A Republican co-chair of the legislature’s Joint Finance committee says a state budget up for approval this week is good for Wisconsin taxpayers. The GOP-controlled legislature is expected to pass the plan this week, sending it to Democratic governor Tony Evers. Republican state representative Mark Born of Beaver Dam says $32 million cut from the University of Wisconsin System budget would have been spent on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Born says the UW System should instead be focusing on preparing students to be the workforce of the future. Born says $3.5 billion in income tax cuts are an important step forward in getting a better income tax system in Wisconsin. All state employees would get a pay raise, while prison guards would get a $13 an hour starting pay raise to $33 in an effort to address staffing shortages.
