The budget impasse remains, with the Democrat-controlled state Senate having passed Gov. Jim Doyle's budget Monday, and the Republican-controlled state Assembly having rejected it.
Monday was also the deadline the state government had to tell local school districts the amount of state funding they would receive, but the stalled budget may result in an $80 million shortfall.
The state Senate passed the budget 18 to 14, along partisan lines, with one Republican legislator not present for the vote. The state Senate also passed a funding bill for the Department of Transportation, an item that Doyle had not included in his proposal, again 18 to 14.
State Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a release that Senate Democrats passed the budget because they had an insatiable desire"" for taxes.
""Senate Democrats have again declared that the concerns of middle class families have no place in the budget debate,"" Fitzgerald said.
According to state Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, the budget voted on Monday represents months of compromises from both sides. Robson said the budget is not perfect, but that the current budget impasse is unacceptable.
""Working families across this state agree; politicians have talked this budget to death,"" Robson said. ""Senate Democrats did their jobs [by passing a budget].""
Before the state Assembly actually voted on the budget proposal, numerous legislators gave speeches to persuade others to vote for or against the bill.
State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said the $1 billion increase in taxes opposed by Assembly Republicans is due almost solely to the $455 million cigarette tax and the hospital assessment tax.
According to Pocan, the taxes will not affect the average family in the way Republicans claim.
""What you are saying is simply not true,"" Pocan said.
Assembly Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said Doyle and Senate Democrats were engaging in scare tactics prior to the vote. He also said the Wisconsin Hospital Association, which recently dropped its opposition to the hospital assessment tax, was a special interest group that should not be considered in discussing the tax.
Fitzgerald said he was confident Doyle had not persuaded enough Assembly Republicans to vote in favor of the bill.
""You will see this bill fail again,"" Fitzgerald said.
The state Assembly rejected the budget proposal also largely along party lines. The budget failed 53 to 44, with state Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, and state Rep. Sheldon Wasserman, D-Milwaukee, the only two Democrats to vote against it. State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, was the only Republican to vote in favor of the proposal.
Pocan said after the vote that it was likely Assembly Republicans might introduce a new budget proposal Tuesday. State Rep. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, said it was possible the Assembly Republicans might introduce a new piece of legislation, but definitely not a certainty.
