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State of the State: 2025 vs 2026
Governor Tony Evers -- comparing priorities year over year
From Active Agenda-Setting to Legacy Defense and Federal Resistance
Governor Evers' 2025 address was forward-looking and proposal-driven, centered on a bold new budget cycle with specific dollar figures for new investments—most notably a $300 million comprehensive school mental health initiative and expanded affordability measures around child care, prescription drugs, and insulin costs. The tone was optimistic and action-oriented, focused on leveraging Wisconsin's record-low tax burden and strong workforce numbers to push an ambitious domestic policy agenda.
By 2026, the speech shifted dramatically toward legacy reflection, bipartisan accomplishment recounting, and fierce criticism of both the state Legislature and federal government. Rather than announcing major new spending proposals, Evers devoted extensive time to cataloging achievements from his seven years in office—over 800 bills signed, $2 billion in annual tax relief, 9,600 miles of roads improved, 30,000+ housing units supported, and 410,000 homes connected to broadband. The few new announcements were comparatively modest: a 20-year renewable energy purchase of 225,000 megawatt hours annually, a nuclear energy research partnership with UW-Madison, a fusion energy investment through the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition, and a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks on domestic violence prevention.
Federal policy became a dominant concern in 2026 that was entirely absent in 2025. Evers devoted significant portions of the speech to warning about the impacts of President Trump's tariffs, the "Big Beautiful Bill," potential loss of healthcare for over 270,000 Wisconsinites, federal employee firings, immigration enforcement, and FoodShare penalty fees that could cost Wisconsin taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. He framed these federal actions as existential threats to the state's fiscal stability and called on the Legislature to invest $70 million in FoodShare quality control to avoid up to $200 million in annual penalties.
New institutional and democratic priorities emerged in 2026 that had no precedent in the 2025 address. Evers announced he would call a special session to pursue a constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering, warned about threats to fair maps after the next Census, and pledged to join the World Health Organization's Global Response Network via executive order. He also introduced a "Year of the Neighbor" theme emphasizing community values and civility—a notable tonal shift from 2025's policy-heavy framing. The corrections reform agenda carried over but with evident frustration, as Evers noted Republicans had neither adopted his plan to close Green Bay Correctional Institution by 2029 nor proposed an alternative in over a year.
New Priorities in 2026
- +Federal policy resistance became a central theme, with extensive warnings about tariff costs, the 'Big Beautiful Bill' causing 270,000 Wisconsinites to lose healthcare, and potential FoodShare penalty fees of up to $200 million annually requiring an immediate $70 million state investment.
- +A 20-year state commitment to purchase approximately 225,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy annually, enough to power over 500,000 homes, ensuring clean energy procurement continues beyond Evers' tenure.
- +A nuclear energy research partnership with UW-Madison's Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics to study nuclear energy opportunities in Wisconsin.
- +Investment in the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition, anchored by UW-Madison's fusion research, to make Wisconsin a national hub for commercializing fusion energy through the new Ignite Wisconsin startup program.
- +Announcement of a special session to pursue a constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering, framed as necessary to protect fair maps beyond the next Census redistricting cycle.
- +An executive order to have Wisconsin join the World Health Organization's Global Response Network, positioned as a public health response to federal withdrawal from WHO.
- +A partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks to combat domestic violence, responding to a 20% jump in domestic violence homicides and a record 99 Wisconsinites killed in domestic/intimate partner violence in 2024.
- +Launch of a new film tax credit program and film office at the Department of Tourism to bolster travel and tourism economies.
- +Over $7 million secured to launch workforce training programs focused on advanced manufacturing and AI workforce development.
- +Advocacy for bipartisan reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for land conservation, set to expire at end of June.
- +Demand for bipartisan PFAS legislation and release of $125 million approved over two years ago for water contamination remediation.
- +Declaration of 2026 as the 'Year of the Neighbor' emphasizing community values of kindness, empathy, and compassion as an explicit contrast to federal political chaos.
- +Creation of the 'Get Kids Ready' program—Wisconsin's first fully state-funded child care program providing free programming for four-year-olds, with nearly 1,400 providers signed up and projected to serve 24,000 kids in year one.
