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5/28/08 The Assembly failed to override 3 vetoes. Prohibit lapse on K-12 funding - failed 57-39. Prohibit lapse on Senior Care - failed 57-39. Prohibit lapse on transportation funding failed 60-36. Doyle had wasted little time before making his vetoes and signing the Special Session AB 1 into law 5/16/08. To read what Doyle had to say about the budget, click on Governor's Veto Message.
5/15/08 Consensus was reached by the leadership of both houses in Conference Substitue Amendment 1 to the
Budget Adjustment Bill and passed the Senate 5/13, 17-16. The Assembly passed it 5/14, 51-46. Governor Doyle was not happy with the compromise and indicated vetoes would be forthcoming. Rather than getting serious and solving the budget problem, the legislature chose to stall it into the future and continue to increase the huge deficit the state is building. The Fiscal Bureau briefed legislators before they voted that the bill would still leave the state nearly $1.7 billion short three years from now and passing this bill would commit the state to spending nearly $1.7 billion more than it expects to bring in through June 2011! Despite this information, a majority of the legislature voted for it! State Representative Steve Nass, who voted against this budget, said, "Any legislator that supports this kind of budgeting malfeasance is guilty of political fraud on the taxpayers of this state." Check to see how your legislators voted. Those who voted for this bill have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they are fiscally irresponsible and should not be reelected to office in November! The budget they passed in October 2007 was fiscally irresponsible which created this crisis and now the taxpayers of this state have been taken again. When will the voters decide enough is enough?
The Senate passed the Great Lakes Compact (April 2008 Special Session SB 1) 5/14, 32-1 and the Assembly passed it 5/14, 96-1. They wanted to get the this issue and the budget behind them so they can concentrate on their more important issue of winning the election in November.
4/26/08 The Budget Adjustment bill is critical as the state is in financial trouble. Not only is the state unable to pay their bills come June 1, WI is carrying a $2.44 billion deficit according to the latest edition of Wisconsin's 2006-07 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Click on this link (CAFR) to read the 242 page document. Because the state refuses to use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) the press and public are often confused by political leaders claiming balanced budgets while CAFR shows otherwise. The legislature and governor need to get serious about balancing the budget rather than continuing to raise taxes, fees, and rob segregated funds giving us an increased deficit instead of a true balanced budget.
4/14/08 Click here and read about the new Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act HR 5405, a federal bill which appears to be an end run around the states' opposition to the national ID
4/7/08 Gov Doyle introduced his 48 page budget adjustment bill March 12, 2008. He proposed taxing hospitals and raiding the Transportation Fund as part of his plan to raise the money needed to pay the state's bills in June. The Assembly removed these two proposals of Doyle's and passed their 9 page version of the budget adjustment bill on a vote of 51-46 March 12, 2008. The Senate took up their 166 page version of the budget adjustment bill, adopted 2 amendments to it, and passed it on a partisan vote of 18-14 March 25. Both houses passed quite different versions of the budget adjustment bill. Private negotiations are being held behind closed doors to seek to resolve the differences. Whatever the outcome, the taxpayers of Wisconsin will no doubt be the losers again. Go to Assembly Bills to read the budget adjustment bills, amendments and the votes that have been taken so far.
3/17/08 This current legislative session is over with the adjournment of both houses on 3/13/08. There is an ongoing special session to repair the budget shortfall of $527 million. This again, proves the fiscal irresponsibility of the 60 representatives and 18 senators who voted for the budget in October 2007 and it is already seeing such a shortfall. Doyle once again wants to raid the transportation fund and tax hospitals to make up this shortfall. The state needs to get its fiscal house in order by cutting spending, rather than raising taxes and fees.
3/14/08 A public hearing was held on SB 232 3/5/08. SB 232 requires every pharmist licensed in the state to dispense a valid prescription for any contraceptive approved by the FDA. 3/13/08 passed the Senate 19-14. The bill was not taken up by the Assembly so is dead for this session.
3/6/08 The Assembly passed AJR 17 (second consideration) 4/17/07 requiring a Voter ID to vote and register to vote at the polls on a vote of 54-43. Democrats held it up in the Senate every since so is dead this session.
12/27/07 Click on this link for a Brief History of Marriage Protection Bills in Wisconsin
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