Vos doesn’t expect big budget changes

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he doesn’t expect his house will make substantial changes to the state budget to win over Senate Republicans who have pledged to vote against the spending plan.

Sen. David Craig, of Big Bend, told conservative talk show host Jay Weber on WISN-AM on Thursday that he is a “no” vote on the budget. Craig joins Republican Sen. Steve Nass, who announced his opposition on Wednesday.

That leaves Senate Republicans with the bare minimum 17 votes needed to pass the budget.

The Assembly is expected to vote on the budget Tuesday and send the document to the Senate. Vos told reporters Thursday that his caucus may make small changes to the plan ahead of the vote, including clarifying that only the full Legislature, not the Legislature’s finance committee, can impose a per-mile fee on drivers and reducing property taxes further. He didn’t say by how much.

But he says the budget as a whole meets Assembly Republicans’ priorities.