In February, Governor Evers unveiled his 2023-2025 Biennial Budget Proposal. In it were opportunities to invest in the programs Wisconsinites have been asking for. Republicans on the powerful Joint Finance Committee however, decided to gut the budget and strike more than 500 provisions that included investments in things like public education, mental health funding, postpartum Medicaid expansion, and hundreds of other initiatives.

Without regard for the needs of our state, the JFC squandered our historic surplus of about $7 Billion -- the largest in our state history. And instead of taking the opportunity to give that money back to the working families of this state in the form of investments, Republicans opted to use it for a $3.5B tax cut that would disproportionally benefit the 1%.

What's more, the budget eliminated funding that would extend critical priorities like the Child Care Counts program, entrenching our state further in the child care crisis that we already have. And as if disadvantaging our youngest wasn't enough, the budget defunds public education relative to inflation, and cuts funding for the UW System --- and this is just the start.

Because of this, the 2023-2025 Biennial Budget fell woefully short of what is needed to keep our communities afloat here in Wisconsin. Our legislature has once again failed to deliver for working people and has chosen austerity over prosperity. Luckily, with his partial veto pen, Governor Evers was able to modify the budget to one that will do less harm to the people of Wisconsin than what Republicans intended. 

However, we still have a ways to go in terms of delivering for the people of Wisconsin and I am excited to introduce many of these important budget provisions as stand alone bills in the upcoming fall session.