Wisconsin, Arizona GOP Delay State Budget Votes Amid Intra-Party Disputes

Wisconsin Republicans face significant hurdles in passing the state budget on time due to internal disagreements and opposition from key GOP senators, despite holding a slim majority in the State Senate. Senate Republicans canceled a crucial budget vote and postponed decisions on funding for the University of Wisconsin System, with some senators expressing dissatisfaction with current proposals and favoring maintaining the existing budget unless improvements are made. The budget proposal includes a plan for corrections funding that avoids policies for closing the aging Green Bay Correctional Institution, contrasting with Democratic Governor Tony Evers' plan to reduce prison populations and shut down the facility without building a new prison. Republican leaders prefer constructing a new prison, which would be more costly, but have not detailed this approach. The divided GOP leadership and the need for bipartisan support complicate negotiations, with Democrats urging cooperation on issues like education and child care funding. Meanwhile, in Arizona, budget negotiations continue amid delays, but signs point to possible GOP deals to prevent a government shutdown, highlighting similar challenges of intra-party and bipartisan negotiations in state budget processes.