Hamilton Political Tidbits – January 11, 2023

Political Tidbits - January 11, 2023
January 11, 2023
Wisconsin political news for clients and colleagues.
Bits & Pieces:

  • As the biennial budget process moves forward, Hamilton Consulting will provide regular updates through our Issue Update page. State agencies have submitted their budget requests for the 2023-25 biennium, while Gov. Evers is working with the Department of Administration to prepare his executive budget proposal. The governor will address a joint session of the Wisconsin Legislature on February 15 to present his plan.


  • According to a report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum: “Driven down by a $1 billion income tax cut and tight limits on property taxes, Wisconsin’s state and local tax burden fell in 2022 to its lowest level on record. Local taxes as a share of income have never been lower in more than a half century of data, and state and federal taxes on families and businesses are also near historic lows.”
Supreme Court Candidates Discuss Philosophy and Key Cases at WisPolitics Forum
The four candidates for the open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court met for a candidate forum on January 9, hosted by WisPolitics. Each candidate was given time to make an opening statement and to respond to the moderators’ questions, which covered topics including judicial philosophy, independence and impartiality, recusal standards based on contributions to a judge’s campaign, redistricting, and voting rights.

Gov. Evers Begins Second Term as GOP Legislature Considers Broad Tax Reform
Inauguration Day in Wisconsin took place on January 3. Democratic incumbents Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul began their second terms in office. Inauguration Day also marked the beginning of the 2023-24 Session of the Wisconsin Legislature, and 31 new members were sworn in, nearly 25 percent of the Legislature’s total membership.

Spring Election Update: Republican Primary in SD 8; Supreme and Appellate Court Races
A total of four candidates will compete in a special election for the 8th Senate District, which was triggered by eight-term Sen. Alberta Darling’s retirement. The general election will take place on April 4, coinciding with Wisconsin’s 2023 spring election, which also features a statewide supreme court race and many nonpartisan and local elective offices.

Kicking Off Second Term, Gov. Evers Names Several New Agency Heads
Following the November 2022 election, three members of Gov. Evers' cabinet announced they were leaving the administration. Sec. Cole of the Department of Natural Resources and Sec. Kolar of the Department of Veterans Affairs have both retired, and Gov. Evers has since appointed their replacements.

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