Following is an excerpt from legislative testimony submitted by Badger Institute President Mike Nichols on Monday in favor of a constitutional amendment that would restore legislative oversight of some federal spending in the state. You can read the full statement here.

Dear Chairman Wichgers and Members of the Assembly Committee on Constitution and Ethics,

The Badger Institute submits this testimony today in support of AJR 112 and a constitutional amendment assuring legislative approval of the spending of federal money in Wisconsin.

As you well know, Wisconsin every year becomes more dependent on federal funding. The current biennial budget includes over $26 billion in federal revenue – almost 30% of total appropriations and authorizations. While most of that money comes with federal requirements and mandates, the legislature does at least exercise some general, pro forma review through the budget process.

That fundamental oversight role does not apply to other federal funds and results in even less accountability, state or local control, and transparency. Our initial investigation of how federal CARES Act funding is being used in the state has already uncovered some absurd examples of waste.

In April of 2021, the Badger Institute made the first of several requests of 20 local governments in Wisconsin for detailed information about how it spent its shares of the more than $2 billion the state received in CARES Act funding. We were concerned that while the bill required every government entity to keep and share records of its spending with the state Department of Administration, there would be little oversight of the spending by the agency and little interest in accountability on the part of the state’s major media outlets.

Our concerns were well founded. Of the 20 county and local governments the Badger Institute originally contacted, half did not fulfill their legal obligation to provide detailed spending records. Officials for the other half who provided the records were either unwilling or unable to discuss how or why their communities spent the federal money the way they did.

Following is legislative testimony submitted by Badger Institute Senior Vice President Michael Jahr in favor of AB 692, a bill designed to eliminate the marriage penalty for participants in the Wisconsin Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. The full testimony is available here.

Thank you, Chairman Macco and Members of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, for holding this hearing on AB 692.

This is more than a tax issue or even a fairness issue. As you know, families are one of the most important institutions in society — and they play a critical role in the wellbeing of children.

Time and again, research bears out what societies have long recognized: Family structure plays a role in child outcomes.

In a 2015 report, Princeton University sociology professor Sara McLanahan and Brookings Institution Fellow Isabel Sawhill concluded that “most scholars now agree that children raised by two biological parents in a stable marriage do better than children in other family forms across a wide range of outcomes.”

These outcomes include school achievement, future economic success and avoiding behavioral pitfalls.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s Earned Income Tax Credit can penalize and discourage marriage in certain circumstances.

The “woke” political movement has invaded Wisconsin and Minnesota's public schools, turning them into ideological battlegrounds and threatening the quality of our children’s education. Our students deserve better. Join the Badger Institute and Center of the American Experiment to learn more about how Critical Race Theory advances a leftist, anti-American agenda that radically changes how our children learn about their country. Most important, learn how parents can push back against the politicizing of our schools. The event will highlight examples of CRT in action, the “woke” movement that is transforming our education system, and equip parents with ways to fight back against ideologies that are harming our students.

This is a free event, but please click here to RSVP. Your reservation includes appetizers, beverages and all the materials you need to fight CRT in your community!

Dental therapists could provide needed oral care to tens of thousands of poor and underserved Wisconsinites. In this episode of Free Exchange, Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and Matt Crespin, associate director of Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin, discuss the dire shortage and explain how allowing dental therapy in Wisconsin could dramatically improve access to care. A broadly supported, bipartisan bill is currently hung up in the State Assembly.

Listen to this episode of Free Exchange by clicking here.

According to the Center Square "Tuesday was the first day for parents to enroll in the state’s Private School Choice Program. By midday, the state’s website crashed because of a flood of applications." You can read the full story here.

Spotted yesterday downtown. If you've ever wondered who would win a battle between a bus and the Hop, you now have your answer.

Do you support allowing dental therapists to operate in our state?

• The Atlantic: Saving classics from identity politics

• Washington Examiner: COVID-19 school closures led to boom of support for school choice

• The Center Square: Parents flood Wisconsin private school choice enrollment, crash state website



• Wisconsin Right Now: Tommy Thompson pushes major school choice expansion for all

Our work in advancing free markets, opportunity and prosperity in the Badger State is only made possible by generous donations from our supporters. We never have, and never will, accept government funding. Donate online or email Angela Smith, Director of Development. The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

A standard bearer of conservative thought in the Badger State, our biannual Diggings magazine takes an in-depth look at policy and cultural issues that affect Wisconsin residents. Click here to read Diggings.