MADISON, WI – Today, Governor Evers delivered his biennial budget address, highlighting Wisconsinites’ priorities for the upcoming 2023-25 budget. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-77) issued the following statement:
I am thrilled to support Governor Evers’ budget proposal and his plans for Wisconsin. Under Governor Evers’ administration, Wisconsin is in the strongest financial position in history, boasting a record-breaking surplus of $7.1 billion. Governor Evers has demonstrated great governance by listening to Wisconsinites, and delivering on his promises through innovative solutions.
The budget shows our people exactly where our priorities lie, and under this administration we see constant commitment to improving the collective future of all who call Wisconsin home.
Governor Evers announced an investment of $2.6 billion for public schools with increased funding to combat Wisconsin’s student mental health crisis, and a historic investment in special education.
Today’s students are the leaders of tomorrow, and as such, we must ensure that their mental health needs are met. In the proposed budget, Governor Evers’ ‘Get Kids Ahead’ initiative will become a permanent program in our schools.
Another concern in our state is the crisis we face with a severe shortage of special education staff. As a former special education teacher, this matter is near to my heart and I asked Governor Evers to address this crisis. In a historic move, the governor’s budget includes an investment of more than $1 billion dollars in special education aid.
I applaud the Governor’s efforts to expand access to affordable childcare, accomplished through the expansion of the current state Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.
The budget proposal includes several items that I advocated for the Governor to prioritize. These include a sales and use tax exemption for breast feeding equipment; funding for the continued work of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, which includes the Council on Health Equity that was created to reduce and eliminate health disparities across our state; funding for violence prevention measures through the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Department of Health Services; a sales and use tax exemption for gun safes; funding for Treatment Alternatives and Diversion; and the expansion of access to civil legal aid by providing $60 million over the biennium to create a new civil legal assistance program for low- income individuals.
Under Governor Evers’ leadership I am confident that we will continue to make progress and honor the Wisconsin state motto, “Forward.”
