MADISON — Main Street Alliance of Wisconsin, representing more than 2,000 small business owners across the state, applauds Governor Tony Evers and legislative leaders for including $330 million in child care funding in the tentative bipartisan budget agreement announced today.
This hard-won investment reflects years of relentless organizing by small business owners who understand that affordable, quality child care is essential to a thriving economy and workforce.
Since expanding to Wisconsin in 2020, Main Street Alliance has made child care a top priority—mobilizing hundreds of business owners to the State Capitol, testifying at hearings, holding press events, and pressing lawmakers in Madison and Washington to invest in care. From Chef Evan Dannells in Madison to early educators like Corrine Hendrickson and Brooke Legler, our members have led the charge.
Today’s agreement includes important wins:
- $110 million in monthly, per-child payments to child care providers to help keep their doors open and reduce waitlists;
- $123 million to increase Wisconsin Shares reimbursement rates, making child care more affordable for working families;
A signal that sustained state investment in care infrastructure is possible—even in a divided government.
Governor Evers and Legislative Democrats, including Senate Democratic Leader Hesselbein and Assembly Leader Neubauer, held the line. And after years of resistance, even Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Republicans came to the table. That’s progress. It happened because thousands of Wisconsinites—parents, providers, and small business owners—refused to back down.
But let’s be clear: this deal doesn’t solve the crisis.
Raising child-to-staff ratios puts both children and providers at risk.
Dropping provider age minimums threatens quality.
A new $66 million “Get Ready Kids” initiative needs much more transparency.
And the overall investment still falls short of what’s needed to fully stabilize the sector.
We’re grateful for this step forward—but it’s just that: a step.
Main Street Alliance will continue fighting to ensure this isn’t the end of the conversation, but the beginning of long-term structural solutions. That means stand-alone legislation. That means holding lawmakers accountable. That means reminding the public: your voice made this possible, and your voice will be what makes the next victory possible too.
Wisconsin’s economy runs through Main Street, not just the donor class. It’s time the state budget reflected that fully.
