After campaign promises to keep pork and non-fiscal items out of Wisconsin Biennial State Budgets, both budgets introduced and signed by Governor Walker have been laden with exactly these items. Now, I can’t blame Governor Walker for all of the non-relevant items in the 2013 – 2015 state budget because many of them were added in committee by the Republicans in the legislature.
Both sides have been guilty of this over the years and both sides bemoan the fact that it happens…but let it happen time and time again.
So wouldn’t a bill that makes it illegal to include non-fiscal and pork type items in the state budget a bipartisan no brainer?
Yeah, I know…Never gonna happen.
Interesting idea, Ed. But on a practical level who would determine what is “non-fiscal” or “pork”? Or would all of the questionable items end up in court?
That is the job of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.