Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Evers' 400-Year School Funding Veto

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision along ideological lines, upheld Governor Tony Evers' partial veto in the 2023-25 state budget that extends annual per-pupil funding increases for K-12 schools through the year 2425. The ruling allows a $325 yearly increase per student to remain in effect for 400 years, after Evers struck the '20' and a dash from the original budget language for 2024-25, changing the end date to '2425.' Liberal justices argued this use of the partial veto was within the governor's constitutional authority, while conservative justices criticized the decision as an excessive extension of executive power and a distortion of legislative intent. The case highlighted the broad and sometimes controversial scope of Wisconsin's partial veto powers, which have allowed governors to significantly reshape budgets for decades. Supporters of the ruling framed it as a victory for public school funding and democratic checks and balances, while opponents warned it undermines the constitutional order and legislative process. The decision is likely to fuel ongoing debates about the limits of gubernatorial authority in Wisconsin.