Dropped from 2025
- −The proposed $300 million comprehensive school mental health investment announced in 2025 was not reiterated at that scale; instead Evers referenced only the $30 million actually secured and peer-to-peer suicide prevention efforts already enacted.
- −Prescription drug and insulin affordability, which received significant emphasis in 2025 with statistics about Americans unable to afford medications, was not specifically addressed in 2026.
- −The specific framing of Wisconsin's tax burden ranking (dropping from top 5 to bottom 16 states nationally, largest drop of any state in 20 years) was replaced with more general tax relief figures.
- −The 2025 focus on crime reduction and gun violence as a forward-looking policy agenda was partially replaced in 2026 by retrospective frustration about Republican inaction, though gun violence was still mentioned.
Shifted Emphasis
- ↔Child care shifted from a forward-looking affordability proposal in 2025 to a concrete accomplishment in 2026, with Evers highlighting the $360 million secured in the budget, the new 'Get Kids Ready' program for four-year-olds, and nearly 1,400 providers already enrolled.
- ↔Tax cuts shifted from being framed as a bipartisan priority with specific policy proposals (15% income tax cuts, $1.5 billion annually) in 2025 to a legacy achievement in 2026 (23% middle-class tax cut, over $2 billion annually, plus $178 million in utility sales tax savings).
- ↔Workforce development expanded significantly from 2025's general 'Year of the Worker' framing to 2026's detailed accomplishments including 127,000 workers trained, record apprenticeship enrollment, 134,000 workers receiving owed wages, and new AI/advanced manufacturing training programs.
- ↔K-12 education funding shifted from a general call for investment in 2025 to pointed confrontation in 2026, with Evers criticizing the Legislature for rejecting over $7 billion in K-12 funding requests across four budgets and failing to fund the promised special education reimbursement rates of 42-45%, which DPI estimates are actually only 35%.
- ↔Mental health went from a centerpiece $300 million proposal in 2025 to being mentioned briefly in 2026 as a $30 million accomplishment alongside $10 million for food security in schools.
- ↔Public safety and gun violence shifted from proactive policy proposals in 2025 to bitter frustration in 2026, with Evers noting Republicans voted against making the Office of Violence Prevention permanent and against $66 million for Victims of Crime Act programs.
- ↔Corrections reform carried over but with increased urgency and frustration—the 2025 speech mentioned keeping communities safe broadly, while 2026 detailed a specific plan to close GBCI by 2029, convert Lincoln Hills, and revamp Waupun that Republicans dismissed without offering an alternative.
- ↔Healthcare affordability shifted from a state-level prescription drug cost focus in 2025 to a federal crisis framing in 2026, centered on 270,000 Wisconsinites losing coverage due to Congressional failure to extend ACA tax credits, illustrated by the story of Kim from Green Bay whose costs rose 500%.
- ↔The overall tone shifted from optimistic agenda-setting in 2025 to a defensive, legacy-protecting posture in 2026, with far more time spent recounting past accomplishments and criticizing both state Republican inaction and federal policy threats.
Policy Topics Addressed
Affordability
Governor Evers highlighted over $2 billion in annual tax relief with middle-class income tax cuts of 23% (more than double his 10% campaign promise), eliminating sales tax on household utility bills (saving $178 million over two years), and reducing the tax burden to the lowest in 50 years. He created the Get Kids Ready childcare program with $360 million for the childcare industry, supported over 30,000 new housing units, and warned that federal actions including tariffs and healthcare cuts threaten Wisconsin's progress on affordability.
Agriculture
Governor Evers highlighted the creation of the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports to increase dairy, meat, crop, and other product exports by 25%, noting the state is on its way to becoming a top 10 state for agricultural exports. He also mentioned the Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity and the First Lady's food initiatives including Food from the Farm and Ranch programs.
Economy & Jobs
Governor Evers reported average annual wages up nearly 26% over six years with 2024 median wages at an all-time record high. He highlighted record-high employment, record-low unemployment, and over $2 billion in annual tax relief for taxpayers. He emphasized 127,000 workers receiving career training, record apprenticeship enrollment, and Wisconsin's travel and tourism industry reaching $25.8 billion in economic impact. He proposed investments in AI workforce training and clean energy.
