GAB board chair warns Republican changes could disrupt 2016 elections
MADISON — The chairman of the nonpartisan board that oversees Wisconsin elections is warning Republicans that overhauling board operations could have serious consequences for the 2016 contests.Republicans are crafting a bill that would re-shape the Government Accountability Board, a group of six retired judges that oversee elections and ethics laws.
Open records changes: Newly released emails show Assembly Speaker Robin Vos drafted the language
MADISON -- Newly released emails specify which lawmaker led the push to restrict access to government records.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald: Arena funding deal could include ticket surcharge
MADISON — The Senate's Republican leader says a deal to commit public dollars to a new $500 million arena for the Milwaukee Bucks could still include a ticket surcharge.Republicans have crafted a bill that would devote $250 million to the arena through a mix of state and local tax dollars over the next 20 years.
Lawmakers make progress toward budget agreement; Assembly to vote on spending plan next week
MADISON — After nearly a month-long stalemate, Republican leaders in Madison say they're making progress toward a budget agreement.
Senate leader promises vote on Bucks arena funding plan next week
MADISON — The Wisconsin Senate's Republican leader says he plans to vote on a bill to fund a new Milwaukee Bucks arena next week.The deal lays out a $500 million financing plan for the arena that includes $250 million from taxpayers.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos unveils measure to cut use of prevailing wage by 60%
MADISON — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says a proposal scaling back the use of prevailing wage in Wisconsin has the votes to pass the Assembly -- and he's waiting for Senate leaders to say what they have the votes to do.Vos on Monday, June 29th joined with other Republican Assembly members to unveil a measure to cut the use of the prevailing wage by 60%.
Walker says framework of budget deal likely in next few days; others not so optimistic
MADISON -- Governor Scott Walker on Wednesday, June 24th said the framework of a budget deal to break a nearly month-long impasse is likely in the next few days.Walker did not say Wednesday what the deal may look like.But Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says in response, "It sounds like the governor is more optimistic than I am."Walker is downplaying the budget delay, noting that only three budgets have been signed before July 19th since 1983 and two of those were when he was governor.He also defends his involvement in the budget negotiations, saying he has been more active this year than ever before.Meanwhile, Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he still does not have the votes to pass the state budget.Fitzgerald said Wednesday that he is still working with Republican senators who want to see items "included, eliminated or modified."The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee has not met since May 29th and has no meetings scheduled.Republican leaders said Tuesday their goal was to be done by July 1st, which is unlikely.Fitzgerald says Republicans have yet to reach agreement on several key issues, including whether to delay work on the Zoo Interchange near Milwaukee to deal with cuts in road funding, whether to remove a financing deal for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena from the budget and what changes to make to the state's prevailing wage law.
Republicans meeting again in search of Wisconsin budget deal
MADISON — Republican legislative leaders planned to meet again Monday afternoon as they continue to search for a way to wrap up work on the two-year state budget.The current budget runs through June 30, and lawmakers have said they want to pass a new spending plan by then.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald to meet with leaders to discuss state budget
MADISON — Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald plans to meet with other legislative leaders on Monday as an agreement on several key issues in the state budget remains elusive.Fitzgerald spokeswoman Myranda Tanck says he is meeting with other legislative leaders on Monday night.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald: "I don't know where we're at" on state budget
MADISON — Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he does not think the Legislature is any closer to reaching a deal to break an impasse on the state budget.Fitzgerald said Tuesday that he has not spoken with Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos about unresolved budget issues since last week.
What will it take to make a new Milwaukee Bucks arena plan a reality?
MILWAUKEE -- The Common Council is just one of the groups who will vote to fork out money to pay for a new Bucks arena.
"We want a good deal or no deal at all:" Group concerned over quality of jobs associated with new Bucks arena
MILWAUKEE -- Governor Scott Walker joined state and local leaders, including Speaker Robin Vos, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in announcing a plan to protect state taxpayers from a loss of approximately $419 million, if the NBA relocates the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bucks arena funding deal finally reached? News conference set for 3:15 p.m. in Madison
MILWAUKEE -- A deal may have finally been reached as it relates to funding for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena in downtown Milwaukee.
New reports: Bucks arena funding plan could be stand-alone measure, separate from budget
MILWAUKEE -- Will it or won't it be part of the state budget?
Budget-writing committee unlikely to finish work this week
MADISON — Republican leaders in the Legislature are meeting privately with individual lawmakers, trying to broker deals that will lead to the budget-writing committee finishing its work on the two-year spending plan.Both Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos were in meetings all day Tuesday to work on budget deals.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says prevailing wage hearing could derail reform
MADISON (AP) — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says efforts to take up prevailing wage repeal could hinder efforts to reform the program in the state budget.A Wisconsin state Assembly Labor Committee has scheduled a public hearing and vote Wednesday on a bill to repeal the prevailing wage.Vos says there isn't enough support in the Republican-controlled Legislature for a full repeal of the law that that requires construction workers on certain government projects be paid wages equivalent to what they would earn working on other projects in the area.Republican Senate Majority Scott Fitzgerald said last week he doesn't have the votes for a full repeal, but he hopes to make changes in the state budget.The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee hopes to complete its work this week.
Working towards deal: Barrett's chief of staff, County Exec. Abele take part in Bucks arena meeting in Madison
MADISON (WITI) -- Key players are still working towards a deal as it relates to funding for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena in downtown Milwaukee.
Officials inch closer to deal for a new Bucks arena saying, "I think we're getting there"
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- While officials say they're making progress toward a deal for a new arena, it's still quite early in the process.
Business Journal: Sen. Fitzgerald sets Wednesday meeting with key players on Bucks arena funding
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald is organizing a meeting in Madison with key players to discuss funding for a new downtown Milwaukee Bucks arena, the Milwaukee Business Journal reports.The meeting is set for Wednesday, April 22nd.How the new arena would be paid for remains a big unanswered question.
"It's bigger than the team:" Talks over financing a new arena generate creative ideas
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele says there are a number of options on the table when it comes to finding a way to afford a new downtown arena for the Milwaukee Bucks."It's bigger than the team, it's bigger than the arena, it's about downtown Milwaukee and one of the biggest opportunities for development we've had in decades and we should be acting that way," said Abele.Abele was reacting to the offers made this week by Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.