Vos says Republicans ‘done negotiating’ local aid; Evers optimistic … – The Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Wednesday that Republicans were done negotiating on a bill that would increase state aid to local governments, unveiling a new proposal that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the GOP-controlled Senate have yet to agree to.
The Assembly passed the latest version hours after Evers expressed optimism that a bipartisan agreement could be reached. But he was not included in the discussion that led to the latest proposal, which boosts the increase in aid for local governments from at least 10% to 15% but retains provisions that Milwaukee and Evers had objected to.
We are done negotiating, Vos said. We have negotiated in good faith literally for months.
The Assembly passed it 56-36, with all Republicans in support except for three who joined all Democrats in opposing it. The measure now goes to the Senate, where its future is uncertain. Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Vos did not say if the Senate agreed to the latest version of the bill.
Is this bill perfect? Hell no its not perfect, said Republican Rep. Tony Kurtz, the measures sponsor. But he emphasized that Milwaukee officials, Democratic lawmakers, Evers and those representing cities, counties, towns and villages have all been involved with crafting the proposal.
Wisconsins local governments have clamored for years for more state aid to help cover basic services, including police and fire protection, after decades of frozen funding and cuts.
Under the bill, $1.5 billion in aid to municipalities known as shared revenue would be paid for by tapping 20% of the states 5-cent sales tax, an idea Evers has supported. Aid would then grow along with sales tax revenue.
The bill would increase funding to counties, cities, towns and villages by $261 million at least a 15% increase for everyone over the next two years, but that could only be spent on police and fire protection, emergency medical services, emergency response communications, public works and transportation. The city and county of Milwaukee would see a 10% increase, but could ask voters for more.
Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said the governor had not signed off on any changes and he looked forward to continuing negotiations, which he previously said he expected to take weeks more. Evers promised to veto the original bill.
Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, during Assembly debate, said the bill was not ready for prime time.
We need to go back to the negotiating table and get it right, Neubauer said. We can and must do better.
Under the bill, Milwaukee could levy a 2% sales tax and Milwaukee County could add 0.375% sales tax to its current 0.5% sales tax. One of the biggest sticking points has been whether Milwaukee taxpayers would have to approve that tax increase before it could be enacted. Milwaukee city and county officials dont want to have to take it to a vote.
Under the Republican amendment, that requirement for taxpayer approval would remain.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson warned lawmakers last week that the city faces bankruptcy by 2025 without help. He, along with groups representing municipalities, police and firefighters, as well as numerous mayors and other local officials, all testified in support of reaching a deal that increases funding.
Milwaukee, the states largest city and a Democratic stronghold, faces an underfunded pension system. Milwaukee has increasingly become reliant on federal pandemic aid to fund its essential services, which city leaders have said cost $150 million more per year to maintain.
Evers, and many of the local officials who testified last week, had complained that the proposal came with too many strings attached. Those include cutting aid to communities that reduce the number of police officers and firefighters and banning public health officials from ordering businesses closed for more than two weeks,
The Assembly amendment would allow health officials to close businesses for up to 30 days, with the local governing body able to extend that once for another 30 days.
The amendment also still bans local advisory referenda questions on everything except those for certain projects that would be funded with property tax money. The bill would not allow questions on hot-button issues like whether voters support abortion rights or legalizing marijuana.
It would also mandate that local governments approve projects under the states land stewardship program that are north of U.S. Highway 8, which runs across roughly the northernmost quarter of the state. Republicans have long raised concerns about such projects that protect the land from future development.
The shared revenue program to fund local governments, created in 1911, has remained nearly unchanged for almost 30 years, despite overall growth in tax revenues. Shared revenue for counties and municipalities was cut in 2004, 2010 and 2012 and since then has been relatively flat.
Read the original post:
Vos says Republicans 'done negotiating' local aid; Evers optimistic ... - The Associated Press
- Republicans Struggle to Respond to Shooting, Reflecting Political Peril - The New York Times - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Disturbed and deeply concerning: Even Republicans want answers on the Minneapolis shooting - MS NOW - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Pence And Other Republicans Break With Trump Over Pretti Death: Deeply Troubling - Forbes - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Chaos, Candidates, and the Fight for Texas Republicans - houstonpublicmedia.org - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Morrow County Republicans call on Rep. Greg Smith to resign over ethics - salemreporter.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Republicans Wont Split the DHS Funding Bill as a Partial Shutdown Grows Likelier - NOTUS News of the United States - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Some Republicans call for investigation after fatal shooting in Minneapolis - mprnews.org - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Republicans appeal decision that threw out NYC's only GOP-controlled House district - sfchronicle.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Why Is the Press Treating Republicans Like Toddlers After Their Agents Killed an American Nurse? - Zeteo | Substack - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Why Republicans invented the myth of voter fraud to justify laws that keep American citizens from voting - milwaukeeindependent.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- ICE killings a watershed moment: Trump, Republicans risk breaking with the American people - France 24 - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Republicans Ignore Democrats Demands on DHS Funding - NOTUS News of the United States - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- More Republicans call for investigation after Minneapolis shooting as it happened - The Guardian - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Native Americans Are Getting Swept Up by ICE; Republicans Say There Will be Mistakes - oklahomawatch.org - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Republicans appeal decision that threw out NYC's only GOP-controlled House district - lufkindailynews.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Are Republicans Growing a Little Uneasy About the ICE Raids? - The New York Times - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Republicans move forward with plans for a midterm convention featuring Trump - CNN - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Johnson warns House Republicans to stay healthy as GOP majority shrinks to the edge - Fox News - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Georgia Republicans are Putting Themselves on the Path to Income Tax Elimination - Americans for Tax Reform - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Democrats are crushing Republicans in this new poll, and Trumps approval numbers tell the whole story - oregonlive.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- This Week, Republicans Showed Us Who Theyre Really Working For: Anti-Abortion Extremists - Reproductive Freedom for All - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Republicans narrowly fend off bid to limit Trump on Venezuela - Politico - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Republicans fuss over name calling while ICE wreaks havoc - mainebeacon.