As governor, I’ve often declared a theme for the year—a topic or issue I want us to focus on. We had the Year of Clean Drinking Water, the Years of Broadband Access, Mental Health, Workers, and, of course, the Year of the Kid.
This year, I want to keep it simple. I want us to focus on our Wisconsin values of kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion.
I’m declaring 2026, the Year of the Neighbor, because we could all use a good neighbor, and we could all be better neighbors. And we’re going to spend the next year celebrating the neighbors who make Wisconsin the great place it is to call home.
The first responders who answer our call in our darkest hour. The librarians who help us find our new favorite book. The teachers who comfort, inspire, and educate our kids. The state worker who helped us find and apply for healthcare or job training. The veteran who served our country. The farmer who feeds our families. The nurse taking care of our loved ones. The helpers who work every day to make life just a little bit better for everyone who lives here.
Wisconsinites are helpers by nature; it’s in our DNA. When things are tough, we roll up our sleeves and get to work. We shovel a driveway or bake a casserole, and we show up for our neighbors. Because we know that, whether it’s unpredictable weather or the unpredictable nature of politics, we’re all in this together, and we’re going to get through it together, not by alienating our neighbors, but by getting to know them, by looking out for one another, and by maintaining our Wisconsin values of kindness, empathy, compassion, and respect.
Because it’s the golden rule. Because it’s the right thing to do. Because it’s who we are as Wisconsinites. …
