(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s budget bill will have to have both tax cuts and some increase investments, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said at a news conference.
But those will all have to come in one bill, not separate bills, Gov. Tony Evers said.
The two sides met nearly three weeks ago with one staff meeting since and both sides hope to meet again soon on priorities from each as the budget process heats up.
“It’s going to have to have a tax cut in it, just like I think we’re accepting that there’s gonna have to be some investments that are made so that bipartisan support can be earned,” Vos said at a news conference.
Evers reiterated that he is reserving his decision on whether he will again run for re-election until after the budget is complete and would offer no hints on which way he is leaning.
Evers said that a complete budget package must be done together, rather than separating the spending and cuts.
Evers said that the two sides are “somewhat apart on what we want to do with taxes.”
“We believe there is a sufficient money to increase some areas, especially education, but also to make sure that property taxes for the average property taxpayer stays the same,” Evers said.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said that the next meeting between the two sides has not been set.
“We have a Republican Legislature, Democrat as our governor,” LeMahieu said. “We think it’s best for the state of Wisconsin to get a budget passed and provide tax relief. So we will continue to try to work with the Governor and see if we can find consensus.”
Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, is a co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee and said that the priority remains tax reform and investment priorities.
“It’s good that talks are happening and, as long as we can get to a goal of making sure we have meaningful tax reform as part of the budget process, I think that’s the most important part,” Born said.
Vos added that a starting point has to be a balanced budget with a clear view of the anticipated revenue from tax collections for the two-year budget period.
“Just like any family, the first thing you do when you create a budget is you have to know how much you have to spend,” Vos said. “And that’s why, to me, the most important thing is finding out and discovering where we can find agreement on a tax cut. And then, once we see what’s left, we’ll begin to invest in our priorities, be it roads, schools, whatever it’s gonna be.”
