The joint finance committee formally accepted Governor Evers’ budget proposal Wednesday, but will pretty much scrap it.
Republican State Senator Pat Testin of Stevens Point says they promptly stripped it to the bare bones.
“We’re not going to be operating off of what the Governor has proposed. We are going to start off from the base budget that we’re currently under and we’re going to build off of that” said Testin.
Testin says the Committee doesn't see the Governor's proposed spending levels as sustainable.
“Our fiscal bureau estimates that if we to adopt what the Governor has proposed by fiscal year 2027, we would be looking at, at minimum, a $700 million budget shortfall and deficit.”
Testin says the committee remains committed to a flat-tax proposal, which he says will keep Wisconsin competitive for jobs and businesses.
“When you take a look at our tax climate here in the state, we’re about middle of the pack nationwide. If we want to be competitive and attract workers from outside of the state, attract new investments and businesses, we need to be competitive and make the case as to why they should come here.”
The committee will spend the next few months producing that budget, which should be ready for the Governor's signature or line-item veto pen by this spring.
