KAUKAUNA (WLUK) — Wisconsin lawmakers heard from dozens of speakers Wednesday inside the gym at Kaukauna High School during a state budget listening session.
It’s a necessary step for state legislators, before the Joint Committee on Finance formally weighs what could be included in Wisconsin’s next two-year budget.
Many of those who spoke focused their remarks on funding for education.
One of the school districts to have a presence at the listening session was the Green Bay Area Public School District, which highlighted 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 reelected State Superintendent of Public Instruction 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,” Underly said to the media ahead of the listening session.
Republicans have been open about supporting an increase in the special education reimbursement rate for districts. But they’re holding off on promising anything about Governor Tony Evers’ ask for more than $3 billion in additional K-12 spending.
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, who co-chairs the Joint Finance Committee.
With Joint Finance being tasked with reviewing the governor’s budget, they 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 [Evers] will make changes,” Thompson told FOX 11 Tuesday.
Additional budget hearing sessions are being held later this month across the state in areas like West Allis and Wausau.