10/1/26

News & Updates | 3rd Quarter 2026

By Jeffrey Schmidt

President’s Message

No organization or institution can escape the rise of artificial intelligence, and it’s no different for the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Like other organizations, we have had to contend with AI as it extends its digital reach into more domains. Our staff and I are seeking to harness its great potential for gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing information. However, in keeping with our traditions at the Forum, we insist on using it thoughtfully and carefully. Continue reading…

Forum wins three national awards from leading research association

Forum Research Director Joe Peterangelo (bottom left) and representatives from other research organizations display awards they won at the 2026 Annual GRA Conference in July.

The Wisconsin Policy Forum won three national awards this year from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) – more than any other organization in the country, according to the association.

The GRA has been the national association of nonpartisan governmental research organizations since 1914.

The Forum received the “Most Effective Education” award from GRA for “Cleared for Construction,” a review of development projects across metro Milwaukee, which we released in March. It found that projects are approved more quickly in cities with a streamlined review process.

We received the “Best Digital Communication, Local Government Issue” award for our Metro Milwaukee Innovation DataTool, which tracks entrepreneurship, talent development, and economic growth. Released in November, it found metro Milwaukee’s venture capital investment hit record highs in 2024.

We received the “Certificate of Merit, Most Distinguished Research” for “Cross Examination,” our in-depth look at Wisconsin’s adult justice system, which we released in April. Among our major findings were a sharp increase in the number of Wisconsin adults incarcerated for operating while intoxicated (OWI) and a doubling since 2010 in the state’s incarceration rate for adults 60 and older.

Click the link to learn more about the Forum and our peer organizations in other states that received well-earned recognition at the GRA’s 2026 annual conference in July. We’re grateful to all who make our award-winning research possible.

Talking apprenticeships in the northwoods

The Forum recently took its research up north to discuss ways to grow the state’s apprenticeship pipeline.

A recent Forum report found that even as apprenticeship participation in Wisconsin is at record highs, many employers still have limited or no familiarity with state apprenticeship programs. Many also face barriers to creating apprenticeship positions, particularly smaller businesses and those in northwest Wisconsin, where apprenticeship participation lags the rest of the state.

With the geographic dimension of these findings in mind, Forum Research Director Joe Peterangelo and researcher Ava Gagner presented our findings at a special event at the Hayward Veterans Center on Aug. 27. Attendees included employers, local business leaders, and educational and workforce stakeholders.

Thanks to our partners at WRTP|Big Step and Ascendium Education Group for sponsoring this event — and for supporting and highlighting our research on apprenticeships in Wisconsin.

Tools maintain Forum’s role as go-to interactive data source

In the third quarter, the Forum’s research output included 2026 updates to three of our most popular interactive data tools: the Property Values and Taxes DataTool, Municipal DataTool, and School DataTool.

The Property Values and Taxes DataTool is the state’s leading publicly available resource for interactive data for all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and more than 1,840 cities, villages, and towns. The Municipal DataTool and School DataTools also allow users to assess and compare all 607 cities and villages– as well as all 421 public school districts – on a range of key metrics.

All are available, as with all of our research, for free at our website: wispolicyforum.org. They reinforce the Forum’s role as the go-to source for interactive data on local and state policy issues in Wisconsin.

A very special thanks to our sponsors for these tools: Baird, the Commercial Association of REALTORS Wisconsin, Ehlers, the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS, Herb Kohl Philanthropies, the Lannon Stone Foundation, the McGaffey Fund, U.S. Bank, UW Credit Union, von Briesen & Roper, s.c.; and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.

Forum Madison event focuses on data centers

Forum President Jason Stein (far right) asks panelists about their views on data centers in Wisconsin at the Forum’s Policy in a Pub event on the UW-Madison campus in September.

The Forum was proud to bring our popular Policy in a Pub series back to Madison with “The Data Center Challenge: Weighing Community Concerns with Growth Opportunities.”

In partnership with the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison, we welcomed more than 120 attendees on Sept. 16 at the Pyle Center on campus.

Forum senior research associate Tyler Byrnes recapped previous Forum research on data centers, and previewed another upcoming report on the topic, which we ultimately released earlier this week.

Moderated by Forum President Jason Stein, the panel featured insights from Maggie Brickerman, president, Wisconsin Technology Council; Jason Delborne, associate professor at the La Follette School; state Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin, D-Whitefish Bay; and state Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers.

