OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Governor Tony Evers continued his statewide tour on Tuesday with a stop in Oshkosh, where he highlighted major investments included in the recently signed 2025-27 Biennial Budget.
The governor visited Polk Library at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which is set to undergo a partial demolition and renovation thanks to a $137 million investment included in the final budget. Currently, over half of the building’s components are rated in poor condition, with disintegrating pipes and entire sections deemed unusable.
After months of negotiations with legislative leaders, Evers signed a budget that includes the largest investment in the UW System in nearly 20 years. The budget provides over $250 million for the UW System and nearly $1.2 billion for capital building projects across campuses statewide, including the overhaul at Polk Library.
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Evers, who declared 2025 as the “Year of the Kid” in Wisconsin, emphasized that his top priority throughout the budget process was to deliver a “pro-kid” budget—investing in children at every stage of life, from early childhood to K-12 and higher education.
Key provisions in the enacted 2025-27 Biennial Budget include:
- Nearly $1.4 billion in new spendable revenue for K-12 schools, including the largest increase to special education reimbursement in state history
- Over $360 million to support the child care industry and lower costs for working families, with a third directed to direct provider payments
- A tax cut for working- and middle-class families, bringing the total tax relief enacted by Evers since taking office to more than $12.6 billion
- Elimination of the state sales tax on household energy bills, projected to save residents more than $178 million over the next two years
- Continued support for rural healthcare access and funding for BadgerCare
- Resources for Wisconsin farmers, including mental health services, food security initiatives, watershed protection, and supply chain support
- Investments in state infrastructure, including 3% increases each year for General Transportation Aids and $150 million for rural road and bridge repairs
- A $14 million investment through municipal service payments to help local communities meet essential needs
- Continued funding for Wisconsin Veterans Homes and a 5% increase for County and Tribal Veterans Service Offices
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Evers also used his partial veto authority to strike portions of the budget that fell outside the scope of bipartisan negotiations.
Following his stop in Oshkosh, Evers continued his tour with a visit to Superior.
