Thanks A Lot, Scotty: GOP Wunderkids Hand Wisconsin Staggering $1.8 Billion Budget Deficit Office of Sen. Jennifter Shilling LA CROSSE – Wisconsin families received another dose of bad news today after it was revealed that the state’s structural deficit has ballooned to $1.8 billion. This announcement comes after several weeks of disappointing economic news, poor job creation numbers and state revenue projections that plummeted well below expectations. “With all the bad economic news working families have dealt with, Gov. Walker’s structural deficit is yet another reminder that Wisconsin is heading in the wrong direction,” said Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse). “This budget crisis was completely avoidable and will only get worse if we don’t act now to balance our budget and grow our economy from the bottom up.” According to the latest numbers, the state’s $1.8 billion budget deficit will cost each Wisconsin resident $300 – or about $1,200 for a family of four – over the next two years. Gov. Walker has ignored this crisis even as members of his own party have acknowledged that the state may need to empty its “Rainy Day Fund,” make additional cuts or take up an emergency repair bill to balance the budget. “Our local schools, small businesses and communities can’t afford to limp through another round of devastating budget cuts,” added Shilling. “Children, families and seniors across Wisconsin deserve answers. Why has Wisconsin dropped to dead last in the Midwest for job creation? Why did revenue collections fall $281 million short last year? How did a budget surplus get turned into a $1.8 billion deficit?” Three years ago, Gov. Walker and the Republican-controlled state legislature made massive funding cuts to K-12 schools, state technical colleges, UW campuses and local services. Wisconsin residents were told that these cuts were necessary to “fix” the state budget. In light of the recent budget news, Sen. Shilling has joined other leaders in requesting additional information on how the Walker administration plans to address this fiscal crisis including a list of proposed cuts.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 11:06:35 +0000
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