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Collective Bargaining Controversy

First-year teachers do as much learning as teaching

New teachers learn while they teach

Social studies teacher Sam Van Hefty wanted his eighth-grade …

Supreme Court to hear Act 10 lawsuit

The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear the appeal…

Teacher sues over union negotiations

A part-time instructor sued the Milwaukee Area Technical …

State overtime costs drop 22%

Overtime costs dropped 22 percent in state government last …

Supreme Court urged to take Act 10 lawsuit

Sup. Ct. urged to take Act 10 lawsuit

A state appeals court on Thursday urged the Wisconsin Supreme …

Debt restructuring deadline is Friday

Expected to save state $165 million

Updated: Monday, 21 Feb 2011, 10:24 AM CST
Published : Monday, 21 Feb 2011, 10:22 AM CST

MADISON (AP) - A key part of Gov. Scott Walker's stalled plan to balance the state's budget in part through making public workers pay more for benefits faces a Friday deadline.

Wisconsin faces a $137 million budget shortfall by June 30 and a $3.6 billion problem by mid-2013. The worker concessions Walker seeks would raise $30 million by July but the main way he solves the current problem is be restructuring debt to save $165 million.

A Feb. 22 memo from his Department of Administration director warns that the bill must pass by Friday to allow time to refinance state bonds in order to save the money.

The bill has been stalled since Senate Democrats skipped town last week rather than vote on stripping collective bargaining rights for workers.