Yes. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has proposed to earmark $600 million of Wisconsin’s large surplus for tax relief. The state Department of Administration’s latest projections place Wisconsin’s surplus at around $6.58 billion. Evers’ plan includes a 10% tax cut for “working families.”
Author Archives: Hope Karnopp / Wisconsin Watch
Hope Karnopp joined Wisconsin Watch as a reporting intern in May 2022. She is a journalism major and is pursuing certificates in public policy and environmental studies at UW-Madison. Hope previously covered state politics as an intern for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She also works with the Daily Cardinal and hosts a radio segment about campus news for WORT-FM, which has been recognized by the Milwaukee Press Club.
Posted inFact briefs
Is the state of Wisconsin advising people not to travel Friday — one of the busiest travel days of the year?
Yes. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is discouraging travel on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, due to “potential blizzard conditions” including “snow, high winds, reduced visibility and frigid temperatures.”
Posted inFact briefs
Did Tony Evers win Wauwatosa by 40 points?
Yes. Official results, certified by the Wisconsin Elections Commission, show Democratic Gov. Tony Evers won about 69.8% of the vote in the city of Wauwatosa, compared to Republican Tim Michels’ 29.5%.
Posted inFact briefs
Did 91 Wisconsinites die from extreme cold last year?
Yes. During the winter of 2021-22, there were 91 deaths and at least 2,200 emergency room visits in Wisconsin due to extreme cold, according to a press release from ReadyWisconsin.
Posted inFact briefs
Are chloride levels increasing in Wisconsin waterways because of road salt use?
Yes. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, chloride concentrations in 26 of Wisconsin’s largest river systems increased from 600,000 tons in the early 2000s to 800,000 tons in 2018. The department said the rise is “partly due to road salting” but also cited water softeners and fertilizers as factors.
Posted inFact briefs
Does Mayor Cavalier Johnson want Milwaukee’s population to reach one million?
Yes. While running to become Milwaukee’s mayor in 2022, Cavalier Johnson said he wants the city to reach one million people. “In this future I envision, we will have one million residents and many more peaks to our skyline,” Johnson said in a document posted to his campaign website.
Posted inFact briefs
Did auditors say Tony Evers should be more transparent about distributing federal funding?
Yes. A report from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau said the Department of Administration should “increase the transparency and clarity” about how the state allocates federal funding.
Posted inFact briefs
Would 126,000 more people receive BadgerCare coverage in Wisconsin with Medicaid expansion?
No. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services estimates that about 90,000 people would become eligible for BadgerCare Plus coverage through Medicaid expansion.
Posted inFact briefs
Does an elected official in Wisconsin have to be in office for a year before a recall effort?
Yes. Elected officials in Wisconsin must hold their office for at least one year before a recall is initiated, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Posted inFact briefs
Can local governments in Wisconsin regulate rent prices?
No. Local governments in Wisconsin do not have the authority to enact rent control.
Under state law, “No city, village, town or county may regulate the amount of rent or fees charged for the use of a residential rental dwelling unit.”
Posted inFact briefs
Does Wisconsin have the worst minimum wage to cost-of-living ratio in the country?
Yes. The minimum wage in Wisconsin covers 29.9% of the living wage for a family with two working adults and two children — the lowest percentage in the nation, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator.
Posted inFact briefs
Is Wisconsin’s flu vaccination rate declining?
Yes. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, flu shot rates in Wisconsin have fallen in the past couple seasons.