Budget cuts in Wisconsin have been headline news for weeks now. Governor Scott Walker has proposed cuts that would severely limit the rights for collective bargaining by the majority of all public employees.
Citizens in Wisconsin have been protesting the passage of the proposed budget since it was first revealed to the public in February.
To express their disapproval over the proposed budget, Democrats won’t even show up for Governor Walker’s addresses.
Walker is making the stance that his proposal is the best move. He has been touting the savings that the new budget would make.
Governor Walker said, “Out budget reduces all funds spending by $4.2 billion or 6.7 percent and decreases the structural deficit by 90 percent from $2.5 billion to $250 million. That’s over $2 billion we are saving from future obligations and for future generations.”
The way Walker sees it, he is protecting the future of the United States and making sure that our children do not have to deal with even larger mountains of debt than we have now.
Walker said, “Wisconsin is broke. It’s time to start paying our bills today’s so our kids are not stuck with even bigger bills tomorrow.”
But others are seeing it as a huge hit on the current working class.
But if Democrats do not come back to the state in time to vote by March 16th, Walker said that a result may be the laying off of teachers.
The new budget would see all public employees, other than cops and firefighters, have to pay for more of their own health care and retirement fees.
Also, increases in salaries would have to go along with the natural inflation of the economy. All other increases would need to be approved via a vote.
Senator Mark Miller of Illinois said, “The governor’s budget was a continued assault on the middle class. He is balancing the budget on the backs of working class and ordinary taxpayers while at the same time giving tax breaks to corporations.”
Democrats are criticizing Walker, saying that he is not willing to negotiate to find a middle ground that both sides can agree to. He is essentially telling Democrats and the working public that it is his way or the highway.
As tensions continue to grow, the number of days before the deadline for the passage of the budget are dwindling away. It is becoming more and more urgent for the issue in Wisconsin to be settled.
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