MADISON, Wis. — On last night, Representative Russell Antonio Goodwin, Sr. (D-Milwaukee) delivered a powerful floor speech explaining his NO vote on Wisconsin’s 2025–27 state budget, calling it “a budget that doesn’t meet the moment.”
“This budget—yes, it has some wins,” Goodwin said on the Assembly floor. “But not enough Good Wins for District 12.”
While acknowledging the Governor’s efforts and modest increases in areas like child care and special education, Rep. Goodwin said the final budget still underfunds public schools, ignores the housing crisis, and leaves Milwaukee without the full support it needs.
“You cannot claim to love education and leave it underfunded. You can’t be pro-kid and anti-classroom,” he said. “I didn’t come to this Capitol to preserve broken systems. I came to challenge them.”
Goodwin delivered the speech with conviction, closing with a call for a better path forward:
“Let me be clear—I’m not voting NO to be difficult. I’m voting NO because this budget doesn’t meet the moment… So, while my vote today is no, my mission is still YES—yes to better schools, safer neighborhoods, housing that honors dignity, and a Wisconsin that works for everybody—not just a few.”
Following his remarks, several colleagues approached Goodwin to commend his words and shake his hand.
Rep. Goodwin says he remains committed to working with his colleagues from both sides of the aisle to produce a more community-focused, equity-driven, and a more Milwaukee-respecting budget in the future.
