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Amid political gridlock, $50M for reading legislation will return to Wisconsin's surplus

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Amid political gridlock, M for reading legislation will return to Wisconsin's surplus


In 2023, when Gov. Tony Evers signed into law a sweeping legislative overhaul to how Wisconsin children learn to read, $50 million was allocated to fund the mandated changes. 

But the $50 million has never been released, and Republicans and Democrats have spent the last year pointing fingers at each other over who is to blame.

In 2024, the Legislature sued Evers over changes he made to the bill through a partial veto. The money is tied up as the Legislature awaits oral arguments and a decision by the state Supreme Court over whether the governor had the authority to strike funding for school boards and charter school compliance from the law. 

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And because that ruling won’t come by the end of the fiscal year, the funds will go back into the state’s massive surplus, state Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, confirmed to WPR. 

Kitchens, who co-authored the reading law known as Act 20, had hoped to introduce a bill that would release the money for reading before June 30.

“While our lawyers said that the bill would not compromise the lawsuit that is pending, there are others who are concerned that it would,” Kitchens said. “For that reason, it does not look like a bill will be introduced. With the timeline that the Supreme Court has put out for hearing the case, there are serious concerns that they will not rule before the funding lapses.”

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Act 20 was a bipartisan bill, proposed by Republicans who worked with the state Department of Public Instruction on the details. 

When it passed, the Legislature created a separate, nearly $50 million appropriations bill for implementation. 

Then, disagreements began over how that money would be used and who would decide how to use it.

Wisconsin allows its governors to use partial vetoes on appropriations bills. Evers’ use of that power in February 2024 prompted a lawsuit in April from legislative Republicans asking the $50 million be withheld from DPI. 

Evers and DPI filed a counterclaim saying without the money, implementing the new law in time for the 2024-25 school year would be impossible.

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In July, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that the GOP overstepped its constitutional authority by blocking Evers’ actions related to the state Department of Natural Resources. But the court did not rule on the $50 million for DPI. 

Attorney General Josh Kaul has asked the high court to bypass the appellate court and rule on the matter. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Act 20 case but has not yet scheduled oral arguments.

State Superintendent Jill Underly said school districts committed to transforming how students learn to read with the understanding that the state Legislature would contribute $50 million to support those efforts.

“This delay is an outright betrayal of our students and a failure of leadership,” Underly said. “Legislative leaders have let down both our children and our schools. I don’t want to hear another elected official complaining about literacy outcomes — they have no one to blame but themselves.”

During a recent Assembly committee hearing, Kitchens addressed Act 20 funding.

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“We negotiated this deal for months and months, and then he [Evers] went back on his word, saying that DPI should get the money and spend it how they want without any oversight,” Kitchens said. “It’s very unfortunate that the funding for Act 20 has not been released, but it certainly is not our fault.”

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President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor

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President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor


President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in his bid to be the next governor of Wisconsin.

Trump announced the endorsement Tuesday night, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Tiffany had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

“He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump wrote.

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The endorsement puts to bed the questions of whether — and when — Trump would weigh in on the GOP primary for governor.

Tiffany, who has represented northern Wisconsin’s 7th District in Congress since 2020, was considered an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination against Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, but recent fundraising numbers suggested Schoemann could put up a fight.

The backing from Trump has proven critical in Republican primaries across the country, and it’s almost certain to give Tiffany a boost. Four years ago, Trump’s endorsement helped propel businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in the 2022 GOP primary for governor.

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But whether the president’s nod is a help or a hindrance in the general election is an open question, especially in a cycle that polling suggests could favor Democrats. Four years ago, Michels lost to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the general election. And almost immediately after Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin looked to seize on the president’s support of Tiffany as a condemnation.

“We agree with Donald Trump—Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising every day costs,” read a statement from state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November.”

At least seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for governor, where many of them have made attacking Trump central to their campaigns. The winner of the general election will replace Evers, who is not seeking a third term.

Trump’s announcement came as part of a slate of endorsements posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday evening. He also endorsed Michael Alfonso, who is running for Tiffany’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in Congress.

Alfonso is the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, who represented the 7th District before Tiffany. He’s one of four Republicans running to replace Tiffany.

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Trump called Alfonso “a young ‘STAR’.”

In a post on X, Alfonso wrote that it is his “greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump,” and pledged “to be a steadfast MAGA warrior.”



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Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola

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Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola



The move comes after Polaris announced it was separating from Indian Motorcycle.

Powersports company Polaris has announced it plans to wind down the operations at its facility in Osceola which specializes in manufacturing Indian Motorcycle.

The move impacts roughly 200 Wisconsin workers at the facility.

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On Jan. 27, during a fourth quarter and full year earnings call for 2025, Polaris said the company expects to sell Indian Motorcycle by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to Carolwood, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles. However the company plans to maintain some stake in the company.

Polaris officials said called the sale of Indian Motorcycle was a “difficult decision” and added it was a “move that we believe is best for Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.”

In a post on X, Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin said:

“We have seen this story in Wisconsin too many times – a private equity firm buys a company, hollows it out, & fires its workers, all to pad their profits. It’s simply wrong.”



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Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case

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Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case





















Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case | News | wqow.com

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