MI News Minute Podcasts
May 13, 2025 | By William Osmulski
Policy Issues
State Budget

JFC Sets $100 Billion As Starting Point for Next State Budget

It was a disappointing, but all too predictable, start to the state budget writing process last week.

The Joint Committee on Finance began by tossing the governor’s $120 billion budget proposal – choosing instead to use the current budget as its starting point.

The current $100 billion budget.

In other words, they don’t plan to cut anything.

Current spending is now locked in – and throughout the executive hearings this month, committee members will just be adding to the pile.

How much more do they plan to spend?

Well, that will depend on the new tax revenue estimates that are scheduled to come out this Thursday.

Sen. Marklein wants to increase spending on public education and healthcare.

He says the estimates will determine how high they can go.

It would have been nice to see the committee start the budget at $0 and make every agency and program justify all its funding.

Instead, it’s just business as usual in Madison, and no one can say they’re very surprised.

When we have the most up-to-date projections on how much money Wisconsin has, we will begin tackling more substantive items such as education and healthcare. As we move along, the Legislature will decide where to make new investments and add new ideas to the budget, using our current spending plan as our starting point.

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