Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin, a Democrat, has implemented a long-term increase in public education funding that is set to last for the next 400 years.
Utilizing a Wisconsin rule that permits governors a partial veto enabling them to amend laws and the canny stroke of editing, Governor Evers raised the allowable sum that school districts could generate through property taxes by an additional $325 per student annually, changing the original budget that allowed this increase until the 2024-25 school year to now last until the year 2425.
This maneuver sparked criticism from state Republicans who have been vehemently opposing Governor Evers’s agenda, including his taxation and spending plans. Republicans had been actively working to prevent the implementation of Governor Evers’s policy for months.
Governor Evers, who won his first term in 2018, partially on the premise that the preceding governor, Republican Scott Walker, had not adequately funded schools, presented the changes without irony. According to his office, the new budget will give school districts a level of budgeting certainty they haven’t had since cuts made after the Great Recession, with revenue adjustments set to continue indefinitely.
Historically, Wisconsin’s unique veto authority has been incrementally limited by voters. However, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau director Rick Champagne— a nonpartisan agency, suggested that Evers’s use of the veto is likely constitutional since he only eliminated entire words and digits, not rearranging sentences to create new ones.
However, the law could still be challenged or appealed, as was the case in 2017 when former Governor Walker used what came to be known as the “thousand year veto.” This change in law was eventually upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Information for this briefing was found via the State of Wisconsin. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
