Senate Republicans follow Assembly colleagues down a backwards path

MADISON, Wis. — In Wisconsin, we take care of one another, and we deserve a budget that brings our values to life. In February, Governor Evers did just that, proposing a budget that would fully fund our schools, bring clean drinking water to Wisconsinites, invest in our small businesses, and so much more. The Badger Bounce Back Budget made it possible to imagine a Wisconsin where the next generation, no matter their creed, color, or zip code, grows up with schools where they can become the best versions of themselves, affordable access to higher education if it’s right for them, and well-paying jobs that can support a family. Thanks to Governor Evers’ sound fiscal management and science-based approach to the pandemic, all of this was possible without breaking the bank.

But when Republicans took an axe to the budget, scarcity was created out of abundance. They turned down federal funds for BadgerCare expansion—money which will now be spent on healthcare in other states—and are jeopardizing the funding that Wisconsin schools are set to receive from the federal government, under the American Rescue Plan. The end result: tight budgets for schools, and a substantial tax cut for the wealthy. Those aren’t our Wisconsin values.

A Better Wisconsin Together Deputy Director Mike Browne commented, “The leaders who are supposed to govern in our name are squandering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our future. The Senate’s decision to approve this budget, without the amendments it so desperately needs, will reverberate over the next couple of years and beyond. We deserve better.”