THE STATE TWO-YEAR BUDGET GOT
UNDERWAY IN THE LEGISLATURE IN
EARNEST THIS WEEK AND THE
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY VOTED TO
LIFT A LOT OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S
EXECUTIVE BUDGET, MORE THAN 390
ITEMS, INCLUDING BIG-TICKET ONES
LIKE THE EXPANSION OF
BADGERCARE.
TONIGHT, WE TALK WITH TWO
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE'S
BUDGET COMMITTEE.
IN A FEW MINUTES, A DEMOCRAT.
BUT FIRST REPUBLICAN CO-CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE, MARK BORN OF
BEAVER DAM AND THINKS VERY THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR BEING HERE.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN.
>> WHY DID YOU VOTE TO REMOVE SO
MUCH FROM THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET?
>> BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WAS
BUILT, YOU KNOW?
IT WAS UNREALISTIC.
WE JUST COULDN'T MOVE FORWARD
WITH A BUDGET THAT WAS REALLY
BUILT ON SAND WITH A LOT OF
MASSIVE TAX INCREASES, WELFARE
EXPANSION, A LOT OF DIVISIVE
POLICY.
YOU MENTIONED ON YOUR OPEN THE
NUMBER OF THINGS WE TOOK OUT,
ALMOST 400 ITEMS.
DIRECTOR FROM THE NONFISCAL
BUREAU SAID IT WAS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST LIST EVER THAT THE
GOVERNOR PUT IN THE BUDGET.
WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR NOT TO
FILL <!0> WITH DIVISIVE POLICY
AND MAX MASSIVE TAX INCREASES.
WE'RE GOING TO START FROM THE
BASE BUDGET WE ALL CREED TO A -- AGREED TO
A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO YEARS
AGO.
WE'RE GOING <!24576> WORK FROM
THERE AND BUILD A BUDGET FROM
THAT.
>> A LOT OF IT COMES DOWN TO A
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHICAL DIVIDE.
GOVERNOR EVERS WOULD INCREASE
TAXES ON CAPITAL GAINS, FOR
EXAMPLE.
ONE DEMOCRAT CALLED YOUR BUDGET
ACTION, QUOTE, POLITICALLY
SELFISH, NOT HELPING THOSE WHO
CAN'T FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?
>> I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT AT
ALL.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON
A BUDGET PROCESS LIKE THIS
THERE'S POLITICAL DIFFERENCES,
THERE'S DIFFERENCE OF OPINION,
THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO
ACCOMPLISH THINGS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON
INVESTING IN PRIORITIES FOR THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN THAT WILL DO
A LOT TO HELP PEOPLE AND HELP
BUSINESSES AND HELP US GROW OUR
STATE.
THAT'S THE TRACK RECORD WE HAVE
FOR THE LAST DECADE IN THE
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE AND THEY
HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING T.
THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO MAKE
THINGS RELY ON GOVERNMENT AND
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND TAX
PEOPLE MORE.
WE WANT TO SEND MONEY BACK TO
THE TAXPAYERS AND INVEST IN
THEIR PRIORITIES WITH THE LARGE
SURPLUSES THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD
THIS BUDGET NOW.
>> PERHAPS THE LARGEST BONE OF
CONTENTION, WHICH I DON'T HAVE
TO TELL YOU, IS THE GOVERNOR AND
DEMOCRATS WANT TO AGAIN EXPAND
MEDICAID IN WISCONSIN TO ALLOW
SOME 90,000 MORE LOW-INCOME
PEOPLE TO QUALIFY FOR
BADGERCARE.
WHY IS IT STRICKEN FROM YOUR
BUDGET DOCUMENT WHEN EXPANDING
IT WOULD MEAN AN INFUSION OF
$1.6 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT?
>> BECAUSE IT'S A MASSIVE POLICY
CHANGE.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS DEBATE
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW THAT
NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE
DON'T BELIEVE YOU NEED TO EXPAND
WELFARE, THE GOVERNMENT-RUN
INSURANCE PROGRAM, TO INSURE
THESE FOLKS.
WE SET SOMETHING UP IN WISCONSIN
THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE
ACCESS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE COVERAGE GAPS.
PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT
INSURED IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
CHOOSING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE ON
PRIVATE INSURANCE THROUGH THE
EXCHANGES.
WE'VE SUB DA SIDES THAT AS A
STATE.
THE FEDS SUBSIDIZED THAT.
WITH THE CURRENT FEDERAL
LEGISLATION, IT SUBSIDIZED THE
PREMIUMS AT -- 100%.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENCE OF THEY
WANT EVERYONE ON A GOVERNMENT
PROGRAM AND WE BELIEVE THERE ARE
BETTER WAYS TO DO THIS AND WE
DON'T HAVE COVERAGE GAPS IN
WISCONSIN BECAUSE OF THAT.
>> AS FOR THE $3.2 BILLION IN
FEDERAL COVID AID COMING INTO
WISCONSIN, THE GOVERNOR SEES
THAT MONEY AS SUPPLEMENTAL
FUNDING, NOT REPLACEMENT
FUNDING.
HOW DO YOU IN THE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY SEE IT?
>> I THINK YOU CAN SAY IT'S
SUPPLEMENTAL, BUT IT STILL WORKS
WITH THE STATE FUNDS.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING
GOALS THAT WE NEED TO
ACCOMPLISH, WHETHER WE'RE USING
FEDERAL MONEY OR STATE BUDGET, A
LARGE PART OF THE STATE BUDGET
INCLUDES OTHER PROGRAM REVENUE.
IT'S NOT ALL STATE MONEY.
FEDERAL MONEY PLAYS IN A ROLE IN
THAT.
IF YOU SAY IT DOESN'T, YOU DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS OR YOU
JUST DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH THE
LEGISLATURE ON IT.
IF THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO CRAFT THIS STUFF SO
WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND SO THAT
THE FUNDS CAN WORK TOGETHER TO
DO THE BEST FOR WISCONSIN, WE
SHOULD CERTAINLY BE LOOKING AT
ALL OF THE MONEY, NOT JUST
CERTAIN POTTS OF IT.
>> YOU INTRODUCED TO MEET WITH
THE GOVERNOR TO NAIL IT DOWN,
BUT HE ASKED YOU TO COME WITH A
PLAN OF HOW YOU WOULD SPEND THE
$1.6 BILLION THAT WOULD COME
FROM EXPANDING MEDICAID.
IS THIS MEETING GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> WE'D BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH
HIM AND TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL
FUNDING COMING INTO THE STATE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD COME
FORWARD WITH A PLAN FOR MONEY
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ON A
WELFARE EXPANSION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD USE
OF OUR TIME.
WE MADE THAT DECISION YESTERDAY,
AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER TIMES.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE CONTINUE TO
TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
WE WILL BE WATCHING, MASK.