After the Legislature passed the 2023-2024 state budget last week, it went to Governor Evers for his consideration. The Governor signed the bulk of the budget into law on July 5, but he also made 51 partial vetoes. State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) issued the following statement: “Unfortunately for Wisconsin families, Governor Evers used his veto pen to reduce the $3.5 billion of income tax cuts to only $175 million. While households in the two lowest brackets will still see the cuts the Legislature approved, households earning more than $36,840 will not. So much for the middle class. “The Governor’s original budget

Madison, Wis. – Today, Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld announced the appointment of Paul Hammer to serve as DOA’s Deputy Secretary, following the departure of Deputy Secretary Chris Patton on Aug. 1. Patton has been named Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. “The departure of Chris Patton, a trusted colleague and partner, and an award-winning administrator, is a bittersweet moment for DOA and the State of Wisconsin,” Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld said. “Chris leaves an indelible mark on DOA, but he will be an amazing leader at UW-Platteville. I am very grateful for his continued service to our

Madison, WI- Today, State Representative Scott Allen (R- Waukesha) is disheartened to see that the FY 2023-2025 budget has been hijacked by Governor Evers via a partial veto and has released the following statement: “I have long championed the fight to lower taxes for working-class Americans,” said Rep. Allen. “Why should those efforts be undone at the stroke of a pen? “Instead of acting like a prudent executive, Evers’ new budget authorizes an additional $325 per student for the next 400 years. To put that in perspective, Wisconsin has only been a state for roughly 200 years. It is estimated

Madison, WI – Representative Rob Swearingen (R – Rhinelander) released the following statement regarding the enactment of 2023 Act 19 and Governor Evers’ line-item veto of the Lakeland STAR Academy: “For the third straight budget, Governor Evers has delivered another gut punch to the Lakeland STAR Academy and pulled crucial funding allocated to the school. Senator Felzkowski and I have submitted a budget motion requesting a $750,000 investment into the Lakeland STAR for the past three budget cycles. To put things into perspective, that is only .0007% of our state budget that would have helped this unique school that serves children with autism

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced today his appointment of Mark A. Huesmann to the La Crosse County Circuit Court – Branch 3. The appointment will fill the vacancy being created by Judge Todd W. Bjerke’s retirement, effective July 31, 2023. Huesmann will complete a term ending July 31, 2024. “As a veteran and through his work with the veteran community, as professor and resource for students in our UW System, and as a court commissioner and municipal court judge, Mark Huesmann has demonstrated a profound commitment to justice and service in our state,” said Gov. Evers. “His decades of experience and

MILWAUKEE – As part of hospital support staff at Froedtert Hospital, Project SEARCH interns assist with stocking supplies, customer service, food preparation and more. For Maria Brzinski, the experience has been a way to meet new people and learn new skills. “Froedtert helped me do my best at work,” said Brzinski, who trained as an intern in the hospital’s bistro. Following her internship, she landed a permanent job at a senior living facility. The graduation ceremony at Froedtert on Thursday, June 29, in Milwaukee, marked the completion of a nine- to 12-month immersive work experience. The interns recounted their hands-on

Madison, Wis. – The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) announced today a new option for people taking trades exams. Beginning July 11, 2023, Wisconsin trades exams administered by DSPS will be offered in Spanish.   “We’ve been working hard on improvements that make it easier and more efficient to participate in our credentialing process,” said DSPS Secretary-designee Dan Hereth. “DSPS plays a critical role in ensuring valued members of our workforce meet the standards set by Wisconsin law. Making our trades exams available in Spanish directly invests in growing Wisconsin’s workforce by providing another option for people who are becoming

MILWAUKEE — A standing-room-only crowd at Sijan Hall on the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Base heard from civil rights activist, author and Air Force veteran James Meredith at a June 20 event observing Juneteenth Day. Because Juneteenth Day is a federal holiday, the Air National Guard base was not open June 19. “I would not be here today if not for James Meredith,” said his cousin Carl Meredith, a colonel in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Col Meredith was selected as a diversity and inclusion co-champion to teach, coach and mentor the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs’

Madison — Representative Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield) released the following statement regarding the veto message of the state budget from Governor Evers. “I am disappointed that Governor Evers feigns his support for middle class Wisconsinites. The Legislature passed a budget that would give all taxpayers a decrease in the amount of income tax they pay. Apparently, the Governor thinks that anyone who makes over $28,000 individually or $37,000 jointly is wealthy and undeserving of a tax break greater than $37 and $55, respectively. In this inflation riddled economy, anyone who holds this opinion is out of touch with the average Wisconsinite. “Additionally,

Madison…State Senator Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) released the following statement upon the Governor signing the 2023-25 Wisconsin State Budget: “The budget presented to Governor Evers made historic investments in the state’s infrastructure. We also invested in programs that we heard, first hand, that Wisconsinites care about at the public hearings we hosted across the state. The two-year spending plan crafted by the Joint Committee on Finance placed the state on solid financial footing. “The budget passed by Legislative Republicans included the largest tax cut in the state’s history. This would have been a $3.5 billion income tax cut and a $795

MADISON, Wis. — Yesterday, Governor Tony Evers signed the 2023-25 biennial budget with several line-item vetoes that will help mitigate some of the damages done to the bill by legislative Republicans. The following are comments from Chris Walloch, executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together: “The Republican-authored budget that landed on the governor’s desk was a far cry from the robust, progressive budget that he proposed initially, but we applaud Governor Evers for using his partial veto authority to redirect tax savings back to average Wisconsin families and secure years of funding for Wisconsin public schools. “The budget that Gov. Evers

Madison, WI – Yesterday, Governor Evers signed the 2023-25 state budget with 51 partial vetoes. Representative Ellen Schutt (R-Clinton) issued the following statement: “I am extremely disappointed in the Governor, and his decision to veto a tax cut for middle-class Wisconsinites among numerous other provisions of the budget bill. It is obvious that the Governor does not have any respect for the hardworking Wisconsinites that have been the most affected by historic inflation. “Governor Evers’ veto results in an estimated $2.7 billion staying in Madison. Wisconsin has a record $7 billion surplus, which means that taxpayers overpaid the state for the

MADISON – Representative Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek) issued the following statement in response to Governor Tony Evers’ 51 budget vetoes: “Yesterday, Governor Evers effectively vetoed what would have been the largest tax cut in state history. The Republican tax plan included in the budget bill we sent to Evers’ desk would have cut income taxes by $3.5 billion over the biennium by decreasing the tax rate for all four tax brackets. Tony Evers gutted the income tax cut by vetoing the decreases for the top two brackets, providing very little tax relief for truly middle-class families earning in the third income