Empower Wisconsin | March 3, 2020
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers’ obsession with public education spending is going to eventually cost him, says Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke.
“Sixty percent of our budget is made up of things other than education spending, so we have to invest in other priorities as well,” the Kaukauna Republican told Empower Wisconsin’s Matt Kittle last week on the Jay Weber Show, on NewsTalk 1130 WISN.
“And one of the secrets to our success over the last nine years, and the reason Wisconsin’s economy is doing so good, other than the economic engine that is the private sector, is the fact that we’ve budgeted conservatively in odd-numbered years,” Steineke said. “And then in even-numbered years, when the revenue is increased more than what we need to pay for our budget, we’ve returned it to the taxpayers.”
Last week, Evers vetoed the Republican-led Legislature’s tax relief package that included nearly $250 million in income tax cuts, another $45 million in business tax reductions and about $100 million marked to buy down state debt.
Steineke didn’t sound too optimistic that a veto override session in May would enlist enough Democrats to erase Evers’ veto.
Rep. Steineke is Empower Wisconsin’s guest on this edition of the PowerUp Podcast.
