One of the chief lawmakers writing the next state budget said Thursday that school officials and Democrats are exaggerating if they say schools are holding off on new spending because a new two-year state spending plan is not in place.

“I think that is all smoke and mirrors, quite honestly,” Joint Finance Committee co-chairman Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said of such concerns.

Check out the news story by Molly Beck of the Wisconsin State Journal.