LA CROSSE TALK PM Economist Hoffer on Wisconsin’s $7.1 billion budget surplus, River Point being La Crosse game-changer

Adam Hoffer, the director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, joined La Crosse Talk PM on Wednesday to discuss how Wisconsin got a $7.1 billion budget surplus, the proposal to give $290 million of that to the Brewers, why the state should be in the sports gambling game and how River Point District could be a game-changer for La Crosse. 

La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

Started the show on the budget surplus, where Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and the state Legislature are negotiating how to use and distribute that money — through the budget process. That included discussing Republicans’ flat-tax proposal, while Hoffer had what he thought was a better plan than that.

We also discussed the governor announcing potentially using $290 million of surplus money on the Milwaukee Brewers stadium renovations, in exchange that they extend their lease in the state.

That led to a conversation about legalizing sports gambling in Wisconsin — something the state legislature or the governor appear not to be doing at all, while the Democratic-led government in Minnesota is moving legislation forward to do just that.

Ended the show quick on some development projects in La Crosse, where Hoffer sees big things about to happen in the River Point District — the old Mobil Oil site.