Wisconsin budget panel approves recount reimbursement

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee on Friday approved reimbursing Milwaukee and Dane counties for costs incurred during the recount requested and paid for by President Donald Trump.

The reimbursement was hung up by the committee, but co-chair Rep. Mark Born said Friday that objection was removed after the counties submitted additional details about their costs. The counties said the recount cost them combined about $2.4 million, which was less than the original projection of $3 million.

The recount confirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in both counties, which was upheld by both federal and state courts. Biden won Wisconsin by nearly 21,000 votes.

Trump’s campaign had to pay for the recount in advance. The budget committee’s action now allows the Wisconsin Elections Commission to reimburse Dane and Milwaukee counties.

Joint Finance Committee co-chair Sen. Howard Marklein said he still had concerns about some of the costs being reimbursed, the objection was lifted.

“We continue to have concerns about the high hourly rate paid to workers, expensive rental costs when we have county-owned buildings sitting empty and inflated operational expenses,” he said in a statement. “We plan to consider options for the future.”