Is Scott Walker’s Budget Bill the Best way to Balance Wisconsin’s deficit?

Posted for Devon

This past January, the state of Wisconsin
caught the Nation’s eye as political unrest and mass protests erupted as Scott
Walker was elected the new governor of Wisconsin. As soon as Walker stepped
into office on November 30, 2010, the state of Wisconsin would be forever
changed. Walker came into a state with a budget deficit. The governor’s job,
fix it. Walker decided that the best way to do this was to cut many of the
benefits which state workers receive. Some of which include “requiring
employees who pay into the Wisconsin Retirement System to contribute 50 percent
of their annual pension payment, requiring state employees to pay at least
12.6% of the average cost of annual [health insurance]premiums and make various
changes to limit collective bargaining for most public employees to wages”
(Highlights of Gov. Walker's budget Repair Bill 1). Along with state workers
receiving cuts, public schools received many funding cuts. The main result of
these cuts, less money in the pockets of state union workers. To many, this
seemed like a attack to state workers; resulting in, mass protests at the
capital in Madison. These protests went on for days. People by the thousands
gathered to protest the bill. I myself actually took off school for a day to
participate. What i saw? Unhappy people, thousands off them. It was obvious to
Walker that the citizens of Wisconsin didn’t agree with him, especially the 14
democrats that fled to Illinois putting their jobs at risk to pretest the
voting of the bill. However, he stood strong and the bill was passed. Along
with the finical blows many workers will suffer, the state itself will have
consequences. People are forced to choose a side. The result of this, a
strongly split conservative and liberal state. With such strong opinions of
this bill, one must think there is a better way to balance the deficit.
Wisconsin Senator Kathleen Vinehout believes we should “eliminate the tax cuts
going to the most wealthy; don’t increase taxes on those of modest means; don’t
create or expand programs unless absolutely necessary; return the raids on
funds and minimize cuts to education, colleges and local government. Get rid of
the charter school expansion and new private school “choice” vouchers.”
(Vinehout 1). She also believes that by “accepting public employee
contributions to health insurance and retirement” and “fund local government at
last year’s level” Wisconsin would have enough money to reverse half of the
cuts local schools” (Vinehout 1). To conclude, Walker does not have to go after
state employees, he choose to. There are other ways to balance the budget.

Works Cited

Staff, State Journal.
"Highlights of Gov. Walker's Budget Repair Bill." Madison.com Madison
WI News Sports Entertainment. Web. 19 Sept. 2011. <http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_3d93e6aa-363a-11e0-8493-001cc4c002e0.html>.

Vinehout, Kathleen. "A Better
Way to Balance the Budget with the Same Dollars Uppity Wisconsin."
Uppity Wisconsin Progressive News from the Cheddarsphere. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
<http://uppitywis.org/node/46580/view?destination=taxonomy/term/230?page=7>.