Gov. Tony Evers calls for increased aid for veterans related to housing, employment, mental health services

Feb. 10—In the lead-up to his budget unveiling next week, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday said his next two-year spending plan proposal will include a call for increased spending on services for Wisconsin's more than 300,000 veterans.

Evers will formally introduce his 2023-25 biennial budget proposal on Wednesday, but on Thursday he teased his upcoming request for increased state spending on a variety of services geared toward veterans, including efforts to boost employment, education, housing and mental health services.

Evers' proposal follows work completed last year by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity, which the governor announced in his 2022 State of the State address. The commission in September identified gaps in existing services for veterans and underscored the need for expanded access to higher education and job training, increased mental and behavioral health support and substance abuse and disorder treatment, and more spending to address housing insecurity, the governor said in a statement.

"Now, we're continuing that good work in the upcoming biennial budget by proposing continued investment in various innovative initiatives to ensure the state is equipped to meet the needs of our veteran community and help them build strong, lasting success," Evers said.

Some of the measures in Evers' upcoming budget proposal are:

—$500,000 in general purpose revenue to evaluate post-9/11 veteran needs related to increased deployment, higher survival rates and long-term skilled nursing.

—Require the state Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to explore expansion at all Veterans Housing and Recovery Program sites.

—Additional funding to create a master plan for the state Veterans Home at King, located in Waupaca County, to provide better service and more spending to address ongoing needs at Wisconsin's three state-run veteran homes.

—$6.7 million to DVA to support add-ons for several nursing classifications.

—Double funding to county and Tribal Veterans Services offices.

—$2.8 million over the biennium to University of Wisconsin System campuses to provide services tailored to veterans, military personnel and their families.

Expanded eligibility for the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit.

—Create a veteran rental assistance program to be funded by $2 million over the biennium.

—$900,000 over the biennium to assist employers that hire veterans who are transitioning into civilian life.

—Establish Veterans Day as a state holiday. Wisconsin is the only state that does not observe the day as a state holiday, according to the governor's office.

State Sen. André Jacque, R-De Pere, said Thursday one of the measures included in Evers' budget proposal, to expand eligibility requirements for the property tax credit to include more veterans, mirrors legislation he and state Rep. James Edming, R-Glen Flora, introduced in previous sessions. Despite receiving bipartisan support, the measure has yet to reach fruition, and Jacque said he and Edming reintroduced the proposal on Wednesday.

"When they deployed, our veterans wrote out a blank check with their lives to defend our way of life, and we will never be able to fully repay them," Jacque said. "This initiative is a common sense way to better meet our ongoing commitment to those who have sacrificed and suffered hardship for our freedom, and I'm glad to have Governor Evers on board."

Once Evers unveils his formal budget request, the Republican-controlled budget committee will rewrite the document before sending it back to the governor.

State lawmakers enter the budget process with a more than $7 billion state surplus, which provides the opportunity to address calls for tax cuts, as well as increased spending on state services and programs.

Evers provided a teaser to his upcoming budget proposal in his State of the State address last month. Republicans have supported some of the measures proposed by the Democratic governor, but also lambasted the address for its level of spending.

The top priority among GOP leaders in the Legislature this coming budget session is tax cuts, such as the 3.25% flat income tax proposal unveiled earlier this year by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg.

Evers, who has signaled he would almost certainly veto a flat tax, has pushed for a 10% tax cut for individuals earning $100,000 or less per year and married filers making $150,000 or less.

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