Wisconsin
What to do with Wisconsin's $3 billion surplus? One senator wants to give everyone nearly $1,000
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) — Wisconsin has a surplus of more than $3 billion, and the state’s top leaders can’t agree on what to do with it. One state senator insists he’s come up with the perfect compromise: Send every taxpayer a check.
State Sen. Robert Wirch (D-Somers) put a bill into circulation this week that would divide the surplus among each of the state’s income tax filers. Under Wirch’s proposal, individual taxpayers would get a one-time rebate of $982 while married joint filers would get $1,964.
Wirch said in an interview Thursday he came up with the idea on his own.
“I drove through the McDonald’s line, and the lady that gave me my coffee and a Egg McMuffin, I thought, ‘My God, if this woman could get $1,000, that would be great!’” Wirch said.
Wirch’s district includes Kenosha, and as one might expect, people here were on board with the idea of the state sending them a check.
“We got lucky somehow. Business was better and more tax receipts, and we got a surplus,” Bob Baruskok said. “But at the end of the day, it’s our money. I think everybody should get one-thousands bucks.”
For others, the one-time payouts would help them close in on some of their savings goals.
“Pay my bills, a couple of my bills that I need to pay off,” Gabriel Nunnery said. “Put something together to try to get me a car with some of the money that I have.”
Under the proposal, part-time and out-of-state residents would not qualify for the rebate checks, even if they pay some income taxes in Wisconsin.
Wirch’s bill is unlikely to become law. Republicans in charge of the Legislature have pursued a series of tax cuts. This week, the Assembly sent a series of proposed cuts to the desk of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Those bills include an income tax cut targeted toward people making less than $150,000 per year. The GOP bills also included exemptions on retirement income and increased tax credits for child care and married couples.
At the same time, Evers has pushed for the Legislature to put much of the surplus toward guaranteeing long-term state aid for child care providers and launching a paid family leave program.
Wirch said he believes the rebate plan is a fair compromise.
“I respect the governor’s plan, but we have a history of the two sides not working together,” he said. “And I’m hopeful that I can get the public involved in this ‘give the money back’ [proposal] to force both sides to adopt a plan.”
However, Wirch said his proposal for one-time payouts hasn’t gotten a warm reception from his colleagues on either side of the aisle.
“Candidly, they’ve kind of looked at me like I’m from another planet because they’re not used to giving money back to the taxpayers,” Wirch said. “Democrats and Republicans are kind of looking at me in a strange way on this proposal.”
Are rebates the best use of a surplus?
UW-Milwaukee Associate Economics Professor Scott Drewianka said he doubted one-time payouts would be the most effective way to use the state’s surplus.
“A $1,000 check for many people is almost no real difference,” Drewianka said. “They’re gonna put it in the bank or they’re paying off a credit card. That’s good, but it’s just kind of where it ends.”
Drewianka said the proposal would undoubtedly make a difference for people scraping by, but added the majority of taxpayers would likely save much of their rebate, limiting the impact on local economies.
“It would certainly help if it stops somebody from declaring bankruptcy,” he said. “But for most people, that’s probably not what’s happening.”
Drewianka said it might be wiser to leave at least some of the surplus in place as additional cushion should a future economic downturn put the state in a bind.
Wirch instead pointed to Wisconsin’s separate ‘rainy day’ fund, which currently has about $1.8 billion. He said that amount was a perfectly good protection plan, and Wirch also insisted his rebate proposal was the fairest way to use up the $3.2 billion surplus.
“And it’s the simplest way, too,” he said. “Where’s the cutoff point? We [would] have to argue about that. Where’s the cutoff point, and who gets it and who doesn’t get it? This is the simplest way, I think.”
Wisconsin
Wisconsin man accused of setting fire to congressman’s office over TikTok ban gets 7 years in prison
MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin man who allegedly told police he tried to set fire to a Republican congressman’s office last year because he was angry that the lawmaker backed a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell off its U.S. operations was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison.
In addition to the prison time, Fond du Lac County Circuit Judge Tricia Walker sentenced 20-year-old Caiden Stachowicz to seven years of extended supervision, court records show.
Stachowicz, of Menasha, pleaded no contest to an arson charge in November. Prosecutors dropped burglary and property damage counts in exchange for Stachowicz’s no contest plea, which isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for the purposes of sentencing.
