Thank you for being an informed constituent of Wisconsin’s 4th State Assembly District. In my newsletter you will find updates about your community, the state legislature, and everything in between.
2023-25 State Budget Passes Both Legislative Chambers
This week, Wisconsin scored a major win with the passage of the 2023-25 state budget out of both chambers of the Legislature. Assembly Republicans conducted over 180 budget listening sessions across Wisconsin in the months leading up to the budget’s drafting. On Wednesday, state senators met to discuss and vote on the state’s two-year spending bill, and yesterday, Assembly members met to do the same. The bill was passed by both chambers and will now be sent to the Governor for his approval or veto.
To learn more about the critical investments as well as major tax cuts included in the budget, keep reading below.
One of the most significant features of the state budget, and one that will have a direct impact on your bottom line if signed by the Governor, is the $4.4 billion tax cut proposed by Republicans. This will be the most significant tax cut in state history. This includes a $3.5 billion reduction in income taxes – an average of $537 per filer each year. We understand how hard you work to make a living, and want to make sure you can keep as much of your hard-earned money as possible.
The top funding priority identified by respondents in my spring budget survey was investing in roads and bridges. Our budget invests over $1.5 billion in new transportation funding for Wisconsin, including $1.2 million for repairs to the Main St. Bridge in Green Bay, as well as $50 million for construction of the Southern Bridge in Brown County. Funding for roads and highways all over the state includes $31.4 million in general transportation aids, $125 million in the state highway rehabilitation program, and $285 million in total local road aids.
Wisconsin deserves roads, highways and bridges that function well. Our budget delivers critical funding in this area so that you can get where you want to go safely.
Our state thrives when our students are set up for success. This budget delivers significant gains for public education, with over $1 billion in new spending for public schools across the state. Specific investments in K-12 funding include $30 million in new funding for mental health programming, $50 million in literacy initiatives to help students achieve and maintain proficiency in reading, and an $80 million increase for choice and charter program funding. Our budget also provides necessary per-pupil increases for K-12 students in each year of the biennium and maintains state aid for K-12 schools at two-thirds funding, as promised.
This budget is thoughtfully crafted to benefit the bright minds of the next generation.
In addition to the funding areas outlined above, the state budget passed by the Legislature makes critical investments in a number of other areas. These include $525 million for workforce housing to address Wisconsin’s detrimental housing shortage, a minimum 20% funding increase for local governments, and $3.1 billion to support accessible and affordable health care in the state.
These investments, along with many others, made my decision clear: this budget is sustainable, beneficial, and deliberately constructed for all Wisconsinites. I was proud to vote yes on the floor of the Assembly, and hope Governor Evers will approve it when it reaches his desk.
To read the full bill for yourself, click this link: https://docs.legis.
Contact Me
My office is always available to help with any state-related questions or concerns you may have. You can reach my office at (608) 237-9104, or email me at Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.
