State Senator Robin Vos Optimistic About Passing Amended Bill

State Senator Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) was in his Capital Building office this morning preparing to vote on the amended budget repair bill that passed the state senate last night.

"This is a good bill to move Wisconsin forward," he said. "I am optimistic it will pass the assembly today."

The amended bill passed last night and abruptly ended the stalemate between Governor Scott Walker and state senate Democrats. Vos said the Democratic senators who left the state to avoid a vote shouldn't be surprised that their Republican colleagues acted. 

"Really, this is no different from what the Democratically controlled legislature did in 2009 to put their budget repair bill through," he said. Passage and approval of that bill took less than 48 hours, Vos added.

He also said talk of the legality of the vote is a lot of talk about nothing.

"This was a completely legal vote. We checked with several non-partisan attorneys to be sure we were on solid ground," he stated.

Because parts of the bill that involve appropriations were removed, the 3/5 of the voting body rule didn't hold so the Democrats were not required to be present. Vos said 75 percent of the original bill remains intact, including requiring public employees pay more toward their pensions and healthcare. The compromises Governor Walker extended to the Democratic senators like not limiting salary negotiations to the current rate of inflation are now a moot point.

"My senate colleagues offered reasonable compromises, but the Democratic senators chose to run to Illinois instead of coming to work," Vos said. "We still need to address the items that were removed like debt refinancing, but at least we're moving forward,"