Senator Nass Votes in Favor of Senate Version of the 2015-17 Biennial Budget

Nass:  Senate Budget contains several major reforms that will benefit taxpayers.

Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) voted in favor of the State Senate’s version of the 2015-17 Biennial Budget.  After an intense set of political struggles, the 2015-17 Biennial Budget will now contain several major reforms to government operations including a prevailing wage law repeal for all local government construction projects, increased funding for public schools, and an extension of the UW System tuition freeze for two more years.

"We started with a flawed budget proposal in February, but the version passed by the State Senate now prioritizes the voices of taxpayers and families.  While certainly not perfect, the Senate budget moves forward on the Republican promise of reforming many of our most antiquated and anti-free market laws," Nass said.

     Senator Nass highlighted the following pieces of the Senate Budget:

-Provides $200 million increase over the biennium for general and categorical public school funding.  In the 2016/17 school year, public schools receive a 3.7% increase in these funding programs.

-Provides flexibility to all units of local government by repealing Wisconsin’s antiquated Prevailing Wage Law on construction projects.  According to a study by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, this law cost state and local taxpayers up to $300 million on construction projects in just one year.

-Extends the UW System tuition freeze until September 2017, thus saving Wisconsin families millions of dollars in higher tuition costs for two more years.

-Eliminates statutory tenure for UW System faculty.  Wisconsin is the only state that still has tenure as a statutory protection.  This reform will grant chancellors greater flexibility in removing poor performing faculty from the classroom.

-Maintains key provisions of the self-directed services in the IRIS program for the elderly and citizens with special needs.