MADISON, WI -- On Tuesday Governor Evers released his biennial budget proposal for the next two years. After the speech, the Joint Finance Committee formally introduced his budget for consideration by the legislature. As a new member of the committee, Senator Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) shares his initial reaction in the following statement:
“This week Governor Evers introduced his budget filled with new spending proposals and costly regulations. While it is encouraging that the governor spoke about tax cuts in his televised address, his actual budget document paints a different picture.
First, let’s recall the governor’s past record. His budget recommendation two years ago would have turned a $7 billion surplus into a $3 billion deficit. Then he vetoed three bills to return the surplus to taxpayers – depriving families and seniors from real tax relief. And now his latest budget proposal includes over $2 billion in new taxes.
On top of that, when added up the Evers budget represents a whopping 20% increase in new spending and an increase of over 1,000 new full time government positions. That’s simply untenable and even outdoes his last budget which would have increased spending by 17% and added 816 new government positions.
The only reason our state’s fiscal house is in order today is because of a decade of prudent Republican decisions that lead to responsible, balanced budgets. The governor’s budget shows that he wants to go back to the old days of reckless spending which results in higher taxes and chases even more spending.
While I am still reviewing the 1,917 pages of the governor’s budget, I am particularly disheartened to see that he went out of his way to hurt rural Wisconsin by cutting funding to the successful Agricultural Road Improvement Program (ARIP) and did not rectify his veto last session of general transportation aid funding for towns.
In the coming weeks I will continue reviewing this proposal and listening to feedback from residents across the state as the Joint Finance Committee begins to craft the legislature’s budget. My budget priorities are going to revolve around lowering taxes and reducing costs, prioritizing Northwestern Wisconsin by making health care accessible and providing quality education for our youth, and holding government more accountable to the taxpayers who foot the bill.”
Last Update: Feb 21, 2025 3:31 pm CST
