In the last step of the approximately four-month-long state budget process, Gov. Scott Walker officially signed the state budget June 30 with only 57 vetoes, paving the way for several changes to university policy.
Walker, through the budget, finalized a two-year tuition freeze at all state universities, while also using one of his vetoes to ensure the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism remains on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
The new biennial budget represents a revised version of the original budget bill Walker introduced Feb. 20, but still includes many of the core provisions the governor pursued with his first document, including his efforts to lower taxes and expand the state’s private school voucher program from a two-district system to a statewide system.
The budget, which moved through the state’s Joint Finance Committee as well as both houses of the state legislature before arriving at Walker’s desk, was heavily criticized by state Democrats throughout the four-month process. Democrats have continually said the budget fails the middle class by not providing enough funding in key areas such as state Medicaid and K-12 public school funding.
However, provisions such as the two-year tuition freeze have generally gained broad support from students and legislators. Legislators first discussed the freeze, which will keep tuition at the 2012-’13 level through the 2014-’15 academic year, after a state audit found the UW System was operating with approximately $648 million in unrestricted funds, a large portion of which came from student tuition.
Other provisions continue to draw criticism, such as one that allows the governor to sell university-owned land without consent from the UW Board of Regents. Another controversial budget provision changes the funding structure for United Council, a representative body for students attending UW System universities. UC members say the change will limit their budget and negatively affect their ability to represent students.
Despite the criticism from Democrats, including a promise from Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, to advance legislation to “undo the worst aspects of the budget,” Walker and state Republicans say they are pleased with the final document and look forward to its implementation.
“This budget makes investments in our people and maintains Wisconsin’s solid fiscal integrity,” Walker said in his veto letter. “In this way, Wisconsin is better prepared to preserve the freedom of its citizens, and to meet the competitive challenges of a globalized economy.”
