MADISON, WI – Tonight, the Wisconsin State Senate was finally able to pass a new state budget deal, only after the Governor and Senate Democrats fought off many disastrous Republican proposals and created a budget that works for the people of our state.
Democratic Senators Hesselbein (SD-27), Wall (SD-30), Pfaff (SD-32), Smith (SD-31), and Dassler-Alfheim (SD-18) voted to pass the new budget deal after Governor Evers and Democratic Leader Hesselbein negotiated significant investments in childcare, healthcare, the UW system, and our rural communities. These pro-Wisconsin investments were only made possible by the gains Democrats have made in the legislature over the last few years and the state’s use of Governor Evers’ fair maps.
Senate Democratic Leader Dianne Hesselbein has released the following statement on how Senate Dems are responsible for the significant investments in Wisconsin’s future:
“Republicans in Madison tried every trick in the book to pass massive and disastrous cuts to the state budget that would have hung Wisconsin families out to dry, but in the end, they simply did not have the votes. Due to the huge gains Democrats made in the Senate last year and our caucus’s steadfast commitment to fighting for all Wisconsinites, we were able to negotiate critical investments in the areas that matter most to our residents. There is good and there is bad in this new budget, but Governor Evers and Senate Democrats fought off the most damaging cuts proposed by the Republican majority. Next November, Democrats will win back the majority, and we will show our state and our Republican colleagues what a competent governing body looks like.”
Due to Republicans’ sliming majority and Democrats’ negotiating position, the new budget delivers real progress for Wisconsin families:
- $110 million in direct payments to child care providers to help providers keep their doors open and lights on, cut child care wait lists, and lower out-of-pocket child care costs for working families.
- $66 million to fund a new “Get Kids Ready” initiative, the first-ever child care program funded solely by general purpose revenue, or GPR, in Wisconsin state history, which will support child care providers serving four-year-olds to help prepare Wisconsin’s kids for the classroom and get an earlier jump start on learning at a critical time in development.
- A nearly $1.4 billion increase in spendable revenue for K-12 schools across the state.
- The largest percent increase in special education reimbursement rate in state history.
- $30 million to continue providing comprehensive school-based mental health services statewide.
- An increase of over $256 million for the UW System over the next two years.
- $1.1 Billion to support healthcare access.
- $150 Million to repair rural roads and bridges.
