Wisconsin Gov Evers Signs $111B Budget Amid Child Care Funding Cuts

The 2025-27 Wisconsin state budget, signed into law by Governor Tony Evers, has been described by officials as historic for its inclusion of child care funding, an area previously unfunded, yet critics argue the investment falls significantly short of needs, with child care tuition expected to rise due to reduced state investment compared to previous federal support. While the budget totals $111 billion and has been praised for bipartisan cooperation, the actual allocation for child care is less than 25% of what was requested, raising concerns about its effectiveness in stabilizing the industry and aiding working families. In Florida, state and local leaders convened a roundtable to address threats to public schools from privatization and underfunding, emphasizing opposition to diverting taxpayer dollars to private schools with minimal oversight. Across states, budget processes reveal tensions between meeting contractual obligations and adhering to budget caps, as seen in Connecticut where officials underfund key items to allocate more funds to education and municipal aid, a practice criticized as deceptive by conservatives but defended by progressives as necessary under strict caps. Discussions and media coverage continue to focus on the budget's impact on families and public services, reflecting ongoing debates about funding priorities and fiscal management.