Lake Geneva
Could Drone Shows Replace Lake Country Fireworks?

Could Drone Shows Replace Lake Country Fireworks?

On July 3, 2025, Milwaukee County officially replaced its yearly lake front fireworks show with a drone show. Last year, the fireworks show was cancelled due to a lack of funding. This year, the drone show was held in place of the fireworks show. Representatives for...

Wanggaard: Evers veto makes $34M ‘hole’ in Wisconsin Corrections budget

Wanggaard: Evers veto makes $34M ‘hole’ in Wisconsin Corrections budget

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ partial veto to lower the daily cost of housing juvenile offenders for counties by $2,000 has created a “$34 million hole” in the state’s Department of Corrections budget, according to Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine.
While the Legislature had approved a provision in the 2025-27 biennial budget to raise the county cost of maximum-security, long-term juvenile housing to $2,501 per person in 2025-26 and $2,758 in 2026-27, Evers’ veto established a new rate of $501 per person in 2025-26 and $758 in 2026-27, cutting the Legislature’s costs by $2,000 exactly.
The lower rate would allow counties to pay less to house inmates, but would force the state to take up the remainder of the costs.
According to documents first released to The Center Square, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated the cost shift would force the state to pay $34.4 million from 2025-27, or 75% of the cost to incarcerate juvenile inmates.
No funds were allocated for the state to cover that cost.
“Evers’ veto of this provision is unsustainable and he knows it,” said Wanggaard, chairman of the state Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
According to Wanggaard, the statutory daily rate is “simple math,” determined by the total cost to operate juvenile facilities divided by the average population.
Wanggaard criticized Evers’ decision to “unilaterally” veto the county’s expenses and make the state pay up more without the Legislature’s approval.
“It flips the entire funding of juvenile corrections without debate or discussion,” Wanggaard said. “It’s irresponsible.”
However, Evers said the Legislature-approved rate of $2,501 and $2,578 over the biennium was too much for counties since it would have increased the current $1,268 daily rate by more than $1,000 per day.
“This increase and funding model is untenable, and counties have expressed that this unaffordable increase will have serious and detrimental effects on other county services,” Evers said in his veto message. “With this veto, I am establishing daily rates while still ensuring it is manageable for local partners.”
The veto came after the Legislature also approved more than $27 million to provide funding and staffing for a new maximum-security juvenile detention facility in Milwaukee.

Trump bill removes $34.5M from Milwaukee 6th Street reconstruction

Trump bill removes $34.5M from Milwaukee 6th Street reconstruction

(The Center Square) – A $34.5 million road reconstruction project for Milwaukee’s 6th Street has lost its funds under President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation bill, leaving the future of the project in jeopardy until the city can secure new funding.
The funds were originally awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s neighborhood access and equity grant program, but were rescinded by the bill signed into law by Trump on Friday.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, a Democrat, criticized the rescission as “harmful.”
“This project would have made a high-injury traffic corridor safer, created over 450 good-paying jobs, and created tens-of-millions of dollars in local economic impacts,” Johnson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, congressional Republicans and the White House chose not to support improvements to public safety, good-paying jobs, and economic development.”
While the money was not yet legally obligated, it had been awarded by USDOT and announced by President Joe Biden during a March 2024 visit to the city.
Had the funds continued, a 2.6-mile stretch of the city from National Avenue to North Avenue would have tentatively been under reconstruction until 2031.
The project would have focused on reconnecting “displaced” neighborhoods, improving sidewalks, dedicating transit and bicycle lanes, adding tree canopies, and narrowing streets to remove “unwarranted” pavement and reduce vehicle speeds, according to a City of Milwaukee webpage.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s community maps portal indicates more than a dozen accidents directly related to speeding have occurred on that stretch of 6th Street since 2015.
Additionally, a Badger Institute report found the number of traffic fatalities in Milwaukee County increased by 77% from 2002 (52 deaths) to 2024 (94 deaths), while fatalities in all other Wisconsin counties decreased by 35%.
City engineer Kevin Muhs indicated to the Daily Reporter that while the city would continue the design and “some of” the engineering work, the project’s funds would have to come from a new federal grant or a combination of local and federal funds.

