Governor wisely signs state budget

Thank you Governor. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers used his partial veto power before signing into law a new state budget yesterday. Like most budgets, there are things to like and things not to like, but Evers did the right thing by rejecting calls to veto the entire budget. That would have been a mistake, forcing lawmakers to start over, risking agreements that fund a number of the state’s priorities, including money for addressing PFAS pollution on French Island and elsewhere. Evers used his partial veto pen to reject Republican calls for tax cuts that would have largely targeted the state’s most wealthy. Under the budget approved by the Republican Legislature, those in the top income tax bracket would have seen tax cuts totaling $746 million, while those in the lowest bracket would have seen tax cuts of just $33 million. Wisconsin’s millionaires would have seen tax cuts averaging more than $33,000. Because of the Governor’s veto, only $800 million in tax cuts will be provided. The good news is the budget doesn’t spend all the state surplus, providing incentive for lawmakers to still reach agreement on more tax cuts. Evers was right to sign the budget into law, despite its failings. This is a good budget for Wisconsin, providing help for the working class, not the ultra-wealthy.