Editor’s note: Wisconsin Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) released the following statement about on Gov. Scott Walker’s budget vetoes and signing.
The theme of Gov. Walker’s budget is that the middle class pays more and gets less. The vetoes only amplify these trends. This budget will further Gov. Walker’s reputation as the most polarizing governor in the nation.
His vetoes don’t change the fact that his budget serves corporate special interests at the expense of Wisconsin’s small businesses and middle class. Time and again, Gov. Walker has gone out of his way to limit public scrutiny of his extreme agenda and it comes as no surprise that the governor used many of his vetoes to take away public accountability and further consolidate power in his administration.
With $2.3 billion in tax breaks to wealthy special interests and expanded loopholes that allow out-of-state corporations to dodge taxes, Gov. Walker’s budget is lavish in giveaways to large special interests, but out of touch when it comes to the concerns of Wisconsin’s middle class.
The fact that Gov. Walker would use his budget signing to "applaud" fellow Republicans for their efforts to force laid-off workers to wait longer for benefits that help them put food on the dinner table while they seek new employment in one of the worst economies shows just how out of touch Gov. Walker is with the concerns of struggling Wisconsin families.
