Wirch Statement on 2023 Budget Passage

Madison – Sen. Bob Wirch (D-Somers) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the 2023-2025 state budget bill:

“This has been one of the more frustrating and disappointing budgets in a long time.  I was hopeful and optimistic that, with a $7 billion surplus, we could come together across the aisle to do some big things that would really make a difference in peoples’ lives.  As usual with this Republican majority, they had different ideas.  Child care funding; increased health care access; funding our public schools at the levels they actually need; help for the homeless; paid family leave – these were all sacrificed so that the Republicans can give billions in tax cuts to their rich friends and donors. This is a budget for millionaires and billionaires, not the hardworking families of Wisconsin,” Wirch said.

The 2023-2025 state budget bill proposed by Governor Tony Evers was gutted by the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee (JFC), which eliminated funding for the Child Care Counts program; Medicaid expansion; a paid family leave program; larger investment in public schools special education and mental health; millions in TAD funding; and funds to operate the Office of School Safety; among numerous other measures. The budget bill passed the Senate, 20-13, with all Democrats and Republicans Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) and Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) voting against.  The budget bill will be taken up by the State Assembly tomorrow.