The Capitol Report, produced by WisPolitics.com — a nonpartisan, Madison-based news service that specializes in coverage of government and politics — provides a weekly analysis of issues being debated in Wisconsin state government. It is underwritten by the WNA and produced exclusively for its members. WisPolitics.com President Jeff Mayers is a former editor and reporter for the Associated Press and a former political writer for the Wisconsin State Journal.
By WisPolitics.com/State Affairs
Another year, another standoff between Dem Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican Legislature.
This time the issue is property taxes and Evers’ 400-year veto.
Evers in early January said state revenues for 2025-27 are on track to come in as much as $1 billion higher than previously projected — and he wants lawmakers to use the additional funds to drive down property taxes.
The Dem governor, in his last year of office, called on lawmakers to approve the $1.3 billion in property tax relief he included in the 2025-27 budget — a plan Republicans rejected. Still, he told reporters he was open to any approach that would help homeowners.
The call comes as GOP lawmakers have sought to blame Evers’ 400-year veto for the spike in property tax bills many homeowners saw in bills last month.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos insisted Evers would have to help Republicans reverse his 400-year veto before they entertain any effort to address property tax bills.
“One of the things that has to happen is we need Governor Evers to admit he made a mistake,” the Rochester Republican said.
Evers used his partial veto in the 2023-25 budget to extend by 400 years an annual increase in the per pupil spending limit of $325 per student. The 2025-27 state budget included no new state aid in the formula impacted by that spending limit. That allowed districts to raise property taxes to account for the additional spending authority.
Republicans are pushing legislation that would end that per pupil increase after the 2026-27 school year, and it recently cleared an Assembly committee.
“So hopefully he would work with us to say, assuming we do property tax relief, we can’t just keep putting more water into a bucket full of holes. We need to fill the holes and then make sure that the bucket has the ability to deliver the relief,” Vos said.
The Senate in November signed off on its version of the bill to halt the annual per pupil increase.
“Now that everyday people are feeling the impact of his 400-year mistake, Governor Evers is desperately trying to pass the buck,” said Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg. “If the governor really cared about lowering property taxes, he would sign our proposal to eliminate the automatic 400-year property tax increase he unilaterally created.”
Evers dismissed the criticism.
“Before that 400-year veto, we were going to referendum all the time,” the former state schools superintendent said at an availability previewing his final year in office. “They can use that as an excuse if they want to. Let’s just get it done. I don’t believe that has anything to do with this.”
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