Sweeping local government funding bill heads to Gov. Evers' desk

 

MADISON Wis (CBS 58) -- The sweeping bill to overhaul funding to local governments and prevent Milwaukee from bankruptcy is one step closer to becoming law.

The Assembly and Senate passed the multi-million-dollar bill to increase state aid to every municipality, known as shared revenue, along with a series of provisions targeting Milwaukee and all communities Wednesday evening.

The bill now heads to Gov. Tony Evers' desk, who is anticipated to sign it.

Shared revenue is one of the main sources of money for local governments which funds police, fire, EMS, libraries, parks, and other resources. Under the bill, every city, county, town, and village would see a minimum 20% increase in shared revenue.

This portion of the bill received bipartisan praise as many communities, like Milwaukee, faced dire consequences and insolvency without additional revenue to pay their bills. But not everyone was thrilled with what else was included in the proposal.

A handful of Democrats slammed the several policy provisions backed by Republicans including requiring local governments to maintain police and fire staffing levels and restricting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts.

"All of this policy should be pulled out of this Frankenstein monster of a bill, and it should be slaughtered today," said Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee). "You are going to require how many police you hire; you are going to require how many firefighters you hire and if you don’t -- we will punish you."

Sen. Mary Felzkowski, a Republican who co-authored the bill, responded to critics by noting the bill is not perfect, but a bipartisan effort she called a "win" for the state.

"It's not perfect, but let's not let perfect get in the way of a very good bill and a win for a lot of our communities," Felzkowski said. "Our major city is not going to go bankrupt and that's positive."

The bill will also allow Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to implement a new sales tax by a two-thirds vote in the Common Council and County Board of Supervisors.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wanted voters to decide whether to raise their sales tax, while Evers and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu backed allowing the city and county board to hold a vote.

"Many of our members still have heartburn about the idea that the voters are not the ones deciding, but it was part of our broader agreement," Vos said.

Six Senate Republicans, some from the Milwaukee-suburbs, voted against this provision, referring to it as a bailout for Milwaukee.

This was a main sticking point in negotiations between Vos, LeMahieu and Evers. A deal was struck last week which is part of a border package to invest in public and private schools.

In a statement, Evers called the shared revenue and school funding package a "win for Wisconsin."

"It’s my job as governor to always work to do the right thing when it matters most," Evers said after the bills' passage. "We’re securing over $1 billion for our kids and our schools to improve reading and kids’ mental health while making historic investments in our communities."

Mayor Cavalier Johnson said action by Assembly and Senate was "an important milestone in the work to resolve Milwaukee’s fiscal challenges."

"Today’s legislative votes have empowered the City of Milwaukee to overcome financial problems that were decades in the making," Johnson said in a statement.

What else is included in the shared bill?

The proposal also includes measures to put back 25 police officers in Milwaukee Public Schools, ban the city from using state funding on the streetcar and remove power from the city's police and fire commission.

Local health officers across the state would also be prohibited from closing a business due to a health emergency under the bill.