What an interesting mess this has become.
My guess is that if the surplus spending deal, cobbled together by Gov. Tony Evers, Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, had been introduced a year ago it would have easily passed. But last night it went down in the Senate and is, at least for now, dead.
Essentially, the Democrats killed it. All the Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee voted against it, most of the Dems in the Assembly did the same and then all the Democratic Senators voted ‘no.’ When three Republican Senators joined them, it was over.
It’s hard to see how this can be rearranged in a way that could clear the Senate now. Evers, Vos and LeMahieu are all lame ducks and so have no real political leverage. That’s why I think, had they advanced the very same compromise before they announced their retirements, this would have passed.
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The check is NOT in the mail
Could Republicans be so lucky?
Poor Tony Evers. Democrats kicked their own governor one last time on his way out the door. The lame duck governor cobbled together a bi-partisan deal for $600 million more dollars for schools! Big fat check in the mail for taxpayers — $600 for joint filers. No tax on tips and overtime! No way, said Democrats who stood together in that familiar, righteous pose: solidarity! Against their own governor!
Manfully, to the extent that Tony Evers can muster testosterone, the governor attempted to blame Republican governor candidate U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany for “blowing up a bipartisan plan.” But Tiffany left the state legislature for the U.S. Congress years ago.
Let the record show: Republican state legislators overwhelmingly voted YES. Every one the Assembly Republicans who answered the roll call supported the deal — $1.8 billion in property tax relief! Only 10 of the 45 Democrats in the Assembly sided with their own governor — and taxpayers! None of them represent the Madison area, dooming the measure to a 61 to 32 defeat.
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“still more dollars going into public schools with no requirement for better results”