Democratic Gov. Tony Evers gave his final State of the State address Feb. 17. He announced last year he wouldn't be running for a third term this fall.
His address was a glance back and look forward – with a focus on school funding, property taxes and the economy.
Evers began by trying to define his legacy as more than his battles with the GOP-controlled state Legislature. That includes battles like a partial veto he made in 2023 that Republicans tried – and failed – to override. It extended a temporary school funding increase by 400 years.
“My vetoes are often the focus of news coverage and even political criticism," Evers said. "I know Republicans get upset when I use my veto pen to do good things for kids in schools, for example. But here’s the truth: I’ve signed over 800 bills as governor, and more than 97% of the bills I’ve signed passed with bipartisan support."
Evers touted bills that poured funds into the justice system, helped provide workers' compensation to firefighters, expanded tax credits to lower the cost of childcare, and provided money to prepare for and prevent flooding.
He said they’ve managed to do all that while paying down the state’s debt.
"After 30 consecutive years of our state's checking account running a deficit, we've ended every full fiscal year I've been governor with a positive balance," he said.
Evers said he hopes to build on those efforts this session, "including [by] reaching bipartisan agreement on a plan to get meaningful resources to our K-12 schools and provide property tax relief at the same time, and it must balance these important obligations a heck of a lot better than the plan Republican leaders sent me this week."
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu of Oostburg talked about that plan in the GOP response to Evers’ address. He said that Wisconsin is at a crossroads.
"As you and your families are struggling to pay for groceries, housing, utilities, the state government has $2.5 billion of your money just sitting here in Madison," LeMahieu said. "We want to give that money back to you."
LeMahieu said his and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ proposal would return a portion of the surplus to taxpayers through a $1,000 rebate check.
"This would come on top of the $1.5 billion in tax cuts for the middle class and retirees we already passed last summer," he explained. "Our plan would use the remaining surplus to strengthen our commitment to special education above what we promised in the budget and dedicate $500 million to limit the property tax impact of the governor's 400-year veto."
Both sides do say they’re open to continuing to negotiate K-12 funding and curbing property tax increases.
