As I See It
Republicans up to more of the same in Wisconsin’s state Legislature
Since the swearing in of a new Wisconsin state Legislature we’ve learned a few things.
Over the next 730 days of its two year term, the Legislature will be in session for 90 days, and again, be off for about the last 8 months of 2026 — like they were last year. A calendar Republicans voted for, while Democrats voted against.
We also learned that it isn’t childcare, healthcare, roads, PFAS, the $4.5 billion budget surplus or taxes that are the first things to tackle when taking office.
No, it’s another Constitutional Amendment. Wisconsin Republicans put seven Constitutional Amendments on ballots in 2023-2024. That’s one more than all other Midwest states combined.
Constitutional amendment ballot questions presented to voters
| State | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Illinois | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Indiana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Michigan | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ohio | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
And, as Democrats gained 10 seats in the state Assembly and 14 seats combined last election, committees in that chamber of the Legislature will go mostly to Republicans.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos decided to reduce the number of Democrats on committees, despite the increase in representation.
Not quite the representative government for a purple state, as I see it. I’m Rick Solem.
walden
January 14, 2025 at 11:29 pm
Another Democrat/WIZM advertorial.
That $4.5 billion surplus was as of June 30 2024. The WI Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the surplus will be closer to $3.1 billion by the end of the biannual budget period June 30, 2025. Solem needs to try harder to keep up.
In other words the state surplus decreased almost $4 billion from $7 billion 18 months ago. Much of that money went to record increases in school funding.
The governor has vetoed returning the money to the taxpayers many times, including vetoes of Republican sponsored bills that would have given tax breaks to retirees.
Roy
January 15, 2025 at 1:26 pm
I think if Rick wants to “keep up”, he’ll have to go back to Stevens Point U for a few semesters. A few days ago, he claimed La Crosse had about 51 thousand voters. (He said La Crosse had a 18% voter turnout of 9 thousand voters in the last mayor’s election 4 years ago.) That would get you a Repeat in 4th grade math.
Greg Symons
January 15, 2025 at 6:04 am
Come on Solem1 You complain that they’re off work, then you complain they’re doing more than other states. secure elections are where it all starts. I can never understand why the democrats are always trying to undermine the process. As far as constitutional amendments, the Dems should take a clue from the Republicans. The republicans, being smarter than Dems, are trying to avoid the mistake the Dems made with abortion. For years they thought they’d always be safe on their “right” to kill babies and did nothing to secure abortion rights. Then when Roe was overturned they whined and complained.