Author: Michelle Felber

Resources for Understanding the 2011-13 State Budget

Public hearings on the proposed 2011-13 Wisconsin biennial budget conclude on Wednesday, and the budget process is well underway. Soon afterward, the Joint Finance Committee will issue its rules and convene in executive session to discuss the budget. This memo…

Joint Finance Committee Update

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee began budget briefings today. The briefings are designed for agency heads to discuss the governor’s budget proposal and take questions from members of the committee. Public testimony is not heard. The hearings take place in…

What Would Public Authority Mean for the Wisconsin Idea?

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is hosting an open forum to discuss the Wisconsin Idea and public authority status for the university on Wednesday, March 30 at 4 pm in Room 22 Ingraham Hall. Panelists include: Professor Emeritus…

Proposed University of Wisconsin-Madison Board of Trustees

If UW-Madison is to become a public authority as outlined in Governor Scott Walker’s 2011-13 state budget proposal, it will be governed by a 21-member Board of Trustees. Statutory language regarding the proposed board is here, beginning on page 521.…

Governor Scott Walker’s 2011-13 Capital Budget

Governor Scott Walker announced a $1.1 billion 2011-13 capital budget last week, and it included several projects on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The budget is about 30 percent smaller than the current capital budget. It was referred to the…

Budget Repair Bill Passes Without Democrats

Stripping the original budget repair bill of its fiscal items, the Wisconsin State Senate passed an amended conference committee version of the bill last night, effectively eliminating collective bargaining for public workers. The bill passed 18-1, with no Democrats present.…

Poll Shows Most in State Want Budget Compromise

Professor Ken Goldstein, a PROFS Steering Committee member and political science professor, conducted a survey for the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute last week and found that 65% of those questioned want Governor Scott Walker to negotiate a compromise with Senate…