MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut tuition at the University of Wisconsin and use taxpayer funds to pay for it is shaking up normal political alliances with some Democrats supporting it while skeptical fellow Republicans worry it could put the state on a path toward socialist Bernie Sanders’ free college tuition plan.
Republican governors across the nation have criticized universities over higher tuition and some, including Walker, have forced tuition freezes. But Walker appears to be the first Republican governor to promise taxpayer money to reduce the cost of university.
Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos fears it’s a step toward the state paying for free tuition.
Peter Barca, the Democratic Assembly leader and frequent Walker critic, says he supports the proposal as long as it is paid for.