Opportunity Wasted: The Legislature Removed Nearly All Items Promoting Racial Equity From the Wisconsin State Budget
State laws and budget choices can be a powerful tool for expanding racial equity. But the Wisconsin legislature blocked dozens of budget provisions proposed by Governor Evers that would have promoted opportunity for all and made it easier for families and communities of color to thrive,
our new analysis shows. The measures in the Governor’s budget that were aimed at reducing racial disparities sought to accomplish that objective in many different ways. In some cases, combatting discrimination and improving opportunities for people of color was the explicit goal of the proposal. In other cases, the primary goal was to help a broad range of low-income Wisconsinites, but those proposals would be especially important for people of color whose income has been held down by a long history of structural racism.
These proposals were in the areas of
tax reform, education, child care, juvenile corrections, health care, and family support. While one budget cannot undo the damage caused by many generations of systemic racism, the broad range of measures in the Governor’s budget to mitigate racial inequity would have been critical first steps to an equitable and inclusive Wisconsin. By removing these items, the legislature showed strong disregard for the structural racism that has been holding back our state.
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