Christmas comes early in Wisconsin

It appears Christmas has come early in Wisconsin, and no one can wait to open the present. The state’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau announced this week that a windfall is on the way. They say state tax collections between now and 2023 will grow by $4.4 billion more than expected just back in January. Everyone agrees that is good news. And that is about where the agreement ends. Republicans say the money should be used to provide tax cuts. A sound argument. After all, the new-found money is a result of increased tax collections, in the form of income taxes, sales taxes and corporate taxes. But Governor Evers wants to use the money to expand the state’s investment in education and infrastructure. That will be a tough sell, given the legislature wants to trim 90% of the money Evers wanted to allocate for education. Another option is to stash the money away, or at least some of it, in the state’s rainy day fund to better prepare for future economic downturns. Perhaps the best idea is to spend the money on all of those things. A little here, a little there. That way everyone will be getting a present this year.