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Gwyn Guenther, President, The Wheeler Report
December 15, 2025
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Governor Announces Municipal Services Payments
The 2026 Municipal Services Payments were announced on Thursday. According a statement by Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), “the prorated state payments will increase from 37.6 percent in 2025 to a total of 44 percent of costs incurred by municipalities in 2026. This is the first increase for the Municipal Service Payment Program in over two decades, and these payments reimburse a portion of expenses, including fire, safety, and waste services that municipalities incur for state buildings located around the state, including agency and University of Wisconsin System facilities.”
DOA - Additional Information on the Municipal Services Payments Program (MSP)
Funding Announced for Lead Service Line Replacements
Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced a more than $159 million allocation for financial assistance through the Lead Service Line Replacement Program to 29 municipalities. The funding helps municipalities replace lead service lines. Funding requested for the current cycle was over $182 million.
According to the release, “Any project that was not fully funded will be offered base Safe Drinking Water Loan Program funds that will be at the standard subsidized loan interest rate at either 55 percent or 33 percent of the market rate, rather than the 0.25 percent rate offered for loan funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Lead Service Line capitalization grant.”
DNR - Lead Service Line Replacement Program 2026 Priority List
DNR - Environmental Improvement Fund Projects Lists and Intended Use Plans.
Legislative Democrats Propose Additional Packages
Criminal Justice
Legislative Democrats proposed a package of criminal justice bills on Wednesday. The package includes:
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LRB-5155 Memo TAD Mental Health (Rep. Ryan Spaude, D-Ashwaubenon) Grants for alternatives to prosecution and incarceration programs for persons with mental illness and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-5170 Memo Victim Protection Services Grants (Rep. Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha) A victim protection services grant program and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-5280 Memo Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Rep. Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha) Firearm transfers and possession, law enforcement and prosecution, victims and witnesses, obstruction of justice, mental health and substance use services, hate crimes reporting portal, fraud, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-5037 Memo Forensic Examinations (Rep. Ann Roe, D-Janesville) Forensic examinations done on a crime victim to gather evidence, modifying administrative rules relating to reimbursement for forensic examinations, and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-4062 Memo Resource Guides (Rep. Darrin Madison, D-Milwaukee) Written resource guides informing inmates and juveniles in custody of their rights and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-0319 Memo Violence Prevention Grants (Rep. Darrin Madison, D-Milwaukee)) Violence prevention grants and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 12:00pm
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LRB-5675 Memo Crime Victim Services (Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire) Funding for crime victim services and making an appropriation. Deadline: Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 5:00pm
Farming In Wisconsin
Legislative Democrats also proposed a package on farming on Thursday. The package includes:
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LRB-5788 Memo DATCP Positions (Sen. Sarah Keyeski, D-Lodi) Increasing the number of authorized positions for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for regional farmer support and making an appropriation. Deadline: Friday, December 19, 2025 at 5:00pm
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LRB-5640 Memo DATCP Grants (Rep. Clinton Anderson, D-Beloit) Funding for Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grants, the "Something Special from Wisconsin" promotion, and making an appropriation. Deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:00pm
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LRB-5628 Memo Ag Conservation Easement (Sen. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit) The agricultural conservation easement purchase program and making an appropriation. Deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:00pm
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LRB-5637 Memo Healthy Food Incentive (Rep. Alex Joers, D-Waunakee) Healthy food incentive program funding, payment processing equipment and services for farmers’ markets and farmers, and making an appropriation. Deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:00pm
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LRB-5694 Memo Agricultural Exports Program (Sen. Jeff Smith, D-Brunswick) Spending cap for the Wisconsin agricultural exports program and making an appropriation. Deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:00pm
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LRB-5357 Memo Farmland Preservation Grants (Sen. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit) Farmland preservation implementation grants, maximum acres of agricultural enterprise areas, indexing the farmland preservation tax credit for inflation, and making an appropriation. Deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 at 5:00pm
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Important Updates from the League
⭐ Violence Prevention Grant Program: Governor Evers recently announced that a $10 million grant program is open to local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other entities seeking to interrupt, reduce, and prevent violence and promote community safety. The State Violence Prevention Grant Program has five eligible categories for funding, including:
- suicide prevention and firearm storage grants,
- evidence-based violence intervention and outreach programs,
- criminal justice-based initiatives,
- domestic violence prevention initiatives, and
- school-based initiatives.
Municipalities seeking to learn more about this program may read the Governor’s announcement of this grant program on his website and visit the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s website to review the grant announcement and application instructions and to apply. Applications are due by Friday, January 16th at 2pm.
⭐ Reminder to Apply for Innovation Grants: The first round of the Innovation Grant Program is open for applications until March 31st, but municipalities are encouraged to apply early as awards will be made on a rolling basis. To date, two applications have been received for this exciting $300 million program. Thank you to the leadership of municipal officials in the Village of Kewaskum, City of West Bend, City of Kewaunee, and City of Algoma for getting some exciting applications submitted early!
The Innovation Grant Program allows municipalities to receive grant funding to support the transfer of an allowable service or duty to another entity. If the agreement is for a minimum of three years and will result in a total cost that does not exceed 115% of the total costs for that service or duty in the year prior to the agreement, applicants are eligible for up to five annual grant payments. These grants are equal to 25% of the total costs for the service or duty by the transferring municipality in the year prior to the agreement.
To learn more about the Innovation Grant Program, watch the recording of the League’s webinar with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) on the League’s YouTube page and find the webinar slides on the League’s website. Find additional information, including application materials, on DOR’s website.
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