This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol remain focused on the state budget. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics:
— In this week’s Republican radio address, Sen. Howard Marklein slams Gov. Tony Evers’ veto of tax cuts in the biennial budget.
The Spring Green Republican details funds in the budget allocated for education, transportation, health services, housing initiatives, capital building projects and a new PFAS fund.
“I am very proud of our work to fund our priorities and meet our obligations for the next biennium. Our state budget is made for Wisconsin,” the Joint Finance Committee co-chair says.
Even with these allocations, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau has estimated that the state will have $4 billion remaining in the general fund. Marklein says the retaining of these funds is the result of Evers vetoing a $3.5 billion income tax cut proposed by Republicans.
“Instead of money going to taxpayers, it is going to be sitting in a general fund surplus,” he says. “It belongs to the taxpayers and should be returned to them. The measly $36 each of us will see in the governor’s so-called tax relief is a joke.”
Listen to the address:
https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/230714gopaddress/
— In this week’s Democratic radio address, Gov. Tony Evers touts investments into K-12 education.
The biennial budget includes an increase of almost $1.2 billion for public school districts, with focuses on improving reading and literacy outcomes and investments in special education, he said.
This includes Evers using his partial veto powers to create a 402-year increase of $325 per year in per pupil revenue limit authority.
“This is the largest increase in statewide revenue limit authority since revenue limits were first imposed on K-12 schools in 1993,” he says. “It is permanent and base-building.”
Evers said there remains work to do on school funding.
“We must continue our work to prioritize school funding during this biennium and into the future,” Evers says. “We have work left to do, but I will never stop fighting to do the right thing for our kids because what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state.”
Listen to the address:
https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/230714demaddress/
Find the archive of weekly addresses, organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, by going to: https://www.wi-broadcasters.org/for-the-public/weekly-addresses-archive/