5% resident undergraduate tuition increase for University of Wisconsin System

5% resident undergraduate tuition increase for University of Wisconsin System

(The Center Square) – Resident undergraduate tuition in the University of Wisconsin System could increase by 5% at most of its universities if the plan is approved by the Board of Regents on Thursday.
The plan calls for a base 4% undergraduate tuition increase with an optional 1% increase that will be used by all of the schools except UW-Green Bay, University of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said.
UW-River Falls, meanwhile, will see a 5.8% increase.
“Preserving quality while maintaining our ability to be a leader on tuition affordability in the Midwest is a top priority,” Rothman said. “After a decade of a tuition freeze and lagging state aid, we believe we have struck a balance for students and families with this proposal and the recent state investments in the UWs as part of the 2025-27 biennial budget.”
The new state budget included a two-year $256 million budget increase. That increase included $100 million for campuses statewide, $94 million to increase staff wages and $54 million to help retain and recruit faculty and staff in “high-demand fields of study.”
The school said that resident undergraduate tuition increased 7.7% from 2015 to 2025.
Resident undergraduate tuition and segregated fees would now be led by UW-Madison at $12,166 followed by UW-Milwaukee at $10,916, UW-La Crosse at $10,360, UW-Eau Claire at $10,067, UW-Stout at $9,859, UW-Stevens Point at $9,477, UW-Superior at $9,272 and UW-River Falls at $9,249.
That is followed by UW-Oshkosh at $8,993, UW-Green Bay at $8,985, UW-Whitewater at $8,819, UW-Platteville at $8,812 and UW-Parkside at $8,658.
State funding represents about one-fifth of the funding for the schools.
“Thankfully, the governor and legislature approved a significant budget increase, the largest in over two decades, which enables us to preserve access and affordability,” Rothman said. “Our public universities have become tuition-dependent due to lagging state funding in prior years, and the turnaround this budget cycle will help us continue providing educational opportunities to the next generation of Wisconsinites.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against oversight of administrative rulemaking

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against oversight of administrative rulemaking

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s Supreme Court determined that the state’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules cannot block rules from being enforced in a Tuesday ruling.
Four justices agreed with the ruling, Justice Brian Hagedorn concurred in part and dissented in part while two justices disagreed.
The case was brought by Gov. Tony Evers after he claimed the committee unlawfully blocked a pair of rules on building codes and a rule for therapists concerning conversion therapy.
Hagedorn wrote that the argument regarding therapists is now moot and the indefinite block of the building code rule is unconstitutional but that doesn’t make the entire statute allowing administrative blocks on rules is unconstitutional and believes that Evers did not make a thorough claim to justify a broad ruling.
“The majority’s rationale, which it neither supports nor explains, raises more questions than it answers,” Hagedorn wrote. “It attempts a narrow resolution to this case, but it does not recognize the hornet’s nest of constitutional issues implicated by its ill-considered solution.”
Evers claimed that Republican committee members overstepped their power and there needs to be a separation of powers after the required rule-making process is complete.
“Wisconsinites want to protect our constitutional checks and balances,” Evers said in a statement. “Today’s Wisconsin Supreme Court decision ensures that no small group of lawmakers has the sole power to stymie the work of state government and go unchecked. This is an incredibly important decision that will ensure state government can do our important work efficiently and effectively to serve Wisconsinites across our state.”
The committee had blocked the building code rule until the Legislature came up with a new law pertaining to it, which Hagedorn acknowledged could never occur.
“Before concluding we note that the Legislature retains power over the administrative rulemaking process regardless of our determination here,” the majority opinion from Justice Jill Karofsky said. “The Legislature created the current process. It alone maintains the ability to amend, expand, or limit the breadth of administrative rulemaking in the other branches—as long as it adheres to the constitution, including the provisions of bicameralism and presentment.”
Justice Annette Ziegler’s dissenting opinion, meanwhile, said that the ruling upended a pair of prior rulings on the topic from the Supreme Court without proper analysis of the Wisconsin Constitution.
“For over three decades, all three branches of government in Wisconsin have operated with the understanding that JCRAR may lawfully review rulemaking undertaken by the executive branch,” Ziegler wrote. “With the stroke of a pen, that practice is invalidated.”

