Madison, WI – State Representative Ty Bodden (R-Stockbridge) released the following statement regarding the passage of the State of Wisconsin biennial budget:
“I was happy to vote in favor of cutting taxes for everyone with the state budget. While this budget is not perfect, it contains numerous provisions that promote fiscal conservatism in our state. It delivers a significant tax cut across the board, making it the largest tax cut in the state’s history. Additionally, it provides the biggest investment in school choice in our state’s history, cuts DEI funding in our UW System, eliminates nearly 800 government positions, including the 1,600 proposed in Governor Evers’ budget, pays down $400 million in debt, increases funding for the DAs and ADAs, boosts special education funding, more help for DSPS to address licensing issues, provides significant funding for roads, and funds local municipalities in the shared revenue deal. As vice-chair of the Corrections Committee and a former DOC employee, I am delighted to see a much-needed investment in our corrections system included in the budget, which will benefit the large number of correctional employees in the district. It is evident that this budget redirects money back to local communities, businesses, and workers, while reducing the influence of the liberal bureaucracy in Madison. My vote of support is a push for more tax cuts, better conservative policies, and hopefully future smaller budgets because of those cuts.”
The biennial budget’s most significant achievements include a $4.4 billion tax cut, consisting of a $3.5 billion reduction in income taxes, $622 million in property tax relief, efforts to keep property taxes low, and $173 million allocated to repealing the personal property tax. It also secures a historic $412 increase in school choice voucher payments per pupil for the first year and a $348 increase in the subsequent year.
Additionally, the budget reduces funding for the UW system by $32 million, with the goal of eliminating DEI departments throughout the system. Additionally, this budget helps the transfer of UW-Washington County to MPTC and cuts Badger Books funding completely.
“The benefits of this budget outweigh the drawbacks, and I am encouraged to see our state moving in the right direction. We need to ensure that we never have a surplus like the one we currently have again. Overtaxing the people is simply immoral. This tax cut surpasses the expectations I had going into this budget. I’m looking forward to tackling and introducing much needed legislation this summer and fall.”