Stachowicz’s attorney, Timothy Hogan, didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
According to a criminal complaint, a police officer responded to a fire outside Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman’s office in Fond du Lac, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee, at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2025, and saw Stachowicz standing nearby.
He told the officer that he started the fire because he doesn’t like Grothman, according to the complaint. He initially planned to break into the office and start the fire inside but he couldn’t break the window, so he poured gas on an electrical box behind the building and around the front of the building, lit a match and watched it burn, according to the complaint.
He said he wanted to burn down the office because the federal government was shutting down TikTok in violation of his constitutional rights and peace was not longer an option, the complaint states. He added that Grothman voted for the shutdown, but he didn’t want to hurt Grothman or anyone else.
This undated photo provided by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department and the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Caiden Stachowicz. Credit: AP/Uncredited
Grothman voted for a bill in April 2024 that required TikTok’s China-based company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operation. The deadline was Jan. 19, 2025, but President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders prolonging it. TikTok finalized a deal two months ago to create an American version of of the social video platform. Trump praised the deal.
A spokesperson for Grothman’s congressional office didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
MADISON (AP) — Reserve Braeden Carrington scored 18 points, John Blackwell scored 14 points and Wisconsin poured it on in the second half to dismantle Maryland 78-45 on Wednesday night.
Nick Boyd scored 13 points and reserve Austin Rapp scored 11 points for Wisconsin (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten), which had 11 players enter the scoring column.
The Badgers’ Andrew Rohde passed out six of Wisconsin’s 15 assists and didn’t commit a turnover. Wisconsin turned it over only three times.
Andre Mills scored 14 points and Elijah Saunders scored 11 points for Maryland.
Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. The Badgers shot 48% (27 of 56) and made 42% (13 of 31) from 3-point range. The Badgers scored 44 second-half points.
It was the fewest point Maryland (11-19, 4-15) has ever posted against Wisconsin in the shot-clock era. It was also Maryland’s lowest point total of the season.
Wisconsin has won five of its last seven. Maryland has lost five of its last six.
Up next
Maryland wraps up the regular season hosting 11th-ranked Illinois on Saturday.
Wisconsin ends the regular season at No. 15 Purdue on Saturday.
(WLUK) — As winter thaws, Wisconsinites are encouraged to think about preparing for potential flooding.
Gov. Evers has declared March 9 -13 as Flood Safety Week in Wisconsin.
During Flood Safety Awareness Week, ReadyWisconsin is asking everyone to review their flooding risk and take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and businesses before waters rise.
- Know your flood risk. Assess the potential for flooding on your property if you live in a flood plain, near a body of water, or have a basement. Plan with your family for what you will do if the floodwaters begin to rise.
- Consider flood insurance. Most homeowner, rental, and business insurance policies generally do not cover flooding. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Most flood coverage requires 30 days to take effect. Find more information about flood insurance options here.
- Move valuables or mementos out of the basement and store them in waterproof containers.
- Elevate or flood-proof your washer, dryer, water heater, and HVAC systems. Relocate electrical outlets to three feet above the floor.
- Have copies of important documents (personal identification like passports and birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial documents) in a waterproof container.
- Build a “Go Kit.” Include items such as food, water, cash, and medications.
- Make an emergency plan. If you can’t make it home or need to leave quickly, identify a meeting place for your family. Make a list of emergency numbers and important contacts.
- Keep water out of and away from your house. Clean gutters regularly, direct downspouts away from your foundation, repair cracks in your foundation, improve grading so water flows away from your house, and cover window wells.
When flooding occurs, keep the following steps in mind:
- Stay up to date on the forecast. Identify multiple ways to receive alerts about dangerous weather conditions and potential flooding, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, trusted local news outlets, and mobile weather apps. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your smartphones.
- Never drive or walk through flooded areas. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep adults off their feet, while just 12 inches can carry away a small car or 24 inches for larger vehicles. Moving water is not the only danger, your vehicle could potentially stall when driving through floodwater.
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Flooding could potentially impact your health as well. Avoid entering floodwaters, which can contain bacteria from human and animal waste, sharp objects, hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, and other dangerous items. If your home floods, follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines to avoid mold growth.
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