(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s state and local tax rates went to record low numbers while Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal will include plenty of new spending, including $300 million for mental health services in the state’s schools, Evers said during his State of the State speech Wednesday night.
Republicans, however, have said those tax rates only reached record lows because the Legislature fought back and hasn’t accepted Evers’ budget proposals.
The speech comes ahead of Evers’ full budget proposal announcement at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18.
Evers vowed to “lower everyday, out-of-pocket costs for Wisconsinites and working families, reduce crime and prevent gun violence to keep Wisconsin’s kids, families and communities safe.”
The school mental health funding includes mental health services such as peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs and more mental health training.
“Just two decades ago, Wisconsin was in the top five states for our tax burden and the taxes Wisconsinites paid as a share of their income,” Evers said. “Today, Wisconsin is in the bottom 16 states in the country. We have seen the largest drop in our tax burden of any state over the last 20 years.”
Evers also proposed $154.8 million for a “Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids” proposal that includes more than $147.7 million for supplemental nutrition aid payments to provide free meals to all Wisconsin students attending a school.
The state and local tax rate dropped again in 2024, down to 9.62% of residents’ income, after being 9.92% in 2023.
“Most Wisconsinites have seen a 15 percent income tax cut or more, and folks will see $1.5 billion in tax relief each year, primarily targeted to the middle class,” Evers said.
Republicans, meanwhile, say the only reason the tax rates dropped was their work to stop Evers’ budget proposals.
“Gov. Evers spent this evening touting the legislature’s tax cuts while he remains the only roadblock to meaningful tax reform in Wisconsin,” said Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg. “The governor hiked taxes on food stamp recipients so he could spend their money on a wishlist of liberal policy initiatives. Wisconsin voters rejected his tax and spend agenda in November, and Senate Republicans will reject it this session.”
