(The Center Square) – Adults across the state of Wisconsin believe that the Legislature should have passed a $1.8 billion surplus bill that included income tax refund checks, $600 million for schools and an end to taxes on tips and overtime.
Eighty percent of the 454 Wisconsin adults polled on the topic Wednesday and Thursday believed the bill should have passed, with that support crossing party lines and spanning statewide, according to results released on Tuesday. The Marquette Law School Poll used a sample from the SSRS Opinion Panel; the margin of error is +/- 5.5%.
The bill passed the Wisconsin Assembly and had the support of Gov. Tony Evers but fell 18-15 in the Senate as all Senate Democrats and three Republican Senators voted against it.
The bill was a $1.8 billion budget surplus agreement between Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu.
The bill included an income tax refund, an end to income tax on overtime and tips and includes $300 million in special education funding along with $300 million in general school aid that would replace property tax funding for the same.
The poll found that 77% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats and 81% of independents supported the bill.
“As I’ve said before, in divided government, compromise is a necessity,” Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, said in a statement. “Republicans accepted that reality and worked with the Governor to put forward a bill that addressed affordability, providing both immediate and long-lasting permanent relief. It wasn’t a perfect bill by any means but rather a good-faith compromise that included no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, direct surplus payments, property tax relief and special education investments.
“Despite overwhelming public support, every single Senate Democrat voted against the bill, choosing to play dirty partisan politics with your money instead of standing with their constituents. This vote drew a clear contrast: Republicans want to return your money to you, while Senate Democrats want to keep it in Madison for themselves.”
The bill had 88% support in Milwaukee and 77% support in the Milwaukee media market allow with 78% support in the Madison media market.
Only 21% of voters agreed with a follow-up question about delaying the funding in the bill until next year.
“Fewer than 20% say the opposition from the gubernatorial candidates was the right thing for them to do, with a slight majority saying it was the wrong thing to do, while just under 30% say they don’t know if these positions were right or wrong,” a summary of the poll said. “In contrast, 65% say Evers’ support for the bill was the right thing to do, with 15% saying it was the wrong thing and 20% saying they don’t know.”
