Scott Walker

Ben Wikler discusses his book on Wisconsin's role in political battles against authoritarianism at an event in Madison. The article highlights past successes against Scott Walker and current challenges like gerrymandering and the upcoming election against Tom Tiffany.

Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, a primary frontrunner for governor, avoided confirming whether she still supports abolishing police during an interview, despite her campaign stating her values haven't changed. Her past 2021 call to abolish police followed a 2020 police shooting in Kenosha. Hong and four Democratic opponents all said they would not sign a budget cutting police funding.

A Wisconsin appeals court overturned a lower court's ruling that declared Act 10 unconstitutional, with the majority stating the law's distinctions for public safety workers have a rational basis. The dissent argued the law's exemptions lacked a substantial distinction and failed constitutional standards.

A Wisconsin appellate panel upheld Act 10, which limits collective bargaining rights for public workers outside the 'public safety' category, reversing a lower court ruling that found the law violated equal protection. The panel ruled the Legislature had a rational basis for distinguishing between public safety employees and others, despite unions' claims of unequal treatment.

A Wisconsin appeals court overturned a 2024 ruling that had restored collective bargaining rights to public workers, upholding a 2011 anti-union law. Unions plan to appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled by liberal justices, while supporters of the law argue it provides fiscal control to local governments.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear a second challenge to the state’s congressional maps, with Bothfield v. Wisconsin Elections Commission arguing the districts are illegally gerrymandered. The court’s liberal majority faced criticism from conservative justices Rebecca Bradley and Annette Ziegler, who accused the court of political bias. The cases will not be resolved in time to affect the November midterms.

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents proposes a 2% tuition increase for the fourth consecutive year, citing inflation and financial restructuring. The hike would raise annual tuition to $12,416 at UW-Madison and include a 3.5% rise in segregated fees. State funding for the UW System has dropped from 41.8% of the budget in 1984-85 to less than 20% recently, prompting reliance on tuition. Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany opposes the increase, pledging a tuition freeze if elected governor.

A proposed deal to boost Wisconsin special education funding and cut property taxes collapsed after advocates discovered the funding guarantees were not as promised, leading to criticism of the plan's tax giveaways and insufficient long-term solutions for school funding. The agreement, which included $300 million in general school aid and an $870 million income tax rebate, was projected to create a $3 billion state deficit, with critics arguing it prioritized tax cuts over addressing systemic school budget shortfalls.