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Assembly Republicans approve stewardship reauthorization, with less money and more oversight - wpr.org - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Republicans tried to snag Jack Smith on technicalities. But they didnt engage with the facts. - Politico - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- House Republicans tax cuts, election reform, and more - alohastatedaily.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Michigan House Republicans threaten judicial funding over proposed court rule on ICE arrests - michiganadvance.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Republicans holding midterm convention this year | Campaign News | 2news.com - 2news.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Maine Republicans call for investigation into DHHS over claims of MaineCare fraud - wgme.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Tennessee Republicans want a Houston-style takeover of Memphis schools. What does that mean? - Chalkbeat - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Louisville Republicans hope to gain Metro Council majority for the first time - lpm.org - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Jack Smith to defend Trump investigations to House Republicans - opb.org - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Democrats leave Jack Smith hearing thrilled and frankly stunned Republicans let him testify - MS NOW - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- House Republicans vote to lift 20-year ban on mining near pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area - wcax.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- A Better Wisconsin Together: Wisconsin Republicans couldve helped lower your property taxes this week. They didnt. - wispolitics.com - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Why Are Republicans in Congress Sticking With Trump on Greenland? The Numbers Tell the Story. - Cook Political Report - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Opinion | Brett Kavanaugh reminds Republicans: What goes around comes around - The Washington Post - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Video Republicans cut Greenland-shaped cake with American flag at Kennedy Center party - ABC News - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Republicans will be hard-pressed to pass Trumps Great Healthcare Plan - Politico - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- State officials say Republicans SNAP changes are running the program into the ground - signalohio.org - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- More than 60 West Texas Republicans endorse Cornyn for reelection - oaoa.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Republicans Cut Into Greenland Cake in Shocking Kennedy Center Party - The New Republic - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- SHOT/CHASER/LIME: Shocker - Big Pharma and Republicans Lied About the Inflation Reduction Act - Protect Our Care - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- ICE Debate Wont Tank Homeland Funding Bill, Republicans Say - NOTUS News of the United States - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Iowa Republicans move to expand gender, sexuality instruction ban to high schools - thegazette.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Republicans took control of education. Can Democrats take it back? - The Washington Post - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Republicans' Top Senate Recruit in Minnesota Says There Is Room for Her Pro-Choice Politics - NOTUS News of the United States - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Dumbest thing Ive ever heard: Republicans amp up their resistance to Trumps Greenland push - Politico - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- House Republicans push to hold Clintons in contempt of Congress over the Epstein probe - news9.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- House Republicans begin push to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress over the Epstein probe - wbbjtv.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- House Republicans begin push to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress over the Epstein probe - wxxv25.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- This Is Trumps Dark Threat to Republicans: Wolff - The Daily Beast - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- House Republicans begin push to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress over the Epstein probe - king5.com - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- The issues that are causing Republicans to break with Trump - MS NOW - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Megabill 2.0? These House Republicans have some ideas. - Politico - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- The Republicans Breaking Ranks With Trump Over Powell Investigation: We Dont Need It - Time Magazine - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Republicans vow to hold Bill Clinton in contempt as he skips Epstein testimony - BBC - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Trump and the Republicans Struggle to Stay on Economic Message - Bloomberg.com - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Republicans Punt on a DHS Funding Fight with Democrats After Minnesota ICE Shooting - NOTUS News of the United States - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Missouri Republicans Admit They Skewed Ballot Language to Protect a Rigged Map - Independent Voter News - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Kentucky Republicans push to eliminate income tax as Democrats propose taxing the wealthy - WDRB - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Clintons refuse to testify in Epstein investigation, Republicans seek to hold them in contempt - localnewslive.com - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Republicans are speaking out on behalf of the Fed. Not Banking Chair Tim Scott. - Politico - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Ohio Democratic U.S. reps joined by three Ohio Republicans to restore Affordable Care Act subsidies - Ohio Capital Journal - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Clintons refuse to testify in House Epstein probe as Republicans threaten contempt proceedings - WTOP - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Republicans Dont Agree on an Affordability Platform Or on How to Pass One - NOTUS News of the United States - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Kansas Republicans frustrated by delay in ban on buying pop and candy with SNAP benefits - KAKE - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Playing catchup to Republicans, Democrats launch 'largest-ever' partisan national voter registration campaign - Fox News - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- House Republicans to hold Bill Clinton in contempt for skipping Epstein deposition - NBC News - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- We need this like a hole in the head: Republicans split over Powell investigation - The Times - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- How John Thune is trying to save the Senate for Republicans - Politico - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Column | A majority in name only? House Republicans are barely hanging on. - The Washington Post - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Fractures start to show in Trump's GOP as some Republicans push back on Greenland, Venezuela, and health care - Fortune - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- NORQUIST: 17 Republicans Fold, Vote with Democrats to Expand Obamacare - Americans for Tax Reform - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Republicans need Susan Collins to win reelection. Trump keeps going after her. - Politico - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- 17 House Republicans vote with Democrats to extend Obamacare subsidies for 3 years - ABC News - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Over a dozen Republicans break with Trump, back Democratic bill to extend ACA subsidies - Axios - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- These Republicans broke from Trump in rare split over Venezuela war powers - Axios - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- The 5 Republicans who voted against Trump on Venezuela - Politico - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Exclusive | NRCC honcho 'very bullish' Republicans will hold the House in 2026, despite historical headwinds - New York Post - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]