WI Senate set to vote on 2-year state budget that cuts taxes, decreases funding for University of Wisconsin

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Taxes would be cut across all income levels, with the wealthiest benefiting the most, and the University of Wisconsin would get nearly half a billion dollars less than it asked for under a two-year spending plan up for approval Wednesday in the state Senate.

The Republican-authored plan also includes parts of a bipartisan compromise reached with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to increase funding for K-12 schools by $1 billion. Evers struck that deal with Republican legislative leaders as part of a larger package to boost funding for local governments by $1 billion, including giving Milwaukee county and city the option to raise local sales taxes to avoid bankruptcy.

Evers, Democratic lawmakers and others have pushed Republicans to increase funding for UW, a K-12 school safety office, and a pandemic-era child care program. But GOP leaders said on Tuesday they will not make any substantive changes to the budget.

The Senate was taking it up on Wednesday, to be followed by the Assembly on Thursday. From there it would go to Evers, who can make changes through his line-item veto power, but he can't use that to add funding. Evers also has the option to veto the entire budget, which would require the Legislature to start over, a move he's threatened to make if UW's funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs is cut.

UW PRESIDENT WARNS GOP AGAINST BUDGET CUTS; THREATENS CAMPUS CLOSURES, TUITION HIKES

The budget currently cuts UW by $32 million, the amount GOP leaders identified goes toward DEI staff salaries and programming. But the university could get that funding back later if it shows it would go toward workforce development