News
Wisconsin governor can lock in 400-year school funding increase using a veto, court says
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Democratic governor of Wisconsin’s creative use of his uniquely powerful veto can lock in a school funding increase for 400 years, the state Supreme Court ruled Friday.
The split ruling from the liberal-controlled court affirms the partial veto power of Wisconsin governors, which is the broadest of any state and has been used by both Republicans and Democrats to reshape spending bills passed by the Legislature.
Wisconsin is the only state where governors can partially veto spending bills by striking words, numbers and punctuation to create new meaning or spending amounts. In most states, governors can only eliminate or reduce spending amounts.
The court’s four liberal justices ruled Friday that the state constitution allows the governor to strike digits to create a new year or to remove language to create a longer duration than the one approved by the Legislature.
Roy
April 18, 2025 at 11:00 am
Tony’s Court. Did you have any doubt?
walden
April 20, 2025 at 9:06 pm
What the press isn’t making clear is that the public education increases are additive…that is $325 per pupil year 1, $650 year 2, $975 year 3, etc. for 400 years. This is obviously unsustainable and would result in huge property tax increases. The court has created a major issue for budgeting in the state.
Look for long delays in the state budget process because the legislature is not likely to approve a budget that the governor can change at his will.
Can reporting of news get any worse? The AP is a joke.
Bill
April 19, 2025 at 11:18 am
400 years of guaranteed raises for teachers. It’s for the kids, you know.
Sam
April 19, 2025 at 5:28 pm
That amount won’t mean much in 100 years. The governor should not have that much power.
Sam
April 19, 2025 at 5:30 pm
I hope that in time Wisconsin can fix this oversight in the governor’s veto. The amount will seem small in a century.
Kevin
April 22, 2025 at 8:47 am
Our governor is a dumbass for doing this, our
Supreme Court is a court of monkeys: see nothing, do nothing, hear nothing.