Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Thursday released his plan to spend the $2.9 billion surplus the state has due to increased tax revenue and federal coronavirus relief funds.
The Democrat takes $1.7 billion to distribute directly to residents of the state through $150 payments. Furthermore, $131.8 million will grant tax breaks to certain caregivers and families.
The final $750 million will be spent on the state’s education system.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the last three years to provide hundreds of dollars in relief to Wisconsinites through withholding tax table changes and our tax cuts—including one of the largest income tax cuts in state history—but I also know folks are still being stretched thin due to everyday costs going up,” said Gov. Evers. “My plan puts even more money in people’s pockets to help make ends meet, bolsters our workforce by helping families with the costs of childcare and caregiving, and makes robust investments in our kids and our schools without raising property taxes. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—Wisconsinites can’t wait for relief from rising prices. So, I hope the Legislature joins me in returning the projected revenue surplus to the taxpayers while supporting our workforce and providing additional relief to folks who need it most.”
However, Republicans in the state reacted differently. Leaders urged caution, arguing the extra funds are due to one-time payments from the federal government.
“This is fantastic news for the state of Wisconsin. This is the best fiscal position our state has ever been in. However, much of this is the result of a one-time influx of federal money into our state. We will not be foolish with these tax dollars by spending them into the future,” State Sen. Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) said in a statement. “Rather, we will focus on further tax relief in the next budget to continue our state on a positive trajectory and ensure the long-term health of the state budget and, more importantly, family budgets.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tony Evers” by Tony Evers.
