MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin Legislature’s budget committee action on Monday (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
The Republican co-chair of the Legislature’s budget committee says the Assembly is close to presenting a detailed alternative to Gov. Scott Walker’s road-funding plan.
Rep. John Nygren said Monday that Walker has been briefed on the plan but hasn’t committed to anything. Nygren also declined to comment on the plan’s details. Assembly Republicans have said they would propose $300 million in tax and fee increases, with corresponding cuts, to pay for roads.
Walker has promised to veto any gas tax increase and also is against higher vehicle registration fees. Walker instead is talking about using more money from the state’s main account to pay for roads.
The issue is one of the most divisive facing the Legislature this year as it works on the $76 billion budget.
Nygren says the Assembly’s alternative will be out within days.
___
2:20 p.m.
A key legislative committee has voted to reduce the number of commissioners and staff at the Wisconsin state commission that administers labor relations law.
The Joint Finance Committee voted Monday to go along with Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut $390,000 and four positions at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
The Republican-controlled committee voted along party lines to reduce the number of commissioners from three to one and cut staff from seven to five.
The commission’s workload has dropped dramatically since 2011, when the Act 10 law that greatly reduced union protections and power for public workers went into effect.
___
2:15 p.m.
The Legislature’s budget-writing committee is delaying a decision on how much to raise judicial salaries.
The Joint Finance Committee on Monday was scheduled to vote on whether to go along with Gov. Scott Walker’s call to raise judicial salaries 2 percent, which is in line with increases for other state workers.
Budget committee co-chair Rep. John Nygren says lawmakers need more time to study the issue. But he says the pay raises will likely be closer to 2 percent than to 16 percent that Chief Justice Pat Roggensack has requested.
The committee did reject Walker’s proposal to put the independent Judicial Commission that oversees ethics of Wisconsin judges under control of the state Supreme Court. The committee also rejected Walker’s call to do away with a council that issues advice on judicial issues.
___
9:12 a.m.
Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to put an independent commission that oversees ethics of Wisconsin judges under control of the state Supreme Court is up for vote.
The Legislature’s budget-writing Joint Finance Committee was to take up the idea Monday. It’s slated to be the first issue the panel votes on as it begins its work on reshaping Walker’s $76 billion state budget.
Walker’s idea to put the Judicial Commission under control of the Supreme Court, and to do away with a council that issues advice on judicial issues, as run into opposition. Chief Justice Pat Roggensack asked the budget committee to reject both ideas.
Walker proposed both ideas in 2015 but the Legislature did not go along.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.