Calling it “a difficult budget and a difficult process,” State Representative Joel Kitchens voted to pass the Wisconsin state budget in the State Assembly. Kitchens called the two-year spending plan a great improvement over the budget originally handed over by the governor. The Sturgeon Bay Republican says the goal of fully funding K-12 education was achieved, dollars were set aside for the Harbor Assistance Program, including $4.2 million for the Kewaunee harbor project, and more than $33 million in bonding authority was provided for the Knowles-Nelson stewardship program.
Kitchens says the budget also protects Seniorcare which provides affordable prescription drugs for senior citizens. He noted that there are thousands of items in the two-year document and there are some that he doesn’t agree with but, on balance, he believes it’s a good budget with many items that will directly benefit the first assembly district.