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WI Senate Passes Budget for Hospitals 07/03 06:17
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Senate passed a compromise state budget
on a bipartisan vote Wednesday in a race to approve a deal reached between Gov.
Tony Evers and majority Republicans.
Lawmakers were rushing to pass the plan and get it signed into law before
federal law changes take effect that could cost Wisconsin hospitals $1.5
billion. The Assembly, also controlled by Republicans, was expected to pass it
late Wednesday night and send the $111 billion budget to Evers for his quick
signature.
Wisconsin's two-year spending plan would affect nearly every person in the
battleground state. Income taxes would be cut for working people and retirees
by $1.4 billion, sales taxes would be eliminated on residential electric bills
and it would cost more to get a driver's license, buy license plates and title
a vehicle.
A fast-moving plan
There was urgency to pass the budget because of one part that increases an
assessment on hospitals to help fund the state's Medicaid program and hospital
provider payments. Medicaid cuts up for final approval Wednesday in Congress
cap how much states can get from the federal government through those fees.
The budget would increase Wisconsin's assessment rate from 1.8% to the
federal maximum of 6% to access federal matching funds. But if the federal bill
is enacted first, Wisconsin could not raise the fee, putting funding for rural
hospitals at risk.
In the rush to get done, Republicans took the highly unusual move of
bringing the budget up for votes on the same day. In at least the past 50
years, the budget has never passed both houses on the same day.
"We need to get this thing done today so we have the opportunity to access
federal funding," Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said at the start of
debate just before 8 p.m.
Governors typically take several days to review and sign the budget after
it's passed.
But Vos said he hoped that Evers would sign the budget late Wednesday night,
or early Thursday, so it would be enacted before Trump signs the federal tax
and spending cuts package.
A spokesperson for Evers declined to comment on the governor's timeline.
Bipartisan compromise
In a concession to the Democratic governor, Republicans also agreed to spend
more money on special education services in K-12 schools, subsidize child care
costs and give the Universities of Wisconsin its biggest increase in nearly two
decades. The plan would also likely result in higher property taxes in many
school districts due to no increase in general aid to pay for operations.
The budget also calls for closing a troubled aging prison in Green Bay by
2029, but stops short of enacting a more broad prison overhaul plan put forward
by Evers.
Evers, who has broad partial veto powers, has promised not to kill any
portions of the budget he agreed to with Republicans.
Evers, who is midway through his second term, said he would announce his
decision on seeking a third term after he has signed the budget. He has 10
working days after the Legislature passes the budget to take action on it.
Republicans need Democratic votes
The Senate passed the budget 19-14, with five Democrats joining with 14
Republicans to approve it. Four Republicans joined 10 Democrats in voting no.
Democratic senators were brought into budget negotiations in the final days
to secure enough votes to pass it.
"It's a bipartisan deal," Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein said
before the vote. "I think everybody left the table wishing it was different,
but this is something everyone has agreed on."
Democrats said newly drawn legislative maps, which helped them pick up seats
in November and narrow the Republican majorities, led to greater compromise
this year.
"That gave us leverage, that gave us an opportunity to have a conversation,"
Democratic Sen. Mark Spreitzer said.
But still, Spreitzer said the budget "fell far short of what was needed on
our priorities." He and other Democrats said it didn't go enough to help fund
child care, K-12 schools and higher education, in particular.
Republican Sen. Patrick Testin, a member of the budget committee, said the
plan was far from perfect, but "this is where we're at with divided government."
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