Magistrate judge’s report suggests Dugan trial

Magistrate judge’s report suggests Dugan trial

(The Center Square) – Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan’s case is moving forward, for now.
A federal magistrate judge said the case should not be dismissed and instead said her lawyers should pitch their immunity defense at trial.
Judge Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph delivered a 37-page report that argued against dismissing the case.
“Dugan disputes the government’s version of events, and the government will have the burden of proving its allegations beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” Joseph wrote. “However, these contested facts cannot be resolved at this juncture.”
Dugan, who was arrested in May after federal prosecutors say she helped an illegal Mexican immigrant sneak out of her courtroom to avoid ICE agents, is planning to say she cannot be prosecuted because of judicial immunity.
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Vice President Dan Lennington called the magistrate judge’s reading of the case “smart” and said it’s a big blow to Dugan’s defense.
“Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph notes the unavoidable fact: there is simply no judicial immunity doctrine that has been extended to criminal acts,” Lennington said on X.
Her lawyers said the report is not the final ruling in the case.
“We are disappointed in the magistrate judge’s non-binding recommendation, and we will appeal it,” attorney Steven Biskupic said in a statement. “This is only one step in what we expect will be a long journey to preserve the independence and integrity of our courts.”
The report will now go to the judge who is hearing the case, Judge Lynn Adleman, who will make the ultimate decision about dismissal.
Last month Adleman delayed Dugan’s trial, but he has not yet set a new date.
Dugan has pleaded not guilty to the two federal charges she is facing. She could spend up to six years in prison if convicted.

Lawmakers: Evers’ marsh veto puts 100 Wisconsin farmers at flood risk

Lawmakers: Evers’ marsh veto puts 100 Wisconsin farmers at flood risk

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ decision to veto a Brillion marsh dredging project from the 2025-27 Wisconsin biennial budget is under fire, as Republican lawmakers say the rural farmers they represent could now be at risk of flooding.
The Legislature’s budget originally required the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to give $70,000 towards dredging the Brillion marsh to assist more than 100 farmers and other residents along the Manitowoc River who face annual flooding due to river backup, according to Sen. Andre Jacque, R-New Franken, and Rep. Ron Tusler, R-Harrison.
However, Evers vetoed the provision over lawmakers’ decision to discontinue the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship program in the budget, according to his veto message.
“Gov. Evers approved funding in the budget for multiple similar DNR earmarks, including the Kewaunee Marsh within my district,” Jacque said in a statement. “The governor chose to play games at the expense of Brillion to score political points.”
The Stewardship program that Evers cited previously gave $500,000 annually toward facilities, recreation projects and habitat restoration projects.
Jacque said Evers is “targeting” Brillion specifically over the Stewardship program cut, citing the Browns Lake dredging, Green Lake Sediment Inactivation, and Echo Lake and Rothschild Dams as examples of other DNR projects Evers allowed to stay in the budget.
According to Jacque and Tusler, the veto leaves the original $70,000 in place with “no statutory guidance on how to use it.”
They said the provision would have gone to providing “long-overdue relief” to farmers along the Manitowoc River who suffer “thousands of dollars in crop damage each year.”
Additionally, the funds would have helped reopen the Brillion Marsh to kayakers and visitors.
Jacque and Tusler said this is the second budget they have submitted funding requests for this project.
Calumet County, where the Brillion marsh is, has reported five instances of property damage related to floods or flash floods since 2010, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture previously declared a disaster in Calumet County after flooding caused the county to lose 30% of its strawberry crop in 2017.

