Legislative Leaders To Meet With Walker Again On Budget

Republican state legislative leaders are expected to meet again today (Wednesday) with Governor Scott Walker, but it remains to be seen whether they can agree on a new state budget that’s 19 days overdue. On Tuesday, Senate Republicans announced what they would accept — and that includes 712-million dollars in borrowing for highway projects, half to be paid back by general state tax revenues for the first time. The Senate G-O-P also wants to end the state’s alternative minimum tax for higher incomes and the personal property tax on business equipment — and to pay for that, the Senate would drop the Republican Walker’s plans to cut income taxes by 203-million, expand the earned income credit for the working poor, and adopt a sales tax holiday on back to school purchases in August. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who opposes any more highway borrowing, says his Republicans will give the Senate package “fair consideration.” In the meantime, state spending continues at levels from the last budget.