Wisconsin Budget 2023-25
Wisconsin’s biennial budget negotiations concluded on July 5, when Gov. Tony Evers signed the budget the Wisconsin Legislature sent him, after making substantial alterations using his powerful partial veto authority. Wisconsin Examiner reporters bring you the details, breaking down the numbers and examining the proposals for spending the state’s record-breaking surplus. Follow along as we report on the budget process, follow the money and examine what it means for state residents with political stories, graphics, and on-the-ground reporting both inside the Capitol and out in communities around the state.
Advocates seek significant pay boost in state budget for workers who provide in-home care
Advocates for the elderly and people with disabilities are looking to the state budget now taking shape in the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to boost pay for personal care workers in Wisconsin in hopes of alleviating a chronic shortage that has stranded many people and families needing care. “This is the time for an investment, […]
Republicans approve $125 million for PFAS mitigation without specifying how to use it
Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee approved $125 million to create a fund that will be used to combat PFAS in Wisconsin, but refrained from establishing a plan or regulations for how the funds should be used. Republicans announced the proposal Thursday night, following a seven-hour delay. Lawmakers passed the proposal, which was included alongside […]
Republicans play chicken with the economy at both the state and national levels
As Erik Gunn reports this week, Congressional Republicans’ threat to force the federal government into a first-ever debt default unless they get agreement on a package of draconian last-minute spending cuts could have dire consequences for Wisconsin veterans and for clean energy companies — along with many other citizens. The new Republican majority in the […]
Republican leaders divided on shared revenue proposal
Wisconsin’s top Republican lawmakers are split over how Milwaukee and Milwaukee County will get approval for additional sales taxes meant to pay for unfunded pension obligations. The divide leaves a potential deal on a bill to increase the state’s funding for local governments up in the air. Assembly Republicans passed an amended version of a […]
Assembly passes revised shared revenue bill after hours of delay and debate
Assembly Republicans announced several last-minute changes to their local government funding plans Wednesday afternoon, including a bump in the payments that local governments would receive and some slight changes to other requirements they would need to meet. Just hours later, Assembly Republicans passed the amended bill, AB-245, despite the governor’s statement earlier in the day […]
Gov. Evers optimistic about shared revenue deal ahead of Assembly floor session
Gov. Tony Evers expressed optimism Wednesday morning about reaching a deal with Republican leaders on increasing local government funding, just two weeks after he threatened to veto the proposed Republican bill in its entirety. Evers’ statement comes ahead of an afternoon floor session where Assembly lawmakers are expected to vote on AB 245, despite ongoing […]
Joint Finance Committee unanimously approves Republicans’ proposal to increase state lawyer pay
Wisconsin’s assistant district attorneys and public defenders would make a starting wage of $36 per hour under a plan proposed by Republican lawmakers on Tuesday. The proposal is $1 more than what Gov. Tony Evers included in his executive budget. The Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve the plan, which is meant to alleviate […]
Business campaign raises its profile for child care aid in state budget
Close to 100 business organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and nonprofits have signed on to a campaign to provide continued supplemental child care funding in the next state budget, child care advocates said Monday. “The bottom line is without accessible, high-quality, and affordable child care, attracting and retaining employees will remain a pressing […]
Weaker tax revenues lead to slight dip in state surplus forecast
A new state analysis released Monday forecasts slightly lower Wisconsin tax collections and a correspondingly smaller state surplus than previous forecasts. The report, issued by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, finds that weaker state tax collections — down by $365.2 million for the 2022-23 fiscal year — outpaced new expenditure reductions, which total $141.7 million. The […]
Budget, shared revenue bill test Assembly Speaker Vos’ vision of bipartisan compromise
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said the “disappointing” results of Wisconsin’s 2022 elections — where Democratic Gov. Tony Evers won reelection by a healthy margin and Republicans held onto their majority in the state Legislature but fell short of a veto-proof supermajority — made him decide to hit the “reset button” in Wisconsin. “Where we […]
Assembly committee advances shared revenue bill, despite potential changes
The Assembly Local Government committee voted 8-4 along partisan lines to advance a Republican bill to increase local government funding tied to requirements that drew Democrats’ objections, despite the committee chair saying negotiations on the bill are ongoing. Democrats on the committee were critical of Republicans for moving the bill forward without addressing concerns brought […]
Bipartisan bill would give grants to gun shop owners to support suicide prevention
Wisconsin gun shops would be eligible to receive grants to support prevention of suicide by firearms throughout the state under a bipartisan bill proposed by a two Republican lawmakers. Co-author Sen. Jesse James (R-Altoona) said during an Assembly Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention committee hearing on Tuesday that the bill would be one way […]
Wisconsin Budget 2023-25
Wisconsin’s biennial budget negotiations concluded on July 5, when Gov. Tony Evers signed the budget the Wisconsin Legislature sent him, after making substantial alterations using his powerful partial veto authority. Wisconsin Examiner reporters bring you the details, breaking down the numbers and examining the proposals for spending the state’s record-breaking surplus. Follow along as we report on the budget process, follow the money and examine what it means for state residents with political stories, graphics, and on-the-ground reporting both inside the Capitol and out in communities around the state.
PATH TO A BUDGET
Gov. Evers’ proposal
On Feb. 15, 2023, Gov. Tony Evers delivered his biennial budget address and released his plan for the state’s next two-year budget.
Budget skepticism
Evers’ proposed budget increased spending by 23%, cut income taxes by 10% for four out of five Wisconsin taxpayers and included a record increase for public education, $2.6 billion, which the governor touted as “the largest increase in K-12 schools and education in state history.” Transportation, broadband, child care, health care and PFAS cleanup were among the other priorities that received increased funding in Evers’ budget.
Republican legislative leaders were quick to express skepticism about Evers’ plan. While they said there were some areas where they anticipate a bipartisan deal can be made, the leaders of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee said they intended to start from scratch and build their own version of the budget, rather than working from Evers’ plan.
The Joint Finance Committee
The Joint Finance Committee heard from agency heads and other experts throughout the spring and early summer. When the committee finished its work, the Legislature voted on a spending plan and sent it to Evers for his signature or veto. The Wisconsin governor also had the power to partially veto legislation. In the last budget negotiation, Evers managed to increase spending on schools using his partial veto pen. The deadline for completing the new budget was July 1.
Evers signed the budget with partial vetoes
Wisconsin’s biennial budget negotiations concluded on July 5, when Gov. Tony Evers signed the budget the Wisconsin Legislature sent him, after making substantial alterations using his powerful partial veto authority.