Report: Wisconsin green energy projects need results, transparency

Report: Wisconsin green energy projects need results, transparency

(The Center Square) – Although local renewable energy initiatives in Wisconsin have saved hours of energy and millions in cost reductions, a lack of consistent, statewide reporting data makes it difficult to fully assess project outcomes and taxpayer benefit, according to a report by Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Local governments voluntarily participating in the Department of Natural Resources’ Green Tier Legacy Communities program have reported at least $17 million in energy cost reductions and 40 million kilowatt hours of energy saved – enough power for about 3,300 homes for a year, according to the report.
However, the program’s lack of statewide, standardization led to “challenging” interpretation, with only 13 of 34 participating communities reporting energy or cost savings estimates.
According to the report, standardized transparency and reporting could help communities unlock further public support and critical funding from lawmakers.
“Transparency is especially important for taxpayers, since implementation often requires upfront investment by local governments, even if the project promises long-term savings,” the report says.
While the GTLC program began in 2010 with fivw communities, it now includes 42 volunteer municipalities statewide.
The program has reported energy projects in LED lighting, solar, building efficiency, and fleet strategies, which are efforts to reduce fuel use, emissions and energy costs from vehicles.
The most effective program to date is water and wastewater treatment, which has had the biggest impact with $14.4 million in cost savings out of the $17 million total reported and 31.7M kWH saved in just fivw communities – enough energy to power 2,600 homes for one year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Wastewater treatment efficiencies can result in massive reductions in energy purchases because these services are often the largest municipal energy users,” the report finds.
An EPA report found that drinking water and wastewater plants can account for 30% to 40% of total energy consumed in municipal governments.
Renewable energy and especially wastewater treatment loans remain a priority of the state, as more than $700 million for clean water funding was greenlit by the state Legislature’s budget-writing committee for the 2025-27 biennial budget.
“We’ve had significant investments in a couple of my communities for wastewater treatment plants and upgrades in their water systems, but also there’s some unmet demand here,” Joint Finance Committee co-chair Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, said in a meeting.
Marklein cited a report from Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which found that demand for the clean water fund spiked 154 percent over the 10-year average and demand for safe drinking water loan programs reached 325 percent during the 2024 fiscal year.
While the DNR states Wisconsin has provided more than $7.3 billion total in tax dollars since 1991 to assist wastewater infrastructure and environmental programs, Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report states the lack of statewide reporting and data still makes taxpayers’ return on investment hard to determine.
“While reduced energy can be described using dollars and cents (and kilowatt hours), outcomes like improved air and water quality are more complicated to quantify,” the report concludes. “Communicating the costs and potential benefits of energy savings projects to constituents and accessing funding remain a challenge as well as an opportunity for Wisconsin’s local governments.”

New Wisconsin budget calls for 300 less state employees than the last

New Wisconsin budget calls for 300 less state employees than the last

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s new budget includes more than 300 less state employees than its last budget, something Republican finance leaders call a victory after Gov. Tony Evers had initially asked to add 800 positions to state government in his proposed budget.
“That is more than an 1,100 position swing from where the governor was,” said Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam. “That’s important for the state when it comes to right size the bloat of government.”
Overall, there will be 77,429 equivalent of full-time employees compared to 74,732 in the last budget. One of the largest areas of lost employees is the Department of Veteran Affairs, which will lose nearly 226 positions. Evers’ budget had proposed adding 12 positions to the department.
Overall, the department saw $4.8 million less in budget for the two-year period after Evers had proposed a nearly $39 million budget increase.
“We have a reduction of government and positions that are similar in this budget to what we had in the last budget,” Born said during the Joint Finance Committee meeting to approve the budget.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections, meanwhile, saw a 165 full-time equivalent employee increase, the largest employee increase of any department with district attorneys offices increasing staff by 50.
The Department of Natural Resources saw a 66 position decrease and the Department of Transportation saw a decrease of 44 positions.
“One important thing that I look for in every budget is that, not only do we stop the growth of government, but that we make it a trend in reverse,” Born added.

