Fiscal Facts

As housing has become increasingly unaffordable in Wisconsin and nationally since 2021, our state has issued more permits for housing construction. But the pace has declined slightly over the last two years and still lags far behind the housing boom years of the early 2000s.

Though the high unemployment that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, the number of people receiving FoodShare benefits in Wisconsin has not yet returned to 2019 levels.

Its upcoming budget finds Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) at a fiscal crossroads, with district leaders facing a projected shortfall of $39 million — and asking voters to approve two property tax referenda that are unprecedented in size and scope in district history.

The durability of changes to travel patterns during and after the COVID-19 pandemic have left the city of Milwaukee’s transportation fund at a crossroads, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report finds.

Revenue from the state tax on telephone company property sank last year to its lowest level since the 1970s, a reflection of tax changes and a shifting telecommunications landscape. A newly adopted state law will nearly eliminate the tax, which is collected in lieu of local property taxes on telephone companies.

Fresh off a voter-approved property tax referendum that provides a revenue infusion for Milwaukee Public Schools, its proposed 2025 budget would eliminate nearly 300 of the district’s full-time equivalent positions.

Wisconsin’s restaurant and bar industry has rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more businesses operating and strong recovery in both employment and sales.

Amid a troubled overhaul of the federal process for applying for student financial aid, the share of Wisconsin high school seniors completing the application so far this year has plummeted

As Milwaukee’s performing arts sector continues to struggle to recapture pre-pandemic ticket revenues, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report suggests a new strategic vision and exploration of partnerships between individual arts groups could bolster the sector’s sustainability.

Crash fatalities for Milwaukee County residents have steadily risen over time, with recent increases due in part to crashes in which excessive speed is a factor.