Sen. Kelda Roys Votes No Against Budget-Busting Deal That Doesn’t Put Wisconsin Kids First
MADISON — Last night, Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison) voted against the budget-busting May 2026 Special Session Senate Bill 1, citing its fiscal irresponsibility and short-term political gimmicks that shortchange our ability to prioritize our kids in the future.
Wisconsinites are suffering from high property taxes and underfunded public schools as a direct result of 8 consecutive Republican state budgets, and we’re now being squeezed by the economic havoc caused by Trump’s reckless wars and bad policies.
Sen. Roys has a strong track record of supporting pro-public education policies and bills that would supply adequate funding to school districts across our state. For years, she has led the fight to increase special education funding to 90%, adjust per pupil funding to increase with inflation, and give general equalization aids to actually get resources in the classroom for educators.
Sen. Roys issued the following statement:
“As a member of the Joint Finance Committee, I have long sounded the alarm about declining funding for public education. Whatever so-called ‘surplus’ may materialize will rightly belong to our kids, to invest in their futures.
“It’s very simple – you don’t go on a spending spree with money you don’t have. This is a projected surplus, meaning it doesn’t exist yet. It’s based on estimates from before Trump attacked Iran, causing massive economic uncertainty and skyrocketing gas prices. If the state is potentially heading into a Trump recession, we can’t afford to be in a massive budget hole.
“And you don’t splurge on wants when you haven’t paid your bills. State budget “surpluses” have led to massive property tax increases, necessitated by school districts and municipalities across the state holding referendums just to keep the lights on, because the state has failed to keep its promise to provide adequate funding. I’ve laid out specific plans to permanently fix these problems, but this proposal would have put those solutions further out of reach.
“Wisconsinites deserve responsible fiscal management and long-term solutions, not deficit-inducing political gimmicks. We can’t afford the estimated $2.9 billion deficit that passing this bill would create. In seven months, we will have a new governor, a new legislature, and a better picture of the state’s fiscal position. Because of today’s vote, we’ll be on substantially better financial footing to fund our schools, permanently lower the burden on property taxpayers, and address the affordability crisis caused by Trump’s economic chaos.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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