UW to get more money

The University of Wisconsin System will get more state money in the next budget but it will be tied to performance, Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday.

In his seventh “state of the state” speech Tuesday, the GOP governor promised to follow up on four years of frozen in-state tuition by making an unspecified cut to the cost of enrollment in the University of Wisconsin System.

Speaking to reporters in Milwaukee Wednesday, Walker said he would set aside more money for the UW System in his budget bill next month to cover the money lost from the tuition cut as well as additional tax dollars for the state’s universities.

“We will cover that completely,” he said of the tuition cut.

To fund road repairs, Walker said he would consider tolls. But they would require federal approval, something he said couldn’t be obtained before the next two-year budget is adopted this summer.

Walker also said he thought it was appropriate for hearings to be held to investigate the extent of Russia’s involvement in the presidential election. He said he was pleased the recount in Wisconsin showed that the state elections were run “safely and soundly.”

The governor said he would consider a request for raises for judges made by Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack but said money is tight and many other state employees, including prosecutors, also are seeking raises.