Hi, this is Senator Howard Marklein. I am the co-chair of the legislature’s budget-writing, Joint Committee on Finance.
There is a lot of talk about the state budget these days. On any given day, I will discuss a dozen different topics from libraries to trails to roads to tourism to schools to taxes to big sports teams to health care to local government.
And in nearly every meeting, I have to explain that the legislature is going to build the state budget from base. But what does this mean? It means that we start here. The state budget starts in the legislature.
The base budget is the current, bi-partisan budget we passed in 2021 and Governor Tony Evers signed. We start here.
The base budget is our existing foundation. It is the current, ongoing, state spending plan. It includes operating costs and obligations like personnel and programs that were designed to continue.
The base budget does not include short-term projects or things that were passed as one-time spending.
Imagine it this way – every two years, the legislature builds a new house on an existing foundation – the base budget. We add bricks for every spending increase, new investment, new program and new idea.
In order for something new to be included in the next state budget, it will have to be a brick that is added to the base foundation. If you want us to include a certain brick, please tell your legislators. We want to hear from you.
We have planned four public hearings to listen to people all over the state. Please join us in Waukesha on April 5th, Eau Claire on April 11th, Wisconsin Dells on April 12th or in Minocqua on April 26th. For more information and details, please call your legislators.
