Dem Gov. Tony Evers plans to use his final State of the State to tout bipartisan successes during his two terms, including $2 billion annually in tax cuts, helping more than 127,000 Wisconsinites get job training and paying off $3 billion in state debt.
He also plans to chide lawmakers for failing to make the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention permanent. Evers will call on the Legislature to keep working rather than adjourning in the coming weeks for the year.
“We can’t afford for lawmakers to lose focus on the future we’ve been working hard to build together just because it’s an election year,” Evers will say, according to prepared remarks his office released today. “So, I know the Legislature would rather hit the road and take the rest of the year off, but I’m going to ask lawmakers to stick around until our work here is finished.”
Evers in late 2024 signed an executive order creating the Office of Violence Prevention and dedicated $10 million in federal COVID-19 funds for grants that became available late last year.
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The governor included in his budget a provision to make the office permanent under the Department of Administration with $13.3 million in funding, including $12 million for violence reduction grants to boost evidence-based outreach programs and deterrence strategies.
Evers will note in tonight’s speech that domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin jumped 20% between 2021 and 2022 to a new record high of 96. That was topped in 2024, when 99 Wisconsinites were killed in a domestic incident.
Evers will say the trend is heading in the wrong direction. He’ll also knock Republicans for rejecting a request to provide $66 million for Victims of Crime Act grants after the federal government cut funding.
He will call on lawmakers to approve bills codifying the Office of Violence Prevention and funding the Victims of Crime Acts grants.
“Do the right thing and get this done,” Evers will implore lawmakers.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos predicted Evers would try to take credit for successes that the Rochester Republican said were only possible because lawmakers worked with the governor.
That includes funding for schools and roads, as well as tax cuts Vos said lawmakers proposed and Evers gets credit for signing.
Vos also urged Evers to engage GOP lawmakers on the $2.3 billion plan they sent to him, arguing there was still time to strike a deal before the Assembly plans to adjourn at week’s end.
“Today is about showing Wisconsin that we can get things done. We have for the past seven-and-a-half years. There’s no reason to stop now,” Vos said in a pre-session availability.
See more in today’s PM Update.
