Legislative leaders breaking bread under the auspices of the Racine County Board on Monday quickly laid down olive branches in favor of spears, turning a bi-partisan breakfast into a barbecue of acrimony.
Invited by the board to the morning round-table, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) bad-mouthed Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca’s (D-Kenosha) Democrats for raiding the state’s transportation fund under past administrations to balance the state budget.
Barca, in turn, accused the present-day majority of dipping into segregated funds normally reserved for special causes other than road building. The two also sparred over the failure of the prior session’s mining bill, with Barca pointing out that it was a Republican, State Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center), who spoiled the vote.
State Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine), who’s apparently gotten over Vos claiming in 2012 that his recall victory over Republican Van Wanggaard was partly due to voter fraud, basked in the reflected glow of the region’s legislative clout.
“We are in a wonderful position,” he said.
The Journal Times reports.
