MADISON, Wis. — Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly met to debate and vote on the 2025-2027 biennial budget. Representative Brienne Brown (D-Whitewater) issued the following statement on her vote against the budget:
“As a new legislator, I wasn’t sure what to expect with my first budget cycle. I didn’t expect to agree with extremist Republicans that this was a hastily done budget and didn’t allow for time to understand the implications fully.
“I commend Governor Evers for making this document better than it was before and thank my GOP colleagues for working across the aisle for the first time in over a decade, but this budget does not align with the values and priorities of my district.
“I knocked on thousands of doors last cycle, and I have heard from hundreds of my constituents throughout this process. This budget does not address the needs of everyday Wisconsinites. My constituents asked for access to clean water, stability for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, the state to pay its fair share to our K-12 public schools, and funding for capital projects at UW-Whitewater. They asked for help in lowering costs for working families, veterans, and farmers, and to address the looming federal cuts. I don’t believe this budget met Wisconsinites where they are at, and that is why I voted against it.
“I cannot vote for a rushed budget that will increase property taxes and does not give long-term solutions to our childcare crisis, public school funding, or public health challenges.
“One day soon, when there is Democratic control in the legislature, we will work in a true bipartisan manner to write a budget that has the priorities of Wisconsinites in mind. Until then, we will keep fighting and introducing legislation that improves the lives of every Wisconsinite.”
