(The Center Square) – One of the Senate Republicans who says he refuses to vote for the latest budget deal is out with a list of demands of his own.
Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, released a list of his “benchmarks” that he says must be included in any state budget that will get his vote.
“No creation of a structural deficit. Across-the-board GPR base budget cuts of $700 million to $1 billion,” Nass wrote in a statement. “A one-time Sales Tax Rebate that would return to the taxpayers $3.5 billion of the one-time $4.3 billion surplus. It would provide $1,600 to each married couple filing jointly and $800 to individual tax filers. The sales tax rebate does not add to or create a structural deficit. No more than $1.5 billion in new General Obligation Bonding for buildings.”
Nass has said for weeks that the current budget proposal simply spends too much.
“I will not support the Vos-Evers budget proposal because it contains too much spending, special interest pork and the creation of a significant structural deficit,” he added.
Nass and Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, are both refusing to vote for the spending plan that’s been negotiated between Gov. Tony Evers and Assembly Republicans. Without their votes, Senate Republicans do not have enough votes of their own to approve a new state budget.
Last week Senate Republicans walked away from budget talks.
On Monday, Evers said Senate Republicans need to understand that compromise is necessary.
“Compromise is what happens when you have similar numbers of Democrats and Republicans,” the governor said.
Nass, however, didn’t limit his latest budget criticism to just a list of demands.
“The Vos-Evers budget plan is neither conservative nor taxpayer friendly. However, if passed it would be a big win for the politicians and lobbyists,” he said.
Lawmakers are supposed to have a new budget to the governor by Monday. There is wiggle room after that, however. Unlike other states, Wisconsin’s current state budget simply rolls over and state government continues with its current spending levels.
