Month: March 2023

Wisconsin Republican legislative leaders downplayed the state’s record budget surplus Wednesday, even as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has pushed for massive spending increases on K-12 education, tax cuts and funding for local governments.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos cautioned that much of the state’s projected $7 billion surplus is one-time money that he said shouldn’t be used to fund new programs or ongoing expenses. Evers has proposed a range of uses for the money, from subsidizing repairs at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium to creating a three-month paid leave program for most workers.

“We do not have anywhere near the money that Gov. Evers spoke about yesterday,” Vos said at a Wisconsin Counties Association event as he tried to temper expectations for what local governments would receive in the budget.

At the same event on Tuesday, Evers promised tax cuts for the middle class and additional funding for local governments — plans that Vos said relied on “phony math.”

Vos said Republicans would tie more funding for local governments to requirements on how it could be spent.

He and Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, who together lead the GOP-controlled Legislature, advocated for using the surplus to enact tax cuts for payers at all income levels. Co-chairs of the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing committee said Tuesday that LeMahieu’s plan for a flat income tax rate was unlikely to be included in the budget, but Republicans view such a tax as a long-term goal.

Vos cited estimates that the state’s recurring revenue will increase by $1.2 billion over the next two years. He told county officials that about 75% of that money would be needed to continue funding Medicaid programs and wage increases for prison guards that Evers supported with federal pandemic aid.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday proposed spending $3.8 billion on building projects in 28 counties around the state, with nearly half directed toward work across the University of Wisconsin System.

The plan will first go to the state building commission on March 23 for consideration, but it would ultimately need the approval of the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Republican Rep. Mark Born, co-chair of the Legislature’s budget committee, accused Evers of proposing “massive spending and unrealistic growth.” He said the Legislature’s plan, which is likely to be finalized in June, will prioritize projects that “ensure we’re in a strong position for the future.”

Unlike in previous years, which relied heavily on borrowing to pay for the projects, Evers this time proposed paying for about half of the work in cash, citing the state’s record-high budget surplus of about $7 billion.

Evers called for spending $1.8 billion on projects at UW campuses. That includes $347 million to demolish and replace the engineering building on the UW-Madison campus; $231 million to demolish the science building at UW-Eau Claire and build a new facility to house several programs; $182 million to demolish and replace the science building at UW-La Crosse, and $169 million to partially demolish, renovate and build a new art building at UW-Madison.

Other proposed projects include $41 million in fiberoptic upgrades at the state Capitol to improve cellular service; $225 million for health services facilities; an additional $60 million for the already approved construction of a new state history museum near the Capitol; and $84 million for improvements at a variety of Wisconsin National Guard facilities.

There are a host of local projects, including funding for the Milwaukee Iron District, Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center in Janesville, Green Bay National Railroad Museum, Marquette University School of Dentistry and the Door County Peninsula Players Theatre.