Earlier this year, Governor Evers unveiled his budget proposal ahead of the expiration of the state’s current biennial budget after June 30th. WMC’s General Counsel and Director of Tax, Transportation & Legal Affairs, Evan Umpir, appeared in the video to break down the governor’s bloated budget and explain the harmful impact of increased taxes and spending on the state’s business climate.
The Evers budget would increase spending by more than 20%—and tax-supported spending by 18%—to fund over 880 new government bureaucrats, rules, and red tape.
“We’re entering this cycle with a $4 billion surplus, but Evers’ plan would leave us with a $4 billion deficit by the end of the 2027-2029 budget,” said Umpir. “He proposed $3.3 billion in new taxes, including capping the Manufacturing & Ag Credit for manufacturers, and a new 9.8% millionaire tax bracket, modeled after Minnesota’s.”
Additionally, Evers’ property tax relief plan sets the stage for a sharp rise in local taxes. This comes on top of the Governor’s 400-year education veto, recently rubberstamped by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, locking in property tax increases for generations to come.
“Thankfully, legislative Republicans continue to push for real tax relief. But last session, the Governor vetoed nearly all of it,” said Umpir. “While other states work to cut or eliminate income taxes, Wisconsin Democrats want to raise them on families and businesses alike.”
With Wisconsin ranking in the top ten states for income and property taxes, WMC argues more should be done to protect manufacturing – the state’s largest industry and economic driver – and all taxpayers.
