Rep. Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee, said the Democrats have the 50 votes needed to pass the budget bill.

"I'm voting for the budget," Kessler said, after another full day of caucusing with his colleagues. "I believe we have the requisite number of votes to pass the budget."

Kessler made the comments after the Dems broke caucus at about 8 p.m. He said the main issue he wanted to see fixed in the bill was the funding mechanism for Milwaukee Choice schools, and while he didn't get all that he wanted, he said the compromise that passed the caucus was enough to get his support.

Kessler said the Assembly Dem amendment would impose a cap of 19,500 on enrollment at the schools. The budget passed by the JFC held the cap steady at 22,500 students.

See the amendment, plus an amendment to the JFC action on bilingual education here.

-- By Greg Bump