State Rep. Lori Palmeri (D)- Oshkosh hears from residents. April 17, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Northeast Wisconsin lawmakers are looking at how they can make an impact on the state’s biennial budget.
The current budget ends in less than three months on June 30.
“Shared revenues across the state have been a concern, particularly when we’re talking about levy limits and we’re talking about referenda,” said State Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-19th District.
“Housing, mental health, education, child care, those are the top ones,” said State Rep. Lori Palmeri, D-54th District. “And certainly clean water.”
Palmeri and State Rep. Kristina Shelton, D-90th District, hosted a roundtable event in Green Bay on Monday. Palmeri said those in the Fox Valley are expecting a lot from the state’s surplus.
“Many of these topics are not — they don’t have an R or a D after them,” Palmeri said. “Everyone needs housing. Everyone needs clean water. So, I am confident that we’re going to end up with something that’s workable.”
Republican lawmakers agree that the budget can go a long way in supporting Wisconsinites. Cabral-Guevara held a separate listening session Monday in the Fox Cities. She wants to make note of the importance of responsible spending.
“It’s three to four billion and that is the actual money that we have in that projected revenue,” Cabral-Guevara said. “Because we have a bunch of programs that are already established that we have to continue to fund. So, when we look at that extra money that’s left over, now we need to think about this as a one time fund.”
There is belief on both sides that key issues will receive some level of funding. Though Shelton says how much will depend on cooperation by the other side.
“I think we have to hold Republicans accountable if they fail to take action on investing this $7 billion plus surplus wisely,” Shelton said. “Working families are seeing rising costs both at the grocery store and housing, at the pump. And farmers and growers are struggling, small businesses are struggling.”
But Cabral-Guevara thinks the two sides are closer than people might realize.
“Tony Evers had many great ideas within the budget, and we’re using that as a platform, but we’re building onto that,” Cabral-Guevara said. “As we know, the legislative body are the ones that actually put the budget together.”
Tax collections for the current fiscal year were about $61 million higher than projected.
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