Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) is expected to at least partially veto a Republican-led spending plan over clashes on funding for the University of Wisconsin once the bill passes the final hurdle in the state’s Assembly on Thursday.
The two-year plan includes reducing income tax brackets, increasing funding for K-12 schools, and cutting $32 million from the University of Wisconsin’s budget over disagreements on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
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Evers has not stated what will happen when the bill is on his desk, but he previously threatened to veto the entire bill over the university disagreement. A full veto is not expected, however, because lawmakers would need to start the plan from scratch, when the bill is supposed to be signed by July 1.
The university funding argument centers on money Republicans believe goes to DEI programs and staff. Republicans have said the funding could be approved if the university first proves that it goes toward “workforce development” instead of DEI.
Conservatives in the state legislature have also declined to fund a building project at the university, which state leaders claimed would benefit the campus’s workforce development by allowing more students to graduate with degrees in engineering.
Democrats have slammed the proposed budget, and Democratic Minority Leader Greta Neubauer claimed it does “not meet the historic needs of the moments,” according to the Associated Press.
Democratic lawmakers are particularly upset with a tax break they argue benefits the wealthy, not the lower class. The tax change reduces the number of tax brackets from four to three, which moves the state closer to a flat tax.
The bill passed the state Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans, on Wednesday, with no support from Democrats.
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Other aspects of the bill include increasing the pay for prison workers, prosecutors, and public defenders. It will also raise the pay for state employees by 6% over the next two years.
The bill is expected to go into effect on Saturday and run through June 30, 2025. If the bill is not signed by Saturday, spending levels will remain the same until a new budget is approved.
