Darling Statement on Unprecedented Budget Surplus
Madison – According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Wisconsin is expected to see an unprecedented $4.4 billion above predictions by 2023. State Senator Alberta Darling issued the following statement to continue to invest in the people of Wisconsin.
“Last year was tough for everyone in our state. Now is not the time to change course and raise taxes on the hard-working families and businesses like the Governor proposes in his biennial budget. This surplus came from the hard-working people of our state and should go back to those same hard-working people. Income, property, and personal property tax cuts should all be on the table.
With a new estimate of $800 million automatically going into the budget stabilization fund, I urge my colleagues to reinvest the $350 million allocated to the fund for education purposes. This allocation should instead be spent on special education reimbursement rates and per-pupil funding. These critical investments in the classroom will help offset the loss of revenue from COVID-19 expenses and address the learning loss that took place last year. This investment will ensure we receive the full amount of funding available from the federal government while also giving schools the ability to plan for the future.
We should continue to reject the Governor’s tax hikes and deliver another responsible budget, invest in our priorities, and lowers the tax burden for everyone in Wisconsin.”
Senator Darling represents portions of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties.
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