The biennial State Budget bill is the single largest piece of legislation we will work on over the two year legislative session. Amidst all the politics and proposals, at times the basic details of the budget can tend to get lost in the shuffle. As we gear up for the 2013-2015 budget cycle, here are the Five W’s of the state budget process:

Who

On February 20th, Governor Walker introduced his proposed State Budget for 2013-2015. The budget bill has now been placed into the Joint Committee on Finance. This Committee is comprised of members of both the State Senate and Assembly, and Republicans hold the majority by a 12-4 margin. It is co-chaired by Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Falls) and Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette). Although I am not a member of this Committee, I will be keeping in constant contact with my colleagues throughout the budget process, and sharing with them all of the feedback I receive from my constituents.

Additionally, the JFC will be receiving a great deal of input from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The LFB is a non-partisan agency, which analyzes all budget provisions and provides financial outlooks to the Legislature. Currently, the LFB is in the process of reviewing many of the Governor’s major proposals, and their findings will be extremely useful in the coming months.

What

The Executive Budget Proposal lays out the Administration’s vision for the fiscal years of 2013-2015. It is a wide-ranging document, covering everything from the appropriations of each state agency to school funding and municipal aids. This bill will be the primary focus of the Legislature in the coming months.  A complete summary and additional budget information may be found here.

Where

The Joint Finance Committee will be holding a series of public hearings across the state, in order to receive citizen feedback. These hearings are held during each budget process, and customarily occur during the months of April and May. To date, the exact times and locations have not been announced. Once we receive that information, I will be sure to pass along the details to you. These hearings are an excellent opportunity for the Committee to receive input from folks all around the state.

When

The fiscal year in Wisconsin runs from July 1st- June 30th. In every odd-numbered year, the Governor proposes a two-year budget to cover the biennium. The plan that Governor Walker recently laid out covers the dates of
July 1st, 2013 - June 30th, 2015.

In Wisconsin, our State Constitution requires a balanced budget. Unlike the federal government, our state cannot simply run a deficit and continue to print money. Therefore, the Legislature has a deadline of June 30th to approve a new budget, and ensure that Wisconsin remains financially solvent for the next two years.

Why

Wisconsin has a greatly improved financial outlook from where we stood two years ago. At the start of the last state budget, our state faced a $3.6 billion deficit and spending was out of control. The commonsense reforms of the last two years have turned our finances around and led to a budget surplus.

With a balanced budget, we are now positioned to invest back into our state, and continue to build a stronger economy. The five top commitments of the 2013 budget are: Job creation, increased education resources, developing a skilled workforce, investing in our infrastructure and transportation systems, and reforming government. Read my complete statement on the 2013 budget proposal here.

In the coming weeks, there will be lots of activity and vigorous debate. Please know that my door is always open. I am always willing to meet with constituents in our communities, or at the Capitol office in Madison. It is an honor to serve as your representative, and I look forward to hearing from you.