Wisconsin

What to do with Wisconsin's $3 billion surplus? One senator wants to give everyone nearly $1,000

Published

2 years ago

February 16, 2024

What to do with Wisconsin's billion surplus? One senator wants to give everyone nearly ,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.

State Sen. Robert Wirch (D-Somers) believes one-time checks for all taxpaying residents is the best use of Wisconsin’s surplus.

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.”

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Wisconsin

When does Wisconsin volleyball play again? NCAA tournament next match

Published

9 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

When does Wisconsin volleyball play again? NCAA tournament next match

Start time yet to be announced for regional finals match

AUSTIN, Texas – Wisconsin volleyball will be spending two more days in Austin.

The Badgers ensured that with a four-set win over Stanford on Dec. 12 in the NCAA tournament regional semifinals. It was the eighth consecutive win in the regional semifinals for Kelly Sheffield’s group and its first-ever win over Stanford in program history.

Here’s what to know about Wisconsin’s next match:

Who will Wisconsin volleyball play next?

Wisconsin’s next match will be against top-seeded Texas in the NCAA tournament regional finals, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

What time is Wisconsin volleyball’s next match?

The Wisconsin-Texas match will be on Sunday, Dec. 14. A time has not yet been announced, but it will either be at 2 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. CT.

How to watch Wisconsin-Texas NCAA tournament regional finals match?

NCAA volleyball tournament bracket for regional finals

Creighton vs. Kentucky on Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky
Purdue vs. Pittsburgh on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Pittsburgh
Wisconsin vs. Texas on Dec. 14 in Austin
Winner of Nebraska/Kansas vs. winner of Louisville/Texas A&M on Dec. 14 in Lincoln, Nebraska

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Wisconsin

How tariffs are affecting Wisconsin’s real and artificial Christmas trees

Published

21 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

How tariffs are affecting Wisconsin’s real and artificial Christmas trees

Nearly all artificial Christmas trees in the world today are made in China. And with that comes an up to 30 percent tariff rate on imported Christmas products — including artificial trees.

Kris Reisdorf is co-president of the Racine- and Sturtevant-based home and garden store Milaeger’s. On WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” Reisdorf said tariffs are affecting their prices on artificial trees, but she’s mitigating most of the rate hike through negotiations with manufacturers and by taking on lower profit margins herself.

“We are doing our fair share in making Christmas affordable,” Reisdorf said. “When the average person is thinking 30 percent (tariffs), that’s not by any means what they’re really paying.”

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Milaeger’s “almost real” trees range from under $100 to well over $3,000. Reisdorff said she’s raised prices for all artificial trees by only around $20 compared to last year.

Residorf said tree sales are largely stable despite the uptick in tariff pricing.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll last year found that 58 percent of Americans were buying artificial trees instead of real ones. That’s up from 40 percent in 2010.

Greg Hann owns Hann’s Christmas Farm in Oregon. Hann also sits on the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association Board and is president-elect of the National Christmas Tree Association.

Hann told “Wisconsin Today” the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created a surge in business for real evergreen trees and that demand has been holding relatively steady ever since. That said, Hann acknowledged real Christmas tree sales are up for him and fellow growers this year. He attributed the increase in sales to the tariffs and the fact that farmers’ supplies are finally catching up to the higher demand brought on by COVID-19. Nearly all real trees come from the United States or Canada, according to Hann.

Hann said a recent survey by the National Christmas Tree Association found 84 percent of Christmas tree growers nationwide have kept prices the same over the last two years, and that includes his own farm. Being grown locally in Wisconsin, Hann said his business is largely unaffected by tariffs.

“It’s kind of nice to have a good supply with a stable price in this economy,” he said.

Reisdorf said that some artificial tree manufacturers are moving operations outside of China to places like Cambodia. But most other countries in the east are also facing tariff threats.

Instead, Reisdorf said artificial tree importers are lobbying President Donald Trump to lower his 30 percent tariffs on Christmas products like trees and ornaments, because those kinds of goods aren’t coming back to be made in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Hann said his organization is lobbying to have tariffs on artificial trees increased to 300 percent. He said the added tariff costs help create an “even playing field” between real and artificial trees, since farmers have to pay farm staff and cover fertilizer costs.

But it isn’t always about the cost. Reisdorf said artificial trees have the benefit of lasting “forever,” essentially.

Hann said many of his customers come to the farm looking to keep up the Christmas tradition of picking out their own family tree.

“They’re looking for that fragrance of a real tree,” he said. “They want to start that tradition of the family together. They pick the tree, they take it into their house.”

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin loses starting offensive lineman to the transfer portal

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Wisconsin loses starting offensive lineman to the transfer portal

In a bit of a surprise, Wisconsin Badgers starting center Jake Renfro is using a medical hardship year and entering the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility.

Renfro, a sixth-year senior in 2024, battled numerous injuries this season, limiting him to only four games after having season-ending surgery. He was a full-time starter for Wisconsin in 2024 after missing the entire 2023 season except for the team’s bowl game due to injury.

Prior to his time at Wisconsin, Renfro had played for head coach Luke Fickell at Cincinnati for three seasons. He played in seven games as a freshman in 2020, making six starts at center. He then was the full-time starter as a sophomore in 2021, earning All-AAC honors before missing the entire 2022 season due to injury.

Now, he’s set to come back to college football for a seventh year, rather than turn pro, and will look to do so at another school.

“I want to thank Coach Fickell, the entire coaching and training staff, my teammates, and the University of Wisconsin for everything over the past three seasons,” Renfro wrote. “I am grateful for the support, development, friendships, and memories I have made during my time in Madison. After much prayer and consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal and use a medical hardship year to continue my college football journey. I will always appreciate my time as a Badger.”

Renfro was one of the biggest supporters of Fickell publicly, being a vocal leader on the team as the starting center.

With his departure, Wisconsin could need a new starting left tackle, left guard, and center next season, depending on whether Joe Brunner heads to the NFL or returns for another season.

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