Milwaukee City Wire

With his “Doing the Right Thing” tour in full swing, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is leaving little doubt about where his mindset lies.

“Budgets are about priorities, and that's why building our next biennial budget begins—as it always does for me—with doing what’s best for our kids,” Evers recently posted on Twitter. “Our next budget will invest in getting our kids, educators, and schools the support and resources they need to succeed.”

 During one recent stop where he was greeted by at least 150 supporters at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s STEM Innovation Center that represented the tour’s third session, the issue of how the funds included in the new two-year budget should be spent stood at the top of the agenda.

According to The Green Bay Press Gazette, Evers also spent considerable time with the residents addressing issues that ranged from education, health care, the economy and the environment.

Those pushing for early education, K-12 and college never steered from their agenda of pushing for more investment from the state in those areas, with budget suggestions that could pave the way for it all. Suggestions ranged from tax- revenue limits for public schools, funding early child care and more funding for special needs programs including special education reimbursements. Supporters of that course of action also made it known that they want the free statewide school meals that were introduced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to become a permanent staple after the program expired earlier this year.

For much of the gathering, Evers appeared open to most of what was presented to him on the education front, at one point sharing with those in attendance "we don't expect our school districts to have to go to referendum every two years and roll the dice as to whether they have enough money.”

Earlier this month, Evers held a similar session in Kenosha as well as a statewide virtual session. Additional locations and dates are expected to be announced in 2023.