Wisconsin Budget Hits Snag

Budget Still Likely to Pass

MADISON, Wis.-A Republican state senator plans to vote against the state budget as it currently stands, complicating passage of the spending plan.

A spokesman for Sen. Steve Nass said Thursday that as the budget stands now, Nass would vote against it. Nass spokesman Mike Mikalsen says elimination of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed 5 percent University of Wisconsin tuition cut and other changes to higher education funding “doesn’t help him get to a yes.”

Nass is a longtime critic of the UW System and has broken with Republicans in the past and voted against Walker budgets.

Republicans have 20 seats in the Senate and need 17 votes to pass the budget. Republicans also control the Assembly by a wide 64-35 margin.