Gov. Scott Walker says he supports making further changes to the state budget that may be needed to win enough Republican support for it to pass the Senate.
Walker talked about the budget Wednesday in a conference call from South Korea where he is on a trade mission.
Walker says he would support moving up elimination of the state prevailing wage to Jan. 1 or even sooner. It would end in September 2018 under the current version of the budget.
Walker says he would also be OK with additional reforms at the state Department of Transportation.
Both ideas have been floated by Republican senators as necessary changes to secure their votes. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Tuesday he does not yet have the needed 17 votes to pas the budget.
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The Wisconsin Assembly is getting first crack at the $76 billion state budget, beginning debate on the two-year spending plan that’s more than two months late but could quickly pass the full Legislature.
The Republican-controlled Assembly planned to vote Wednesday night. That would set up a possible final vote in the Senate this week or early next. Legislative approval would send the budget to Gov. Scott Walker, who’s expected to sign it and issue vetoes soon.
Democrats don’t have the votes to stop it.
The budget up for debate largely mirrors what Walker introduced in February and comes before he runs for re-election next year. It sends $639 million more to K-12 public schools and imposes a new fee on hybrid vehicles.
