July 13, 2007
STATE ASSEMBLY ACTION ON STATE BUDGET
This week, the State Assembly approved their version of the state budget. The Assembly's version of the budget is vastly different than the Governor, Senate and the Joint Committee on Finance versions.
The UW System budget approved by the Assembly reduces funds for cost to continue by $96 million. The original request included in the Senate and Governor's version of the budget included nearly $150 million in cost to continue funds. Cost to continue funds are dollars that are needed to continue to pay for expenses authorized in previous state budgets, like payroll, utilities and debt service. These funds are essential to the basic operation of the university.
The Assembly version of the budget also made specific changes to the UW System budget with some elements directed at UW-Madison. A copy of the Assembly Budget can be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2007-09budget/ARC/education.pdf. The items of note are as follows (with page references):
- Retention of High Demand Faculty (Page 22, item 7)
- Domestic Partner Benefits for State Employees
This was not included in the Assembly version of the budget but is in the Senate version. It is expected that this provision will be negotiated by the conference committee. An update on activity related to this issue can be found at: http://www.news.wisc.edu/domesticPartnerBenefits/ - UW-Madison Law School (page 23, item 9)
Remove $4 million of general purpose revenue from the law school budget in the current 2007-09 and eliminate all GPR support for the law school thereafter. News story about this issue can be found at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_XGR_TOO_MANY_LAWYERS_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT - University Relations and Communications reductions (page 23, item 10)
Reduce the UW System university relations and communication budget by 25 percent overall. This is just over a $2 million cut to be spread out across the system. - Islet Transplantation Program (age 24, item 15)
This item was supported unanimously in the Joint Finance Committee was left out by the Assembly. - Elimination of certain administrative positions (page 23, item 8)
The item would reduce three positions from the chancellor's office and one vice-chancellor. The item would also reduce one vice-president position at UW System. - The Havens Center (page 24, item 12)
Remove funding for this program housed in the Sociology Department. - Nonresident tuition remission for certain undocumented persons (page 25, item 20)
This item included by the Governor and the Senate was removed by the Assembly. - Short Course to introduce Chinese students to the Wisconsin Idea (page 25, item 21)
This was put in by Sen. Miller in Joint Finance and was removed by the Assembly. - Physician Loan Forgiveness Program (page 8, item 8)
This provision was added to provide a program for certain medical students at UW-Madison and the Medical College of Wisconsin. - Veterinarians Loan Forgiveness Program (page 8, item 9)
This provision was added to provide a program for certain veterinary students at UW-Madison.
Cut $4 million from the fund and impose a 60 percent cap of the total fund that go to UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee combined.
Another important part of the budget saw some major changes in the Assembly version. The Capital Budget as passed by the Building Commission and included in the Senate version of the budget is different that what the Assembly did. The building projects that were removed or reduced at UW-Madison are as follows:
- School of Human Ecology (page 4, item 1)
Project eliminated from what was passed in the 2007-09 Capital Budget. - Sterling Hall (page 5, item 3)
Project reduced from what was passed in the 2005-07 state budget. - UW Madison residence halls
Projects eliminated from what was passed in the 2007-09 Capital Budget. - UW Madison Memorial Union and Union South
Projects eliminated from what was passed in the 2007-09 Capital Budget.
The UW System Growth Agenda, primarily targeted at other UW System campuses, was also approved in part by the Assembly. The Assembly also significantly reduced student financial aid, imposed a four percent tuition cap and eliminated funding to pay for veteran's tuition remissions.
The budget bill will now be referred to the conference committee where the differences with the Senate version will be discussed and compromised on. There are many different things that can happen in the conference committee and the current Senate and Assembly versions of the budget are not reflective of what the final product will be. Discussions with legislative leaders will continue as this process moves on.
Chancellor Wiley's statement on the Assembly action of the budget is available at: http://www.news.wisc.edu/13925.
A statement from UW System President Kevin Reilly and Regent President Mark Bradley is available at: http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2007/r070710.htm
For the complete text of all bills and their current status, please visit:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/ab_list.html (Assembly bills)
or http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/sb_list.html (Senate bills).
For more information on state related issues contact,
Don Nelson or Kristi Thorson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967