Education
Governor Evers highlighted $2.3 billion in additional K-12 funding over his budgets, the largest special education reimbursement rate increase in state history, and the new Get Kids Ready program providing free state-funded pre-K programming projected to help 24,000 children. He criticized the Legislature for not setting aside enough money to meet promised special education reimbursement percentages and secured $360 million for child care including direct provider support.
Environment & Energy
Governor Evers announced a 20-year renewable energy purchase of 225,000 megawatt hours annually (enough to power over 500,000 homes) and a partnership with UW-Madison to study nuclear energy opportunities, calling nuclear a potential "game-changer." He highlighted the state's first Clean Energy Plan, the Trillion Tree Pledge (42 million trees planted), and investments in the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition. He also noted removing sales tax from utility bills saved $178 million and emphasized that data center growth must not jeopardize sustainability efforts.
Government Reform
Governor Evers highlighted signing over 800 bills with 97% having bipartisan support, and emphasized saving taxpayers over $600 million by paying off about $3 billion of state debt. He announced plans to call a special session on a constitutional amendment to ban partisan gerrymandering, and highlighted cracking down on worker misclassification to ensure 134,000 workers received owed wages and benefits.
Healthcare
Governor Evers warned that over 270,000 Wisconsinites will lose healthcare due to the federal 'Big Beautiful Bill' and the failure to extend ACA tax credits. He shared the story of Kim, a Green Bay small business owner whose coverage increased 500%, and criticized the approach of making Americans 'healthy again' while making healthcare unaffordable. He also announced Wisconsin would join the WHO's Global Response Network via executive order.
Housing
Governor Evers highlighted that his administration supported over 30,000 new housing units and passed the largest state investment in workforce housing in Wisconsin history. He connected housing to workforce development, noting that expanding access to affordable housing is an issue he hears about almost everywhere he goes in Wisconsin.
Immigration
Governor Evers expressed concern about neighbors "who aren't going to school or work or anywhere else, because they're scared leaving their home may mean their family will be torn apart" and worried about kids being traumatized. He noted Wisconsin's dairy industry has depended on immigrant labor for generations.
Infrastructure
Governor Evers celebrated improving over 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges, with nearly $600 million in local road funding this year — the largest in state history. He highlighted connecting 410,000 homes and businesses to high-speed internet, creating a new agricultural roads program supporting 90+ projects in 48 counties, and announced a partnership with UW-Madison to study nuclear energy opportunities.
Public Safety
Governor Evers highlighted bipartisan improvements to the justice system including expanded circuit court branches, workers' compensation for first responders with PTSD, and the largest addition of circuit court branches in over two decades. He expressed frustration that Republicans voted against making the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention permanent and noted domestic violence homicides jumped 20% between 2021-2022, reaching 99 deaths in 2024. He announced a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks to combat domestic violence and criticized legislative inaction on gun violence and corrections reform.
Social Services
Governor Evers highlighted securing $360 million for child care in bipartisan budget negotiations, including the new 'Get Kids Ready' program projected to serve 24,000 four-year-olds. He noted $10 million for food security and $30 million for school mental health resources during the 'Year of the Kid.' He expressed concern about 270,000 Wisconsinites losing healthcare due to the federal 'Big Beautiful Bill' and warned of potential hundreds of millions in FoodShare penalty fees if the legislature didn't fund quality control efforts.
Tax & Budget
Governor Evers highlighted over $2 billion in annual tax relief with most going to the middle class, a 23% income tax cut for middle-class families, elimination of sales tax on utility bills saving $178 million over two years, and over $600 million in taxpayer savings from paying down $3 billion in state debt. He ended 30 consecutive years of checking account deficits and noted median wages reached an all-time record high. He called for meaningful K-12 funding and property tax relief this session.
Technology
Governor Evers announced partnerships to advance startups through the Ignite Wisconsin program, including investment in the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition anchored by UW-Madison research. He secured over $7 million for workforce training in advanced manufacturing and AI, stating "AI is here to stay" and emphasizing the need to prepare Wisconsin's workforce for the future. He also announced a 20-year renewable energy purchase and a nuclear energy study with UW-Madison.
Veterans & Military
Governor Evers noted the creation of a holiday honoring Hmong-Lao Veterans and that students now learn about Hmong and Asian American history in schools. He highlighted bipartisan legislation ensuring firefighters and law enforcement officers can access workers' compensation for post-traumatic stress, which also benefits veteran first responders.