FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2024
IRG Preliminary Analysis: Governor Evers’ Agencies Request $5.88 Billion in New Funding
Despite families still struggling to pay bills, state agencies want to spend at least 6.5% more
MADISON, WI – Today, the Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) released an analysis of the 2025-2027 budget requests submitted this month by state agencies, finding that the proposed requests would increase government spending by more than $5.88 billion, or 6.5%.
WHAT HAPPENED: The budget requests from the Evers Administration this month are part of the normal state budgeting process, which starts in September of every even year. This latest report from IRG’s team of policy experts provides an overview of some of the more outrageous funding requests including the following:
- The Department of Health Services is requesting more than $3.9 billion in new funding, which is an 11.7% increase.
- The UW System is requesting more than $856 million in new funding and 214 new positions.
- The Department of Revenue is requesting nearly $14 million in additional funding with more than $5.5 million of that new funding to be allocated to fund 38 new tax agents.
“Wisconsin needs a government that spends within its means. Across our state, families have dealt with the rising cost of everyday essentials. Almost everyone has had to hold themselves to a tighter budget and rein in extra expenses. We should expect the same from our state government, not a plan to increase spending by nearly $5.9 billion.” – Alex Ignatowski, Director of State Budget and Government Reform
WHY IT MATTERS: Every two years, the budget process kicks-off with the release of agency budget requests. This is the first step in what will, if everything goes as planned, conclude by June 30th of next year. Although the Governor told agencies to assume that there would be “zero growth” in general purpose revenue (GPR), that did not stop them from requesting over a billion new GPR dollars, and $5.88 billion overall above the base budgets. However, special dispensations were made for some agencies who have had to contend with the inflationary and economic struggles of the past four years.
IRG combed through the requests, looking for the rationale of why the state government is again asking for such a heavy increase in state spending. Although the previous agency request we analyzed came in much higher at $7.5 billion in September of 2022, the current request of nearly $6 billion is not far off – and additional requests are still expected to come forward.
WHAT’S NEXT: In early 2025, Governor Evers will introduce his actual budget, kicking off the biennial high-stakes debate in Madison on taxes and spending.
For more information and resources on IRG’s state budget and government accountability work, please visit our website here.
Have questions? Reach out to Alex Ignatowski at [email protected].
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