Vos Republicans take credit for COVID created massive state Surplus.

Despite collecting huge revenues from the state's largest city, Milwaukee, WI MAGA Republicans continue their 11-year effort to starve that Democratic city. 

Milwaukee area officials have long argued that, as the state's largest economic engine, it sends more revenue to the state than it receives back.

But 11-years wasn't penalty enough, apparently. 

Oh, and Rep. Robin Vos made it so any changes would be "politically unpopular" decisions, which can only strengthen the Republican narrative:

"Show me some examples where you are willing to do things that are politically unpopular because they're the right answer," Vos said.

Scott Walker pushed this same plan as Milwaukee County Executive, before he became governor, bringing the county to the edge of bankruptcy. The Greater Milwaukee Committee report putting Walker's bad management front and center was withheld so, get this, it wouldn't influence Walker's run for governor? True:

jsonline-Daniel Bice: Milwaukee County government is in such dire financial shape that state lawmakers should push through legislation that would allow it and other local governments to file for bankruptcy … 

"We don't want this to become some sort of political football during the fall election campaigns." Mayor Barrett called on the committee to release the full report before the election, saying it could give a glimpse of what awaits the state if Walker becomes governor.

And nothing has changed in the last 11 years. 

Republicans take credit for Democratic COVID Funding they Opposed, now Brag about Surpluses:  Like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) money that bailed out the Republican's free market debacle, the Great Recession, Vos Republicans are geared up to use one-time COVID funding to their benefit. Amazingly, Republicans took 10 months off and never dealt with the raging pandemic like any responsible government would have:

A Wisconsin Policy Forum report estimated state and local governments collected at least $19.9 billion in pandemic-related funds.

That helped in a big way...

"The federal government took on unemployment costs, insurance spending, that otherwise the state might have felt the need to help out with," Stein said. "The federal government helped, to an unbelievable degree, on both the revenue side in terms of stimulating the economy and on the cost side with lowering existing costs and keeping the state from having to spend money."

 Like ARRA, when One Time COVID Relief Funding runs out, what could happen?

Jason Stein, research director at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, noted that without the federal covid funds, the state could have been facing the same fiscal cliff it was during the 2008-09 biennial budget process, when then-Gov. Jim Doyle had an estimated budget gap of $5.4 billion.

"During the height of the Great Recession from 2009 through 2011, Wisconsin made heavy use of federal ARRA funds, particularly for K-12 school aid and Medicaid," Stein said in a policy forum paper. "When those funds ran out, the state faced a difficult 2011-13 budget and ultimately cut state aid to schools and local governments substantially."

Here we go again? There will be a possible surplus...about $2 billion. 

Besides the federal stimulus money, Wisconsin is projecting state tax revenue increases in fiscal 2022-23 based on current state and federal tax laws: $744.2 million in state tax revenue increases in fiscal year 2022-23. That's a 3.6% increase over the previous fiscal year, for a total revenue estimate of $21.293 billion.

$323.9 million in state tax revenue increase in fiscal year 2023-24; a 1.5% increase for a total revenue estimate of $21.617 billion.

$855.1 million in state tax revenue increase in fiscal year 2024-25; a 4% increase for a total revenue estimate of $22.472 billion.