state’s priorities and delivers meaningful tax relief. With so many families struggling right now due to increased costs, it would be downright reprehensible to saddle them with even more expenses. That is just plain heartless and cruel. We need to be providing Wisconsinites with the tools necessary to succeed – not taxing them out of their homes.”
