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JFC approves GOP tax package

The committee approved the GOP tax package 12-3 along party lines. Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, was not in the room for the vote. JFC is now moving to the wrap-up motion. … Please log in to access subscriber content. If

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JFC approves changes to special needs scholarship

The Joint Finance Committee kicked of its final budget action Wednesday with a 12-4 party-line vote to revamp the special needs scholarship, which allows students with a disability to receive state money to attend private schools. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau

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JFC approves GOP changes to Foxconn bill

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines to approve a GOP amendment to the Foxconn bill that would overhaul the appeal process for any lawsuits filed over the project. Dems slammed the GOP amendment, saying it would give

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JFC approves GOP K-12 education plan along party lines

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines Monday to tweak Gov. Scott Walker’s K-12 education plan by adding a boost for low-spending school districts and increasing the income cutoff for students in the statewide voucher program. Dems slammed

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JFC to meet Sept. 5 on transportation, taxes

The Joint Finance Committee is meeting Sept. 5 to take up transportation, taxes and the Special Needs Scholarship Program. Specific items on the agenda include local transportation aid and assistance, the state highway program, State Patrol and the Department of

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JFC approves $1 billion building program

The Joint Finance Committee today unanimously approved a $1 billion building budget, expanding Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal by more than $200 million as lawmakers seek to fund an expanded engineering program at UW-Platteville, among other things. Co-chair Alberta Darling, R-River

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JFC approves increased rates to house juvenile offenders

JFC approved a significant increase in the daily rates state taxpayer and counties pay to house juvenile offenders. State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, objected to the modification and slammed the “inhumane” treatment of those housed at Lincoln Hilly and Copper

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JFC approves DNR reorganization

The Joint Finance Committee signed off along party lines 12-4 on the guv’s plan to reorganize the DNR, including the eliminating the Bureau of Science Services and transferring its research position to other areas. The plan also would consolidate functions

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JFC approves amended budget, sends to full Legislature

Republicans put the final touches on their version of the state budget late Tuesday, as the Joint Finance Committee added provisions that would repeal the AMT, create new tax breaks for broadcasters and nix a series of tax cuts Gov. Scott Walker originally proposed. The amended budget cleared the committee

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JFC approves wrap-up motion, moves onto final passage

The committee voted 12-4 along party lines to approve the wrap-up motion that includes moving up a pay increase for state employees and requiring the UW System to start tracking teaching loads. Dems noted the wrap-up motion — normally called 999, but 421 this year — did not contain some

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JFC approves GOP tax package

The committee approved the GOP tax package 12-3 along party lines. Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, was not in the room for the vote. JFC is now moving to the wrap-up motion. … Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, please contact schmies@wispolitics.com for subscription options

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JFC Republicans propose AMT repeal, nixing series of Walker tax cuts

Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee are proposing the elimination of the alternative minimum tax starting in 2019 while nixing a series of tax changes Gov. Scott Walker had originally proposed. The alternative minimum tax repeal would decrease revenues $1.75 million in this biennium and $7 million annually thereafter. Ahead

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JFC approves changes to special needs scholarship

The Joint Finance Committee kicked of its final budget action Wednesday with a 12-4 party-line vote to revamp the special needs scholarship, which allows students with a disability to receive state money to attend private schools. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated the changes would add 250 students in 2018-19, doubling

Read More »

JFC approves GOP changes to Foxconn bill

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines to approve a GOP amendment to the Foxconn bill that would overhaul the appeal process for any lawsuits filed over the project. Dems slammed the GOP amendment, saying it would give Foxconn special treatment not available to Wisconsin-based companies and could

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JFC co-chairs: Transpo package won’t enumerate I-94 east-west

The transportation package the Joint Finance Committee expects to take up today would not enumerate I-94 east-west or the north leg of the Zoo Interchange while imposing new fees on electric and hybrid cars, according to the committee’s co-chairs. The fee would be $100 for electric cars and $75 for

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JFC approves GOP K-12 education plan along party lines

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines Monday to tweak Gov. Scott Walker’s K-12 education plan by adding a boost for low-spending school districts and increasing the income cutoff for students in the statewide voucher program. Dems slammed the proposal, saying the $639 million more the motion would

Read More »

JFC to meet Sept. 5 on transportation, taxes

The Joint Finance Committee is meeting Sept. 5 to take up transportation, taxes and the Special Needs Scholarship Program. Specific items on the agenda include local transportation aid and assistance, the state highway program, State Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Members will also take up the school levy

Read More »

JFC approves $1 billion building program

The Joint Finance Committee today unanimously approved a $1 billion building budget, expanding Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal by more than $200 million as lawmakers seek to fund an expanded engineering program at UW-Platteville, among other things. Co-chair Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said the engineering building at Platteville has long been

Read More »

JFC approves increased rates to house juvenile offenders

JFC approved a significant increase in the daily rates state taxpayer and counties pay to house juvenile offenders. State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, objected to the modification and slammed the “inhumane” treatment of those housed at Lincoln Hilly and Copper Lake. “Instead of increasing the rates, we should be giving

Read More »

JFC approves smaller boost in lottery advertising than guv wanted

The Joint Finance Committee approved a boost of $1 million annually for lottery advertising, $2 million less than what Gov. Scott Walker wanted. It would be the first increase in advertising in nearly a decade. Dems proposed using $96,600 of that money to increase responsible gaming public service announcements to

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JFC approves DNR reorganization

The Joint Finance Committee signed off along party lines 12-4 on the guv’s plan to reorganize the DNR, including the eliminating the Bureau of Science Services and transferring its research position to other areas. The plan also would consolidate functions such as the creation of an Environmental Management office that

Read More »