Here & Now

Joint Finance Approves Gov. Walker's Tax Cuts Plan

Frederica Freyberg:

Governor Scott Walker’s tax cut proposal got the green light in the legislature’s budget writing committee this week and now heads to the senate. The joint finance committee approved the $504 million property and income tax cut bill, which puts $118 million into the state’s general fund rather than it’s rainy day account, and requires state agencies to give back $38 million to the general fund. Those changes reduce the projected structural deficit. Joint finance also approved a bill putting $35 million toward job training. Additionally, the committee approved $3 million more in funding for heroin treatment grants to counties. Committee co-chair, Republican representative, John Nygren, is author of several pieces of legislation aimed at curbing heroin use and its effects in Wisconsin. He says more treatment is critical.

John Nygren:

We spend $35,000 a year for a man, $45,000 a year for a woman in state prison. We think there's things you can do that are more effective, will provide better results. And at the end, when we do that, the taxpayers will win and we’ll have productive citizens that can be tax-paying citizens, contribute to the economy rather than being a drain on the economy.

Frederica Freyberg:

The state assembly passed that treatment bill and it now goes to the senate.