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Wisconsin Budget Project

The Wisconsin Budget Project is a WCCF initiative engaged in analysis and education on the state budget and tax issues, particularly those relating to low and moderate income families.  The budget project seeks to broaden the debate on budget and tax policy through public education and the encouragement of civic engagement on these issues.

Based on the most recent national data (from 2007), Wisconsin ranked 29th in total state and local spending (measured as a percentage of income).

Contrary to the perception that our state has a large government bureaucracy, Wisconsin ranked 44th (7th lowest) in 2008 in the number of state employees relative to population, and 41st (10th lowest) in total state and local government employees relative to population.

Recent News

Pew Report Assessed Budget Challenges, not the Budget Solutions - A recent report by the Pew Center on the States ranked states on the basis of the magnitude of the fiscal challenges they faced this year as lawmakers crafted state budget bills.  It put Wisconsin among the 10 states facing the most fiscal peril.  This very brief paper summarizes the methodology used in that ranking and explains why it shouldn’t be misconstrued as an assessment of the budgets adopted in each state (November 13, 2009).

New Census Data on State and Local Government Employment – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local government employment and payrolls in 2008.  Our analysis examines how Wisconsin compares to other states with respect to the public workforce and payroll, and how those rankings have changed over time (November 3, 2009).

New Census Data on State and Local Spending and Revenue – This two-page paper analyzes new Census Bureau data on state and local spending and taxes in fiscal year 2006-07. The paper illustrates how Wisconsin’s rankings on a wide variety of revenue and spending measures have fallen since 2000, relative to other states. For example, Wisconsin has dropped to 25th in total state and local spending per capita, down from 14th highest in 2000. Total state and local taxes per capita were $65 less per person than the national average (October 2, 2009).

An Overview of the 2009-11 State Budget – Balancing the 2011-13 budget was an exceptionally challenging task. This paper provides a general picture of how the budget was balanced and outlines some of the more significant decisions relating to services for children and families (August 28, 2009).

Supports for Low-Income Families – Notwithstanding the state’s severe budget challenges, policymakers were able to protect key safety net programs and even make some modest improvements in programs serving low-income families. This paper examines the budget provisions relating to the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program, child support, and tax credits for low-income families(September 3, 2009). Federal Fiscal Relief Helps Balance the Budget – Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the federal government provided significant sums to state and local governments, allowing them to avoid even more painful cuts to critical services and programs. This 2-page paper examines that revenue and the challenge facing the state when it expires at the end of 2010 (September 4, 2009).

Revenue Uppers Help Close Budget Shortfall – The biennial budget bill makes changes that generate a little over $2 billion in revenue. The changes range from an increase in the cigarette tax to changes in the treatment of capital gains. Still, these revenue uppers by themselves closed only a fraction of the budget gap, and General Fund taxes in each year of the new biennium will be less that the level in 2008-09 (September 8, 2009).

What's Passed is Prologue...for Future Budget Difficulties - The state faces a “structural imbalance” for the 2011-13 biennium of $2.05 billion. That figure represents the amount of revenue growth that will be needed in the next biennium simply to maintain 2010-11 spending levels, without any adjustments for inflation or caseload growth. This brief paper examines the magnitude of the problems and its causes, such as phased-in tax cuts and the use of short-term fixes for long-term spending commitments (September 9, 2009).

Comparative Analysis of Act 28: The 2009-11 Biennial Budget Bill. This document is a comprehensive summary of the 2009-11 biennial budget bill – focusing primarily on issues relating to children and families, but also addressing measures relating to the immense challenge of filling a budget deficit of more than $6 billion.  It compares the final law (Act 28), including the Governor’s vetoes, with the versions approved at each stage of the budget process (Updated June 30, 2009). View the summary...Read the WCCF press release...

2009 Federal Poverty Levels Released! Click for latest poverty guidelines and latest poverty tables.

Catalog of Tax Reform Options – This catalog presents an inventory of options for reforming the state’s tax system and finding a balanced approach for filling the state deficit, which is now expected to surpass $5 billion over the next two and a half years.  The catalog, which is a joint effort of the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future and WCCF, presents a wide range of alternatives for enhancing state revenue.

Project Goals

Ensure a balanced and fair tax system and budget process that protects the well-being of children and families and provides for a stable system of state revenues.

Provide timely and credible analyses of state fiscal issues that are useful for policymakers, other nonprofits, the media and the general public.

Ensure that the needs of lower-income Wisconsin families are considered in the debates about budget and tax issues.
 

Project Staff

Jon Peacock: Research Director contact