Governor Scott Walker's UW proposal dead in Legislature, cuts debated

MADISON (AP) — Co-chairs of the Legislature's budget committee says an agreement has been reached in the Senate and Assembly not to move forward with Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to give the University of Wisconsin more independence from state law and oversight.

The lawmakers declared the proposal dead on Tuesday. Lawmakers for weeks have been saying it was unlikely to pass.

Sen. Alberta Darling and Rep. John Nygren also reiterated their support for lowering the $300 million budget cut Walker proposed to go along with giving UW more independence. But Darling and Nygren aren't saying yet how much that may be reduced.

Lawmakers are waiting for new estimates on tax collections due any day that will determine how much additional money is available to be spent.