BUDGET BRIEFS (MADISON)
The state budget includes $1.3 billion in tax cuts. The tax cuts were a signature part of the budget compromise between Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Republican leaders in the legislature. The state’s second-lowest tax bracket is expanded to include single filers and heads of household earning up to $50,480 and jointly filing married couples earning up to $67,300. Evers signed the budget early last Thursday morning following a marathon legislative session. His office estimates state taxpayers will see an average savings of $180, with most of the reductions going to filers with incomes of less than $20,000.
The next state budget gives Wisconsin’s K-12 schools some breathing room.
Governor Tony Evers signed the 2025-27 budget bill last week, after negotiations with Republican leaders and a marathon session in the state Senate and Assembly. The compromise provides the state’s 467 public school districts with an increase of some $500 million in special education funding and $30 million for mental health services. Districts statewide will have increased revenue limits, allowing them to increase spending by $1.4 billion more than the last budget cycle. That would come in the form of property tax increases which could mean more referendums.
The state budget funds some high-priority projects for the Universities of Wisconsin. The 2025-27 budget, a compromise between Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Republican leaders in the legislature, allocates $194.5 million for phase two of UW La-Crosse’s Prairie Springs Science Center and to demolish the 60-year-old Crowley Hall, and $189.3 million to renovate the health sciences center at UW-Milwaukee. Other capital funding will allow UW-Stevens Point to establish a business school and add to UW-Stout’s recreation complex. UW-Madison gets $5 million to plan for eventual demolition and replacement of the 1960’s era Mosse Humanities building.
The state budget includes money to plan for eventual closure of the Green Bay prison. The 2025-27 budget signed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers last week includes $15 million dollars for the Department of Corrections to plan for closing the maximum-security prison in Allouez, which was built in 1898. But Evers used his line-item veto to delete a Republican authored provision to close the prison by 2029. Evers said there was no “meaningful or concrete plan” for that to occur. Allouez Village President Jim Rafter said in a statement that residents are frustrated and deserve certainty about when GBCI will close.
Reactions to Wisconsin Supreme Court abortion ruling UNDATED)
Last week’s ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court is struck down the state’s 1849 criminal abortion law which had been interpreted as banning all abortions. Michelle Velasquez with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says abortion remains a highly personal and complicated decision, and that the people at the center of these decisions know what is best for their health, for their families, and for their future. Valasquez says they deserve the autonomy and dignity of making those decisions without interference. On the other side of the issue, Pro Life Wisconsin says its organization will continue the fight to outlaw abortion without exception, pass a personhood amendment enshrining the right to life in the Wisconsin Constitution, and to enact pro-life, pro-family legislation. A Marquette Law School poll on the question from September 2022 had about 68% of respondents saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Trial set for February in death of Lincoln Hills counselor (MERRIILL)
A teen charged in the 2024 death of a counselor at Wisconsin’s Lincoln Hills youth prison will be tried as an adult early next year. Court records show Javirus Hurd will face a three-week trial February 2nd through the 20th, 20-26. Investigators say he had just thrown a cup of soapy water at another officer, then fled into the courtyard where Corey Proulx tried to restrain him. Hurd allegedly beat Proulx, who fell and hit his head on a hard surface. He died from his injuries at a nearby hospital. Hurd is facing charges for reckless homicide and battery by prisoners. Pretrial hearings will be held in October and November.
Report highlights struggles facing rural fire and EMS services (UNDATED)
A new report from the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health highlights the struggles rural fire and EMS services are facing. Rural EMS Program Manager James Small says nearly half the departments in the state aren’t able to respond to calls with a basic level of firefighting. Small says departments are relying on mutual aid for that, and that puts pressure on the neighboring agencies to fulfill those requests. He says it’s an issue with a declining number of volunteers and a lack of financial resources. Small says regionalizing or consolidating fire and EMS services could help address the issue.
UW-Madison police continue to pursue leads in 1982 student death (MADISON)
UW – Madison police continue working on the 1982 stabbing death of a student.
UWPD is again asking the public for help in identifying a suspect in the stabbing death of 23-year-old Donna Mraz. Mraz was walking home early in the morning near Camp Randall when she was attacked. The motivation of the attack remains unknown and there’s no new information, but the case remains open and active while investigators continue to follow up on leads. Anyone with info can call the UWPD tip line or share tips through Madison Area Crime Stoppers.