MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers says he’s open to rejecting a Republican budget that doesn’t include pay raises for corrections officers, prosecutors and public defenders. The state has struggled to hire across the criminal justice system because of low pay and long hours. More than 33% of correctional officer jobs are unfilled, and the State Bar of Wisconsin has called prosecutor and public defender shortages a crisis. Evers’ budget proposes raising pay to $33 an hour for correctional officers and $35 an hour for prosecutors and public defenders. The governor said Tuesday that if Republicans don’t pass high enough wage increases in their budget, he could veto the plan entirely.
