Gov. Tony Evers recently requested more than $1 billion, a blank check for the state Department of Health Services, and virtually limitless taxpayer-funded employees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I know we all want to help our friends and neighbors during this crisis, but as the Assembly chair of the Joint Committee on Finance that oversees the state budget, I wanted to make sure you understand the fiscal state of Wisconsin and the economic impact the outbreak will have on the state budget.
Like the countless small businesses around the state struggling to make payroll and keep the lights on, the state also runs on a fixed budget. We cannot, and should not, spend more than we take in, and we are required by law to have a balanced budget. Making matters more difficult, state revenue collections will undoubtedly be lower than we previously thought due to the COVID-19 health emergency.
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