Wisconsin Lawmakers Clash Over $2.5B Surplus

GOP leaders propose tax rebates, Evers wants to invest in schools

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Wisconsin lawmakers are divided on how to use the state's projected $2.5 billion budget surplus. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, a Republican, wants to provide taxpayers with rebate checks, while Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, also a Republican, is discussing property tax cuts. Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, is willing to compromise on his previous veto that allowed public school revenue to increase, but insists any bipartisan bill must include ongoing funding for K-12 education.

Why it matters

The debate over the surplus highlights the political divide between Republicans and Democrats in Wisconsin. Republicans favor returning the money directly to taxpayers, while Evers and Democrats want to invest in public schools, which they see as a more long-term solution to address property taxes and education funding.

The details

LeMahieu's proposal would provide married-joint income tax filers with a $1,000 rebate and single filers with a $500 rebate. Vos wants to focus the surplus on property tax cuts, blaming rising property taxes on Evers' 2023 veto that allowed public school revenue to increase. Evers has said he's willing to discuss changes to the 400-year veto, but any bipartisan bill must include ongoing funding for K-12 schools.

  • The Assembly's session ends on February 19, 2026.
  • If LeMahieu's proposal passes, tax rebates will be based on 2024 taxes.

The players

Devin LeMahieu

Republican Senate Majority Leader from Oostburg, Wisconsin.

Robin Vos

Republican Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Rochester, Wisconsin.

Tony Evers

Democratic Governor of Wisconsin.

Amaad Rivera-Wagner

Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Green Bay.

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What they’re saying

“When you have a surplus, you want to give it back to the people who are paying the taxes in Wisconsin -- the hard-working families of Wisconsin.”

— Devin LeMahieu, Senate Majority Leader (fox11online.com)

“We have not ruled anything out, but when we have talked to folks, the thing that has most impacted them is the massive property tax increases they saw last December.”

— Robin Vos, Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (fox11online.com)

“That's a more permanent solution. Those kind of investments have a long-term positive impact in a way that a one-time rebate most likely will not.”

— Amaad Rivera-Wagner, Democratic State Assembly Member (fox11online.com)

What’s next

The Assembly's session ends on February 19, 2026, so lawmakers will need to reach a compromise on how to use the surplus before then.

The takeaway

The debate over Wisconsin's $2.5 billion surplus highlights the political divide between Republicans and Democrats in the state. Republicans favor returning the money directly to taxpayers, while Democrats want to invest in public schools, seeing it as a more long-term solution to address property taxes and education funding.