September 14, 2007
Volume #29, Issue #32
CONFEREES CHURNING; LITTLE PROGRESS IS MADE, BUT THE MOOD IS CHANGING – Growing
sensitive to growing criticism about their lack of progress on the state budget,
legislators serving on the
Budget Conference Committee this week met Thursday, but the talk was hindered as the two
sides
continued to talk past, not to, each other. The mood in the room was different this week,
with lots of
television cameras and reporters hoping to catch a glimpse of a possible breakthrough,
which didn’t
happen.
Senate Democrats chaired the meeting Thursday and declared that they are ready to meet
through
the weekend to produce a whole budget. The mood change among committee members was evident
in the more intense debate that took place Thursday and the decision to return to the
table on Friday,
September 14 (an unprecedented move for this particular committee).
The tone for the meeting and the hope of a break in the impasse was set earlier this week
when Assembly
Republicans announced they would be voting September 19 on a school funding/aid to local
governments
portion of the budget. This was in response to a statement issued by the State Department
of Public
Instruction (DPI) cautioning that, unless lawmakers make a budget, property taxpayers
would face a hike.
Pressure on lawmakers to complete the two-year budget/spending plan is growing strong and
is coming
from many sectors, including health care providers, who were informed of an imminent
reduction in
Medicaid reimbursement rates if no budget is passed soon.
Also earlier this week, Governor Jim Doyle fired off a response to the GOP warning them
that he would not
accept a piecemeal, "a la carte" budget.
Senate Democrats, however, came to the table Thursday prepared to talk about technical
college funding.
Republicans initially ignored the Democratic effort while they stayed on message and
single-mindedly
promoted their own school funding/aid to local government plan.
Democrats rejected the Republican request to move forward with the school funding/local
government aid
budget, and pressured Republicans to look at the whole budget and take action on that next
week.
Today’s meeting starts at 11:00 a.m., and we will report the outcome next week.
Daily vigils continue in the Capitol Tuesday through Thursday each week. AFSCME members
from across
the state are also continuing to come to Madison on organized trips. Contact the AFSCME
Council 11
office or your area Take Back Wisconsin staff for information on joining the vigils or
coming to Madison to
visit your legislators and attend the Conference Committee meetings.
2007-2008 BLUE BOOK NOW AVAILABLE - Get your free edition of the State of
Wisconsin’s new
"Blue Book" which contains all sorts of useful information about state
legislators, elections, state services
and more by calling your legislator and asking him or her to send you a copy. Call the
toll free legislative
hotline at 1-800-362-9472 or go on-line to Wisconsin Legislature’s website for Blue
Book information.
LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES. . .For those
"online", here are some good info spots:
Wisconsin State Legislature: www.legis.state.wi.us/
"Who Are My Legislators": www.legis.state.wi.us./waml/
State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/
Wisconsin Legislative Council: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/
Wisconsin Ethics Board: http://ethics.state.wi.us