For the City Times

Budget Includes Middle Class Tax Cut, Increased Funding for Broadband   

MADISON –– The Wisconsin State Senate voted in favor of the budget bill on Wednesday, one day after their colleagues in the Assembly also voted for its approval. Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) was a strong voice – and vote – in favor of the budget.

“This budget is another big step in the right direction for Wisconsin families,” said Testin. “We’re investing $500 million in the classroom and $588 million into health services while giving middle class taxpayers a significant tax cut.”

The Wisconsin Budget also invests $44 million in broadband expansion, $156 million for local roads, $320 million in state highway rehabilitation, sizeable increases in funding for the UW System and the Technical College System, and $8.8 million for the creation of a Dairy Innovation Hub to help investigate new markets for Wisconsin’s farmers.

While Senator Testin was pleased with several of the items in the budget, he was also glad to see many removed from Governor Evers’ initial proposal.

“The Governor’s initial proposal included $1.3 billion in tax increase, in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, and giveaways to special interest groups like Planned Parenthood – and it would have left the state more than $2 billion in the hole. That wasn’t acceptable – people in Western and Central Wisconsin expect better. The budget that we passed on Wednesday delivers on those expectations.”

Now that the budget has passed both houses of the legislature, it goes to the Governor who has the option to sign it, veto it in full, or utilize the line item veto on certain provisions.