Sen. Wanggaard: Statement on passage of the 2011-13 state budget

6/16/2011

Contact: Scott Kelly 608-266-1832

“Last year, while campaigning for this position, I promised to fix Wisconsin’s record $3.6 billion deficit by cutting spending and not raising taxes. Today, I kept that promise.

“This is an honest budget. It puts Wisconsin on the right track. The budget that passed today eliminates that deficit and leaves Wisconsin with a $300 million surplus on June 30, 2013. We cut bonding by almost $200 million.

“The legislature has improved on Governor Walker’s budget by maintaining our commitment to SeniorCare. We removed the delay of the phosphorus rules and restored recycling funding to help protect our environment. We added $118 million more to education than the Governor’s proposal. We froze property taxes into the future, allowing families to stay in their homes. We gave UW schools flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the UW System. We also restored most local transit aids. We listened to the hundreds of constituents who objected to the removal of the high-speed Internet provider, WiscNet. Even Assembly Democrats admitted that many of what they consider “the worst budget provisions” were “derailed”.

“Locally, we restored over $1.75 million in state funding to Racine Unified. We maintained SAGE in schools and even brought it to additional Racine schools. We eliminated the unelected taxing body that is the Regional Transit Authority. We made sure that employees who are losing their jobs at Southern Oaks receive hiring preferences elsewhere. We provided educational choice in a responsible, measured way to low income Racine schoolchildren, who are underserved or underperforming in Unified.

“But even more importantly, this budget continues our efforts to grow Wisconsin’s economy. In addition to not raising taxes, and freezing property taxes, we make jobs-friendly tax changes for Wisconsin job creators. We fund the new Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation so that it can focus on growing the economy.

“This budget isn’t perfect – no budget is. There are parts of the budget that I disagree with. But when I weigh the pros and cons, and remember the promises I made during my campaign, this is a budget that deserves my support and my vote.”

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