The leader of the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate said Wednesday that lawmakers are nearing a deal that would allow for long-blocked pay raises for UW employees to take effect and for funding to be released to pay for construction of a new engineering building, the Associated Press reports. A UW spokesperson contested that account, however, saying an end to negotiations was not at hand.
Funding for the project has been blocked amid an ongoing dispute primarily with Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who objects to UW spending public money on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and staff.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday that Vos has been working with UW President Jay Rothman and other school officials for months “to come to a compromise” and that “they’re really close right now.”
UW system spokesperson Mark Pitsch said in an email, however, that “no deal is imminent,” and there are “broader considerations” to be taken into account. Pitsch did not specify what those considerations were or what legislative leaders had asked for in closed-door negotiations.
Democrats have railed against the decision to withhold raises that were approved earlier this year in the bipartisan state budget. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers sued the Legislature in October, accusing the Republican majority of obstructing basic government functions by not signing off on the raises.