Topics included the need for a state framework for regulation of data centers, and striking a balance between meeting the state’s tech infrastructure needs and addressing related concerns raised by local residents and others about the proposals.

Thank You to our Event Partner!

Thank You to our Event Sponsors!

Upcoming Research

Budget Briefs: In the coming weeks, we will publish our annual assessments of the proposed budgets for three of the state’s largest local governments: the cities of Milwaukee and Madison, and Milwaukee County. As we do every two years, the Forum will also publish a brief on state finances in December that provides an outlook for the upcoming 2027-29 state budget.

Youth Justice System: Following our April 2026 Cross Examination report, which analyzed data and trends from throughout Wisconsin’s criminal justice system, we will produce a report on the state’s youth justice system. It will examine factors including crime and arrests, court cases, incarceration, system costs, and relevant recent policy changes.

Nonprofit Sector: In late 2026, we will publish the first of two reports on the state of the nonprofit sector in metro Milwaukee. These reports will update two Forum publications from 2014 and 2016, and provide local leaders with a stronger understanding of the local landscape that they can use to respond to the current challenges.

Food Security: This project will examine the food security landscape in Milwaukee County amid shifting economic conditions, market dynamics, and changes in federal policy and funding. It will also seek to identify potential opportunities to address gaps and enhance coordination across public and private sector organizations.

New faces at the Forum

The Forum welcomes a new fellow and a research assistant in the third quarter of 2026.

Keena McIntosh is the Forum’s Norman Gill Fellow for 2026-27. She earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration and finance from Prairie View A&M University. An experienced finance and real estate professional, she is pursuing a career in real estate law, and is working toward juris doctor and master of business administration degrees at UW-Madison. Her Forum research will examine how tax increment financing is used to support affordable housing across Wisconsin.

This fellowship is named in honor of Norman Gill for his long-term commitment to improving government decision making and quality of life in our state. Norman Gill was executive director of the Milwaukee-based Citizens Government Research Bureau (later the Public Policy Forum) for over 40 years.

Hedieh Hashempour is the Forum’s fall 2026 research assistant. Before joining the Forum, she earned a Bachelor of Law and a Master of Law from SBUK in Iran and practiced as an attorney. She later earned a Master’s Degree of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. Her work focuses on child and family policy, criminal justice, and juvenile justice. She will work on Forum analysis of Wisconsin’s youth justice system, as part of a follow-up to our “Cross Examination” report.

Membership Spotlight: Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

Deborah Tomczyk
Shareholder
dtomczyk@reinhartlaw.com

Reinhart is a full-service law firm that meets the ever-evolving needs of today’s businesses with innovation, focus and commitment. Throughout our history, we have relied on entrepreneurship, teamwork and dedicated service to help our clients achieve their business goals. Our real estate practice is the largest in Wisconsin, among the most influential regionally and well-respected across the country. In partnership with clients, our attorneys have a long history of impacting major developments throughout the state of Wisconsin and continue to help shape the skylines of its metropolitan areas.

How has your membership in the Wisconsin Policy Forum been a resource for you and your organization?

“The Wisconsin Policy Forum has been a vital resource for my work with my clients as they reshape our communities. I have deep respect for the Forum’s expertise and independence. They are one of the few organizations that produce top-notch, in-depth and truly nonpartisan research on the issues most important to local and state governments. Their informed analysis offers essential context on government finance, infrastructure challenges and economic development, which all impact zoning, land use, permitting and financing options. Additionally, their research and reports provide a thorough overview of local government operations and strategies that affect short- and long-term planning. The Forum’s insight is invaluable in helping me meet the needs of my clients across the state and beyond.”

Are you a part of the Forum’s Chairman’s Club?

This exclusive group is comprised of individuals who generously donate $1,000 or more to the Forum annually.

Benefits include recognition on our website and in our annual report, exclusive events with sought-after speakers, and complimentary tickets to and priority seating at Forum events.

Interested in learning more? Email Elizabeth Cizinsky today!

Thank You!

In these polarized times, we are especially grateful for the support of our members and sponsors. Thank you for reading our research, attending or tuning in for our events, participating in our committee meetings, and maintaining your membership with us.

We are supported by hundreds of corporations, nonprofits, local governments, school districts, and individuals from across the state of Wisconsin. The following members provide particularly generous support that ensures Wisconsin will continue to benefit from having one of the nation’s most successful nonpartisan, independent public policy research organizations.

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