Walker Says State Can Afford His Higher Ed Plan

Gov. Scott Walker says he thinks the state Legislature can afford to give the go-ahead to a few new programs during the spring legislative session, including elements of his college affordability plan.

But Walker told reporters in Madison that spending should stay near the $20 million mark.

“We want to keep it pretty conservative, we want to make sure we start out with a good base. If we’re going to invest significant new dollars in public education, we’re going to need to start with a good base,” he said.

Some Republican lawmakers have said they want to be cautious on new spending after revenue estimates showed the state will have slightly less money than expected.