By Dr. Peter Bakken
Justice and Witness Coordinator
On July 5, the 2023-2025 biennial state budget was enacted. It was a months-long process with lots of moving parts and involved a mind-numbing variety of issues, some highly technical and some matters of fierce partisan debate. It is, frankly, something of a relief to have it over with.
But it’s not just water under the bridge. This budget, by what it leaves out as well as by what it includes, will impact the well-being of the people and environment of Wisconsin for years to come. There will be real consequences for real people, especially for our most vulnerable and disadvantaged neighbors —those whose health and safety are most at risk and who face the greatest obstacles to participating in our democracy and working to support their families.
During the budget process, WCC sent email action alerts to our advocacy network about seven budget topics (some involving more than one budget item) in Governor Evers’ proposed budget:
● Child Care Counts, a federally-funded program that kept child care providers afloat during the pandemic, but needs state funding to continue to help meet the desperate need for affordable, accessible child care for working parents;
● Firearm safety, including sales tax exemptions for safe storage, suicide and violence prevention programs, expanded background checks for gun purchases, and Extreme Risk Protection Orders, which would reduce the risk from many forms of gun violence, including accidents, domestic violence and suicide;
● Creation care, including helping communities protect themselves against dangerous climate disruption, providing incentives and assistance for money-saving energy conservation and renewable energy sources, and funding the testing and cleanup of hazardous PFAS chemicals that contaminate water supplies and threaten people’s health;
● Public Health funding increases for local and tribal health departments and organizations to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and improve the health and well-being of Wisconsin communities;
● Voting technology to boost voter registration and reduce waiting times at the polls, and measures to make voting easier and encourage more young people to vote; and
● School Breakfast funding to increase the reimbursement rates for free and reduced breakfasts, so children can start the school day ready to learn.
Almost none of these made it into the budget that was passed by the State Legislature in late June. The budget did include $125 million in funding to address PFAS contamination, but it requires separate legislation (which has been introduced) to define how it can be spent.
Governor Evers exercised his veto power to make a number of changes in the budget, but couldn’t add funding or restore policy provisions that were removed. However, by vetoing the tax cuts the legislature made for the highest-earning individuals (but keeping in place reductions to the tax rate for lower income levels), Evers said he’s given the legislature a second chance to meet needs that were left unmet by the budget, above all funding for Child Care Counts. But it is highly unlikely that Republicans in the legislature will go along with that idea.
What we as a state choose to spend money on speaks volumes about what we really care about. Wisconsin’s values are embedded and made concrete in even the most obscure state budget decisions. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Even though the 2023-25 budget has been enacted, we still have opportunities to speak up as followers of Jesus’ way of justice, compassion, and inclusion for public policies and spending decisions that embody those shared values.
If you aren’t already part of WCC’s advocacy network, please sign up for action alerts at https://www.wichurches.org/2020/01/advocacy/, or use the site to send a message to your elected officials about any topic. And remember, the budget process will begin again in late 2024 — so visit the WCC’s webpage on the state budget so that you will have some idea of what to expect!
— This piece was made available by the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Find more at www.wichurches.org.