State Budget Update

    


May 5, 2015
 

Contact Me




State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

PH: (608) 266-0631
TF: (888) 534-0094
FAX: (608) 282-3694

District/Law Office
1230 Ferry Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 785-1886
rep.doyle@legis.wi.gov
On the Web: http://doyle.assembly.wi.gov

 

In The District




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In The Legislature


Legislative Committees


Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions - Ranking Member


 Assembly Committee on Insurance - Ranking Member
 

Assembly Committee on Tourism


 Assembly Committee on Small Business Development
 

Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties

 

  
 

 

 

In addition to these issues, one thing that has been weighing heavily on everyone’s mind is the upcoming projections of state revenue for the next two years. The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau is preparing these numbers and they will help us anticipate the needs of our state over the next two years based on the money coming in. It is expected that the numbers will reveal that the state is facing a serious budget deficit, that is a gap between the money coming in (revenue) and the money going out (expenditures).

These projections have become highly partisan as well. Those who support some of the more drastic cuts included in the Governor’s proposal had hoped that the projections would show large sums of money that could then be used to fill some of the holes created. Others are looking towards the expected numbers as an indicator that it is time to reprioritize and focus what limited resources the state has on vital programs. Another interesting factor is that the JFC has pushed many controversial topics until after the projections have been released.

Regardless, the projections will certainly be a game changer. Hopefully we will have them by the end of this week. In the meantime, here is an update on what the JFC debated today.


Update on the UW System

Before the JFC met today, the co-chairs told reporters that they have abandoned the Governor’s proposal to separate the UW System as an independent authority. They also said that they hoped to reduce the $300 million in cuts under the Governor’s proposal but they won’t be taking up the issue until later this month.

OWI Treatment

  • The Governor’s proposal would cut $732,000 that is currently used for treatment of drunk drivers specifically in southeast Wisconsin. The treatment program would lose funding solely dedicated to it and instead have to compete with other substance abuse and community programs.

  • The JFC approved this plan. Additionally they approved the transfer of the program from the DOT to the Department of Health Services.
     


Budget for the Governor’s Office


  • The Governor’s proposal would raise his state office budget by $375,000 or 5%. In terms of comparisons, the entire state budget includes only a 3.2% increase in spending.

  • The JFC approved the proposal along partisan lines.
     


Recycling
 

  • The Governor’s proposal would cut $4 million from the $19 million state environmental management account that goes to different communities around the state to fund recycling.
    In the second year of the biennium, the $4 million would be restored but this would come on top of a series of cuts to the recycling program dating back to 2011.

  • The JFC voted to approve this plan.

     

Judges’ Salaries
 

  • The Governor’s budget would create a commission to review pay for judges.

  • The JFC rejected this plan.
     

  • Also, under this plan, the chief justice of the Supreme Court would no longer make a different amount than the other justices.

  • The JFC approved the proposal.

     

Public Defenders
 

  • The Governor’s budget wanted to freeze wages for assistant district attorneys and assistant public defenders.
    The JFC voted to boost pay by 2% by 2016, a cost of roughly $1 million.

  • The proposal would also hire 35 assistant public defenders to save on costs of referral to a private attorney.


Special Prosecutors

  • The Governor’s budget included a measure to change the circumstances in which a special prosecutor could be appointed, narrowed to health issues and not to help lighten the load of DAs.

  • The JFC voted to approve the plan.

     

Issues that were slated to be taken up but were delayed

The JFC was set to debate a proposal in the Governor’s budget that would cut over $500,000 from a UW Extension research study on solid waste. Instead, the JFC members said they will take up the issue when they begin debate on the rest of the UW system in the coming weeks.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

STEVE DOYLE
State Representative

94th Assembly District


                          

 

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