In a move that turned the tables on Democrats who had played political games with the appointment of controversial Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe, the Republican-controlled state Senate late Wednesday evening dropped a surprise resolution that sets up a confirmation vote sources say Wolfe can’t win. Democrats stormed out of the Senate Chamber, refusing to vote on the resolution.
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Wisconsin’s Budget-Writing Committee Passes Budget with ‘Historic’ $4.3 Billion Tax Cut
After a season of spending, the Wisconsin Legislature is finally getting around to talking tax cuts. Perhaps Republicans have saved the best for last.
The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee put the finishing touches on a complete rewrite of Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ 2023-25 state budget proposal, passing a tax reform package that promises to deliver $3.5 billion in income tax cuts and nearly $800 million in property tax relief.
Read MoreWisconsin Senate Republican Boss: Votes Aren’t There for Share Revenue Tax Changes
The top Republican in the Wisconsin Senate says there are not enough Republican votes to change the plan for a Milwaukee sales tax increase.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said on UPFRONT over the weekend that he doesn’t have the 17 votes needed to pass a plan that would allow Milwaukee and Milwaukee County leaders to raise taxes, as opposed to putting the question to voters.
Read MoreTop Wisconsin Senate Republican Unhappy with ‘Line in the Sand’ over Shared Revenue Specifics
The prospects for Wisconsin’s shared revenue plan got a bit dimmer Thursday after the top Republican in the State Senate said his half of the legislature wants a slightly different plan of their own.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told reporters Thursday morning that the Senate will hold some public hearings, then vote on a version of the shared revenue proposal that Senators agree upon.
Read MoreReport: Wisconsin Tax Collections Projections Come in Lower Than Expected
Wisconsin state tax collections over the next three years are projected to come in more than three-quarters of a billion dollars lower than expected, according to a new report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
Republican lawmakers say the revised projections further underscore their efforts to remake a more fiscally responsible biennial budget out of Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ big-spending proposal.
Read MoreWisconsin Governor Tony Evers Threatens to Veto Republicans’ Shared Revenue Plan
Republican leadership is blasting Governor Tony Evers for threatening to kill a bill that would boost state shared revenue and bail out financially troubled Milwaukee.
The liberal governor, however, isn’t the only critic of the legislation that pours hundreds of millions of dollars of new taxpayer revenue into Badger State towns, villages, cities and counties.
Read MoreNew Report Highlights Benefits of a Wisconsin Flat Tax
As the Wisconsin Legislature considers sweeping tax cuts, a new report finds a flat tax would yield substantial benefits for all.
The report, published by the Badger Institute, notes single-rate reform to Wisconsin’s costly progressive tax system would spur faster economic growth, creating more jobs and more investment — all while lowering the burden on Badger State taxpayers.
Read MoreWisconsin Legislature Passes Key Crime Bills, Stops Evers Administration Rule on ‘Conversion Therapy’
In a busy and divisive day, the Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday passed several crime bills, a measure blocking what some say is the Evers administration’s assault on the First Amendment, and a resolution demanding the governor call an election for Secretary of State.
Read MoreMilwaukee-Based Free-Market Think Tank Expands with New Madison Office
The Badger Institute, a free-market think tank that has operated in Milwaukee for since 1987, is expanding with a new office near the state Capitol.
While the policy-research center, known in its early days as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, will keep its principal headquarters in Cream City, its educational consultant Jim Bender and communications vice president Michael Jahr will staff the new Madison office. Badger leadership expect the new capital-city presence to bolster the think tank’s government-relations efforts.
Read MoreWisconsin Flat Tax Proposal Overshadows Zero Tax Idea
Tax reform is top of mind for Republicans this legislative session. But while a flat tax measure has taken center stage, another proposal by one legislative leader to eliminate Wisconsin’s personal income tax has seemingly disappeared from the tax cut discourse.
A new State Policy Network (SPN) survey shows a good deal of support for nixing the state income tax.
Read MoreWisconsin Part of Flat Tax ‘Revolution’
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) and state Representative Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) are set to introduce a tax reform proposal this week that would ultimately phase in a 3.25 percent flat income tax rate by tax year 2026. The measure would make Wisconsin part of a recent “flat tax revolution”, according to a national tax expert.
Read MoreWisconsin Senate Leader Opens Door to Some New State Spending
The top Republican in the Wisconsin Senate is talking about inflation.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on Wednesday used his speech to the newly sworn-in State Senate to talk about the pressure that inflation is exerting on Wisconsin residents.
Read MoreRepublican Leaders Call Wisconsin Gov. Evers’ Latest Special Session ‘Political Stunt’
Wisconsin lawmakers are once again planning to ignore a call from Gov. Tony Evers’ for a special session, and they are once again calling it a political stunt.
The governor on Wednesday said lawmakers need to come back to the Capitol in Madison in two weeks and start work on a constitutional amendment that would allow voters in Wisconsin to vote on binding referendum questions that would create new state law.
Read MoreWisconsin Lawmakers Appear Ready to Override Wisconsin Elections Commission Once Again
It is going to be another scolding for the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
The Legislature’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules will meet on Wednesday to consider new rules for ballot curing.
Read MoreWisconsin Senate Leader Warns Elections Commission over Ballot Curing
The top Republican in the Wisconsin Senate is warning the state’s Elections Commission about its new rule for filling out ballots.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, on Thursday said the Elections Commission needs to follow the state law on ballot curing.
Read MoreFiscal Report: Wisconsin’s Tax Burden Down $22 Billion Since 2011
Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are pointing to another report as proof their policies are working.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on Wednesday released a memo from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau that shows Wisconsin’s tax burden has fallen by $22 billion since 2011.
“In 2010, Wisconsin had the 5th highest tax burden in the nation. Residents were sending far too much of their earnings to Madison. On top of high taxes, the state had a $3.6 billion structural deficit, no Rainy Day Fund, and businesses were leaving in droves,” LeMahieu said.
Read MoreWisconsin’s People’s Map Would Shift 12 Assembly Seats, One Senate Seat
The back-and-forth over Wisconsin’s new political map is ongoing.
Gov. Tony Evers’ People’s Map Commission on Tuesday unveiled its maps from State Assembly, State Senate and Wisconsin’s congressional seats.
Read MoreWisconsin Senate to Launch New 2020 Election Investigation
There will be more questions from lawmakers in Madison as to just what happened before and during last year’s election.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on Monday announced that the State Senate is launching its own investigation into the 2020 election.
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