Wisconsin’s Budget-Writing Committee Passes Budget with ‘Historic’ $4.3 Billion Tax Cut

After a season of spending, the Wisconsin Legislature is finally getting around to talking tax cuts. Perhaps Republicans have saved the best for last.

The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee put the finishing touches on a complete rewrite of Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ 2023-25 state budget proposal, passing a tax reform package that promises to deliver $3.5 billion in income tax cuts and nearly $800 million in property tax relief. 

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Wisconsin’s Largest Business Advocate Applauds Republicans’ Removal of Hundreds of Governor Tony Evers’ Proposals from Budget

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee this week jettisoned 545 of liberal Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposals, packed with higher taxes on businesses and individuals and growing government initiatives.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business advocate, is applauding the Republican-controlled budget-writing committee for trimming Evers’ bigger government budget plan. 

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Gov. Evers Puts Kibosh on Flat Tax, School Choice in Wisconsin

Gov. Tony Evers is already taking things off the list of possible compromises at the Wisconsin Capitol.

The governor told WISN TV on UPFRONT that he will not sign a flat tax or universal school choice plan if Republicans send him one.

“A flat tax, if that’s part of the budget, that could end it. If it’s universal school choice across the state for education, that could be a killer too. But we’ll see. I don’t think any of those things are going to happen, so I’m planning on signing a good budget.”

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Wisconsin Panel Recommends Historic Funding Increases for Health Services, Nixing Medicaid Expansion

by Bethany Blankley   The Republican-led Joint Finance Committee (JFC) is recommending a record $1.63 billion two-year budget for the state’s Department of Health Services – an increase of $588 million in state General Purpose Revenue (GPR) than under former Gov. Scott Walker. The cornerstone of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal, Medicaid expansion, was squashed. Medicaid expansion was one of the first non-fiscal policy items the JFC nixed, at the bewilderment of Democrats. State Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, said Republicans were “screwing over” his city. “The Medicaid expansion is intimately tied to the Democrat’s proposal and how it plays with federal funding,” he said. Republicans disagreed. “We have said all along expanding Medicaid wasn’t necessary based on where we were,” JFC co-chair Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said. “The Republican legislative leadership acted in the best interest of the state of Wisconsin when it rejected, once again, the effort to expand Medicaid,” CJ Szafir, executive vice president at the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), told The Center Square. A WILL study concluded that Medicaid expansion would result in increased costs to Wisconsin families with private insurance by $177 per year, up to $700 for a family of four, and cost…

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