News

Actions

Walker Elections Commission cuts rejected

Posted at 12:19 PM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-16 13:19:43-04

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Latest on action by Legislature's budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (all times local):

   11:55 a.m.

The Legislature's budget committee has approved adding five staff to the state Elections Commission, overturning a recommendation by Gov. Scott Walker.

The governor had wanted to cut six positions that had been paid for by federal funding that is running out. Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee argued for providing state funding for all six spots.

But Republicans who control the panel agreed to pay the roughly $304,000 a year to pay for five positions.

Democratic Sen. Lena Taylor, in arguing for the six positions the commission wanted, says "Let's not pretend to be with them, let's be with them fully."

She and others say not paying for a sixth position is setting the commission up to fail.

Republican Rep. John Nygren says the commission can always ask for more staff later.

   11:25 a.m.

The Legislature's budget committee plans to reject a proposal from Gov. Scott Walker to create a new refundable tax credit for young adults leaving foster care.

Walker's budget included the tax credit for certain 18- to 21-year-olds who were previously in foster care but who aged out of the system once they hit 18.

Co-chairs of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee said Tuesday they plan to vote down the idea. Instead, they say the Assembly and Senate will form new task forces to study the foster care system. Rep. John Nygren called Walker's proposal a complicated process for a relatively small tax credit.

Walker proposed a credit equal to 125 percent of the federal earned income tax credit. About 2,600 people were estimated to qualify for the credit, costing the state about $724,000 a year. The maximum credit would be $652 but the Walker administration estimates the average would have been about $273.

   11:10 a.m.

The Republican-controlled budget committee plans to add more staff to the Wisconsin Elections Commission than Gov. Scott Walker recommended.

Joint Finance Committee co-chair Sen. Alberta Darling said Tuesday that the panel will add five positions to the commission that oversees elections in the state. Walker had proposed not paying for six jobs that had been funded by federal money that is going away. That would have been a 19 percent cut in overall staff.

The Elections Commission had said the jobs are needed to ensure elections run smoothly in the state and to be in compliance with state and federal laws.

Rep. John Nygren says the Legislature is committed to having the commission succeed. The Legislature created separated elections and ethics commissions after eliminating the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board last year.

   12:06 a.m.

Whether to cut staffing levels at the Wisconsin Elections Commission by 19 percent due to a loss of federal funds is up for a vote in a key legislative committee.

The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee was to vote Tuesday on whether to go along with Gov. Scott Walker's recommendation to cut six positions at the agency that oversees elections in the state.

The commission and local election clerks are urging the Legislature not to go along with Walker's proposed cut. The budget committee gets a chance Tuesday to restore the $364,000 annual cost for the jobs or approve what Walker wants.

The governor argues the commission can handle its workload without the positions.

But the Elections Commission says the jobs are needed to ensure elections run smoothly in the state.