Madison, WI – Before the Assembly’s final regular floor session, Representative Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield) joined her Assembly Republican colleagues at a Capitol press conference to review the successes of the 2019-20 Legislative Session. Highlighted in the press conference were Republicans’ continued commitments to students, farmers, taxpayers and seniors.
During the 2019-20 session, Assembly Republicans:
- Invested record funds for Wisconsin’s K-12 schools
- Provided significant tax cuts for middle-class Wisconsinites
- Helped Wisconsin’s farmers thrive in a modern economy
- Addressed the water quality in the state
- Increased protections for victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and other crimes
More than 90% of the bills and resolutions in the Assembly received bipartisan support, including a proposal authored by Rep. Duchow which creates grants for high schools to implement peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs. This bill was one of nine proposals that were introduced by the Speaker’s Task Force on Suicide Prevention.
“I want to thank the Speaker for appointing me to the Speaker’s Task Force on Suicide Prevention this session,” said Rep. Duchow. “We took a step in the right direction to address mental health and reduce the rate of suicide challenging our state.”
After the press conference, Rep. Duchow wrapped up the 2019-20 Session by voting in favor of a $395 million tax cut package Assembly Republicans introduced. This package is funded with a portion of the $620 million surplus the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau projects the state will have at the end of the biennium.
Passing by a vote of 65-34, this tax cut package puts $250 million toward the reduction of middle class income taxes by changing the standard deduction tables. Additionally, approximately $45 million would go to decrease personal property taxes and $100 million would pay off general fund supported borrowing. The proposal would leave a surplus of more than $350 million at the end of the biennium and a rainy day fund of more than $950 million.
“Because of prudent budgeting, we are able to give the average income tax filer a $106 tax reduction,” said Rep. Duchow. “It’s only fair that when taxpayers overpay their state government, they should get the money back.”
