Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivered his first State of the State Address of his second term Tuesday night, declaring the state to be "much different today" than four years ago under the administration of former Gov. Scott Walker.
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivered his first State of the State Address of his second term Tuesday night, declaring the state to be "much different today" than four years ago under the administration of former Gov. Scott Walker.
As Evers works to finalize his biennial budget proposal, which he is set to present to the Legislature next month, he said the state "has never been in a better fiscal position than it is today."
That fiscal position is due largely to the state's nearly $7 billion projected budget surplus. Evers and Republican lawmakers have debated how to spend that surplus, with the governor providing a preview of his plans Tuesday night.Â
"We also know our current funding system is not sustainable," the governor said. "For years, communities have raised their own property taxes to keep their local schools afloat."
The governor's proposals included school funding as well as increases to state aid for towns and cities — what is called shared revenue. Republicans balked at the amount of spending Evers floated in his speech.Â
"Boy, he sure is trying to spend a lot of money," Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said after the address.Â
Republicans have floated using the surplus to implement a flat tax plan. Evers took an axe to that idea during his speech.
"Spending billions on a flat tax isn't a workforce plan or an economic development plan," he said. "We need to bolster the middle class, we need to maintain our economy's momentum, and we need to reduce barriers to work and recruit and retain talent to address our state's workforce challenges."
Evers also declared 2023 the "Year of Mental Health" in Wisconsin, promising to put more than $270 million into mental health services for Wisconsin students.Â
As with much of his speech Tuesday, the announcement was met with a tepid response from Republicans. Evers immediately took a shot at them for it.Â
"Mental health deals with everyone here, not just this side [of the aisle] but this side also," the governor said, pointing at Republicans in the chamber.
"We cannot look back two years from now as we prepare the next budget and wonder whether we should've done more and sooner to take good care of our mental health."
"I would say this is typical Tony Evers," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. "Very liberal, a little more than he knows Republicans would ever accept and once again only talking to one side of the room."
Watch the full address below.
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