Committee Bogs Down from GOP Infighting
With major holes yet to fill, discussions are a bit more testy than they have been thus far in the budget process. The committee is getting down to the business of cobbling together a budget, and today the proposed cut a 20-year-old program caused the first visible disagreement between the two Republican caucuses.
Budget hawking Sen. Robert Cowles authored the motion to take more than $3.2 million GPR from the Wisconsin Technical College System incentive grant program. The program was created in 1985-86 to allow the WTCS Board to award supplemental funding to districts under the grant categories of basic skills, emerging corporations, declining fiscal capacity, technology transfer and programs in juvenile correctional facilities.
"We have holes to fill and I think this is one place we can find savings," said Cowles, adding that the WTCS Board has a history of not allocating the funds wisely.
Cowles proposal also removes the current law that requires the WTCS Board to provide at least $1.5 million above the amount provided under incentive grants in 1988-89.
The debate divided the committee co-chairs.
Senate Co-Chair Scott Fitzgerald was an adamant supporter of the motion, speaking in favor of it with a vigor he's rarely shown in the committee so far. The motion is not about the"We are trying to deliver a real budget here," he said. "If we can't support what Sen. Cowles is trying to do here today, it would discourage me."
Assembly Co-Chair Dean Kaufert voted against the cut, saying while Fitzgerald and Cowles made good points, the timing is wrong. "Today is not the day to cut them another $6 million," he said.
Fitzgerald followed with comments that seemed aimed at Kaufert. He said the committee can no longer afford to look away and leave tough decisions to another day. "We ain't got many days left," he said, sounding exasperated. "We better start making the tough decisions at some point."
Kaufert rebutted by saying the committee has made several sizable cuts in agencies like WHEDA and the Smarth Growth initiative. And, he said, a $15 million cut to WTCS in last budget didn't make it signing. "We're all on the same team here," the Neenah Republican said. "I want to make sure what we're doing holds up and is the smart thing to do."
Leading thorn-in-the-side Dem Rep. Mark Pocan was bemused by the squabble. "I hate to get involved in a family spat," he said.
"We still love each other," Kaufert replied.
Someone suggested Pocan should adopt the pair, to which he replied, "I can't even picture that."
Pocan then baited the GOPers by saying he hopes they pass the cut, which he said will not go over well with voters who rely on the techs for basic services like job re-training. "If you really want to support the governor's re-election committee, pass this motion."
The Republicans were so divided they had to take a break for several minutes to mull over the issue. When they returned, the decided to table the motion and the WTCS budget for the time being.
