The Wisconsin legislature's Joint Finance Committee holds a budget listening session at Kaukauna High School on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A necessary step for state legislators before the Joint Committee on Finance formally weighs what could all be included in Wisconsin’s next two-year budget made its way to Kaukauna on Wednesday.
Lawmakers heard from dozens of speakers inside the gym at Kaukauna High School during a budget listening session.
Among those who spoke, many focused on funding for education.
One of the school district’s to have a presence was Green Bay Area Public Schools (GBAPS) to highlight the money pinch they’re facing.
“We can’t cut anymore without negatively impacting our students,” said GBAPS Superintendent, Vicki Bayer.
“Districts around this state are begging for change. Please listen to them,” said GBAPS Board of Education President, Laura McCoy.
Even newly re-elected State Schools Superintendent Jill Underly appeared to advocate for increased support.
“We’ve always been compromised. I’ll just say that. Our Wisconsin school districts have routinely been left off the budget,” said Underly to the media ahead of the listening session.
Republicans have been open about supporting increasing the special education reimbursement rate for districts.
But, they’re holding off on promising anything about Governor Evers’ more than $3 billion in additional K-12 spending ask as a whole.
They want to wait for a ruling in a lawsuit before the state supreme court over Evers’ line item veto in the last budget to lock in a school funding increase for 400 years.
“That needs to get resolved I think first before we’re going to make any huge budget decisions at any agency,” said State Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee.
With Joint Finance being tasked with reviewing the Governor’s budget, then will work to draft their own budget recommendations.
“I think there’s always an opportunity for compromise whether it’s between the houses or with the Governor’s office,” said Marklein.
Former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson recognizes that with a GOP controlled legislature and Democratic Governor, there will certainly be some changes made.
“I started it, I was a trend maker. I had more budget vetoes than anybody else but I had a democratic controlled legislature, he’s got a Republican controlled legislature, he’ll (Evers) make changes,” said Thompson.
Additional budget hearing sessions are being held later this month across the state in areas like West Allis and Wausau.
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