MADISON, Wis. — State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner voted against the Legislature’s surplus spending proposal, citing concerns about fairness, property taxes, school funding, local governments, and long term affordability.
Rivera-Wagner said the proposal was publicly described as a “$600 tax rebate,” despite many families receiving significantly less, in some cases as little as one dollar, while millionaires could still qualify. At the same time, many seniors on Social Security and veterans receiving disability benefits would receive nothing.
“In a moment where people are genuinely struggling with affordability, I do not believe millionaires should receive checks while many seniors and disabled veterans receive nothing,” Rivera-Wagner said.
The Green Bay lawmaker said the proposal also failed to address the real drivers of rising costs, including property taxes, housing, school funding, and local services. In the roughly 24 hours lawmakers had to review the legislation, Rivera-Wagner contacted local elected officials, school leaders, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, and community stakeholders across Green Bay. He said the overwhelming feedback was that while families and school districts need real relief, the proposal offered a temporary answer to a structural problem while potentially understating its long term cost. Rivera-Wagner warned that if the state creates a future budget hole, schools and local governments could be left to absorb the damage, shifting more pressure onto property taxpayers.
Rivera-Wagner also noted that Gov. Tony Evers has had to negotiate with a Legislature shaped by gerrymandered maps and unwilling to work seriously on shared solutions. After ending the regular session months early, legislative Republicans called a surprise session on issues lawmakers could have been working on together to deliver real relief for families. Rivera-Wagner pointed to legislation he has introduced, co authored, and helped pass focused on long term affordability, including the Workforce Home Loan Program, housing reforms, efforts to stabilize school funding, proposals to lower healthcare costs, and solutions to reduce pressure on local property taxpayers.
“Honestly, I struggled with this decision because people do need relief,” Rivera-Wagner said. “But real relief should not disappear after one check or create a bigger bill later. It should lower property taxes, build more housing, strengthen our schools, protect local services, and give families a more stable future. This proposal did not do that.”
