Budget passes Joint Finance and will be debated and voted on in State Senate

• Wisconsin State Capitol building, Madison

Wisconsin State Capitol building, Madison

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MADISON - The stage is set for a Wisconsin Senate vote today on a budget-balancing measure that scales back bargaining rights for most state-and-local public unions. The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 just before midnight in favor of a slightly-modified version of Governor Scott Walker’s proposals, which have drawn massive protest demonstrations by unions all week.

Under the new changes, civil service protections – like the right to challenge employee discipline – would be extended to local workers who don’t have them already. And limited-term state employees would no longer lose their benefits. But majority Republicans said no to other changes. And all 12 GOP panel members supported the bill, while all four Democrats voted no.

Media reports said Republican Senators Dale Schultz of Richland Center and Van Wanggard of Racine were hoping to restore union bargaining rights sometime in the future. And they apparently wanted to reduce the increases union workers would pay toward their pensions and health insurance. Schultz said he was still working on alternatives, but would not give details. Wanggard says he’ll get in line with his leadership and support the finance committee package. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald expects no more changes on the Senate floor today – and he’s got the votes to pass the measure.

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