The Joint Finance Committee held a public hearing on Gov. Scott Walker's budget bill Monday at the State Fair Park in West Allis, where hundreds of people spoke for and against the proposed budget throughout the day.
People signed up to speak starting at 10 a.m. before registration was cut off at 270 speakers at around noon due to time constraints. Each speaker was allowed two minutes to state his or her case.
State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, wanted to keep the hearings going into the night, but Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, prevented that. He said if people who wanted to speak were not able to, they could submit written testimony to the Joint Finance Committee.
The majority of people in attendance criticized the budget bill and Walker's agenda in general.
Resident Will Coleman spoke out against the bill, saying this was the first time he felt ""compelled to address"" the committee. He said he the bill favored the rich at the expense of the poor.
""The people who have the means don't need any more help; they don't need my tax dollars,"" Coleman said.
Milwaukee resident Amanda Frazier-Collins voiced her concerns over Walker's education and BadgerCare proposals.
""My love for the state makes it difficult for me to understand how Scott Walker could propose a budget so devastating to the future of Wisconsin,"" she said.
However, Greenfield resident Steve Klein spoke in support of Walker's budget.
""Thank you Governor Walker and Sen. Darling for having the courage and the vision to realize Wisconsin has a serious taxing problem and the people can't afford it any more,"" Klein said.
Toward the end of the hearing, several hundred people gathered outside of the expo center the hearing was held in to protest the budget bill. Later they filled the building, holding up their fists as a sign of solidarity.
This was the third of four public hearings on the budget. The next meeting is scheduled to take place Wednesday in Neenah.