End of sales tax on Wisconsin utility bills was Evers’ idea

End of sales tax on Wisconsin utility bills was Evers’ idea

(The Center Square) – While the Republican-backed income tax and retirement income tax cuts got most of the attention in the Wisconsin budget passed last week, a sales tax cut on household electricity and natural gas bills was also included in the budget.
Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, called it effectively a 5% cut on electricity rates.
The cut, however, didn’t come from the same Republicans who pushed the income tax cuts.
Instead, it was part of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal that Republicans ended up agreeing to retain in the final budget.
“In that spirit of compromise and bipartisanship, Gov. Evers actually had in his budget a reduction in the sales tax for electricity and natural gas and that will be gone,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Burlington, said as the budget passed. “That saves about $170 million over the next two years.”
Republicans pushed hard for the $1.4 billion tax cut throughout negotiations.
That included expanding Wisconsin’s second income tax bracket of 4.4% for all filers and exempting the first $24,000 of retirement income for those who are at least 67 before the end of a tax year with a maximum exemption of $48,000 for married couples.
But the sales tax cut on energy bills comes as experts across the country are predicting increased electricity rates as states look to adjust their electrical capabilities to help even the supply and demand as large data centers begin to pop up across Wisconsin.
The state recently passed a pair of nuclear energy bills related to a siting study and nuclear power summit and included $2 million for the siting study in the budget.
A recent poll showed that those across the U.S. are not in favor of having data centers built in their community and even more are against it when tax incentives are involved.
The average American’s energy bill could increase from 25% to 70% in the next 10 years without intervention from policymakers, according to Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Jack Kemp Foundation.
“Hey, we recognize the inflationary times we’ve been through,” co-chair Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, told the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee. “Family budgets are still strapped. We’re going to take the tax off of your utility bill and save you a little bit of money and help you out there with the family budget.”
Beaver Dam is one of three Wisconsin sites, along with Port Washington and Pleasant Prairie, where large-scale data centers are being built that will have large energy needs while also receiving a data center exception for sales tax on construction materials along with an expected state-wide exception to caps on property tax.

‘Blood on your hands:’ UW Regents see holiday weekend vandalism

‘Blood on your hands:’ UW Regents see holiday weekend vandalism

(The Center Square) – The University of Wisconsin is condemning pro-Palestinian vandalism at the homes of UW Regents where at least four regents found graffiti or notes to start the holiday weekend.
“Regents are complicit in Palestinian genocide” read the red paint on one regent’s driveway.
“UW BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS” read another message.
Police believe the vandals struck Thursday evening or Thursday night.
The university did not say which of the 18 regents were vandalized, or which communities saw vandalism.
The university also said the regents were given a letter that outlined several demands, including a full divestment from any university investments in Israel or Israeli companies.
The university condemned the vandalism, and said they are asking for a full investigation.
“This kind of conduct is not free expression or protected speech; it’s dangerous, unlawful, and unacceptable. We have contacted the authorities and are working closely with them. Anyone with information regarding these illegal activities should contact local law enforcement authorities and the UW-Madison Police Department,” a university spokesman said in a statement.
This is not the first time pro-Palestinian voices at the UW have gone beyond marches and sit-ins.
Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down parts of campus in both Madison and Milwaukee in the spring of 2024. UW-Madison leaders called in police to clear camps that the protesters had set-up, while UW-Milwaukee’s chancellor negotiated a deal with the protesters.
That agreement ultimately cost Chancellor Mark Mone his job.
As for the most recent pro-Palestinian protests, UW police in both Madison and Milwaukee have not reported any arrests, and the university has not said anything about suspects in the case.

