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The Wisconsin Policy Forum is a nonpartisan, independent statewide policy research organization with offices in Milwaukee and Madison. Our mission is to provide informed, nonpartisan analysis of critical policy issues affecting local governments, school districts, and the state of Wisconsin. Our research and facilitation activities encourage elected officials and community leaders to find effective, data-driven solutions to pressing policy challenges, and promote productive discussion among the public and private sectors.

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Featured Research

The 2024 budget was an unusually easy one that benefited from the new 2% city sales tax and a surge in shared revenues from Wisconsin Act 12, as well as the opportunity to spend the last $110 million tranche of federal pandemic relief aid. As they prepared the 2025 budget, however, the Mayor and his budget team saw a return to more traditional challenges. Faced with the expiration of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, new Act 12 obligations to increase police and fire department staffing levels, and typical cost to continue challenges, budget officials initially warned of an $87 million budget gap that might necessitate the resumption of staffing and service cuts in non-public safety departments.

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