A sweeping GOP bill that would boost state funding to Wisconsin communities while also imposing a number of new restrictions on local government is expected to come before the Assembly next week as Republicans try to fast-track the measure ahead of the state’s budget process.
The Madison Fire Department is pointing to an accidental propane leak in a garage as the likely source of an explosion Tuesday night that blew up a condo unit, injuring four people and displacing 21 residents from the area.
Inside the battle over the upcoming 2-year Wisconsin budget
Over the next several months, the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will battle their way through the the 2023-25 biennial budget process as the state has a projected surplus of more than $7 billion.
The governor's budget proposal is all but certain to receive pushback from legislative Republicans, who have championed the need to implement a flat income tax in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin's latest fiscal outlook projects the state will wrap up the current fiscal year with about half a billion dollars more than previous projections.
Evers will unveil his formal budget request on Feb. 15. From there, the Republican-controlled budget committee will rewrite the document before sending it back to the governor.
ALEXANDER SHUR and MITCHELL SCHMIDT
Wisconsin State Journal
Updated
Evers on Tuesday also unveiled proposals to cut taxes, increase local government funding, spend more than $100 million to deal with PFAS contamination and support child care providers.
The two top options being discussed are adjusting the state's income tax to benefit middle class earners or eliminating the current tax and creating a 3.25% flat tax.
