Rep. Armstrong Proud To Vote For Budget Bill

Press Release

MADISON, WI – State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) cast his first vote for a state biennial budget on June 29 when he voted for the 2021-2023 state budget bill recommended by the Legislature’s Republican-led Joint Finance Committee.

“It’s not every day you get the chance to cut taxes by $3.4 billion,” Representative Armstrong said, referring to the historic tax cut the Assembly passed on a 64-34 vote. “When Governor Evers announced his budget proposal earlier this year, I was shocked to learn that it included a $1 billion tax increase at a time when Wisconsin families and businesses were recovering from the impact of COVID-19 – as they still are. It made no sense to me, so I was pleased that the Finance Committee took their responsibilities seriously and drafted an alternative budget that not only collapses an income-tax bracket, but also repeals the personal property tax, in addition to providing other forms of tax relief.

“At the same time, the Republican budget achieves 2/3 funding of K-12 education, invests more in local roads and highway rehabilitation than Governor Evers proposed, provides almost $130 million for broadband expansion grants, and allocates almost $435 million for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities,” Representative Armstrong said. “I’m proud to say the Finance Committee also accepted my request to include funding to renovate and expand the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Barron, which plays a critical role in the local and regional agricultural economy. All of this and more we’ve done without increasing the burden on Wisconsin taxpayers, and I hope that after the Senate concurs on June 30, Governor Evers will recognize how much this budget helps Wisconsin families and businesses and do the right thing and sign it into law.”