Wisconsin Governor Signs Budget in Rush to Secure Federal Funds | JQJO

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed a new $111 billion two-year budget, reached through a rapid bipartisan compromise with Republican lawmakers. The budget includes tax cuts, changes to driver's licensing fees, and increased funding for education and childcare. Its swift passage was driven by the need to secure federal Medicaid matching funds before potential cuts from a federal bill. Evers used partial vetoes to strike a prison closure deadline and a grant to a town, citing a lack of planning and retribution for Republicans' refusal to extend a conservation program, respectively. Democrats criticized the budget for not fully addressing their priorities.