The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

MADISON, Wis. – The blue tsunami that swept America on Election Day also crashed ashore in Wisconsin, with state government’s balance of power flipping to the Democrats in the Legislature while holding firm in the governor’s office.

Now comes the hard part: Governing after the Jan. 4, 2027, inauguration day.

Single-party government is harder than people might imagine. Internal factions can split Democrats between the so-called “socialist” wing and moderates; Governor-elect David Crowley is a former legislator who might not welcome lectures from his former colleagues; the state Senate and Assembly are separate and co-equal houses; and if things go awry, there’s no blaming minority Republicans.

Given all those qualifiers, there’s good reason to believe the mid-term Trump thumping could break deadlocks in Madison as well as Washington, D.C. Here are some issues of possible interest to the business community … and beyond.

  • Some Democratic candidates owe their victories to unions that have urged repeal of the 2011 law (Act 10) that limited bargaining rights for public-sector employees in Wisconsin. The new Democratic majority must ensure the burden of repeal doesn’t fall on taxpayers. Property taxes continue to rise in Wisconsin, for homeowners and businesses alike, and school referenda are compounding the effect.
  • Be smart about how to use the state’s reported $3.3 billion general fund balance and its $2.1 billion “rainy day” fund. It’s more a cushion than a windfall, as one private analysis called it, and must be judged against the $111 billion spending total over two years. In short, it’s not “mad money,” and may be best used to buy tax reform in some areas where Wisconsin’s current structure does not attract outside investment. For example…
  • Wisconsin taxes income at rates beginning at 3.5% and rising to 7.65%, with its top rate being higher than all other Midwest states except Minnesota (9.85%). Nine of 50 states don’t tax income at all; 15 already have a flat rate or are transitioning to a flat rate. If state taxes on capital gains were lowered, it could attract businesses from high-tax states on either coast.
  • Better define the role of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., which of late has focused more on bolstering intrastate efforts than encouraging interstate and international business attraction. Other Midwest states are doing so and winning. One example: Many Midwest states have large venture capital funds that lure matching private dollars from elsewhere. “Small ball” worked for the Milwaukee Brewers, but it’s different in the economic development big leagues.
  • Get past the inaccurate anti-data center rhetoric of the campaign to give local officials and citizens the facts they need to make better decisions if an opportunity arises. Wisconsin cannot afford to be passed by in what may be the 21st century’s biggest infrastructure investment.
  • Make sense of Wisconsin’s higher education structure. The Universities of Wisconsin treats its small campuses the same as UW-Madison, which competes with the Michigans, Stanfords and Harvards of the world. The Legislature should grant UW-Madison its own tuition and bonding authority to reflect that reality. While lawmakers are at it, the technical college system and the UW’s two-year colleges should be brought closer together to build the workforce Wisconsin needs.
  • Excellent research is a hallmark of many Wisconsin colleges and universities, but declines in federal research dollars have hurt. Home-grown bright spots include nuclear fission and fusion, quantum computing and disease control, although the current White House doesn’t seem to believe another pandemic could be on the horizon.
  • Health care quality and access are better in Wisconsin than many states, but there’s a perfect storm of more aging and chronically ill people and not enough clinicians to take care of them. This national supply and demand reality hits home harder in rural areas.
  • Be wary of legislation that infringe on the rights of employers to run businesses in a way that helps workers, communities and the economy. The free market generally flourishes with less red tape, not more.

Voters in most states sent a strong message: If government economic policy doesn’t work in ways promised or expected, elected officials will be turned out. It’s a message Wisconsin Democrats should heed.

Still is past president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is an adviser to Competitive Wisconsin Inc., a non-profit public policy group.