Mar. 20, 2025 11:45a
(WGTD)---Although it’s early in the state budget process, there’s already talk that a budget stalemate is brewing.
Speaking on the WISN TV program ‘UpFront’ earlier this month, Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August of Lake Geneva said Republicans could hold up passing the budget if their tax cut plan isn’t first passed and signed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Speaking on WGTD’s Morning Show this week, Democratic State Representative Tip McGuire of Kenosha said he hopes that a budget will pass and be signed on time. McGuire, who sits on the legislature’s budget-writing committee, said he’s hopeful that the narrowing of the partisan margins in both houses of the legislature as a result of the November election will help. "I'm concerned that some people still want to continue the bad habit of hyper-partisanship, but I'm always optimistic," McGuire said. "I'm hopeful the reasonable folks are going to carry the day here."
At issue is the state’s $4.3 billion budget surplus, and just how much of it, and in what form, should be returned to taxpayers.
For now, the budget process is beginning as it normally does—with listening sessions and presentations being scheduled.
This coming Monday, the Democratic members of Joint Finance will join two Democratic state representatives from Racine—Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer and Angelina Cruz—in a roundtable discussion at Gateway in Racine. The event—open to the public—will begin at 3:30 and will take place in the Great Lakes Room at Gateway.
Then next Thursday, McGuire and the other members of Kenosha County’s Democratic legislative delegation--State Senator Bob Wirch and State Representative Ben DeSmidt-- will hold a listening session at the Southwest Library. That event will begin at six.
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