Week in Review: WI budget passes after protest and silence

By M.D. Kittle | Wisconsin Reporter

MADISON – After months of proposing, sponsoring, amending, discussing, hearing, arguing, spinning, demonizing, and sweet-talking, the Wisconsin Legislature this week passed the 2013-15 state budget.

Well, the Republican majority passed the budget, anyway. Democrats in the Assembly suddenly went silent on Wednesday, and Senate Dems watched amendment after amendment shot down by Republicans before narrow passage of the bill just after midnight Friday.

While expected, passage of the budget bill Gov. Scott Walker first proposed in February and legislatively shaped over the subsequent months didn’t arrive without some surprises – and the usual share of partisan drama.

In between the budget battles, lawmakers had enough time to move through some rare bipartisan legislation –  including one bill that will cost taxpayers a cool $25 million.

Read more at WisconsinReporter.com

http://bit.ly/10Ev4IW