Amid Pandemic, Wisconsin Government Addresses Go Online

(TNS) — As the COVID-19 pandemic continued Wednesday to claim dozens of more lives in Wisconsin, Gov.  Tony Evers  said he plans to deliver next year's State of the State and budget addresses online.

While it remains unclear what the 2021-23 biennial budget will entail, any chance of coronavirus-related legislation passing before the end of this year is unlikely, as incoming Senate Majority Leader  Devin LeMahieu , R- Oostburg, said the state Senate will not convene before January. State lawmakers have not met to pass legislation since April.

What's more, state fiscal experts note that — despite relatively strong state revenues heading into the upcoming budget session — lawmakers should anticipate a very different economy moving forward.

"The way we do business has changed dramatically over the last six or eight months — how we shop, how we work, whether we pay the rent or not. It's just a totally different thing that's happened very suddenly in this country, certainly in this state,"  Bob Lang , director of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, told members of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee Wednesday.

After setting a single-day record of 107 COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday, Wisconsin saw another 82 deaths Wednesday, bringing the total to 3,502 since the pandemic began, according to the state Department of Health Services. The numbers reflect when the deaths are reported and may include fatalities over several previous days or weeks. More than 395,000 Wisconsinites have been infected by the disease.

Evers said the State of the State address, which is scheduled for Jan. 12 and usually involves the pomp of a televised address to a joint session of the Legislature, will be given online in order to be consistent with his continued recommendations to mitigate the disease's spread.

Evers also announced he plans to deliver online his Feb. 16 budget message, another typically televised address to the Legislature. He encouraged members of the Legislature to convene virtually for the event, rather than in the state Assembly chambers per usual.

"I have spent the better part of the last year encouraging Wisconsinites to stay home as often as possible, practice social distancing, and limit interactions and gatherings with people outside of their immediate households," Evers said in a statement, adding, "I believe elected leaders must lead by example."

In the next legislative session, Evers said he hoped lawmakers would continue "building on the down payment" made last session on access to health care, school funding and investments in roads and bridges.

"We must also acknowledge and expect, however, that like so many things this past year, this legislative session might look differently than it has before ... I look forward to working together and having a productive legislative session in the new year," Evers said.

Surplus proposal

It's still possible the Assembly could convene this month on COVID-19 legislation. But LeMahieu, who takes over as Senate Majority Leader next month, told the Associated Press "we're not coming back in December."

Instead, LeMaheiu has proposed using some of the state's surplus medical assistance funds for any immediate health and safety needs brought on by COVID-19. That surplus is currently $120 million and is projected to grow to $269 million by July, LeMahieu said.

On Tuesday, Assembly Speaker  Robin Vos , R- Rochester, unveiled a package of coronavirus-related initiatives that would effectively require schools to offer in-person instruction by the end of January and require most state employees to return to their place of work by the same deadline. Legislation also would require a two-thirds vote by school boards to approve online instruction, among other measures.

Evers has repeatedly said he would prefer schools make their own determination on whether to offer in-person instruction while the pandemic persists.

Revenue update

Also Wednesday, Revenue Secretary  Peter Barca  said individuals in lower income brackets and small businesses have been hardest hit by the pandemic, and while industries in technology and retail have been recovering in recent months, those in travel, hospitality and food services continue to struggle.

A level of economic bounce-back is anticipated as the nation begins to recover from the pandemic, but Lang said he anticipates lasting impacts on the state's economy, such as boosted online retail sales.

"I do think that we're in a different economy going forward, based upon just looking at how people buy online — it's amazing," Lang said. "I don't see that really dropping off, but it's made an impact for us and I think it's helped to some extent in how we're doing in the sales tax area."

The fiscal bureau in September reported state tax collections appeared up 1.1% from the previous year. That's about $112.6 million, or only 0.6%, less than projected in January, according to DOR. The state's rainy day fund, to be tapped in times of recession or fiscal emergency, is projected to reach about $760 million.

The state Department of Administration last month estimated an increase in state tax revenues over the next three years, but the volatile economic situation could drastically change that forecast.

Lang said he anticipates updated tax collection data and forecasts by late January. Those figures will be used by Evers as he begins to craft his 2021-23 biennial budget recommendations.

(c)2020 The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.