The deadline for the state's biennial budget was July 1. Because state legislators are 13 weeks late in passing a budget, Wisconsin is the only state in the union without a passed budget. Without a state budget in place, state, city and local agencies are unable to determine their own budgets and spending levels. Lawmakers should feel the same pressure as every one of these agencies to ensure the budget is passed with haste.
This editorial board believes that enacting no budget, no pay legislation through the legislature or via an amendment to the state constitution is a common sense move that can prevent future budget battles.
In the 13 weeks since the July 1 budget deadline, state lawmakers have earned more than $12,000 plus daily allowances. Even though they have not passed a budget - their most fundamental and important obligation - they continue to earn regular salaries. Since July 1, Wisconsin taxpayers have shelled out over $1.5 million in exchange for budget stalemate and partisan rhetoric.
In the real world, you do not get paid for failing to do your job. To that end, state Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, and state Rep. Louis Molepske, D-Stevens Point have proposed a plan to suspend or dock lawmakers' pay until they complete the budget.
While there is a constitutional provision that inhibits changing the compensation of a public officer during the term of office, the bill's sponsors have decided that if a budget is not passed by a given date then lawmakers' pay would be deferred until the budget is actually approved.
Although passing no budget, no pay legislation for state lawmakers will not completely preclude another protracted budget battle, this common-sense proposal provides a great disincentive for lawmakers to pass a late budget. We applaud the efforts of these two state legislators.