Pennsylvania reacts to One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Pennsylvania reacts to One Big Beautiful Bill Act

(The Center Square) – Politicos across Pennsylvania are reacting with a mix of triumph, anger and despair following the passage of the federal budget resolution.
Once enacted, the law will support a massive expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, make sweeping cuts to programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, offer huge tax breaks and, many say, fundamentally change the nation while increasing the national debt.
Ahead of yesterday’s vote, the commonwealth’s highest elected official, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, warned, “the bill Congressional Republicans are rushing to pass would have devastating impacts on Pennsylvania.”
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis shared his sentiment, calling the bill “absurdly cruel and unconscionable.”
The governor highlighted Republican-led districts, noting how many would lose health care coverage in each. In total, over 300,000 Pennsylvanians are expected to lose Medicaid and about half as many to lose SNAP.
In staunch Trump ally Rep. Scott Perry’s Central Pennsylvania district, the number exceeds 18,700. Perry did ultimately vote for the bill, despite initial misgivings about the increased debt it presents.
Perry’s fellow Republican House member Rep. Ryan Mackenzie issued a press release detailing the gains he saw for his constituents.
“As we began this term, we understood what the people of the Greater Lehigh Valley were counting on: lower costs, a stronger economy, secure borders, and policies that put America First,” said Mackenzie. “In the face of relentless opposition from those who advocated for the largest tax increase in American history and a return to open borders, we’ve passed a budget that holds firm and keeps our promise to the American people.”
Mackenzie’s colleague across the aisle, progressive Democrat Rep. Summer Lee of Pittsburgh, voted against the bill.
“This is a deliberate choice to make life harder for working families here in Western Pennsylvania and across the country, to strip dignity from our seniors, to push children and parents deeper into poverty and hunger,” wrote Lee. “I will continue doing everything in my power to mitigate the harm and fight back against this fascist regime.”
The state’s Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick posted to X, “Congratulations to @POTUS for putting his vision into action and to Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson for putting so much of that agenda in one bill.”
McCormick highlighted tax relief, border security, “energy dominance,” defense, and school choice as wins in the bill, saying, “These are the policies I promised to pass and they’ll make a real difference for the people of Pennsylvania.”
In terms of energy dominance, recent claims that China has pulled away from the U.S. to become the global leader have roiled the states. Some believe the best answer is to double down on the nation’s wealth of fossil fuel resources, while others insist that Biden-era clean energy incentives were key to keeping up with competitors.
Pennsylvania state representative and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia posted to BlueSky, “The budget Republicans passed is a death knell to healthcare for 17 million Americans, will send kids to school hungry, hurt seniors, raise our energy prices and the list goes on. All to give a tax break to the ultra rich. And they are (expletive) celebrating it. VOTE THEM OUT!!!”
His account featured a screenshot of a since-deleted X post from Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden which seemed to cheer the loss of safety nets for millions.
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, wrote, “I am disgusted that on the eve of our nation’s celebration of independence and triumph over tyranny, that Republicans in Congress have risked American freedom by thrusting us back under the control of an authoritarian leader; pledging their allegiance to Donald Trump and ignoring the people they represent.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, a Republican, posted a graphic on X from the White House celebrating the tax breaks, defense spending, clean energy rollbacks, and immigration enforcement afforded by the bill.
Of the Medicaid cuts, she wrote, “Don’t let the media gaslight you. PA’s Medicaid programs are spiraling out of control — and taxpayers are stuck with the bill. Enrollment has more than doubled to over 3 million residents, despite the state experiencing out-migration & population growth.”
Her Democratic colleague from Philadelphia, Sen. Nikil Saval, wrote that the bill “is a legislative abomination.”
“People who would do this to their neighbors and fellow Americans cannot meaningfully be said to be ‘public servants.’ The divorce between what the American people want, and what their representatives delivered, is total, wrote Saval. “Americans across the country are opposed to this bill, on every count and every measure.”
Outside of the legislature, Americans have had a mixed but largely negative response to the bill. One poll from KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, showed a majority of Americans viewed the bill unfavorably, including most non-MAGA Republicans.

