[Steve_Seattle]

"the proposed 13 percent cut"

I thought it was a 6% cut ($150 million out of $2.5 billion), and that it would be the SAME cut maintained for 2 years, i.e., a reduction to $2.35 billion for two years, rather than a reduction to $2.35 billion followed by another reduction to $2.2 billion. But even if its the latter, it is incorrect to say that it is a 13% cut, because the average of the two years would be less than that.

[Sideshow Bob]

"the proposed 13 percent cut"

Walker has proposed a 13% cut in the State's funding to the UW system. However, State funding represents less than 20% of annual UW funding. The actual impact to the UW budget is roughly a 2% reduction in funding.

BUT, in exchange for this minor funding cut, Walker is proposing to give the UW system greater autonomy and eliminating legislative reporting requirements and bureaucracy. This new autonomy should result in spending reductions at least equal to (and probably much greater than) the 2% funding cut.