Wisconsin Republican legislative leaders downplayed the state’s record budget surplus Wednesday, even as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has pushed for massive spending increases on K-12 education, tax cuts and funding for local governments.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos cautioned that much of the state’s projected $7 billion surplus is one-time money that he said shouldn’t be used to fund new programs or ongoing expenses. Evers has proposed a range of uses for the money, from subsidizing repairs at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium to creating a three-month paid leave program for most workers.