Wisconsin re-starts film tax credit program with $5M in budget

Wisconsin re-starts film tax credit program with $5M in budget

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s new budget includes $5 million that will re-start the state’s film tax credits and create a state film office as part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Advocates, including Gov. Tony Evers, have pushed the tax credits as a way to have more movies and television shows film in the state, saying that will increase the amount of money spent by film production crews in Wisconsin.
But economists who have studied the tax credits believe they are simply a way to divert taxpayer funds to a specific industry.
Economist J.C. Bradbury of Georgia’s Kennesaw State University extensively studied Georgia’s larger film credit program, writing in a peer-reviewed paper that the state spent $230 per household on foregone tax revenue because of the initiative, which has cost taxpayers the equivalent of $110,000 per full-time job in the industry without bringing the promised benefits from the program.
The Wisconsin film tax credit would be applied to 25% of income paid to Wisconsin residents up to $250,000 apiece and for 25% of film-related expenses in the state and credits for acquiring or improving property that wasn’t owned before Dec. 31, 2025.
The budget inclusion was applauded by the advocacy group Action! Wisconsin, which pushed for the incentives and said that they will be crucial when production companies are deciding where to film.
“This budget provides a great start to growing Wisconsin’s film and tv industry, strengthening our overall economy, and showcasing our state on screens large and small across the country and the world,” said Katie Heil, founding member of Action! Wisconsin.
The tax credit excludes live sports productions, news, awards ceremonies and more.

Wimberger: $4M of Evers ‘slush fund’ leftover despite budget deal

Wimberger: $4M of Evers ‘slush fund’ leftover despite budget deal

(The Center Square) – Despite Republican Assembly leaders and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers having reached a budget deal to appropriate the interest earnings from unspent COVID-19 relief funds toward budget initiatives, Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, claims there is still $4 million unaccounted for.
The current 2025-27 Wisconsin biennial budget, signed into law by Evers early Thursday morning, accounts for only $171 million of the interest earnings, which Wimberger said has now ballooned up to $175 million.
While $170 million will fund key budget initiatives, with most of it dedicated to child care, the remaining $4 million will continue to accrue interest if left in Evers’ Department of Administration.
In other words, the budget deal, which Wimberger previously said “probably solves a potential constitutional crisis,” has not securely ended the months-long fight over the governor’s “slush fund.”
“State law makes it clear that the $175 million slush fund accrued by Governor Evers was illegal,” Wimberger said in a statement to The Center Square. “The legislature must be the body to appropriate these funds, and the Governor concedes this point in the budget agreement.”
As co-chair of the Audit Committee, Wimberger said he would continue to monitor the amount of interest accrued until all the federal COVID-19 relief money is spent.
Additionally, his office affirmed that he will continue to advance the legislation co-authored with Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Caledonia, to ensure that CSLFRF interest money left unspent gets transferred into the treasury.
In the budget, $115 million of the interest earnings went to fund child care initiatives, while another $50 million went to support a building commission grant program.
Also, $5 million goes to a food security grant program and another $1 million goes to a UW-Green Bay high school college credit program.
Joint Finance Committee co-chair Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, previously said in an interview with The Center Square that negotiating with Evers to put the money towards actual budget initiatives was better than leaving it up to Evers’ discretion or a court fight.
“In our discussions with the governor, we continued to find ways to make investments – preferably one-time investments – to get the money used for something so it didn’t just become a slush fund that he was just gonna try to control,” Born said.
The budget appropriations, in total, leave $171 million accounted for of the $175 million, the majority of which went to Evers’ highest child care priorities.
However, a growing $4 million in interest earnings remains with the DOA.
According to federal law, all CSLFRF funds most be expended by December 31, 2026.
That gives Evers until then to hand over or expend the remaining $4 million.
Additionally, Wimberger criticized Evers’ decision to veto four new auditors for the Legislative Audit Bureau from the budget, saying it underscores his “bad policies.”
“As Audit Committee co-chair, we’ve been able to uncover a $175 million slush fund, administrative bloat at the UW System, discriminatory DEI policies across state government, and major dysfunction at the Department of Public Instruction,” Wimberger said in a statement. “Vetoing funding for new auditors is simply the Governor’s attempt to stifle good government oversight of his bad policies.”
However, Evers stated his only reason for having vetoed the positions was that “the Legislative Audit Bureau currently has sufficient funding and position authority to fulfill its role,” according to the governor’s veto message.
Evers’ office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment at the time of publication.