Wisconsin Legislature to Vote on Half-Billion Dollar Tax Cut

The Wisconsin Legislature was scheduled to vote Tuesday on approving a half-billion dollar tax cut for businesses that received loans to help them keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic, one of several measures related to the coronavirus that are slated for consideration.

The bill cutting business taxes by $540 million by the middle of 2023 was up for a vote in both the Senate and Assembly. If passed, it would then go to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers who was non-committal last week about whether he would sign or veto the measure.

The bill would benefit recipients of loans administered through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program. The loans are already tax deductible under federal law and Republicans say they are simply trying to bring state tax code into compliance. But Democratic opponents said the move would blow a hole in the state budget.

The Senate was voting Tuesday on a myriad of virus-related bills, including ones to bar employers from mandating vaccinations for workers, not allow prisoners to get priority for vaccinations and prohibit the closing of churches during the pandemic.