Democrats Renew Calls For GOP To Reject Budget Cuts

Democrats renewed calls Wednesday for majority Republican lawmakers to reject many of the budget cuts proposed by Gov. Scott Walker, calling them self-inflicted wounds that can still be avoided.

Among the Walker budget moves that Democrats say should be reversed are cuts to public schools and the University of Wisconsin, a restructuring of the state’s long-term care programs like IRIS, a freeze on new stewardship land purchases and the elimination of state tax funding to the state park system.

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said these are issues that have a long history of bipartisan support in Wisconsin.

“These are things that made this state great, and it’s hard to look at this budget as anything other than trying to dismantle a lot of these longstanding traditions,” said Hintz.

Democrats say the state shouldn’t have to make the proposed cuts during a time of economic growth. They say the state can avoid them by accepting federal funding to expand Medicaid and by delaying the full adoption of a tax credit for manufacturers.