WISCONSIN (MacIver Institute) -- Welcome back to another week of the MacIver Monday newsletter. As we enter the middle of May, state budget season is in full swing and we have you covered with great in depth analysis on two major portions of the budget.
Spotlight
Wisconsin’s Liberal Leaders Stand Against the Rule of Law
Wisconsin is apparently now the epicenter of resistance to President Trump’s illegal immigration policy, Dan O'Donnell writes, the Constitution, federalism, and the Rule of Law be damned.
Not only are the actions of Gov. Tony Evers, Judge Hannah Dugan, and Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett outrageous, they also fly in the face of the U.S. Constitution. When you boil it down, it becomes pretty straightforward: Their actions are designed to impede and obstruct the due and proper administration of America’s immigration law because of their own personal opposition to the Trump administration. Read more here.
Deep Dive
The biennial state budget process continues to churn on. This week, we have deep dives on two more agencies: the Department of Transportation and the Department of Children and Families. Summaries of each are below, and don't forget to stay informed by regularly checking the MacIver Budget homepage.
There are 115,866 miles of road in Wisconsin. The state highway system makes up 11,746 miles, which the DOT is directly responsible for maintaining and improving. The other 104,120 miles belong to local governments.
With that extensive network comes a range of issues that end up being addressed in every two-year budget cycle. This time around, the key decision points likely involve how much to borrow, how much general purpose revenue should be transferred to the transportation fund, and how much additional aid should be provided to local governments.
Department of Children and Families
Gov. Evers declared 2025 to be the “Year of the Kid,” which puts a spotlight on the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The agency is responsible for child protective services, foster care, daycare licensing, Head Start, and child support.
Gov. Evers loves to describe his policies as “pro-kid,” which is just code for “anti-family.” He wants the state to play a major role in expanding child care capacity and subsidizing the industry. Instead of cutting the big checks Evers is looking for to grow his "pro-kid" programs, the state legislature should be more wise with taxpayer money.
You Should Know
Any time the White House changes from one party to the other, a certain amount of political appointees try to "burrow" in to supposedly non-political agency jobs throughout the federal government. The same concept applies in Wisconsin -- specifically with the Department of Natural Resources.
Richard Moore analyzes how the process works and how the DNR bureaucracy has remained strong and comes up with a solution: the state needs at-will employment in the civil service ranks to ensure accountability to public officials.
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Coming Soon
JFC Bosses Look to Evers-proof Next State Budget
Gov. Evers stretched the governor's veto power to an absurd degree in the last state budget and ended up instituting a 402 year property tax increase. This time around the Republicans who are writing Wisconsin’s next state budget are doing more than cutting Gov. Tony Evers’ policy proposals from the new spending plan. They are trying their best to veto-proof it.
Quick Clicks
Wisconsin AG Joins Another Lawsuit Against Trump Administration
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul continues to sue the Trump administration any chance he gets, this time joining other Democrat AGs to sue the Department of Transportation to reinstate millions of dollars in funding for electric vehicles. For AG Kaul it is more of the same -- using the taxpayers money on lawfare against conservatives.
Wisconsin Republicans on Capitol Hill Push for Medicaid Reforms
Wisconsin Congressmen Glenn Grothman and Tom Tiffany recently weighed in on the recent debate over the future of Medicaid, with both men offering reforms to bring the program more in line with its initial intent. Republicans in Congress are proposing a work requirement that would have able-bodied work 20 hours a week, or volunteer, go to school, take workforce training, or provide some community service.
For Your Commute
The MacIver Report is back this week, with Bill Osmulski and Michael Lucas highlighting three of the top issues playing out in Wisconsin state politics right now: the state budget debate, Democrat immigration enforcement opposition, and Democrat lawfare. Give it a listen here or watch the video below.
About MacIver Institute: The MacIver Institute is a Wisconsin-based think tank that promotes free markets, individual freedom, personal responsibility, and limited government. Through research, analysis, and community engagement, we work to advance these principles and positively impact the lives of all Wisconsinites.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, its employees, or any affiliated organization.
Last Update: May 12, 2025 3:48 pm CDT
