MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced plans to pursue $1.3 billion in property tax relief during his eighth and final State of the State address next month, as affordability issues and rising property taxes dominate voter concerns in this election year.
Watch: Evers proposes $1.3 billion in property tax relief in final year as governor
Evers said that he will continue to focus on affordability issues in his final year in office, calling for a billion dollars in property tax relief as homeowners across the state face significant increases in their year-end bills.
"I urge the legislature to right this wrong," Evers said. "I'm asking the legislature to approve $1.3 billion in property tax relief."
The Democratic governor is hoping to convince the Republican-controlled legislature to find bipartisan support for the new funding package aimed at lowering property taxes after homeowners received substantial bills at year's end.
"Under this proposal, we can make sure the average homeowner does not see a property tax increase - period," Evers said.
However, the path to this relief appears deeply partisan. Republicans blame Evers' veto pen for his 400-year state school funding increase per student, which they argue has contributed to rising property taxes.
"I looked at my own property tax bill, 25% higher than it was last year because of Governor Evers' 400-year veto," said Speaker Robin Vos in a December interview.
Evers disagrees with this assessment, pointing instead to the record numbers of local school referendums over the years as the primary driver of property tax increases across the state.
"Because of a decade of Republicans consistently failing to meaningfully invest in our kids in K-12 public schools. Evers said. "That has consequences, folks, including forcing Wisconsinites to raise their own property taxes so their local school can keep the doors open."
The governor says the money is available to find a compromise, citing the state's estimated $4 billion budget surplus, and he remains open to suggestions on how to achieve property tax relief.
"We have the resources available; we have to make sure they are used in an appropriate way," Evers said.
The 74-year-old governor decided last year not to seek a third term in 2026.
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.