The taxpayers of Wisconsin can declare victory today thanks to the passage of the Assembly Republican budget. Republicans sided with Wisconsin families and rejected Gov. Jim Doyle’s $3 billion in tax increases and $4.5 billion in new spending, as well as the Senate Democrats’ $18 billion tax increase.
We eliminated Gov. Doyle’s tax increases, which included a $418 million tax increase on hospitals, a $247 million gas tax increase, a $130 million tax on businesses, and $3.2 million increase on I-Pod downloads, a $546 million tax increase on tobacco products and a $33 million tax increase on nursing home beds.
In addition, we allow seniors to exempt a portion of their income, cut the home tax by 66 percent and instituted a real property tax freeze. We listened to Wisconsin families who are fed up with tax increases.
Budgeting is about priorities, and Republicans were successful in prioritizing the needs of Wisconsin families. Contrary to the rhetoric given by the Democrats, this budget provides historic increases to K-12 education (more than Gov. Doyle recommended), as well as increases to other very important programs.
The increases in the Assembly Republican budget include:
- K-12 Education – $464 million increase over current funding levels
- SAGE – We kept our commitment to low class sizes by providing a $20 million increase to this Republican-created program.
- The University of Wisconsin System – Received a $65 million increase, or 3 percent, over current levels.
- Health care for our most vulnerable – Assembly Republicans fully funded Badger Care and SeniorCare, maintained current eligibility levels and provided $26 million for hospital reimbursement, $7.1 million for dentists, and 5 percent to nursing homes for Medicaid expenses to avoid cost-shifting to the middle class.
This is an extremely responsible budget, designed to spend within our means, that still meets the priorities of Wisconsin families. The budget was written just as if the state was a Wisconsin family sitting down to the table to craft their budget. We rejected the Democrats’ irresponsible notion that we should spend first and figure out how to pay for it later.
Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) represents Wisconsin’s 63rd Assembly District.
