Just days ahead of the July 1 deadline for a finalized state budget, Republicans’ budget-writing process completely broke down after a short, tense meeting between Assembly and Senate Republican leadership.
“Wisconsin families want a budget that funds their local schools and fixes their crumbling roads, but Republican bickering only adds more uncertainty for hard-working Wisconsinites,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Brandon Weathersby said on Wednesday. “Republican’s own this failure and there is no excuse for their inability to govern. It’s clearly time to work with Democrats to find solutions and pass a responsible state budget.”
Here’s what the state is saying around the state about the Republican failure to finish a biennial budget:
Wisconsin State Journal: State budget impasse escalates after tense negotiation ends abruptly
Senate and Assembly Republican leaders were supposed to meet all day Tuesday to iron out their differences on the new, two-year state budget ahead of a July 1 deadline.
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WISC-TV: Wisconsin budget talks break down
Budget talks between Wisconsin state Assembly and Senate Republicans have broken down.
AP: UPDATE: Wisconsin budget talks break down
Republican state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says if the Legislature can’t pass a budget in July, the GOP “will have egg on our faces.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin budget still in limbo as Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald
trade blame for delays
Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) also said the state can’t continue to rely on borrowed money to build its roads. She said there were no excuses for the fact that Republicans control all of state government but haven’t reached a budget deal. “It demonstrates their inability to govern,” she said.
