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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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16

Policy in a Pub – September 2026

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2026 Salute to Local Government

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Featured Research

In August 2025, the Milwaukee area endured a thousand-year flood, which proved to be the country’s second-most expensive disaster of the year. At the onset of the downpour, a complex network of people, organizations, and activities sprang to life: issuing warnings and guidance, activating emergency operations centers, deploying rescue vehicles, monitoring the situation, and mobilizing volunteers. In the end, at least two people lost their lives, but the toll would have been much higher without this coordinated response.

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