Continuing a year-end tradition launched by one of its predecessor organizations more than a decade ago, the Wisconsin Policy Forum announces its top five research findings for 2020.
With fire and emergency medical services (EMS) departments in the La Crosse region facing a host of challenges, collaborative action by local providers could improve service levels at a lower cost than acting independently.
The University of Wisconsin System and its flagship university are falling behind their peers in key financial metrics, as a tuition freeze, declining enrollment, stagnant state funding, and lackluster growth in research spending threaten their long-term competitiveness.
Amid a pandemic and global recession, school districts are increasing property taxes for the coming year by 3.3% — lower than last year’s 4.5% but still the second-highest percentage since 2010.
Next year, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and newly elected lawmakers likely will confront the state’s toughest budget challenge since 2011, Wisconsin Policy Forum reports in the latest installment of Fiscal Facts.
This difficult budget scenario, amid elevated unemployment, slowing state tax collections, and increased demand for social services created by the ongoing pandemic, projects general fund spending to exceed revenues by $373.1 million in the two-year budget running from July 2021 to June 2023 — a difference equal to about 1% of spending over the two years. However, that shortfall could grow considerably if the governor and lawmakers provide additional funds for other programs.
Even as residents drove less, Wisconsin has recorded a significant increase in fatal car crashes and crash fatalities this year.
While consumers may be binge-watching video more than ever in a time of social distancing, new data shows cable television revenues falling in Wisconsin in the run-up to COVID-19.
Despite the highest unemployment rate on record this year and hundreds of school buildings empty since March, Wisconsin voters approved school referendums this month at near-record rates. The results speak particularly loudly given that they happened in a high-turnout election and in communities carried by both presidential candidates.
Despite the turmoil of a global pandemic, the city of Madison’s proposed budget maintains core services in 2021 with the smallest property tax increase in nearly two decades — a feat accomplished in part through one-time measures that could narrow options for future budgets.
As many local officials across Wisconsin face tight 2021 budgets in the wake of COVID-19, consolidation or enhanced service sharing with neighboring municipalities may offer an opportunity to spread the cost of certain services across multiple jurisdictions, while increasing efficiency and improving service levels in the long term.
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