Walker responds to Republican criticism of school spending plan - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

MADISON (WKOW) -- Some Republican leaders in the state Senate made it known Wednesday that they want to change Governor Scott Walker's school spending plan.

Governor Walker said he's open to improvements on that proposal after speaking at a conference on emergency management and homeland security in the Wisconsin Dells Thursday.

"We'd add one more percent to school aid, we just would tie it into property tax relief. Some of the Senators want to add a little bit more. We assumed all along the Assembly's going to push for more tax relief, the Senate's going to push for more school aid," Walker said.

Two Republican Senators have called for an alternate budget that would allow public school spending to increase $150 more per student in each of the next two years. The Associated Press reports it would cost $382 million.

"If they want to make improvements that allow for additional school aid or additional tax cuts or both, we're more than willing to sit down and work with them on that," Walker said. His budget also expands the state's private school voucher program. Wednesday, Republican Senate President Mike Ellis told the AP a majority of state Senators will not support his plan.

"If there are lawmakers who don't like the current proposal but still want to help us find a way that kids don't have to go to schools that are failing we're more than willing to work with them on that," Walker said. He also maintained he wouldn't go along with any plan that would lead to an increase in state or property taxes.