MADISON, Wis. – Today, Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature took less than a minute to gavel out of the special session without considering Governor Evers’ proposal to invest $1.7 billion of Wisconsin’s historic budget surplus to help address rising costs and barriers to employment in Wisconsin.
Gov. Evers’ plan would direct taxpayer dollars back to Wisconsin families now in order to help them pay bills and address rising costs. Specifically, the governor called on the legislature to provide a $150 tax rebate for every Wisconsin tax filer and each of their dependents, expand the Child and Dependent Care Credit, create a new $100 million Caregiver Tax Credit that would benefit approximately 370,000 tax filers, and invest nearly $750 million in education.
Not only did Republicans fail to introduce an alternative plan, their decision to reject the proposal signals their indifference towards rising costs, filling jobs, and advancing our education system.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement:
“Today’s inaction from Republicans on Gov. Evers’ plan for this historic budget surplus sends a message to every Wisconsin family: Democrats want to help Wisconsites cope with rising costs, and Republicans don’t. The GOP’s decision to refuse the plan is a huge disappointment, but unfortunately, not surprising. Once again, Republicans in the Legislature have the power to help Wisconsinites, but have chosen not to, because it doesn’t fit their political agenda. Republican politicians are holding taxpayer dollars hostage, in the hopes that someone from their party will be in charge a year from now. To them, partisanship is sufficient reason to keep money out of the pockets of taxpayers or deny parents additional child care support while they are investing in their local economy.
“While Wisconsin is doing better than it was four years ago, Wisconsinites are still struggling with rising costs. Gov. Evers knows the right thing to do is to invest this budget surplus back into the economy and directly into Wisconsinites’ pockets. This shouldn’t have anything to do with who is signing the checks or who gets the credit — this is about giving money back to Wisconsin families and continuing to help our economy be one of the best in the nation.
“Wisconsinites need to put dinner on the table and fill up their gas tank to get to work — but Republicans decided today to meet their own radical and divisive agenda first. At a time when our state and our country are fighting rising costs and the financial impacts of global conflicts, we need to take action to help Wisconsinites, right now. This is not the time to play political games. As Gov. Evers said, this is the people’s money. Let’s give it back to them.”
