(The Center Square) – There will not be a second vote on Wisconsin’s $1.8 billion tax deal.
Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein told Matt Smith with WISN TV that she has no plans to return to the Capitol and vote again on the tax package.
“If there is something that we can get together and talk about a compromise, we are open to something like that,” Hesselbein said. “But we also want to see where the money is. This is all a projected surplus. So, once we know if the money is going to be there, that’s when we’ll want to come back.”
Wisconsin lawmakers won’t “know” if the money is there until next year.
Hesselbein also said she spoke with Senate Republican Leader Devin LeMahieu and she said he told her there’s “absolutely not” a chance the Senate will vote again.
But it’s Hesselbein’s Democrats – along with three Republicans – who killed the plan. All 15 Senate Democrats voted no on the proposal. She said none have changed their minds.
“I have not heard that,” she added.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Sunday he wants to vote on the plan again. In fact, he said the Assembly is ready to pass it again.
On Monday, Gov. Tony Evers said he would like to see a second vote as well.
The tax package would have combined a tax rebate of up to $600 with property tax relief and the end of taxes on tips and overtime, with a $300 million boost for special education across Wisconsin. In all, the package would have been worth about $1.8 billion.
Wisconsin has a $2-plus billion surplus.
