Key areas where Republicans disagree with Walker on budget – Madison.com

Gov. Scott Walker and fellow Republicans who control the Legislature are clashing over key parts of his $76 billion state budget that runs from July 1 through the end of June 2019. Those areas include:

Roads: Walker wants to borrow half a billion dollars and delay major road projects instead of raising taxes to deal with a projected $1 billion shortfall. Republican lawmakers, together with Democrats, are urging Walker to consider raising the gas tax and vehicle fees. Walker, who is up for re-election next year, is threatening a veto, and Republicans in the Assembly and Senate disagree on whether theyd override.

UW: Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said questions over the relationship between private foundations and University of Wisconsin campuses have cast a dark cloud over budget negotiations, while Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said an examination of that shouldnt affect debate over higher education funding. University leaders are hopeful lawmakers go along with Walkers call for about a $100 million increase.

Tuition cut: Walker wants to cut UW and technical college tuition by 5 percent for all in-state students in the second year of the budget after five years of holding it flat. Vos and others say the money would be better spent on aid targeting poor students.

Self-insurance: Walker projects that $60 million could be saved if the state insured 250,000 state workers, rather than contracting with HMOs. Lawmakers are questioning whether that much could be saved and balking at Walkers using those savings to help fund his increases for K-12 schools and the UW System.

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Key areas where Republicans disagree with Walker on budget - Madison.com

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