Evers proposes $150 checks for Wisconsinites, more education spending

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Thursday that he wants to spend $1.7 billion of the state’s projected $3.8 billion budget surplus on tax refunds to Wisconsinites, increased education spending, expanding a tax credit for families with kids and more.

The governor’s spending proposal comes in response to new surplus projections from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which said Tuesday that it expects the state to finish its current budget cycle in June 2023 with a $3.8 billion surplus. That figure is $2.9 billion more than lawmakers were expecting when the budget was enacted last fall, according to Bob Lang, the LFB’s director.

Speaking to reporters in the Capitol’s rotunda, Evers said, “I have yet to hear a single good reason that the state should sit on $4 billion for a year-and-a-half when the people of our state could use our help.”

“I know Republicans have all but packed their bags for the year and said, ‘see you in 2023,’” Evers said. “Well, that’s not good enough.”

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