MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- In his eighth and final State of the State address Tuesday night, Governor Tony Evers rattled off a list of what he considered to be his most significant accomplishments in two terms, while also telling Republicans he will not accept their proposed plan for using Wisconsin's projected surplus of about $2.5 billion.

Evers has said in order to sign off on a surplus spending plan, the package must include funding for K-12 schools. Republicans have offered to increase special aid reimbursements to meet the share of funding that was intended in the 2025-27 budget, but the proposal they sent Evers does not include an increase to general school aid.

In his remarks, Evers told Republicans there's no reason to rush toward an agreement. The Assembly is currently set to wrap up its legislative work Thursday, with the Senate doing the same next month.

In recent two-year sessions, the GOP-controlled Legislature has held its final floor dates in late winter or early spring before shifting into campaign mode.

"We can’t afford for lawmakers to lose focus on the future we’ve been working hard to build together just because it’s an election year," Evers said. "So, I know the Legislature would rather hit the road and take the rest of the year off, but I’m going to ask lawmakers to stick around until our work here is finished."

Evers has proposed a plan that would lower property taxes through a mix of general school aid increases, which are tied to school districts' property tax limits and tax credits.

Under his plan, general school aids would increase by $450 million, lowering property taxes in the process. Another $200 million would go toward special education reimbursement.

The governor's proposal aimed to satisfy Republicans by giving $550 million toward the School Levy Tax Credit.

Republicans are also proposing to boost special education spending by $200 million, which would ensure K-12 districts have 42% and 45% of their associated costs covered over the next two years, respectively.

The GOP plan also puts $500 million toward the School Levy Tax Credit, which also provides a form of property tax relief.

Republicans have continued to slam Evers over a 2023 partial budget veto that allows school districts to raise their property tax limits each year for the next 400 years. Evers defended the veto in his speech, saying it only allows for property taxes if the state doesn't increase the aid it's providing schools.

"The Legislature has rejected over $7 billion for K-12 schools that I requested over the last four state budgets," Evers said. "If lawmakers want to have an honest conversation about property taxes, start there."

Republicans, however, break from Evers by proposing to send taxpayers $1.5 billion in income tax rebate checks. Joint filers would get $1,000 while single filers receive $500.

The GOP plan also offers an unspecified amount of additional funding for the Department of Health Services (DHS) to comply with new federal restrictions that punish states for having high error rates in food stamp programs.

While Wisconsin is below that threshold, Evers has called on lawmakers to approve $70 million to find more positions and infrastructure in an effort to avoid risk of federal clawbacks.

CBS 58

Republicans have said DHS should instead repurpose positions that have been vacant for 18 months.

At a press conference earlier Tuesday, Assembly Republicans signaled they're in no mood to stick around for extended negotiations.

"This is a perfect time for us to engage in the good-faith negotiations I think can happen, but do it quickly," Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said. "The people of Wisconsin have been suffering for a long time. There's no reason for the money to sit in Madison longer than necessary."

However, Evers indicated in his speech the proposal, as written, would not get signed into law as long as he's governor.

"[An acceptable deal] must balance these important obligations [of school aid and property tax relief] a heckuva lot better than the plan Republican leaders sent me this week," Evers said.

Evers also looks back

Evers announced last summer he will not run for a third term. While Evers said he'd offer more in a farewell speech later this year, he took a significant amount of time to recount what he considered to be his most impactful achievements over two terms in office.

Evers pointed to more than $120 million the state will send to child care providers in the current budget. He also promoted a new program aimed specifically at 4-year-olds that works with day care providers to prepare kids for kindergarten.

The governor noted his two-year budgets consistently implemented tax cuts, which usually came after Republicans rewrote Evers' proposed budgets and inserted tax cuts the governor later signed into law.

Evers cited a number of accomplishments and touted how they came about with bipartisan support. Those included the Prince Act, which improved the AMBER Alert system after the death of Milwaukee's Prince McCree.

Evers also highlighted the funding plan to renovate and maintain American Family Field in a deal that will keep the Brewers in Milwaukee through 2050. 

"Here’s the truth: I’ve signed over 800 bills as governor, and more than 97% of the bills I’ve signed passed with bipartisan support," Evers said.

CBS 58

Looking ahead, too

Evers also introduced several new initiatives in his remarks. He announced the state is partnering with the Milwaukee Bucks on a campaign aimed at preventing domestic violence. He noted the state recorded a record-high 99 domestic violence homicides in 2024.

Evers said he will call the Legislature in for a special session later this year to take up a proposed amendment to the state constitution. The amendment would ban "partisan gerrymandering" of election maps that draw the boundaries of both legislative and congressional districts.

The governor's office said details about the amendment will come at a later date. It's extremely unlikely the GOP-controlled Legislature will adopt the measure, and in Evers' previous seven years in office, Republicans have simply gaveled in and out of Evers' special sessions on issues like abortion rights, Medicaid expansion, and assistance farmers.

Evers also announced the state plans to buy 225,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy each year for the next 20 years. He highlighted that upcoming executive action as a way his administration will promote clean energy efforts after he leaves office.