Governor Scott Walker issued his budget vetoes and signed the 2013 – 2015 budget bill this afternoon in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
See the complete list of 57 vetoes here. From the Governor’s press release:
Pleasant Prairie – Governor Scott Walker signed the 2013-15 State Budget into law today which provides nearly $1 billion in tax relief for Wisconsin families, $322 million in additional state aid for public schools, and a $100 million investment in workforce development.
“This budget is a sharp contrast from where we were two years ago,” Governor Walker said. “Our structural reforms, coupled with tough, but prudent, decisions, have led to a great investment in the people of Wisconsin. This budget benefits hardworking Wisconsin families by providing them with nearly $1 billion in tax relief, $322 million more for our public schools, and $100 million for workforce development. We focused on making life better for the residents of our state, and this budget builds upon a solid foundation for the future. We’re heading in the right direction and moving Wisconsin forward.”
Two years ago, we were all faced with the consequences of years of avoiding tough choices. Wisconsin faced a $3.6 billion budget deficit, nearly 134,000 of our family, friends, and neighbors lost their jobs, property taxes had gone up 27 percent over the previous decade, and the unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.
Together, we made tough, but prudent, decisions and addressed the root of the problem. Because of those tough decisions, Wisconsin created a $670 million budget surplus. Today, we’re in a great position to move forward with significant investments in our public schools, tax relief for all income taxpayers, workforce development, health care, and infrastructure.
Governor Walker signed the 2013-15 State Budget at Catalyst Exhibits in Pleasant Prairie. In 2011, Catalyst Exhibits announced it was relocating its operations from Crystal Lake, Illinois to Pleasant Prairie, bringing over 100 jobs and millions of dollars of investment to Wisconsin.
Check back for a video story of the signing ceremony and the Governor’s comments soon.