The Joint Finance Committee passed Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill late Wednesday on a 12-4 vote along party lines. Unofficial hearings on amendments to the bill delayed the hearing by more than seven hours.
The amended bill still contains controversial limitations to unions' collective bargaining powers, as well as an increase in state employee contributions to pensions and health care.
State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, criticized the bill and called it a worker retribution act.
""This [bill] doesn't solve our economic problems but creates more pain and anxiety,"" Jauch said. ""It's being classified as a meaningful change. It's nothing more than planting a bunch of dying weeds and calling it a garden.""
However, State Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, did not feel sympathy for those affected.
""When Scott Walker was sitting in that desk in closed caucus about a week ago and told me my pension was going down, which I wasn't expecting, I got over it in about 10 seconds,"" Grothman said.
As the discussion continued, so did the clamor of drums and chants coming from the Capitol rotunda.
""For five seconds, listen to what's going on outside this room,"" said Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse. ""It's the drumbeat of democracy.""
State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said the main problem with the bill lies in the loss of collective bargaining rights, not the increased contributions to benefits.
""We're willing to sacrifice,"" Taylor said. ""The issue is rights.""
Committee Co-Chair Rep. Robin Vos, R-Burlington, said he must consider the 4,400 unemployed people in his district, as well as 1,800 public employees, and that they made the bill necessary.
The amendment contains 11 points, the most controversial regarding the inclusion of wetlands in Ashwaubenon and the development of local grievance systems for employees.
Taylor said the two points have nothing to do with fiscal matters, and should not be included in the amended bill the Legislative Fiscal Bureau passed.
In addition, she said the creation of the local grievance system would be unnecessary if the collective bargaining rights already established in Wisconsin law were retained.
Another piece of the amendment offers more secure health care coverage benefits for limited-term employees. Vos said the change showed he listened to the citizens that addressed the committee Tuesday.
At 11:00 p.m., the four committee democrats appealed to modify the bill, aiming to reintroduce collective bargaining rights.
The appeal failed in another 12-4 vote along party lines.
""Rarely have so few ignored so many and learned so little,"" Taylor said.
