Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature voted Thursday to kill most of the top spending priorities of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, even as both sides negotiate a tax cut, according to the Associated Press.
The Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee voted along party lines to kill more than 600 budget proposals put forward by Evers, including spending more state money on child care providers, expanding Medicaid, legalizing marijuana and raising taxes on joint tax filers who earn more than $1 million.
The cuts come amid uncertainty about how much federal money the state will get as President Donald Trump’s administration moves to drastically reduce government spending. Evers’ budget as introduced would have spent about $119 billion money over two years, a 20% increase in spending.
Evers and Republicans have been talking about a tax cut plan they both could support but have not released details. Republicans argue that most of the state’s roughly $4 billion surplus should be returned as tax cuts rather than used to support spending on K-12 schools, the University of Wisconsin and other state programs.
Other proposals stripped from the budget on Thursday include eliminating the tax on tips; increasing funding to combat “forever chemicals” or PFAS; targeted property tax cuts for veterans, seniors and people with disabilities; spending $128 million on new financial aid targeting low-income college students and more.
