Wisconsin Lawmakers Offer Mixed Reactions to Governor's State of the State Address

Democrats and Republicans disagree on budget surplus spending and prison reform

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers delivered his final State of the State address, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers in Northeast Wisconsin. Democrats and Republicans expressed differing views on how to use the state's $2.4 billion budget surplus, with disagreements over property tax relief, school funding, and PFAS cleanup. Lawmakers also debated the future of the Green Bay Correctional Institution, with Democrats favoring closure and prisoner release, while Republicans want to build a new facility.

Why it matters

The State of the State address outlines the governor's priorities and vision for the state, setting the stage for legislative debates and negotiations. The differing views expressed by lawmakers from Northeast Wisconsin highlight the partisan divides that will need to be bridged in order to pass a state budget and enact other policy changes.

The details

Governor Evers proposed using the budget surplus for property tax relief and increased school funding, but Republican lawmakers have their own plan that the governor said needs to be "a heck of a lot better." Lawmakers also discussed the $125 million set aside for PFAS cleanup, with Democrats pushing for more transparency and accountability, while Republicans are concerned about the impact on the paper industry. On the issue of the Green Bay Correctional Institution, Democrats favor closing the prison and releasing minimum and medium-security inmates, while Republicans want to build a new facility and keep prisoners incarcerated.

  • Governor Evers delivered his final State of the State address on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • Republican lawmakers sent their property tax relief plan to Governor Evers on Monday, February 17, 2026.

The players

Tony Evers

The Democratic Governor of Wisconsin who delivered the State of the State address.

Dean Kaufert

A Republican State Representative from Neenah, Wisconsin.

Eric Wimberger

A Republican State Senator from Gillett, Wisconsin.

Jamie Wall

A Democratic State Senator from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Ryan Spaude

A Democratic State Representative from Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.

Ron Tusler

A Republican State Representative from Harrison, Wisconsin.

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What they’re saying

“We put historic amounts of money into schools. Historic amount. It's never enough. When is enough? And so, we've laid out on the table a proposal. We sent it to the governor.”

— Dean Kaufert, State Representative (FOX 11 News)

“You pay property taxes by paying rent too, so whatever comes out of that negotiation, I hope that we wrap up those people into the agreement.”

— Eric Wimberger, State Senator (FOX 11 News)

“We already did quite a bit of tax cuts and spending increases in our last budget. The so-called surplus, I mean, we're actually looking at close to a $3 billion hole in our next state budget. So, I don't want to be in a situation where we spend a lot of money now and we're in a terrible situation in six months or a year.”

— Jamie Wall, State Senator (FOX 11 News)

“As a cancer survivor, I think it's very important to get rid of PFAS, but that particular piece of legislation is really picking on our paper industry. They're excluding all those different groups, but don't exclude the paper industry. The paper industry cannot afford to pay off whatever amounts of settlements the state demands from PFAS.”

— Ron Tusler, State Representative (FOX 11 News)

“Closing GBCI should happen, but we need a reform to the prison system. Create the slack in the system to allow that to happen, right? Nobody's talking about opening the doors and walking away. So, there's a lot of other things that need to happen, both in terms of the physical side of the correction system and some policy changes as well. So, the good news is, we're not all that far apart.”

— Jamie Wall, State Senator (FOX 11 News)

What’s next

The Wisconsin Legislature will need to negotiate a state budget that addresses the differing priorities and proposals outlined by the governor and lawmakers in Northeast Wisconsin.

The takeaway

The mixed reactions to Governor Evers' State of the State address highlight the partisan divides in the Wisconsin Legislature, which will need to be bridged in order to pass a budget and enact other policy changes that impact Northeast Wisconsin. While Democrats and Republicans disagree on specifics, there appears to be common ground on issues like property tax relief, school funding, and prison reform.