Democrats hear testimony from the public at a Wausau hearing.Glen Moberg/WPR
Democratic Party lawmakers held their own budget hearing in Wausau Saturday after the Joint Finance Committee excluded central Wisconsin from its list of four public hearings.
Cuts to local University of Wisconsin campuses were atop the list of concerns.
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“Our governor’s solution is to cut education. I don’t know if I want to stay in Wisconsin after I get my generals here,” said 18-year-old Tristan Adams, a student at UW-Marathon County.
He said he might transfer to a four-year school in another state because of the proposed cuts.
Jim Richards, a retired engineer, said he worried about his three grandchildren at UW-Stevens Point.
“It’s going to hurt. They need to have an education, and without the money to pursue an education, they can’t do it,” Richards said.
UW-Stevens Point faces a 25 percent cut in state aid. State Assembly Assistant Minority Leader Katrina Shankland said the Republican-led committee should have scheduled a hearing near the school.
“The joint finance committee has only held four budget hearings across the state. None was very close to Stevens Point,” said Shankland.
The Democrats plan to hold nine such hearings.
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