MADISON, Wis. – After adjourning the 2026 session of the state legislature only three months into the year and leaving mountains of urgent work undone, the GOP majority is now forcing public schools and taxpayers to once again pay the price for Republicans’ laziness.
In the upcoming April 7 election, 70 school districts across the state will be forced to ask local taxpayers to raise their own property taxes so that schools can keep the lights on and kids can continue learning.
According to the Wisconsin State Constitution, every child is guaranteed an opportunity for a basic education and the state is required to help provide for public schools. Yet, the Republicans who have controlled the legislature for the last 15 years have instead chronically underfunded public schools, which in turn has driven up local property taxes.
Republicans have imperiled this constitutional guarantee of a public education so badly that a lawsuit has now been filed to try to force the GOP to finally meet this basic responsibility.
“The Wisconsin State Legislature, which has been controlled for years by Republicans, has a legal obligation to fund our public schools,” said A Better Wisconsin Together Communications Director Lucy Ripp. “Their refusal to fulfill this very basic obligation is what’s leaving school districts uncertain about their future and yet another increased cost for taxpayers.”
But it doesn’t need to be that way. Ripp says Wisconsin Republicans have the means and opportunity to fix this, but instead are taking advantage of Wisconsinites and our unwavering support for public education.
“Republicans have a multi-billion dollar surplus they could use to fund our local schools, but instead are choosing to shift that cost onto taxpayers,” said Ripp. “High quality education for our kids or lower property taxes isn’t a choice Wisconsinites should have to make.”
