GOP caucus concludes Senate must take action on school funding bill
Following the GOP Assembly caucus, which lasted about three hours, Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, released the following statement:
"Today is one of the benchmark days in our ongoing state budget negotiations. Senate Democrats now only have 24 hours remaining to take up bipartisan legislation to prevent a $600 million tax hike on Wisconsin homeowners.
"Assembly Republicans met in caucus today to discuss the status of ongoing budget negotiations and concluded that the Senate must take action on AB 506 and AB 507 while talk continues between legislative leaders. This critical legislation, which passed the Assembly with strong bipartisan support, provides the highest level of funding for our public schools in state history, full funding for local governments, and renews the expired Property Tax Freeze Governor Doyle signed into law in 2005.
"Our Republican caucus is dedicated to getting a budget done. However, that does not mean that we will support the type of 'blank check' spending being advocated by Senate Democrats and Governor Doyle. Wisconsin is already the eighth highest taxed state in the nation, and Republicans will not stand by and rubberstamp excessive government spending and record tax increases.
"There is still much work to be done on resolving the differences between the Assembly and Senate budgets. This work will not likely be accomplished by tomorrow, so it is imperative that the Senate Democrats convene to pass AB 506 and AB 507. If they refuse, Wisconsin taxpayers will have to pay a $600 million price for the government's inaction."
